Chapter 17: XVII

Isabell POV

The room was quiet, save for the faint hum of the ceiling fan right above me, and the very audible chirping of birds that permeated the room.

I stirred awake, feeling the weight of sleep lifting slowly from my body. My mind was clearer than before, I didn’t feel like my chest was being weighed down by an invisible force.

Zoe had been right; I needed the rest. And that tea she gave me really helped. Sometimes I imagined what I could possibly do without her always around me, looking out for me.

I sat up straight on the bed, blinking against the soft light streaming in through the curtains. My limbs, although lighter than they had been the first time I woke up, was still heavier than usual, but the dull ache of exhaustion was gone.

I glanced at the bedside clock, 11:18 a.m. It was a bit late, but there was still enough time in the day to feel productive.

“Alright,” I muttered to myself, stretching my body, my fingers clasped together as I got out of bed. “Time to reset. Get Isabell back in action.”

I went off to shower. I made sure to make it warm. While in the shower I liked as the steam was curling around me like a comforting embrace.

As I lathered soap onto my skin, I found myself thinking about the dream again, the creature, the glowing eyes, the sound of leaves crunching underfoot as I chased after it. It felt so real. Too real.

Yet the more I tried to piece together the details, the more they slipped through my fingers like sand. What always remained of it was a bunch of incoherent images.

When I finished, I wrapped a towel around myself and stepped back into the bedroom. The cool air welcomed me there, as I left the warm steamy air in the bathroom, carrying with it a faint lavender scent from the candle Zoe had left burning on the dresser.

I rummaged through my clothes and pulled on a loose sweater and a pair of leggings. Simple, but comforting. I smiled at myself.

As I was brushing my damp hair, my phone buzzed on the nightstand. The screen lit up with Bella’s name, and my heart lifted immediately. Bella. I hadn’t spoken to her in days, and guilt tugged at me as I realized I’d been so caught up in my own world that I hadn’t even thought to check in.

I grabbed the phone, although my hands were shaking, answered, trying to mask the hesitation in my voice. “Bella! Hey.” My voice appeared more delightful than I had expected it to be. I waited slightly frightfully for her reply.

Her cheerful voice boomed through the speaker at last. “Isabell! Finally! I was starting to think you’d forgotten about me, after spending time with your original best friend,” she teased.

Let out a small laugh, though it sounded a bit forced. “I could never forget about you. Besides, there’s no such thing as an original best friend. You’re both my best friends.”

“Uh-huh,” she teased. I wondered what she was thinking.

“Well, I’ve got news! You won’t believe it. I met someone.” There was excitement bubbling in her voice, and it was contagious.

“His name is Mark. We met at that new café downtown. He’s funny, Isabell. Like, actually funny. And he has this cute little dimple when he smiles. Ugh, you have to meet him.”

“I’m happy for you, Bella,” I said, trying to match her enthusiasm. “He sounds great.”

“But enough about me,” Bella said suddenly. “What about you? You okay? You sound… off. How about Mr. Hot?”

I hesitated. I could imagine her eye brows wincing up and down teasingly at me. For a second, I thought about telling her the truth, spilling every confusing, eerie detail that had been haunting me for days.

But Bella sounded so happy, so full of life. I didn’t want to ruin that with what Zoe described as just a spooky nightmare.

“I’m fine,” I said quickly, trying to sound convincing. “Just tired, I guess.”

There was a pause, and I knew Bella well enough to sense her doubt.

“Isabell,” she said slowly, my heart nearly froze up. “what’s going on? I know you better than that.”

I sighed, leaning back against the edge of the bed.

I don’t even know how to explain it,” I admitted at last, feeling slightly relieved at telling her. “It’s just… weird stuff. Strange feelings, strange dreams. I’m probably overthinking everything.”

“Dreams? Like nightmares?” Bella pressed.

“Kind of,” I said, my voice dropping to a whisper.

“Last night, I dreamt that I was walking through this forest. It was dark, and I couldn’t see much, but there was something… a creature. It had these glowing eyes, Bella. Then…” I paused, trying to recall the next part, but the memory was already slipping away. “I don’t remember what happened next. It’s like the details are just… gone.”

There was silence on the other end of the line, and for a moment, I thought I’d lost her. Then Bella spoke, her voice laced with concern.

“Isabell, do you want me to come and get you? I mean... It’s not too late for you to spend the holidays here with me.”

I smiled faintly at her offer, touched by her kindness. “Thanks, Bella, but I’ll be okay. I think I just need to get out of my own head for a bit.”

“Alright,” she said reluctantly. “But call me if you need anything, okay? I mean it.”

“I will,” I promised.

After we hung up, I walked over to the window, needing a distraction. The view outside was quiet, a stretch of road lined with bare trees, their branches swaying in the cold wind. But as my gaze wandered, something caught my eye.

At first, I thought it was just a trick of the light, but then it moved. A creature, large and fast darted across the street. Its fur was dark, almost blending into the shadows, but its eyes… its glowing, golden eyes… locked with mine for a split second before it disappeared into the trees.

My breath hitched, and I stumbled back from the window, my heart racing. Had I really just seen that? Or was my mind playing tricks on me? Not again, I thought to myself. It better be just a hallucination.

I didn’t have time to dwell on it. My legs carried me downstairs, where Zoe was in the kitchen, humming softly as she poured coffee into a mug.

“Hey,” she said when she saw me. “You look better. How are you feeling?”

“Zoe,” I blurted, my voice shaking as I walked closer to her. “Are you there… Are there wolves here?”

Her hand froze mid-pour, and the ceramic jug slipped from her grasp, crashing onto the floor and shattering into pieces.