Chapter 23
Isabella’s POV
I couldn’t sleep.
No matter how much I tried to shut my eyes and drown out my thoughts, my mind kept circling back to everything that had happened. The garden.
Alessandro’s words. His promise to protect me.
I had spent so long fighting to survive that I didn’t know what it meant to be safe. Even here, in the grand estate, in a room far removed from the horrors of Hell’s Pit, I couldn’t shake the feeling that something, no
someone—was lurking in the shadows, waiting to drag me back.
Sighing, I pulled the blanket tighter around me and sat up. The room was dimly lit, the moon casting a soft glow through the open balcony doors.
The sound of the night, crickets chirping, the distant rustling of trees was strangely calming.
A movement by the door caught my attention.
I stiffened, my pulse quickening, but then Alessandro stepped forward. He was still dressed in his dark button-up shirt and slacks, his sleeves rolled up, revealing the tattoos winding up his arms. He looked like he hadn’t slept either.
“You’re still awake,” he murmured, his voice rough from exhaustion.
“So are you,” I pointed out. He leaned against the doorframe, studying me.
“ I was checking the security around the estate.”
I swallowed, feeling a pang of guilt. He was doing everything to make sure I was safe, yet I was still struggling to accept that safety.
“You don’t have to do all this for me,” I said softly.
His jaw tightened, and he pushed off the doorframe, striding toward me.
“Yes, I do.” I looked up at him, searching his face.
“Why?” He exhaled, running a hand through his dark hair. “Because you’re my mate, Isabella. Because whether you believe it or not, your life matters to me.”
The intensity in his voice made my chest tighten. I wanted to believe him, but there was still that lingering doubt clawing at the back of my mind. I looked away.
“I don’t know how to be what you need, Alessandro.”
He crouched in front of me, his fingers tilting my chin up so I had to meet his gaze.
“I don’t need you to be anything other than yourself.” I swallowed hard.
“And what if I don’t know who that is anymore?” His expression softened, and he reached up, brushing a strand of hair behind my ear. “Then we figure it out together.” His words wrapped around me like a promise, steady and unwavering.
For the first time in years, I allowed myself to believe that maybe—just maybe—I wasn’t as alone as I thought.
\---
The next morning, I woke up to the smell of coffee and something sweet. I blinked against the sunlight streaming through the windows and sat up, surprised to see a tray of food placed neatly on the bedside table.
A small note rested beside it.
“Make sure you eat. We have a long day ahead.
I hesitated before picking up the fork and taking a small bite of the pancakes. They were warm, fluffy, and tasted like cinnamon and vanilla. My stomach grumbled in appreciation.
By the time I finished eating, a knock sounded at the door.
“You can come in,” I called.
A maid entered, her hands neatly folded in front of her.
“Sir Alessandro asked me to let you know he’s waiting for you downstairs.” I nodded, wiping my hands on the napkin before standing.
“Thank you.” She gave a small bow before exiting the room.
I took a deep breath, glancing at myself in the mirror.
The dress I had chosen, a simple light blue sundress felt almost foreign on my skin. It was soft and delicate, a far cry from the tattered rags I had worn in Hell’s Pit.
I squared my shoulders and made my way downstairs.
\---
Alessandro was waiting in the main hall, dressed in his usual dark attire, his hands tucked into his pockets. When he saw me, his eyes flickered over me briefly before he nodded in approval.
“You look good,” he said. I shifted under his gaze, unsure how to respond.
“Thanks.” He gestured for me to follow him.
“Come. There’s something I want to show you.”
Curiosity piqued, I walked beside him as he led me outside. The estate grounds were vast, stretching far beyond what I had seen the day before. He guided me toward a separate building, smaller than the main house but still elegant.
When he pushed open the doors, I stepped inside and gasped.
The room was massive, lined with weapons, training equipment, and a sparring mat in the center.
I turned to him in confusion.
“What is this?”
“A training room,” he said simply. “For you.” I blinked.
“For me?” He nodded, stepping closer.
“You need to learn how to fight, Isabella. How to defend yourself.” I stiffened.
“I, Alessandro, I don’t think” He cut me off with a sharp look.
“I almost lost you once. I won’t let that happen again.”
His voice was low, filled with an emotion I couldn’t quite place. I swallowed.
“But I don’t know how to fight.”
“Then I’ll teach you,” he said firmly. “You’re stronger than you think, Isabella. It’s time you learned how to use that strength.”
A part of me wanted to argue, to tell him I wasn’t meant for this, that I was just an omega with no real power.
But another part of me, the part that had survived Hell’s Pit, the part that refused to be weak anymore, knew he was right.
I exhaled slowly and nodded.
“Okay.”
A small, almost satisfied smile touched his lips.
“Good.”
\---
The first lesson was brutal.
Alessandro didn’t go easy on me, and I quickly realized just how unprepared I was. He moved with precision, his strikes controlled yet powerful. Every time I tried to block him, he countered effortlessly, making me stumble.
“Again,” he ordered after I fell for the third time. I groaned, pushing myself back up.
“I hate this.”
“You hate being weak,” he corrected. “And that’s why you’re here. Now, again.” I glared at him but obeyed, my muscles burning with exhaustion.
By the time we finished, I was drenched in sweat, my body aching in places I didn’t even know existed.
Alessandro tossed me a bottle of water, watching as I chugged it down.
“You did well,” he said. I scoffed.
“I barely landed a hit on you.” His lips twitched.
“That will change.” I frowned.
“How can you be so sure?” He stepped closer, his eyes dark with something unreadable.
“Because I know you, Isabella. You don’t give up.” His words struck something deep inside me.
I wasn’t the same helpless girl who had been thrown into Hell’s Pit. I wasn’t the same omega who had believed she was powerless.
I was more.
And for the first time, I believed it too.