Chapter 68 CHAPTER 68
Lisa walked slowly through the palace corridor, her thoughts tangled tightly together. The meeting with Ethan and Liam still pressed against her mind like the weight of a storm cloud that refused to drift away. The torches lining the walls flickered with a warm, gentle glow, but even their steady light couldn’t calm the heavy churn of worry in her chest. Celia was silent, still recovering from what she had seen in the wolf realm, and Lisa knew that meant she had to carry the emotions of both of them for now.
When she reached her bedroom, she hesitated at the doorway. The last time she had stood here, everything had been scattered - shopping bags, shoes, dresses, and accessories piled in cheerful chaos across the bed, the floor, even the chairs. She wondered how she was going to face that mess when she already felt so shaken. But when she pushed the door open, she stopped short. The room was spotless. Every dress was folded or hung neatly in the closet. The shoes were arranged at the foot of the wardrobe. Isabel’s side of the room was tidy as well, her blankets smoothed, her small stack of books neatly placed on her bedside table.
Isabel stood near the dresser, adjusting the last scarf they had bought earlier. She spun around the moment she heard the door open. Her eyes softened at the sight of Lisa, and she walked toward her with a relieved breath. “You’re finally back,” she said quietly. “I didn’t want you coming in and finding the whole room upside down.”
Lisa blinked, taking in the polished surfaces and the freshly made bed. “You… did all this?”
Isabel shrugged lightly, a small smile tugging at her lips. “I had help from the staff. I think they felt the tension at dinner too, so they didn’t ask questions. And I just… I didn’t want you to walk into chaos after everything that happened.” Her voice lowered. “You looked so shaken when Celia told you about Kael.”
A rush of unexpected warmth spread through Lisa’s chest. “Thank you,” she whispered. “I needed this. More than you know.”
Isabel’s smile grew a little, but worry crept into her eyes as she pulled Lisa toward the bed. “Sit,” she urged. “Please. I’ve been waiting to ask you what happened. You looked like you were about to fall apart at dinner, and then Ethan and Liam whisked you off without saying anything.” She paused, studying Lisa’s face. “What does it mean… Sebastian’s wolf being sick?”
Lisa’s breath caught. She didn’t want to pull Isabel into panic. She didn’t want to burden her with the complicated, painful truth of the mate bond or the darkness that seemed to curl around everything connected to Silverpine. But Isabel sat there, patient and concerned, with eyes that had watched her suffer before, eyes that had never looked at her with anything but genuine kindness.
“There’s a lot happening,” Lisa said softly. “More than I even understand. Silverpine…” She swallowed, choosing her words carefully. “There are things happening there - dark things. Things that shouldn’t be possible. And I don’t know how to feel about it. Part of me thinks… maybe it’s justice. After everything they put me through. But another part…”
She trailed off. Isabel scooted closer. “Another part is afraid?”
Lisa nodded. “Because of the bond. Because of Sebastian. Everything is confusing right now.”
Isabel took a slow breath, her expression shifting into something more protective, almost fierce. “Then let me tell you something,” she said. “Whatever is happening, you have Ethan. You have Liam. These are not just any men - they’re the king and the strongest warrior in the entire realm. They would never let anything happen to you. They would tear this entire world apart before they let someone hurt you.”
Lisa looked down at her hands. “I know. But the bond…”
“And Sebastian?” Isabel cut in sharply. “Let me be honest, Lisa. Maybe he’s getting exactly what he deserves. You don’t know how many nights I watched you cry yourself to sleep. I saw the pain that bastard caused you while he was busy with his girlfriend, acting like you were nothing.” Her voice trembled, anger surfacing. “Maybe this is the Moon Goddess finally punishing him.”
Lisa’s chest tightened painfully. “I wish it was that simple,” she whispered.
Isabel frowned. “What do you mean?”
Lisa shook her head. “Nothing.” She pushed a light smile across her lips, one that didn’t come close to touching her eyes. “Go shower. You’re tired.”
Isabel hesitated, but finally nodded and headed to the bathroom, leaving Lisa alone with the quiet hum of her thoughts. She let out a long breath, feeling the room still around her. That was when Celia stirred again.
Her wolf’s voice slipped gently into her mind. “Do not be afraid,” Celia murmured, her tone warm and consoling. “Isabel is right about one thing. Ethan, Liam, and the court will never let danger reach you. And neither will I.”
Lisa exhaled slowly. “I know. I just… don’t understand any of this. How did you even learn to leave my body and go to the wolf realm? I didn’t even know such a place existed until today.”
Celia’s presence warmed, her voice soft like a comforting embrace. “The first time I appeared in Silverpine, you were sixteen. You remember how frightened you were. You begged me to hide - told me you couldn’t survive if anyone knew you had shifted. I wanted to honor that. But watching how the Hales treated you… it was hard.”
Lisa closed her eyes, her throat tightening. Celia continued gently. “Every time I felt your pain, your exhaustion, your fear… I wanted to come forward. And it became too much sometimes. So I wandered. I searched for a place where I wouldn’t break your promise. Somewhere I wouldn’t see what they were doing to you.” Her voice dipped lower. “One day, I followed a scent through the bond space, and it led me to the wolf realm. It was warm, and quiet, and safe. I stayed there whenever I could. Until the day Sebastian rejected you.”
Lisa’s breath hitched. “You came running back.”
“I had to,” Celia said softly. “Your pain called me. I couldn’t stay away. You were breaking, and I wanted to take even a fraction of that pain from you.”
The warmth of her wolf spread through her like a slow sunrise.
Without thinking, Lisa wrapped her arms around her own body in a gesture that mirrored the way Celia hugged her from the inside. For the first time since hearing that Kael was fading, she felt a flicker of relief. She wasn’t alone. Not in her fear, not in her confusion, and not in the heavy weight of everything that was happening.
“I’m glad you’re here,” she whispered.
“I always will be,” Celia answered. “And we will face whatever is coming together.”
Lisa sat quietly as the sound of running water drifted from the bathroom. The night felt less heavy now. Still uncertain, still frightening… but no longer unbearable. The storm had not passed, but she finally felt grounded enough to breathe through it.