Chapter 18: XVIII

Levi POV

I sat on the edge of my bed, staring at the floor, trying to steady my breath. My ribs still ached from the fight with the rogues, but the pain was mild now. Compared to before, it was just a faint throbbing now.

The adrenaline that had kept me going earlier was gone, leaving behind an exhaustion that seemed to seep into my bones. I felt like my joints were frozen.

Jack stood by the window, his arms crossed over his chest, looking out at the thick woods that surrounded the pack house. The fading sunlight cast long shadows across his face, but I could see the tension etched on it, like markings carved into it by some wood fairy.

“You know what this means, right?” he finally spoke, his voice low but firm.

I didn’t look up right away. I already knew what he was going to say, and I wasn’t ready for it. Instead, I nodded, my fingers running through my hair.

“Yeah?” I muttered, the words came off like a question but not so clearly, “We have to find the rogues and stop whatever they’re planning. For Isabell.”

Jack turned to face me, “It’s not just about the rogues, Levi. You know what I am talking about.”

I frowned, finally lifting my gaze to meet his, “What do you mean?” I said to be as sure as possible that I had no idea what he was trying to say.

He let out a slow breath, as if preparing himself for a fight, “You have to stay away from Isabell. And you have to convince her to leave.”

His words hit me like a punch to the gut. The problem was I already knew what he was going to say, and it still had me feeling this way, how else would it have been if I did not. My chest tightened, and for a moment, I couldn’t breathe.

“What? No. I can’t do that, Jack.”

“You have to,” He stepped closer, his expression unwavering, “She’s a distraction, Levi. She’s going to get hurt, and you know it. And you also know you don't need or want her to get hurt."

I shook my head, standing up despite the protest from my aching ribs, “Isabell is not a distraction. She’s…” I paused, struggling to find the words. “She’s... I don’t know what to say, Jack. I can’t just push her away like that.”

Jack’s eyes narrowed, “So you’d rather put her in danger? Is that what you’re saying? Because that’s what’s going to happen if you don’t let her go.”

My fists clenched at my sides. I wanted to argue, to tell him he was wrong, but deep down, I knew he had a point. The rogues were after me, after us, and Isabell had already been caught in the crossfire once. I couldn’t let it happen again.

“I'll think about it,” I said finally, as if yielding to a powerful force, my voice low, “After we deal with the rogues.”

Jack’s lips pressed into a thin line, “That’s not good enough, Levi. You need to do it now.”

“I can’t,” I snapped, the words harsher than I intended, “Not yet.”

He sighed, shaking his head, “Fine. But what are you going to tell her while we’re gone? She’s not stupid, Levi. She’ll know something’s up.”

I rubbed the back of my neck, already dreading the thought of leaving her without an explanation.

“Zoe will tell her we had something important to take care of. That we’ll be back.”

Jack raised an eyebrow, “And you think she’s just going to accept that?”

“She has to,” I said, though I didn’t believe a word of it.

Later that day, the pack house was quiet. Too quiet. I could feel the tension in the air as Jack and I packed our bags in the garage.

The sun was just starting to rise, the smell of oil and metal lingered in the air as we prepared the truck for the long drive ahead.

Zoe appeared at the garage door, her arms crossed over her chest. Her hair was pulled back into a messy bun, and her eyes were sharp and accusing. She seemed incredibly troubled.

“So what exactly am I supposed to tell Isabell?” she demanded, standing before us, her voice cutting through the silence like a blade.

I exchanged a glance with Jack before turning to Zoe.

"Just tell her we had something important to take care of, she doesn’t need to know the details.”

Zoe’s eyes narrowed, “She’s not a fool, Levi. She already knows something’s wrong. I can’t keep lying to her. You can't keep making me lie to her and you know that.”

I sighed, running a hand through my hair, “You’ll have to, Zoe. It’s important.”

She scoffed, throwing her hands in the air, “Of course. Just leave me to clean up your mess,” She turned and stormed off before I could say anything else. I could tell Zoe had gotten really impatient with my antics.

Jack gave me a pointed look, “This is exactly why you need to let her go,” He walked away after saying that, leaving me behind the truck.

I ignored his words, throwing the last of my things into the truck. But before we left, I found myself heading toward the pack house.

Something was tickling my senses. There was an overwhelming desire in me to see her once again. I told myself I just needed one last look, just to make sure she was okay. So behind the woods I shifted and watched her from a distance.

Isabell was standing by the window, her hair falling in soft waves over her shoulders. She was holding a cup of water, staring out at the woods with a thoughtful expression. The sunlight caught on her features, making her look even more beautiful than I remembered.

Behind the shadows I stayed hidden, my heart aching as I watched her. I knew I shouldn’t be there, but I couldn’t help myself.

There was something about her that pulled me in, no matter how hard I tried to resist. If only there was a way to explain the tremendous feeling that tugged on my heart at the sights and sounds of her, if only. But it escaped words to create a picture of it.

And then she turned her head, her eyes meeting mine. For a moment, neither of us moved. Her lips parted slightly, and I saw the confusion and hurt in her eyes. My chest tightened, and before I could think, I turned and ran.

I didn’t stop until I reached the garage. Jack was waiting for me, his arms crossed and there a scowl on his face.

“Seriously, Levi?” he snapped, “You let her see you in your wolf form again?”

“I didn’t mean to,” I said, breathless, “I just… I don’t know, Jack. I can’t explain it. I’m drawn to her.”

Jack shook his head in frustration, “You’re going to get us all killed if you don’t get your head on straight.”

I didn’t say anything. I couldn’t. All I could think about was the look in Isabell’s eyes when she saw my wolf.

And I knew, no matter what Jack said, staying away from her was going to be the hardest thing I could ever do.