A FEW HOURS LATER
ISABELLA'S POINT OF VIEW:
The room was warm, the soft sheets unfamiliar. My body felt... lighter, but still weak, like I'd run through a storm barefoot and only just made it out. I blinked slowly, letting my eyes adjust to the dim gold light filtering through the embroidered curtains. This wasn't my room. Not the moon's chosen village. Not Iron Hollow either. I sat up, heart thudding inside my chest. Where-? The memory came in pieces. The dizziness. The way my limbs refused to listen. Michael's voice, was calm, too calm. And then nothing.
"System." I whispered hoarsely.
A familiar blue glow flickered in the corner of my vision.
"System notification. Awakening confirmed. Location – black down pack. Status – stabilized."System said.
I stared at the message. Black down? Xavier brought me here?
"System… what happened to me? Why was Michael there?"I asked.
"System log accessed. Michael delivered you the final antidote. Kiss-administered. Effect immediate. Vital signs stabilized. Relationship Status Updated, later got taken by Xavier. Michael – 69% (Protective affection → Growing emotional attachment) Isabella – 65% (Reluctant trust → affection awakening), Xavier - 56% (Visible desire). System said.
I pressed my fingers to my lips, heat rushing to my cheeks. He… kissed me?
"For medicine." I muttered, trying to calm the fluster storm rising in my chest. "Obviously. It's just a medical thing. Not romantic. Not entirely."
Right? I swung my legs off the bed and stood slowly. My knees didn't buckle. Good sign. I wasn't dying anymore thanks to Michael, apparently. But why am I in Xavier's pack house?
I looked around the room again, spotting a familiar insignia carved into the fireplace mantle. Black down. No mistaking it. So if Xavier had taken me in after Michael….
"System… why am I here and not with Michael?"I asked.
"Host was moved while unconscious under emergency protocol. Xavier authorized transport. Michael was not informed. Situation… sensitive."System said.
Of course it is. I was kidnapped while being unconscious, just great. I walked to the window, my heart pounding louder than I wanted to admit. The pack house grounds stretched below, quiet and sun drenched. Safe, for now. But I couldn't shake the feeling that nothing was truly safe anymore. And worse… I kind of missed the growly rogue king who gave me an antidote with a kiss. Wait...it's not a pack house...It's a castle! I wrapped my arms around myself as the breeze drifted in from the tall window. Xavier's castle was grand, with clean halls, luxurious tapestries, and polished everything—but it felt… cold. Like I'd stepped into a painting instead of a place where people lived. I was safe. Healed. Even the System confirmed it. But still…
"System." I whispered again, chewing the inside of my cheek. "Where's Michael now?"
There was a slight delay like it was hesitating.
"Michael is currently in active search. Query. Host whereabouts. Status - highly agitated. Emotional levels - elevated. Relationship meter paused at 69% until interaction resumes."System said.
Paused? My heart clenched in a way I wasn't ready for.
Michael was looking for me. Not just waiting for me to show up, but actually searching. And agitated. That word carried weight. He didn't just leave me behind—he lost me, without meaning to. And I… missed him?
"What the hell is wrong with me." I muttered, sinking into the cushioned bench by the window. "He's annoying. Broody. Possessive…"
And yet, I couldn't forget the way his hand trembled ever so slightly when he'd brushed the hair from my face. Or how gently he'd held me, the ghost of desperation in his touch like he'd been ready to break everything just to save me. That kiss. Even if it had been just antidote delivery', the memory of it still made my lips tingle.
I sighed and let my head fall back against the cool wall.
Maybe it wasn't just the poison messing with my head. Maybe it was something else entirely, something dangerous and harder to fight than any toxin.
"System…" I whispered.
"Yes, Host?"I asked."…Do you think he's angry?"
"Michael's emotional output reflects concern over anger. Current primary emotions: protectiveness, worry, possessiveness."System said.
"Not helping."I said.
But even so, a small smile tugged at my lips.
I'd never been wanted like that before. Not truly. Not like I mattered. And now? Now I was stuck in a castle that didn't feel like mine, being protected by someone who wasn't the one I wanted protecting me. I curled up tighter on the bench, arms hugging my knees, and whispered to no one.
"Michael… come find me already."I whispered.
I didn't even hear the door open. A quiet presence slipped into the room, and when I finally looked up, Xavier was already standing there leaning casually against the doorframe like he owned the entire world. His dark hair was slightly tousled, and his sharp gaze studied me with that familiar calm calculation he always wore like a second skin.
"You're awake." He said smoothly, pushing off the frame and walking toward me. "Good. I was getting worried."
I blinked, startled.
"You were?"I asked.
He chuckled softly, the sound carefully measured.
"Of course. After what happened, I couldn't just let you stay where… things might get worse." He crouched in front of me, his eyes softening in a practiced way. "I brought you here. You're safe now."
"But… wasn't it-" I started, my voice trailing off.
Wasn't it Michael? He looked at me, head tilting just enough to feel rehearsed.
"You were unconscious. Systems don't always relay everything clearly. Maybe the memory's a little fuzzy. But yeah." He offered a gentle smile. "You were in rough shape. Luckily, I had a few things ready. My healer was able to stabilize you."
I stared at him, uncertain.
"Host status - cnflicted. Clarifying reminder -Michael administered antidote. Xavier responsible for relocation only."System said.
Ah. There it was. So… he didn't lie. Not really. But he was dancing on the edge of it. Letting me believe what he wanted.
"You didn't need to go that far." I mumbled.
"I would've done more." His voice dipped low, and he reached forward, brushing a strand of hair behind my ear with surprising gentleness. "You're… important, Isabella."
That tugged something in my chest as I watched how Xavier left the room. Something confused and unsure. Something Michael shaped. And still, I couldn't ignore the growing tension building under Xavier's calm demeanour. He wasn't telling me everything but he was playing a part. Was this some kind of game to him too? Even if he hadn't saved me in the way he wanted me to believe… he had brought me somewhere safe. But I still wanted Michael. Even if it made no sense. Even if it hurt a little. Even if Xavier's presence felt like a mask I couldn't peel off.