Chapter 57
Isla POV
“Enough,” Tristan snapped, but she only leaned forward, savoring the chaos she was causing.
“Ask him,” she purred, “....what really happened the night your bond was sealed. If he dared to answer honestly.”
My stomach dropped.
My throat felt tight and dry. I looked at Tristan, desperate for him to tell me otherwise, for any sign she was lying.
“Tristan, what is she talking about?” I asked.
But he wouldn’t meet my eyes.
Viviana smiled like a predator with blood on her teeth. “See? He can’t.”
“Is that true?” My voice trembled as I spoke up again. “Tristan, is she telling the truth?”
“Isla, this isn’t the right place. Just leave and I'll-”
“Don’t you dare dismiss me again!” I yelled, my voice echoing against the stone walls, raw and shaking. “What is wrong with you? I have done everything, tried to fit in to your ridiculous life, and do everything else just so you would look at me as an equal. And now you sit here with her, listening to her lies, while you won’t even talk to me?!”
He rose to his feet, towering over both of us, his power rolling off him in waves, which almost forced me to submit. “I am trying to protect you!”
“I don’t need your protection, I need the truth!”
The silence that followed was suffocating.
His fists clenched at his sides, his chest rising and falling hard.
He looked like a man breaking from the inside out.
But still, he said nothing.
Not a single word.
Viviana leaned back in her chair, satisfied, her smile curling like smoke. “You see, Isla? This is the man you’ve tied yourself to. A man of half-truths and lies. He’ll never give you all of him. Because all of him… isn’t yours to have.”
The words cut deep into me because deep down, I had always known they were true.
My legs moved before my mind caught and I stormed out, the door slamming behind me, my vision blurring with hot, stinging tears.
Behind me, I heard Tristan’s fist slam against his desk, the sound of wood splintering.
And Viviana’s voice, soft and poisonous, drifting after me like smoke…
“She’ll find out anyway, Tristan. You can’t protect her from the truth….or from me.”
The morning sun filtered brightly through my chamber windows, but it offered no comfort.
My mind was a tangle of frustration, confusion lingering hurt from last night.
Tristan had brushed me off so completely, and all I could think of was Vivianna…. her sudden reappearance, his attention consumed by her, and the cold distance he now maintained towards me.
A soft knock at the door made me flinch as I was still lying in bed with no move to get up. “Come in,” I called, trying hard to steady my voice.
Lily stepped inside, balancing a tray of breakfast… porridge, fresh bread, and tea steaming invitingly. The sweet smell enveloped the entire area, causing my stomach to growl with hunger.
She hummed softly, setting the tray down with practiced ease.
“I brought you breakfast, Luna.” She tells me, going around the bed to flip open the window.
I squinted against the harsh rays of sunlight pouring through the windows.
“I'm not hungry,” I mumbled, tired of everything.
“You should eat, my lady,” she said casually, pouring the tea. “It’s going to be a busy morning, I hear.”
“Busy morning?” I repeated, raising my head up to look at her. “What do you mean?”
Lily faltered slightly, setting the cup down with a little clink. “Well… the council, I suppose. They’re gathering… discussing, um… things.”
I raised an eyebrow, feeling my pulse quicken as interest started to swirl in my body. “The council?”
“Yes,” Lily said, almost under her breath, brushing a lock of hair behind her ear. “They… well, they’ll be speaking on matters concerning Kieran, and… other pack concerns. Nothing that requires you to… um, attend, necessarily.”
I frowned, wondering why I was just hearing about this. “Other pack concerns? Sounds important.”
Lily hesitated, glancing at me nervously. “I mean… It’s not really a place for you, my lady. You know… with the elders and all. I just meant… I wouldn’t-”
I shut out her words, several thoughts circulating through my brain, namely….
“I think I should go,” I interrupted, my tone firm. Lily’s eyes widened in surprise.
“Uh, Luna… maybe it’s better if you don’t. The council… they, they might not exactly welcome you. They might-”
“They might what?” I pressed. “Speak down to me?”
She swallowed, silently agreeing with me. “I just…. Please, my lady, be careful. They can be… cruel in subtle ways. You of all people know how words can cut deeper than teeth.”
I set my jaw, already determined. “Then I’ll be careful. But I need to see for myself.”
If they're going to be deciding Kieran's fate, then I need to be there.
With a resigned nod, Lily helped me dress in a gown suitable for the council chamber, one that was simple yet striking.
She didn't say anything else to stop me but I could see the apprehension in her eyes, the way her hands lingered just a moment longer than usual..
The council chamber buzzed with murmurs when I arrived.
I slipped in using the back entrance so I didn't get much attention, except a few looks here and there.
Besides, most of them seemed to be deep in conversation to notice me walking in.
Different wolves sat around the long table, voices overlapping. Tristan’s aunt sat near the head, smirking faintly.
Tristan’s dark gaze met mine briefly, unyielding.
I looked away first, still pissed at him.
Elder Roderic spoke first, his voice firm. “The rogue attacks on the northern border are increasing. They seem to be growing bolder, given their recent attacks. Patrols must strengthen, but now we're having food shortages grow in the West. We need solutions that must cover both problems.”
Elder Malric leaned forward, his white beard stark against his black clothes. “Redirecting wolves to one sector will weaken the others. We can’t jeopardize security while addressing scarcity.”