Chapter 13

*Tyler’s POV*

I growled at Izabella trying to make her stay where she was, we weren't surrounding her because we knew it would have only made things worse. We didn't want her to feel like we were about to gang up on her in an attack.

She growled back at me before she turned and ran.

'I’ve got her.' Kaden linked to me before he sprinted after her and jumped over her so he landed in front of her. She skidded to a stop and growled at him. She leaned back getting ready to pounce on him but all of our heads snapped in the direction of her pack as we heard something that sounded like a gun shot.

It was followed by a whimper and then soft wining causing me to look at Izabella, her irises were the only thing glowing topez now, and not her entire eyes. She was back in control. I knew it wouldn't last long if she heard another shot go off. We had no idea what was happening, I understood why she looked so scared.

'Shift back.' I linked her. She looked at me. 'I will go check on your pack, shift back and go to the pack house, or Trent will take you back if you’re too exhausted.' I said.

"Izabella," we turned to Joe. He opened his mouth but another shot sounded, this time closer to us, and this time a scream accompanied it. And just like that, Izabella was gone again.

Her wolf didn’t cower like she had a moment ago and instead growled at us as she stood straighter, she looked terrifying even though I was certain I could take her if she came at me. She turned to run but I bolted at her.

I tacked her so she fell onto the ground beneath me while I held my paw to her neck so she couldn't bite me as she tried to fight away from me, snapping at me wildly. I was a lot stronger than she was, luckily, but she did not give up and kept trying to bite me as she growled loudly.

"Keep her there, she'll get tired of it eventually and either fall asleep of shift back." Wayne said. I looked down as Izabella's wolf kept growling and squirming under me. Something told me she won't get tired for a while longer.

I felt her jerk as another huge boom echoed through the trees and she whimpered again, tensing under me for a moment as she stopped fighting to get away from me. What was going on over there?

"Ty, you stay with her, we'll help her pack." Joe said. I agreed and all of them disappeared leaving me with Izabella. She whined softly and I nudged her head softly trying to comfort her, but not moving just in case she became aggressive again. I was going to punch Sean in his face for this, even if he was only trying to protect her.

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*Izabella’s POV*

I opened my eyes slowly to find myself in my room at Joe's house, the curtains were open but it was dark and I could see the stars in the sky as well as the forest beneath it. I felt a pat on my head lightly that ran lower through my hair.

"Ian..." I heard Joe. Wait. Dad?

"It's alright.” I heard my father whisper, “Thank you for this, Joe. We'll be out as soon as we have our houses rebuilt." I felt him stroke my hair lightly.

"Stay as long as you need to, just... do you want to talk about it?" Joe asked softly.

"There's nothing to talk about, really. We were attacked, people died. It's the usual. We'll get over it." I didn't recognise this. He never spoke or sounded the way he did currently. His voice sounded void of any emotion and drained of energy. "Hey, Izzy. We missed you." He said. He probably knew I was awake the entire time. I turned my head to look at him.

"What happened?" I asked, it was too dark to actually see his face, just slight contours because of the light from outside.

"I'm sorry." He whispered, immediately swallowing after. I sat up.

"Why?" I asked, I looked to the doorway where Joe stood. I could see his face in the light from the hallway and he didn't look happy, he looked mournful, "What's going on? You were attacked, but you got out, right?" I stopped as my heart dropped, "Who… died?" I whispered.

"I'll – uh... Check on your boys." I saw Dad's silhouette nod before Joe left shutting the door, leaving us in complete darkness.

"Cole's alright, right?" I asked.

"Cole's fine." Dad said.

"Hayley? Corey?" I asked.

"They're alright, Sweetheart." He said.

"Then who? What happened? Who got hurt? Dad, tell me," I said. He was quiet, "Dad... Who?" I whispered.

"She –” his voice cracked. I was stunned. He was going to cry? Had he already been crying? I reached out and turned the bedside lamp on. I gasped seeing his tear-ridden face. His eyes were bloodshot, his nose red.

"Daddy –”

"I'm so sorry, Baby." He cut me off covering his face, “I’m so sorry.”

"Da –” I began but he was gone. I felt wind and turned to see the balcony doors open, he was gone. He was crying. Why? Who got hurt?

I got out of bed and ran out of my room. Familiar scents filled my nose. Cohen. Adan. Gray. Where were they? I sniffed the air before I followed their scents to Tyler's room. I pushed the door open not bothering to knock.

My chest relaxed seeing that they were all there. Cohen was standing staring out of the glass-covered side of the room, his face emotionless. Gray's face was the same as he sat on the bed looking at the wall across the room. Adan was on the floor, his face hidden in his arms as they rested on his knees. He had never been one to hide his emotions. Sean was next to Gray, he looked at me, regret and pain in his eyes. I couldn’t even care that he was there as I looked behind me.

"Iz –” Cohen began.

"What's going on? Why's Dad crying? And why's Adan Crying? Who got hurt? Who – Is mom –” I froze as it hit me like I had been thrown into a lake of ice cold water and I realised I had not smelled her scent yet, she would have been the first person there when I woke up. No, maybe she was asleep. Maybe she had not even come upstairs and that explained why her scent was not there. "Where's mom?" I whispered.

Cohen swallowed looking out of the window and I saw Gray bite his lip hard but a tear fell down his face. I felt like I was getting weaker by the second, my arms going numb as my body felt cold.

"Izab –” Sean began.

"Where is she?!" I raised my voice feeling a huge knot grow in my throat as tears filled my eyes. Cohen looked at me and blinked as he gulped painfully.

"She..." He cleared his throat, "She..." He looked down before he left out a strained sigh shaking his head, "I-I can't do this. This isn't happening." He muttered before he was gone, the same way Dad went and yet he wasn't fast enough to stop the tear that fell to the ground where he had been standing.

"Where is she?!" I was frustrated, scared.

"She's dead." Gray whispered.

It was what I had expected, but hearing it did not sound real or right. It sounded wrong, like a lie. He sounded wrong.

“She’s not.” I whispered as he burred behind the tears in my eyes. She couldn’t be.

“She is!” Adan was standing, he looked broken and livid at the same time. "She's fucking dead, Izabella.” He snapped. I stumbled back a couple of steps until my back hit the wall. Luckily, because I felt like my legs had gone weak under me. I shook my head at him and he covered his mouth as he let out a sob. “I’m sorry, Izabella.”

She couldn't be. It could not be true. I had to be dreaming, this had to be a nightmare. I shut my eyes as I lifted my hands onto the sides of my head trying to calm down as my breathing became hard. I couldn’t breath, I was just gasping. She couldn't be. No. Not Mom. I covered my face trying to get some air out of my chest, but I could not seem to keep it from contracting. She couldn't be dead. My head began feeling light as I couldn't breathe and I couldn't cry, I couldn't even swallow.

I didn't move as I felt Adan hug me tightly.

“I’m sorry. I’m sorry.” He whispered. I felt Gray join our hug and the only thing I could hear beyond my gasping was Adan’s soft sobs.

They said nothing but when Gray began crying my chest finally seemed to break open and I broke down.