Chapter 0319

Isabella

"Absolutely nothing?" I whisper, my voice thick with disbelief. A full day had passed since the flames consumed everything.

Alexander shakes his head slowly. "We've combed through every inch. The perpetrator was meticulous. They left no evidence behind."

"Any lingering scents?" I press.

"The smoke overpowered everything else." Zachary adds, his tone grim. "Whoever did this was long gone before the first spark caught. They planned this."

"So Seraphina remains a suspect?"

"We aren't eliminating anyone." My brother tells me, a faint smile touching his lips. "It's good to see you re-engaging with pack affairs."

I offer a weak shrug. "Julian is gone. I need to be useful somehow."

"That's not what I meant." His smile widens. "I've missed your presence around the house. Finding you in random corners with a tub of ice cream. Athena misses you too." He looks at me expectantly, but I can't muster a smile in return.

A heavy sigh escapes me. I'd been completely absent from Athena's life recently. She usually confided in me about everything, but we'd barely spoken since I dedicated myself to my brother's bedside vigil. I'd even missed the twins' first steps. "I'm here now. When is the funeral?"

"Tonight. It's a full moon. I believe it's the perfect night to honor him before the pack run begins."

I hadn't participated in a full moon run for months. "Will the Lycans be joining?"

"Some of us." Zachary confirms. "But many, like the Silverwood group, traditionally abstain."

"Seraphina's family?" I need to be certain I'm following. Their presence still felt strange, though Lucas Adler had personally verified their identities. "Is that a safe decision?"

"Sebastian is staying behind. He will remain at the house with Brianna, Athena, and the twins."

"Oh, Brianna isn't going either?"

Alexander begins to speak, but Zachary answers first. "She chose not to. She and Athena have developed a strong bond recently. She wants to help with the twins tonight."

"Athena allows her near the children?" I struggle to keep the shock from my voice.

"I never thought I'd say this." Alexander smiles genuinely. "They get along remarkably well."

"Oh." I can't deny the pang of jealousy that shoots through me. "So Julian will be laid to rest in the family plot?" I ask, steering the conversation back.

"Yes. Regardless of his choices, he was one of us. He deserves to rest beside our parents."

"Thank you." I mumble softly.

"No thanks are necessary, Isabella. He belonged to Obsidian Howl."

If only he had realized that himself. Zachary clears his throat abruptly, his gaze intense. Damn it. He'd caught my thoughts.

"What time?" I ask quietly.

"Sundown is just after eight. We'll begin then."

I head upstairs, glancing back briefly to see if Zachary follows. I'm alone. A part of me isn't sure that's what I truly wanted. Julian's coma had driven a wedge between us. Zachary couldn't comprehend why I devoted every moment to my dying brother, and I lacked the words to make him understand.

Wolves typically process loss with swift acceptance. There are few exceptions. From my observations, Lycans move on even faster. They grieve for a brief period, then fully accept the person's fate.

I've witnessed countless deaths where the profound sadness dissipates quickly. But this time was different because I clung to the hope that it wasn't real. Zachary simply didn't seem to grasp that.

The sound of childish giggles pulls me from my thoughts. I follow the noise. Athena is lying on her stomach on the floor while Evrin and Logan clamber over her like tiny mountains.

Somehow, I'd failed to notice how much they'd grown. They were proper little people now. Little Lycans.

The twins scramble down and waddle toward me, tiny hands tugging at my leggings, demanding to be lifted.

"They've grown." I murmur, almost to myself.

"Every single day." Athena smiles up at me. "Though they've missed their Auntie Isabella tremendously."

I lift Evrin first, gazing into his brilliant blue eyes. His small hands clumsily pat my dark hair as he giggles. Logan continues his persistent tugging on my leg.

"Does it ever worry you?" I ask in a hushed tone.

"Every single day."

"And that doesn't terrify you?"

"Are you joking?" She laughs softly. "Logan bumped his head the other day, and I went into a full-blown panic. And that was something he did to himself. Now that they're walking, they have no concept of ducking under things they used to crawl under." Her laughter is warm. "The only time I'm not worried is when they're finally asleep. You'll understand that feeling someday." She beams at me. I simply shake my head.