Chapter 12 A DANGEROUS TRUTH
Landon’s POV
The sound of my boots hitting the stone floor doesn’t stop. It echoes down the corridor in a steady, sharp rhythm as I pace outside my room, each step heavier than the last.
My hands are folded tightly at my back, jaws clenched so hard it’s starting to ache, but I don’t slow down.
I can’t.
Unless I know the reason why that rogue fainted…why she’s lying unconscious and useless in my bedroom.
I exhale roughly, dragging a hand through my hair as the frustration begins to twist tighter in my chest.
“Why the hell is he taking so long?”
The words leave my mouth before I can stop them. But how could I keep shut when the pack doctor has been in there for too long—far too long for something that should be simple.
She fainted.
That’s all.
So it shouldn’t be this complicated.
And yet…
I can’t stop pacing outside my door like a wild animal.
“She’s just a rogue, Landon. Can you calm the fuck down?” Clara’s voice cuts through my thoughts, sharp with irritation as she leans casually against the wall, her arms crossed tightly across her chest like she doesn’t have a care in the world.
“The filthy rogue probably couldn’t handle the pressure of working here,” she continues with a scoff. “Or maybe she’s just weak. Either way, I don’t understand why you’re pacing the hallway all of a sudden because of it.”
My steps stop.
Slowly, I turn my head to look at her, my gaze hard and unamused.
“And what exactly does it look like I’m doing?”
“You look very worried about her of course!” Clara shoots back, completely unfazed at whatever my reaction would be to her words.
But I react the least way she expects as laughter tears out of me—a short, humourless sound that echoes through the hallway. “I’m worried about that thing in there? Don’t be stupid.”
She watches me carefully now, like she’s trying to read something I refuse to show.
“I’m not worried about her,” I continue, stepping closer, my tone dropping to a low whisper only to her hearing. “I just don’t want her to die so easily.”
“So what’s the problem then?” Clara asks, interest flickering in her eyes as they rake all over me.
“I brought her here for a reason,” I add, my voice dripping with nothing but pure venom. “And I plan to make her life a living hell before she even thinks about dying so easily.”
“Good,” Clara’s voice snaps me back to reality, sounding satisfied. “Because for a second there I thought you were actually starting to lose your mind over that girl.”
“I can never lose my mind over a filthy rogue!”
The words come out effortlessly.
Too effortlessly.
But the moment they leave my mouth, something inside me shifts.
Just for a second.
An uninvited image of her slams into me brutally—her shaking hands, the way her body went limp when she collapsed. How I stupidly caught her before she fell to the floor instead of letting her fall.
Stop thinking about the damn rogue, Landon!
I force the thoughts away immediately.
No.
I don’t give a care about what happens to her, because she means nothing to me. She’s nothing more than a tool…that’s all she is.
Before the silence can stretch any further, the door creaks open. Both Clara and I turn at once to see the pack doctor as he steps out, looking far too calm for my liking.
“Well?” I demand it immediately, my patience ready to snap any moment now. “What’s wrong with her?”
He doesn’t look worried, if anything, there’s something almost… knowing in his expression.
“It’s nothing to worry about, Alpha,” he says.
“What do you mean nothing to worry about,” I snap back. “She fainted right in front of everyone’s eyes.”
“Yes, she did. But that was only due to exhaustion and stress,” he replies. “Even though…that’s not all.”
“Then say it already, and stop wasting our precious time.” Clara snaps, irritation clearly etched across her face.
The doctor’s eyes flicker between us before speaking again, then back to me again as he parts his lips to speak.
“It’s actually… a good thing.”
“A good thing? I stare at him, anger rising fast, “What does that even mean? You'd better start making sense before I lose my patience, doctor.”
The doctor doesn’t flinch at my words, Instead, he nods toward the door behind him. “She’s awake now, you should hear it from her.”
I do not wait for him to utter another word and shove the door open. The room is quiet as I enter, and my eyes instantly find her.
Lying on my bed.
Her eyes snap up to meet mine the moment I step in, and she flinches, like she is expecting me to hurt her.
“What the hell was the doctor talking about?” I ask, nothing funny about the tone of my voice. She tries to sit up, struggling slightly, but her body betrays her as she falls back to the bed.
I don’t try to help her in any way.
I just stand there, watching her with no ounce of softness or concern etched across my face.
“I…” she starts, but the words barely come out as her fingers grip the bedsheet, dropping to the floor briefly before lifting back to mine.
“I don’t have time for this,” I snapped. “Speak up or I’ll make you speak the hard way!”
She flinches again, her lips trembling as she tries to form the words.
“I… I—”
“You better stop fucking stuttering,” I cut her off sharply, taking a step closer. “I’m going to ask you for the last time, what did the doctor say?”
I can hear Clara’s footsteps behind me now, her presence filling the entire room the moment she steps inside.
“Well?” she presses impatiently.“You heard my brother. So you'd better start talking right now.”
Isabella swallows hard, her hands shaking slightly against the sheets as she opens her mouth to finally say something.
Her eyes meet mine.
Wide.
Fearful.
And then—
She finally speaks.
“I’m… pregnant.”