Chapter 23

(Jesse’s POV)

I halt mid-stride and cock my head, squinting to be sure that my eyes aren’t playing tricks on me. Isabella. My wolf never wanted Layla. He barely spoke to me after we reconnected and especially after all we put Isabella through as our mate thereafter.

It’s not like I wanted to hurt her. She’s just collateral damage.

After Isabella formally rejected us, he has not spoken to me at all. Seeing her now feels like a silver-bladed dagger dipped in wolfsbane to the heart.

My wolf releases an ear-splitting howl inside my head.

I ignore him.

She’s alone. This is my chance. Maybe I can negotiate a trade with her – the healing gem for returning her pack.

“Isabella!” I jog to catch up with her.

She stops and turns toward me when she hears her name. Damn, she is beautiful. No. This is business.

I was honestly surprised that she agreed to eat with me at all. Maybe this can be an amicable split. We can negotiate a trade, and both get what we want out of it.

I try small talk to butter her up. I think highlighting the finer points of our time together may endear me to her at least a little bit.

Isabella looks me deadpan in the eyes. “Look, I have no interest in revisiting the past. What ideas do you have for dividing up the pack?”

Well, she wants to cut to the chase.

So, I ask her, “Have you ever seen a healing stone?”

She furrows her brows, like she wants me to believe she has no idea what I’m talking about. She sits back in her chair, keeping those big, chocolate-brown eyes locked on me. “I have never heard of that,” she says.

“It’s a special stone that possesses powerful healing energy. It can cure all kinds of werewolf illnesses,” I explain.

She crosses her arms over her chest in that defiant style she has always had. “I have no interest in this. If we aren’t going to discuss dividing our property, then we are done here.”

She either honestly doesn’t know about the gem, or she’s lying to protect it. Either way, during the meal, I come to the conclusion that she will never give it up willingly. It’s a shame, really.

Being this close to her agitates my wolf. My chest feels heavy as it constricts, I pray she can’t tell how miserable I am. I’m barely able to eat, yet here she is seemingly completely fine. It’s not fucking fair.

“Sure, it is nimrod, her rejection was entirely your fault. Every time we cheated on her, we caused her and her wolf this pain…in spades…along with everything that went along with IVF. We had our shot, we blew it.”

“Shut up. Layla was our love. She’d have made a better Luna.”

“Yeah, keep telling yourself that.”

Isabella springs forward to pick up a disc that falls out of her bag. Her hands shake as I hand it back to her. She stuffs it back in her bag fast. She definitely doesn’t want me to see it.

Wait, we caught her coming out of the hospital. What the hell is on that disc? What didn’t she want me to see? What the fuck is she hiding?

Then that ass, Santiago, shows up. She all but flies to his side when he orders her to. And then they dare to kiss like that in front of me.

It looks like he's seconds away from laying her down, rather than giving her a quick kiss hello. A low growl escapes me as I watch the two of them.

“Mine!” my wolf growls through gritted fangs.

“Not anymore,” I mutter, also through gritted teeth.

I want Layla. I don’t understand this feeling within me. My body feels as though Isabella lit me on fire running to him. White hot rage feels my heart and mind until all I see is red.

My arms hang at my sides. I feel my hands ball up into fists, clenched so tight that they practically turn white.

I decide to follow them. They go back to Santiago’s pack house. I sit in the woods for a while as there is no way to get close enough to learn anything. I’m just about to give up and leave when I see them come out and load back up into Santiago’s car.

I force myself to wait five full heartbeats before moving. Giving them a slight head start ensures they don’t catch me. This is one instance where keen werewolf sight comes in handy.

They pull into what looks like a shipping warehouse in the back of Veridian Shadow Pack territory. I pull over, still behind enough tree cover to stay concealed. I notice an open window on the forest side facing the trees.

I sprint to the window undetected. I slide down to avoid being noticed. It’s an office?

I spy a man entering from a far-off door. He quickly removes his gray fedora, matching trench coat, and hangs them by the door. As he moves across the room, he rolls the sleeves up to his elbows of a black button-down shirt.

His shirt is tucked into black bootcut jeans, paired with a brown leather belt and a cowboy buckle. He’s easily 6’2”. Near the desk, he has a digital camera, binoculars, and what looks like a safe.

Who is this guy? He’s gotta be a cop or military ranks maybe?

I duck down lower when he lets Isabella and Santiago in.

Shit…they have a private investigator! The disc is evidence. No wonder she was so protective of it at lunch. I suppress a growl.

I decide to take another peek. This investigator is showing them some pictures. Isabella jumps and buries her face in Santiago’s chest.

The way he wraps his arms around her and tells the investigator to move on sends a pang through my chest that I can’t describe. I fight the urge to double over from the pain.

They both tell her not to trust me. I was still her mate. Despite all I’ve put her through, part of her will always see me as her mate. I can use that.

Santiago asks, “Bella, can I drive you to Ariana’s?”

My hands tighten into fists.

“That would be great!” she says with a smile that reaches all the way up to her eyes.

I roll my eyes listening to them as a wave of revulsion washes over me.

Just then, Santiago’s phone rings.

It’s Layla. I barely suppress the growl that erupts through my chest.

This prick has stolen both my women. Layla wants him to meet her at the doctor. Yes. This is good.

Santiago hangs up the phone and relays the conversation to her.

“You go ahead and tend to Layla. It’s okay. I’ll be fine. Ariana can probably give me a ride back to Veridian Shadow territory. I mean, with your permission for an outsider to enter the grounds, of course.”

Santiago smiles at her.

“Of course, Ariana is more than welcome to come onto the pack grounds. I’ll mind-link Levi and the guards. Would you like me to drive you to Ariana’s?”

Isabella purses her lips. She looks like she wants to say yes but then thinks better of it and shakes her head. “No, Layla is already waiting. I’ll be fine to walk there.”

Santiago takes her hand in his, squeezes it, and brings it to his mouth. “Be careful.”

We all go our separate ways.

I see Isabella walking towards me.

“Hey there,” I say as I step into view.

She stops and freezes.

How fucking dare she be scared of me. Hmm, I’ll show her scary.

“I don’t have time for your bull shit right now,” she says brushing past me. I’m meeting Ariana.”

“Oh, I know all about your little plans. But that doesn’t work for me.”

She turns to run back toward Santiago. I growl, grab her from behind, and place a chloroform-soaked towel over her face. She didn’t have time to scream.