~ Vain Confrontation

{Isla's POV}

“Cayden!” I yelled, drawing all the glares at the table to my person. Cayden’s expression still remained straight as he didn’t bother sparing me a look, but in that instance, I wasn’t intimidated by it. I was there to pour out my heart and get answers, and that was what I did.

“Who is she?” I started with a solid tone, aiming my finger at the crafty lady on his side.

“For the past few days, this woman has been staying in this house and nobody has bothered saying anything? She and Cayden are suddenly so close, and everyone is chill about it? Don’t any of you think I deserve, at least, an explanation for all this muddle!” I was doing so well until my tears betrayed me and began trailing down my cheeks. However, I couldn’t blame the tears because, with the heat in my chest, even my heart was threatening to leap out.

“You don’t get to talk to us that way!” Cayden’s mother, Sassaba, voiced as she shot to her feet. “Who do you think you are!”

Who am I? Who is she!

I motioned to reply to her but was promptly interrupted by an obvious charade. The nameless lady had stood up to guide Cayden’s mother back into her seat. “Mother, don’t stress yourself because of her. You need rest.” She said withi a calm volume as she guided Sassaba back into her chair and I grew a glower at once.

What a snake, already playing her cards so deviously!

“The woman you refer to as ‘she’ is Cayden’s new wife, thus the future Luna; once you decide to sign the papers and get the hell out of here!” Lucil, Cayden’s kid sister, added with a scoff.

So they all knew about this? The whole freaking family was involved in this vile scheme?

I shifted my blurry gaze to Cayden in anticipation of his contribution or voice or anything! But no, the chap just sat there staring into the blank air, not still bothering to spare me a look.

What did I do to deserve such ill-treatment from him?

“You’re lucky my son doesn’t want to publicly reject you, else you would be out of here by now. Ivanka here is the royalty my son needs, not some filthy lowlife picked up from a Cabbagetown simply because she’s the fated mate to a nobility.” Sassaba avowed furiously again and tears poured out my eyes in response to my growing sobs. The woman was really aiming for my heart.

My lips jumbled a few words but they weren’t audible and even I didn’t know what I wanted to say. So I remained mute as Sassaba continued throwing audio daggers.

“So don’t you dare think that he can be yours because the moon goddess matched you with him. You are nothing but a beggared Omega, while Ivanka is of an Alpha blood, like the rest of us, so she’s everything! With her and Cayden’s union and our packs’ alliances, GreyStone can finally be noticed by the Lord Alpha and Cayden can be promoted. So, like it or not, you’ve lost!” She shot and I felt my pulse drop to a dangerous level.

Once again, the Ivanka lady played the humble hero, urging Sassaba to calm herself while simultaneously giving me a scornful look.

I knew it. Devil!

I felt like saying a million things in defense but all my strength was spilling along with my tears.

“I’m…” was all my lips could manage before the conversational chaos continued.

“It’s time you leave, Isla. As Mother said, you’re lucky my brother is being merciful. Sign the papers and you can finally have what you want.” She averred and Cayden finally reacted with a twitch in his gaze.

What does she mean by ‘have what I want’?

Impulsively, I dipped my gaze to the divorce papers in my hand and I straightened up their folds. For the first time, I realized that there was a compensatory contract document along with the divorce ones. Cayden had consented to give me two million dollars if I signed the divorce papers and forfeited the Luna title.

Suddenly, two fine Edgar black leather shoes appeared before my field of view, so that I inched my gaze back up and realized Cayden was before me.

Almost immediately, his lavender savor mixed with his sweet sandalwood scent and his blissful aura overwhelmed my being so that all my worry and grief disappeared momentarily.

He wore a navy blue suit tailored to perfection as the fabric embraced his frame with precision, accentuating his broad shoulders and tapered waist. The lapels, adorned with a subtle sheen, gracefully framed his crisp white shirt beneath and I could literally feel the heat his whole dress ensemble was emanating.

I looked up at his face since he was moderately taller than me, and I was reminded why he was the most stunning man I’d ever seen.

Cayden was a moderately tall, cashmere-skinned, muscly artwork of a man… but this was just the basics of his actual charm. Cayden had a face and a semblance so divine that it could intimidate even the gods. The delicacy of his features was something that could effortlessly claim the amazement of any onlooker.

His snatched jawline, appealing lips, and ocean-blue eyes all expressed nothing but warming tranquility as they all faultlessly complemented his already faultless face, making him possess a celestial guise.

I stared at his appealing lips with the hope that the words that were about to come out of them would somehow make all this make sense, and just then he said my name.

“Isla...” He started with his deep rumble that was his voice which always sent animating chills down my spine, and I looked more eagerly at him, my anticipation keen as ever!

“You can keep one of my mansions if you still don’t feel satisfied.” He mouthed and all my glee fell at once!

No no! No, he didn’t just…

“No, you didn’t… you didn’t just say…” My thoughts became loud but they also tangled up on my tongue as I staggered backwards in utter terror.

“You can—” He started to say but I immediately curtailed his attempt.

“Stop!” I yelled as loud as my lungs permitted while my tears increased their pace.

There was a following silence in respect to my venting but it was promptly interrupted by Sassaba’s voice.

This woman!

“What right does she have to talk to my son that way? She has gone mad! Guards take her away!” I could hear her say, but I couldn’t care less, as my attention was still very fixed on Cayden who had grown a tight frown.

“Cayden, y… you can’t…” I tried talking but my words were failing me once again. It was almost as if I was expressing them as tears instead.

“What!” Cayden rejoined as he dismissed the guards that had assembled to carry out Sassaba’s bidding with a wave of his fingers. “I’ve given you the popularity you wanted, and now I’m adding riches to it…” He affirmed and I felt my heart scatter into a billion pieces.

“Stop it, please...” I muttered in a barely audible volume as my sobs were choking me up, but Cayden?… he just continued his rambling.

“Take this.” He took hold of my left palm and slammed a note in my hands. “This is another two million dollar check for your addition.” He offered and I felt my temper build up at once!

“I don’t want your fucking money!” I roared throwing every single paper piece that was formally in my grip to the ground.

“What do you want then!” Cayden voiced, gesturing his hands loosely in the air. “More money? More fame? You’ve always been so interested in my properties, my money, and my assets, and now I’m giving you enough money for you to own and fucking leave!”.

“I want your love! I just want you to fucking love me, Cayden!” I returned tearfully but sank to my knees as my chest suddenly bore a draining weight.

My tears spilled as heavy sobs overwhelmed me, attacking my breathing. But from my puling, my ears still managed to pick up the chatter of that one, vile voice— Ivanka’s.

“Yes, mother. I also think she’s a fake. She just wants more money. You should just have her thrown out and not give her a dime.” The loose wretch alleged and I felt like going over to her and ripping her face off.

I promptly rose to my feet in my attempt but I halted as I noticed Cayden’s unwavering expression. He looked unmoved by everything. Everything I had said or done didn’t seem to move him in the slightest and I was forced to realize he wasn’t worthy of my tears.

I lowered myself to the ground again and carefully, I gathered all the papers and checks, while my tears busied themselves with drenching some of them.

Standing back up, I looked straight into Cayden’s eyes— his blue-tinged ones against my probably-bloody ones, and said, “I was only interested in helping you build your wealth so that you could notice me, and maybe start loving me as a result.” I slammed the papers against his chest so that he was forced to grab hold of them. “But turns out that decision was my greatest mistake! You don’t need to pay me to leave your life.” I glowered and straightened up my pose.

“I, Isla Canmore, reject you, Alpha Cayden Hunter, as my fated mate!” I announced very sternly and noticed the blow in his expression as I circled around. And with that, I had left the room… and his life.

I had known from the very start that Cayden didn’t love me as much as I did him, but I had settled for perseverance and patience, hoping that with time, he would come to love me… and so far, look where that has gotten me; a really creepy forest with rogues trailing behind me with the hope of making me their Prisoner.

Now, I could only wish Cayden and my ‘Royal replacement’—scoff, a lovely matrimony, and focus on what was left of my woeful life.

On the bright side, I was about to be captured by these Rogues. Hopefully, they would treat me less cruelly…

~ Slow Regret…

{Cayden’s POV}

“Did she just…” I knowingly stopped my attempt at continuing that sentence as I already completed it in my head.

It was the plan all along— for her to take the compensation and quietly leave my life, but I didn’t expect her to reject me so suddenly and seriously.

I was to do that!

In fact, the whole episode was still very shocking to me as I had never known Isla to be so… so wild. She had shown me her confidence and a feisty spirit that I had never seen before in all our years as mates.

I had been really provoked with how she talked to me but at the same time I had been too puzzled to react, and she had walked off leaving me that way.

I could still hear my mum cursing and protesting in the background, and for some odd reason, I wasn’t really comfortable with her volume anymore.

“She has no right to reject my son! A low-born Omega like her rejecting an Alpha? She should be killed!” She bewailed while Ivanka supported her claim.

“Mum!” I bawled as I spindled myself to face her, my voice resounding through the entire room. “That’s enough!”

“But Son.” Her tone grew calmer at once. “You shouldn’t have allowed that wretch to just scurry away after talking to you like that! She…”

“What should I have done, mum! Bind her in chains and lock her up? She’s gone for goodness’ sake! Isn’t that what we all wanted!” I queried her, and also queried myself.

Wasn’t this what I wanted too? Why was I suddenly so unsettled then?

I knew I never actually loved Isla. She was always too… too demanding, and I never truly stopped loving Ivanka even after I had been mated. So this made it difficult for me to focus my affection on Isla, coupled with the fact that she was just an ordinary Omega Werewolf. Hence, when Ivanka somehow made her way back into my life, I didn’t doubt the flow. It just seemed right, especially since she was of an Alpha blood just like me. But now everything is just jumbled up and I don’t know how to feel.

“Cayden.” My mother called again, but I was in no mood to listen to anything she had to say.

“Mum, I don’t want to hear it. You should go rest in your room. Lucil, take Mother to her room.” I voiced with a firm resolve and they both quietly did as I had instructed. They knew better than to spill my anger any further.

“My love.” I felt a gentle rub over my shoulder after some quiet seconds, and I circled around to meet Ivanka who was now making herself comfortable in our proximity.

“I think what mother is trying to say is,” She started with a smutty tone. “Don’t stress yourself over that Isla chick.” She placed her palm gingerly on my cheeks. “I’m here now, so forget about that Rotter.” She concluded softly and I felt Kiba, my wolf, growl at the instance of her cursing Isla. Even her words were disconcerting me.

“Ivanka.” I mouthed, loosening myself from her clinch. “Maybe you should go wait for me in the room. I need to attend to something urgent.” I lied, not, In Fact, knowing what my next motive was. But I knew I needed to be away from anyone that would remind me of the situation.

“Uhm… Are you sure?” She asked, carefully studying my phizog.

“Yeah, I’m sure, Sweetheart.” I forced a good smile and fortunately, she bought it.

“Okay, love. I’ll be waiting for you and your…” She willfully trailed off and smiled naughtily as she retreated, while I beamed in return and maintained it until she was out of sight.

Once I was alone, I began studying the room, searching for something— anything, that I could use to distract myself and busy my mind. Luckily for me, Daniel, my Beta, walked in.

He was wearing a dull look and I knew it was due to the heated drama from some minutes ago.

Daniel, from the very start, was a huge fan of I and Isla’s relationship, as bumpy as it was. Hence he was never in support of me divorcing Isla, even though I had explained myself to him a thousand times.

“Good day, Alpha.” He greeted me with unusual respect, and I understood why. He habitually did this anytime he was displeased with something I had done.

“Daniel.” I mouthed, my tone revealing that I was happy to see him. “I noticed you abruptly left earlier,” I stated with a questioning tone rather than an emphatic one.

“Yes, I had to make sure the Pack runnings were orderly since you were occupied with...” He briefed me with a slight twitch, and I knew he was lying. He most likely left because he wasn’t comfortable with the wrangle between Isla and everyone. However, I didn’t mind his lie. His being here was distracting me from ruminating on that same occurrence.

“Okay.” I smiled briefly as we strolled out towards the Sunroom but then, I suddenly thought of something I could busy my mind with.

“Daniel, the entries and records for the Pack’s new Residential Estate,” I started to say, turning to face him. “I’d love to fill them myself so I can fully understand the contract settlement.”

“You mean, so you can keep yourself from thinking about her.” He said with a sullen look and I shot him a murderous glare in return.

“Okay okay. I shouldn’t be talking like this.” He immediately acknowledged, understanding my glower.

“But as for the Estate fillings.” He continued. “Luna Isla had done that a few days ago. She even filled the asset outlays too— the ones we’ve been postponing for months.” He added and “Right!” was all I managed to mutter.

“Oh and...” He voiced again with a slight urgency. “I saw Ivanka on my way here.” He paused and studied the air for some seconds. “No no. I saw the new Luna— Luna Ivanka on my way here, “He continued, clearly mockingly. “and she said to remind you that she’s waiting.” He concluded with a brief but willful smirk while I grew a frown, but I immediately dissolved it so he wouldn’t notice.

“Of course.” I forced another smile while our dialogue grew quiet. I clearly knew what Daniel was trying to do and the fact that he was beginning to succeed and I couldn’t stop him was starting to annoy me.

The silence continued for a bit while my brain jumbled up some new thoughts that were somewhat unclear to me.

“Do you think you have any idea where Isla might be? I need to talk to her.” I suddenly heard myself say.

Daniel had succeeded!

“How would I know?” He scoffed and dug his concentration into the files he was holding, and my urge to get an answer rose to the maximum.

“She couldn’t have gone far. She should still be around.” I mouthed as my eyeballs vainly tried to prove my claim right.

“As a matter of fact. I don’t think she’s around anymore, Alpha. I tried looking for her and even asked some menial workers but they all said they hadn’t seen her around. Nobody has. But I guess that’s a good thing, right?” Daniel smiled and continued scrutinizing the files. He was torturing me!

“Yeah… No problem then. I just wanted to tell her a few things, that's all.” I said in defeat and my uneasiness rose.

Kiba was really growling within and I couldn’t clearly understand why, but I knew I now needed to be alone.

“Uhm, Daniel. I’ll see you later. I need to go to make some, some calls.” I promptly said as I turned to take my leave, knowing that he knew I was trying to escape from his ridicule. Being my childhood friend bought him that much familiarity and understanding, and some days, it was favorable while some days, it was not. Today was one of those days.

“You have a meeting with the Subordinates from RockyHill Pack.” He called but I didn’t bother replying— I couldn’t.

Suddenly, all I could think of was the night I had spent with Isla. It had been my first with her but it had been the best— the most sensational! And now, it was all my clogged mind could feed me.

Her flawless skin, her misleading chest, her sylphlike waist, her soft thighs, her champaca scent! God, I was losing it, and it was making me more and more restless.

I knew I didn’t have feelings for her, so why did I lose control over myself that night! Why wasn’t I able to restrain my will? Why did I desperately crave for her?

I had bedded Ivanka afterwards but it wasn’t the same.

Why!

A million other thoughts brimmed my mind and I could only grow more and more confused.

“You’re not wrong. You didn’t love her, so you sent her away. It’s not your fault she's not your class. She’s just an Omega— a lowly Omega compared to you, a superior Alpha Werewolf. The moon goddess mismatched you. Yes! She mismatched you!” I assured myself as I scurried off to goddess-knows-where. I was losing my mind!

~ Captured But Free

{Isla’s POV}

“Be cautious. They say she’s almost as strong as him.” I heard one of the cronies still trailing behind me chatter and I couldn’t stop the smirk that threatened to grow on my lips even though it was very insignificant in that instance.

I wasn’t going to fight them and I wished I could just tell them— maybe turn around, throw my hands in the air, and plead for them to capture me. But that would be too dramatic, even for me.

In any case, I knew it was only a matter of seconds before they attacked and seized me, and for all I knew, I was already a prisoner. But who knows, it might serve as a very good distraction from my harrowing misery.

I suddenly stopped cold in my tracks to make things easier for them and almost immediately, I felt the aggressive weight of three hefty bodies collapse on me, sending me forcefully to the icky dirt of the forest floor. My face dug into the dust as my body jounced vigorously from their wrestle.

One of the trio’s claws dug into my sides and I felt Cora urging me to let her out as I whimpered in pain. But I suppressed her instead since I wasn’t planning on fighting them back.

There was a brief struggle but this died once they realized I wasn’t retaliating.

“Quick! Cuff her wrist and rope her up!” I heard one of them yelp. “Kunuki bring the wolfbane!”

“Why isn’t she attacking us?” Another asked as they cuffed me up. “Are you sure she’s the one?” His confusion was readily obvious.

There was sudden silence for some scrutinizing seconds and my face was forcefully tilted to an odd angle for their sampling. I felt Cora growling within, still prompting us to attack, but I restrained her nevertheless. She was really more hurt than I was that our mate had rejected us but she couldn’t just allow me to get hurt. Still, I wasn’t planning on being saved or saving myself.

“We have the right person. This is Luna Isla.” A shrill voice finally broke the quiet.

“But why are there no guards with her? And why isn’t she defending herself?” Another Rogue rejoined in audible frustration and I found amusement in how my inaction was still deranging them.

“We had better seize her and get going before her guards get here!” One said again while another retorted.

“No! This seems too dangerous. I think we should just leave here.”

Once again, I wished I could tell them to take their time since no one was coming for me. But I was starting to enjoy the show they were putting up.

“Kunuki, I think Grus is right. We should take her along. I mean, this is literally a goldmine for us. Do you know the money ransom we can get from her head? Inject her the Wolfsbane and let's get going.” The shrill-voiced one said and after some brief seconds, I felt a weight rest at my side. I suspected him to be the Kunuki guy who was to inject me with the Wolfsbane.

I immediately started to panic as I had never been injected with Wolfsbane before, and in that instance, my impulse was pushing me to fight them. But I strenuously ignored it and squeezed shut my eyes instead.

Just then, I felt my veins squeeze and my blood seethe as they dug the bane needle through my skin. I could hear Cora whimper to the sting of poison and it hurt me that my bad luck was making her go through such an ordeal.

After some queer seconds, I felt the strain reduce but then my eyes grew heavy and just then, everything went pitch dark.

I woke up moments later to find my weary self wrapped, head to heel, in copper chains and crammed inside a shady car’s booth. I didn’t bother struggling as I was well aware of the weakening effect of the Wolfsbane.

There was a sudden blare and I shuddered from its loudness, but then I realized it was just the ignition of the car engine beneath me. The rogues were already taking me to God-knows-where and suddenly didn’t know how to feel about it.

I tried linking with Cora but her consciousness was still very much subdued by the Wolfsbane, so I settled to wait it out.

The following minutes weren’t very eventful as the drive was filled with wind whooshes, occasional car bumps, bird chirpings, periodical memory stings, and more engine rattles until the whole movement came to a sudden pause. I struggled my gaze around and realized the car had been stopped by some Sentry Werewolves at a checkpoint. I chuckled slightly, knowing it was time for more drama because the Sentries would surely want to know what they were carrying in the back.

But after some seconds, I noticed the Rogue were pals? … with the Sentries as they all had started nattering cheerfully.

“Tut.” I mouthed in my displeasure as I was really hoping for another distraction from my memory stings.

I couldn’t clearly hear them due to their muffled volume but it was obvious that they had known one another for a long while.

I guess it’s their lucky day then. They can capture me without the slightest stress and now, they are even friends with the Watch Force.

Almost immediately, the car boot flew open and the rays of the rising sun shot into my hazy glare. Three figures soon stood at the entrance but I couldn’t see their faces as the sun’s dazzle entertained my vision.

Shortly after, the silhouette of the last guy on the right seemed to panic as he stumbled away a bit and urged them to close the boot, and with that, I was back to the warm, cozy gloom.

I busted a gut as I tried to listen to their ensuing conversation but it was really of no use. For some reason, they now talked in a more hushed tone so that my ears couldn’t even pick up a word.

Almost immediately, the engine was fired up and the car minivan, or whatever I was in, was pushed into a sudden fleet so that my body jolted against the trunk lid.

I swiveled my glare around as much as the Wolfsbane permitted and noticed they were driving away from the checkpoint with no one chasing us.

“Why the rush?” I wondered.

Their ‘need for speed’ continued for a while I grew drowsy and everything went dark again.