Chapter 0188

Isabella

Two weeks without him. Pure agony. He wasn't dead, I felt certain of that. If Zachary were gone, I would have sensed it. And Gabriel would have surely returned by now.

He must be hunting Gabriel. That was the only explanation. No trace of Gabriel had been found here, though Brianna and I shared a room most nights just for safety.

Sebastian was completely shattered, and who could blame him? Theodore had stepped up, supporting my brother however possible while Sebastian remained at his parents' home, consumed by grief.

Thankfully, without Gabriel's dark presence, Athena had found some calm... relatively speaking. She burst into tears yesterday over a cracked egg. An egg she intentionally broke to make breakfast. I had to exit the kitchen to stop myself from laughing. Zachary would mock me endlessly if I acted that emotional when carrying his pups someday. Someday. I sighed heavily.

"Please come back to me."

'He will,' Midnight murmured. 'He has to.'

I dropped my empty cereal bowl into the sink, leaning forward to watch the pack members below carrying on as if nothing was wrong.

After less than two days without incident, Alexander had them all back on duty. It felt wrong. First, we still had no confirmed location for Gabriel. Second, many were still mourning Sebastian's boys, yet Alexander insisted routine would help them heal. Since when was children being murdered normal?

I argued with him. Asked if he'd return to duty so quickly if his own twins were harmed. He didn't answer, but the rage in his eyes was unmistakable.

'He's just trying to keep the pack distracted.'

"I know," I muttered back to Midnight. "Doesn't mean I have to agree with it."

My fingers brushed the mating mark on my neck. Zachary hadn't linked me once. Not a single mental whisper. Maybe he believed silence was safer. Keeping me unaware until he had concrete news. Perhaps he worried I'd become a distraction.

"He'll be okay." Brianna's voice cut through my thoughts as she entered the kitchen. She'd repeated those same words multiple times daily for the past two weeks. They provided little comfort.

"How can you be so sure?"

"It's Zachary." She offered a tight-lipped smile, her lips paling like the scar above them. Even she seemed to be doubting it now. "He survives everything."

Survival wasn't my only concern.

I turned as she poured cereal. She'd practically moved in permanently. I didn't mind. Having another female around was nice after being constantly surrounded by males.

She shoveled cereal into her mouth like it was her last meal. "Sorry," she sputtered, spraying half-chewed flakes across the table. "Alexander wants me in training today."

"Seriously?" She'd asked repeatedly before, but he always refused. Why change now?

She nodded vigorously while swallowing another spoonful. "With Zachary chasing Gabriel, Alexander wants me helping guard Athena."

I hid my surprise. He'd been very clear about keeping Athena close to him personally. "How does Athena feel about that?" She'd accepted Brianna's help before but barely tolerated her presence.

Brianna shrugged. "Probably hates it."

"I could join..." Her eyes dropped to my injured leg before I finished speaking. I'd stopped using crutches but still hobbled everywhere, unable to straighten my leg properly without sharp pain shooting through my bones.

Meanwhile Gabriel had walked with half his thigh missing. He'd even run. That day I saw him, he vanished into the trees at incredible speed. As if the injury meant nothing. But I'd seen the wound myself. Maybe pain meant nothing to him. Maybe that's why he enjoyed playing with his victims, listening to their screams. Perhaps he found their suffering hilarious.

Brianna washed her bowl rapidly and hurried out without saying goodbye.

'We could visit Athena,' Midnight suggested.

As much as I loved Athena, I couldn't face her right now.

Instead I found Theodore in the freshly redecorated office. It had to be completely renovated after the bloodbath that occurred here.