Chapter 55

Isla POV

Her smile vanished. In the space of a heartbeat, she lunged.

I barely dodged, my shoulder slamming against the table as her hand shot for my cloak, nearly dragging me with it.

Fury bubbled up in me, hot and reckless.

I shoved back, catching her arm and twisting.

She hissed, spinning with surprising strength, and the next second we were locked in a messy struggle…. hands tangled as we struggled, knocking off various items, and the lamp swaying dangerously.

The walls of the castle were beginning to feel like a cage.

Every corridor, every hushed conversation between guards, every whisper about Tristan’s decree to banish Keiran pressed against my chest like a weight I couldn’t shake off.

The thought of Keiran being cast out gnawed at me including the secrets he kept, his silences, the way he avoided my questions…. All these aroused my suspicions yet something in my bones told me he didn’t deserve this punishment.

That restless pull was what drove me to disguise myself in a plain cloak and slip past the gates that evening.

The guards didn’t look twice at me, probably just assuming I was another maid leaving the compound, my outfit blending into the thinning crowd as darkness bled into night.

I dragged the hood of my cloak further down to hide my features and kept my steps steady, determined to leave that building and breathe in fresh air that wasn't clogged with secrets.

It took a couple of long minutes but soon enough, I saw the outline of the town.

The town square was quieter than usual.

Traders had packed their stalls, leaving only the faint scent of spiced bread and smoked meat lingering in the air.

A few late stragglers lingered by the fountain, their laughter rising in uneven bursts as they packed up for the night.

No one paid attention to me, which was normal but I had expected a quiet stroll in the night….the streets were far too busy for me to enjoy that.

I walked around for a couple more minutes and was about to circle back when I caught something…. words carried on low voices, sharp enough to snatch my attention.

“…they say she’s back. Vivianna. Can you believe it?”

My heart stuttered in my chest.

The voices belonged to three men huddled near a shuttered bakery, speaking in low tones.

Against my better judgment, I grew intrigued and moved closer, slipping into the shadows, straining to catch every word.

“She’s hiding in the old mason’s house,” one said. “Not far from the northern edge. I saw her myself.”

“You should’ve kept walking,” another muttered nervously. “If the Alpha finds out…”

“He won’t. Not if we keep our mouths shut.”

Vivianna.

The name burned a hole into my mind.

It seemed to be everywhere…. Like a ghost that I could hear all around.

But I had never seen her.

And if she truly was back, hiding right under Tristan’s nose, then I needed to know why.

Before I could talk myself out of it, I followed my instincts and trailed after the men as they broke apart and wandered toward the northern edge of town.

The streets narrowed there, the homes smaller and worn from years of weather and misuse.

The three men paused before a dimly lit house with crooked shutters.

I held back, crouching against the corner of a stone wall, my heart pounding as they slipped inside without knocking.

I waited only a few breaths before edging forward, wondering if I was making the right decision.

Light flickered against the cracks of the doorframe. My palm pressed against the wood as I debated my next step.

Every instinct screamed at me to walk away, but curiosity….no, something deeper, maybe something like fate if I believed in those sorts of things, pulled me in.

I pushed the door open.

The room was cramped, lit by a single oil lamp. The three men stood awkwardly near the back while a woman sat casually in a chair at the center.

She didn’t look surprised to see me, if anything, her lips curved into a sly smile the moment our eyes met.

She looked pleased.

“So,” she drawled, rising gracefully to her feet, a floor-length gown billowing around her ankles like a goddess. “You must be Isla.”

I froze, my grip tightening on the edge of my cloak.

My heart was beating so fast as I stood there.

I had never met her, yet she said my name like she’d been expecting me all along.

Maybe she was.

“And you are?” I asked, though I already knew.

“Viviana,” she said, stepping closer, the lamplight catching the sharp angles of her face.

She was gorgeous…. —dark hair cascading down her shoulders, eyes glittering with a knowing edge. “I wondered when you’d come sniffing around.”

My pulse quickened. “You’ve been hiding here? Why?”

“Why?” She laughed, low and bitter. “Because this pack loves its secrets. Tristan hides behind noble speeches. Keiran hides behind silence. And you…” Her gaze swept over me, mocking and cruel. “.... you hide behind innocence, pretending you're all submissive and pure when you're actually the opposite. All you just want is to be taken seriously.”

The words sliced deep, though I tried not to show it. “Those are harsh words for someone who doesn't know me.”

“Oh, but I do,” Viviana said smoothly. “You’re the one who took my place, right? The dumb, naive girl that got duped into signing a contract with the alpha and one that's also foolish enough to jump in between brothers.” She grinned, the act laced with a touch of menace. “A convenient little pawn in their war. Tell me, Isla…. has Tristan told you the truth about the night everything changed? Or does he still feed you with half-answers and soft kisses?”

Something inside me snapped. “Watch your mouth.”

She smirked, circling me like a predator. “Did I touch a nerve? Good. Maybe you’ll finally stop being so gullible.”

I stepped forward, refusing to flinch. “If you have something to say, then say it. Stop circling it like the vulture that you are. Do you know it's funny, you left probably because you're bored, and now you're back, in the first thing you do is come straight to me…why? Is someone feeling insecure?”