Chapter 158

Chapter 158

**Isla

I was still walking when the memory faded, following Freya through the woods. I stopped in my tracks, looking around us. “This isn’t the way they went.”

Freya looked back at me, surprised. “Oh, you’re awa–er–talking.”

My eyes narrowed on her. “What did you do to me?”

“Nothing!” Freya waved her hands. “You were just really quiet for a while, that’s all!”

“I don’t believe you. This is nowhere near where they took Margot, is it?” I accused her. “Oh Goddess, Jamie was right all along!”

“No! I mean… no, just… give me… I need… we need,” Freya began..

“I don’t care what you need! Give me my daughter!” I shouted.

Freya grabbed me roughly by the arm. “I’m working on that! We just need to do something else first.”

“Something else are you out of your mind?!” I struggled, but Freya was stronger than she looked.

She dragged me back towards a mound of rocks.

“Where are you taking me?!” I demanded.

“You’re too upset. You’re just going to interfere,” Freya said.

“Interfere? You bet I’m going to interfere!” I told her. I managed to twist away and started running. “Jamie!” I called, hoping he’d followed us. “Jamie!”

A white light blinded me, and I was knocked to the ground.

Dizzy, I was barely aware of Freya picking me up and carrying me back to the rocks. “We have to find a witch to undo the curse on your memories,” she muttered.

A hole appeared in the rocks, and Freya shoved me in.

“No!” I called weakly, reaching out. “No, Freya… don’t!”

“I’m sorry,” Freya said. She raised her hand, and the rocks began closing up in front of me.

“No!” I struggled to my knees, but then there was only darkness.

“I’ll be back,” Freya promised, her voice muffled by the rock. “Just sit tight.”

I shrieked and began shoving at the rocks, but they wouldn’t budge.

“Please don’t hurt yourself,” Freya said. “I’ll be back. Soon, I hope.” “Freya!” I yelled. “Freya, you let me out! LET ME OUT!”

But Freya was gone. I could sense it.

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I was a fool. A fool who was now alone, without help. I shoved at the rocks some more, hitting them and pressing against them with my shoulder with all my strength, but not so much as a pebble moved.

Finally, I sat back and pulled my knees to my chest.

“Oh. Jamie…” I whispered. “I’m so sorry.”

With nothing else to do, I decided to try jogging my memory myself. I wanted to knit together some of the pieces and perhaps learn more about the accident I kept having flashes of. And Freya.

I began where my cohesive memories left off, closing my eyes and concentrating.

“Did it hurt?” Jamie asked, drawing a handkerchief between my legs to catch the small trickle of blood there.

After our first desperate coupling right on the kitchen counter, Jamie had lifted me easily in his arms and carried me to the ratty old mattress in the corner of the dilapidated cabin.

He now lay next to me, caring for me as no one ever had.

Tears rose to my eyes at his tenderness, and I stroked his cheek. “You’re my mate, I said softly. “It felt… right.”

“But I hurt you.” Jamie showed me the handkerchief. “I made you bleed.”

I lowered his hand so I could give him a k*ss. “It didn’t hurt as much as it felt good,” I admitted. “I’m just a little sore. That’s all.”

Jamie k*ssed me again, softly at first, then his k*ss turned hungry.

“Mpf, no,” Jamie said, pulling back. “No, it’s too soon. I shouldn’t have…”

“It’s okay.” I wrapped my arms around him. “I want to. I want to do it again.” Jamie groaned and pressed his forehead to mine. “I’m not going to have the strength to say ‘no‘ twice. Are you sure, Isla?”

I spread my legs wide and k*ssed him again. “Make love to me, Jamie.”

“Did you tear this on purpose?” I giggled, looking at the crisp, white shirt Jamie. had brought me. I was fairly certain it hadn’t even been worn once.

“Would I do that as an excuse to see you?” Jamie asked innocently.

Thanks to Jamie’s recommendation, I was now a seamstress in the castle. It came with a bed, three meals a day, and a small income, so I was happy. I was even happier I got to see Jamie.

I’d thought I’d see him every few days. He was a prince, after all. He must have duties.

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But Jamie somehow managed to make time for me every day.

“You even ripped it right along the seams,” I said, “so I don’t even have to work all that hard to sew it up.”

“I didn’t want to ruin a perfectly good shirt…” Jamie replied. But the heat in his eyes said his visit had absolutely nothing to do with the shirt.

I snorted. “You just want me to have extra time to do… other things.”

“Why, Isla, that’s a terrible accusation! I’ll have to have you punished,” Jamie grinned.

“Have me punished. Right. You’re going to do all the punishing yourself.” I primly. began pinning the shoulder of the shirt back together. “Well, you’re just going to have to wait. SOMEONE gave me more work to do.”

Jamie whipped the shirt right out of my hands.

“Hey!” I protested.

“Sex now. Shirt later,” Jamie growled, trailing his hand up my side.

It burned where he touched me, all the way through my dress. “What are you, a cave wolf?”

“Yes. Jamie want Isla. Right now.” He lifted me up on a counter, right on top of a dress I’d been ironing.

“Jamie!” I shrieked. “The dress!”

“I’ll buy a new one. I’ll buy a hundred. Just please… please let me?” He gave me the sweetest, saddest puppy–dog eyes.

I sighed and started undoing the top of my dress. “I swear if you weren’t so adorable…”

“Score!” Jamie pulled me to him and k*ssed me thoroughly.

In the end, he did have to buy a new dress.

The grounds were covered in fall leaves that crunched wetly under our feet as Jamie, and I walked hand–in–hand under the trees.

“Isla,” Jamie said after a while.

“Hmm?” I asked, trying not to sound trepidatious. He was using his ‘I’m–going–to–ask–you–something–uncomfortable‘ tone.

“Why won’t you tell me about your family? I don’t even know your real last name,” Jamie went on in a rush.

I stiffened, and Jamie must have noticed because he brought my hand to his l*ps.

“Hey, no matter who they are or what they’ve done to you, I still want to know. I’m your mate,” Jamie said softly.

“I…” I tried to think of another excuse to put him off. “They’re… I… How do you

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know Lightfoot isn’t my real last name?”

Jamie gave me side eyes. “Really? We’re going in that direction? You’re going to try to deflect, then lie to me again?”

“I don’t want to lie to you,” I replied, hurt. And guilty.

“I’m not making you,” Jamie said. “Just tell me the truth. Just once. Then we never have to talk about it again.”

“I…” I tugged the edge of my dress, distressed by his request. “Jamie, I don’t want them to hurt you.”

“How could they hurt me?” Jamie responded. “I’m the Lycan Prince. My father’s the Lycan King. What exactly do you think they could do?”

I shivered. “You don’t know them. You don’t know the kinds of things they’re capable of.”

Jamie tucked me under his arm, perhaps thinking I was cold. The air was crisp, but that wasn’t why I was shivering. “I know they hurt you. And I know you’re scared of them, even though you’re under my protection.”

“Isn’t that enough?” I said desperately. “I mean, what more do you need to know?” “I’m not asking Isla Lightfoot to marry me,” Jamie replied, giving me a stern look. “I want to know your real name.”

Marry him? “But… if you marry me… they’ll find out. And they’ll know where I

Suddenly, I couldn’t breathe. I took in great gulps of air, but I still couldn’t.

breathe.

“Hey, hey,” Jamie said, pulling me into his arms and hugging me, gently rubbing my back. “I’m sorry. I’m sorry. I won’t ask again.”

“Liar,” I wheezed.

Jamie chuckled nervously. “Okay, you got me. But I won’t ask again today, okay?” I nodded, my breathing evening out slowly. “Okay.”