Chapter 89

Chapter 89

My skirt often caught as I walked through the brambles in the direction the wolves had gone. I finally got tired of it and ripped it up to my mid-thigh, using the excess fabric to tie around my hair, which was catching on low-hanging twigs. I had no idea where I was going.

And then, suddenly, I did. I recognized the woods I was walking through, out of the neutral territory and into Ashbluff land.

I made my way to where I knew the castle to be, stopping just inside the treeline. In the dawn light, the wolves who’d attacked us were whimpering and licking their wounds out on the grassy meadow surrounding the castle.

One wolf’s head came up. He sniffed the air and swiveled his head towards me.

I stepped out of the trees. This was what I wanted, wasn’t it? To be caught?

The wolf growled, his hackles rising.

I held my hands out in a peaceful gesture.

Another wolf shifted. He might have tried using the mind-link on me, but even though I was part of the pack, I couldn’t access my wolf, so the mind-link was completely lost on

me.

“Lady Isla,” he said with grudging respect. “Alpha Ashlar has been expecting you.”

“I imagine he has.” I replied. “You might as well take me to him.”

The man looked at the wolves, and the rest shifted. The leader, who’d spoken, came and took me by the arm while the others surrounded us.

When we entered the castle, a butler quickly ran forward. “Lady Isla, your clothes!”

I wondered how many of the se rvants had known what was going on, what was being done to me. It made my l*p curl at the butler. “I had a rather rough journey.”

“Of course.” The butler held out his hand. “I will have the maids prepare your room for you, my Lady.”

“Maybe with a little ‘herbal tea?” I asked bitterly.

The butler’s eyes widened. He at least had the decency to look ashamed. “My Lady…”

“Save it,” I snapped.

Everyone jumped. No one was used to hearing harsh words from me in the castle. Well, they were about to get an earful now.

“Take me to my father.” I demanded. “I have news.”

“My Lady..” the butler began.

“NOW!” 1 ordered.

The butler winced and even cowered a bit. “My Lady, he is in his study. He will take not visitors at this t-

He will take me.” I stomped up the stairs.

“My Lady!” the butler called, running after me.

I rounded the corner, the butler still in my wake. “Father!” I shouted.

There was no response. I tried the door, but it was locked.

I banged on it with my fist, shaking it in its frame. “Father!”

The butler caught my arm. “My Lady, you cannot-

I fixed him with a cold glare. “Can’t I?”

The butler swallowed. “You SHOULD not,” he amended.

“Better, but still wrong.” I banged my fist on the door again. “Father, if you don’t let me in, I’m going in there!”

“How do you intend to do that, my Lady?” the butler asked, bewildered.

I twisted a sconce, and there was a click and a groan as a wall pushed back, then slid open.

The butler’s jaw dropped. “Oh.”

“You can go now,” I said icily. “Maybe try some herbal tea on yourself.”

“O-Of course, my Lady.” The butler gulped and made himself scarce.

I stepped through the wall and emerged through the fireplace in my father’s study. I coughed and shook soot and dust out of my clothes and hair.

Father flicked his eyes up from the map he was looking at on his desk then eyed the two other large men standing around him. There was clearly some attack plan going on, and the two men were taking orders.

“Isla,” my father grunted. “I don’t remember inviting you in.”

“I made invitation,” I shot back.

my own

Father sat back in his chair, his eyes widening at my tone. “Marcus, Cole, please leave us.”

The two large men couldn’t seem to get out of the study fast enough.

“What do you want, Isla? Are you here to kill me at last? Fulfill your prophecy?” Father snarked. “I think you will find that difficult. I am an Alpha, and you are a weakened little nob*dy.”

“Where is my daughter?” I demanded, hands on hips.

“Safe,” Ashlar Ashbluff said.

I couldn’t tell if he was lying or not. “I want to see her.”

“I want a million pounds of gold. That doesn’t mean I’ll ever get it,” Father chuckled.

I slamined my fist on his desk. It creaked a bit. I guessed my wolf must be at least a little closer. “WHERE is she?!”

“Isla, you’ve been a nuisance at the best of times and the bane of my existence at the

worst. Why do you think I would tell you anything?” Father snorted.

“Because I’m asking you nicely,” I said with a tight smile. “I won’t be asking nicely in a minute.

“As I said, what do you think you can do against a full-blooded Alpha? And without your mate besides,” Father scoffed. “Go to your room until I call for you. If you’re good, I may let you see your daughter before you die.”

“I am not a lamb for you to s

I am Luna Isla Moonrose, Luna of the Moonrose Pack. Besides that, I am a wife and a mother, and as a mother, I demand to see my child!” I shouted.

Father seemed taken aback. He stroked his chin, looking me up and down. “Well, you’ve grown into a royal pain in the a*s.”

“You have no idea.” I took a glass paperweight off the desk and threw it against the wall. It shattered into a thousand pieces. “I want to see my daughter.”

“No,” Father replied.

I grabbed the edges of the map and ripped it in two, sc attering little battle markers. everywhere. “I want to see my daughter!”

Father rose to his feet, leaning over his desk, thunder in his eyes. “No.”

I took an old crystal ink bottle and threw it at the bookcase, coating the spines of a few books with ink as the bottle shattered. “I want to see my daughter!”

“You can do this all day, Isla. I still won’t let you see your daughter.” Father snapped his fingers, and two guards appeared. “Take her away.”

They walked in and roughly grabbed my arms just as I was about to throw a small statue I knew my father loved.

Father plucked it from my fingers and set it back on his desk. “Off with you, now,” he said. with a dismissive wave.

“Where?” one of the guards asked.

“Hmm… well, since she didn’t go to her room willingly and has become quite trying, I think we should go for the dungeon instead of her room.” My father smirked at me.

But I still had one last card to play. “Don’t you want to know my news, Father?” I asked sweetly.

“I’m sure I don’t.” Father said. “But, go ahead and tell me anyway. Moonrose’s armies are coming? Your mate? Nothing can save you now.”

I raised my chin and looked him dead in the eye.

“Hera is dead.”