A Warrior’s Fate (Wolves of Morai #1)

Chapter 50

CHAPTER 50

ISLA

T he first thing Isla registered was pain.

Though not the burning she’d known from before everything faded but a soreness. Like her body had been through hell and reworked over, her mind was swimming in a sea of attempted understanding as she peeled open her eyes, and then she was floating in an ambient blue. For a moment, everything was blurry, each one of her senses feeling dulled.

All awareness of her surroundings came at her hard and fast. The craggy, rock-lined passageways with crystals in the walls, the chill in the air, the warmth she was resting on—and the someone who was holding her hand.

She turned her head, wincing, and her eyes fell onto a handsome face backlit by crystal blue. A face she thought she’d never see again.

This was a hallucination. It had to be. The witch’s first method of torment, how she’d break her.

Isla’s heart clenched, but she wouldn’t cry. Wouldn’t give her the satisfaction. But she couldn’t stop herself from chancing the word, his name. “Kai.” Her mouth was dry, her throat still raw, and she braced for another dose of poison. For the image of the man she loved to fade into mist.

But his touch on her cheek as he brushed it felt so real. The smell of him, the sense of him in a distant way she’d felt before they’d mated, felt right.

There was a line of silver along the bottom of Kai’s eyes, the same storm clouds, and the way the corners of his mouth moved revealed the slight dimples she knew.

If this was a trick or an illusion meant to rip away from her and break her apart, she’d accept it. She’d live in this joy that sparked in her chest. This fantasy where she had him.

“A run,” he said, his voice guttural like he really had been crying. “Really?”

Isla’s heart stopped. Could this be happening?

She released a breath, afraid to make any sudden movements, but she couldn’t fight the tears. “You won?”

Kai nodded, and she noticed the blood on his skin over where many cuts had healed. Blood that belonged to him and Brax, and there on his neck, the faint lines of her mark. All of this—too hard to replicate if it hadn’t been true.

“Kai,” she sobbed his name this time as if she were still trapped and needed help. Needed him to prove it to release her from this prison she’d put herself in.

“Isla.”

At her name, the floodgates opened, tears flowing down her cheeks as he pulled her up higher and hugged her to him.

Isla shuddered with sobs as she wrapped her arms around himandpulled herself even further into the embrace with as much strength as she could muster. She buried her face into his neck, breathed in his scent, andtimed his heartbeat. And despite everything she’d endured, it felt like nothing in the world could touch her.

“You’re okay.” She felt his lips against her skin as he whispered and kissed it. “We’re okay.” She pulled back to look at him, finding wetness on his cheeks, too. She wiped it away and felt him lean into her touch as he repeated, “We’re okay.”

She closed the distance between them, and the kiss was the last piece she needed to ground her in the fact that this was real. That she was with Kai, that somehow, she’d…gotten away.

That question fell briefly to the back of her mind as she relished in the comfort, in his touch. But something was still off, missing or dimmed between them. Missing within her .

Isla broke the kiss, her breathing heavy as she pressed her forehead to his and said, “The bond–it’s–I can’t…you’re not there.”

Kai squeezed her tighter. “I know.”

He didn’t ask why, not yet. Likely afraid to push her.

Isla reached inside herself for another piece but found stillness. More tears threatened to fall. “My wolf is gone.”

Kai’s jaw tightened beneath her fingertips, and he pulled back only slightly to better view her face. “What?”

Isla braced herself and looked around them. If this was real, if Kai had her…

“Did you kill her? The witch?” She pulled herself from his grip, and when she turned to settle her back against him, not keen to entirely leave his hold, she found they weren’t alone. Not only was Sebastian here, sleeping with his lumerosi aglow, which meant he was healing, but a woman knelt beside the far side of the cave wall, her skin flushed and hair messy. She donned a familiar uniform of maroon and gold. Isla pressed into Kai, whose arms circled her waist. “Who are you?”

The woman offered a tight but pained smile. “Raana.”

Isla’s brows lifted. “Adrien’s witch.”

She laughed but cringed at what must’ve been a tinge of pain. “Is that what he calls me?” Raana attempted to joke.

“She healed you.” Kai’s breath was warm against her skin, and Isla snapped her head around to look at him, eyes wild. He seemed to understand her concern with the implications. “You were dying. There was no other way.”

Isla’s mouth felt like sandpaper as she swallowed. She knew immediately that no one could ever find out.

“Where’s the witch?” she asked, and Kai’s brows drew in confusion. “She had me. The one who had your brother and father killed. She was here, and—” Isla fought to stand, dread sweeping through her. “We have to help my mother.”

“Your mother?” Kai wouldn’t let her get up. He took her face in his hands and forced her to look into his eyes. He scanned her features before glancing at Raana, questioning and threatening as if asking, what did you do? When he returned to Isla’s face, he spoke gently, “Isla, your mother’s dead.”

Isla shook her head so furiously it hurt and wrenched out of his grip. “She isn’t. She’s the one who…” She didn’t know how to say it—or did but didn’t want to. She glanced at the unconscious Sebastian. Would he be able to hear her? Her voice softened. “She killed them.”

It wasn’t hard to understand what she meant.

Kai’s eyes widened, and Isla didn’t know if she should’ve been grateful not to have such a keen awareness of what he was feeling. “What?”

She brought her hand to his face, his features crestfallen as he shook his head, and Isla knew he was refusing to believe that the person who’d taken his family, who’d ruined his life, who he hated with every part of him was the mother of the woman he loved.

Guilt roiled in her gut. “I’m so sorry.” Her voice became a small plea. “She didn’t know what she was doing. The witch had complete control of her.”

Kai said nothing, only blinked and looked away, jaw tensing. Isla didn’t know what she could do. There was no way to make it easier, no words she could say. She remained there until Kai met her gaze again, his eyes frighteningly dark. “Where is she now?”

Isla fought every instinct in herself to jump up and run these tunnels to track her down. “I don’t know.” She settled just a bit longer to let him adjust as she explained, “There were bak down here. We fought them together, but one got her, and she was bleeding badly. When I went for help, the witch got me. She did something to Brax so he’d have a better chance fighting you. They attacked Sebastian, too.”

Another look at her brother, still fast asleep. When he awoke, how would she explain this all to him?

All Kai seemed to be able to do was listen and then sigh a curse. All of this had occurred while he was fighting. He pinched the bridge of his nose and ran his hand over his hair. “Well, that makes sense.”

His loosened grip gave her the opportunity to find her footing. Her limbs felt unfamiliar beneath her, trembling and weak but strong in new ways. She was about to say they needed to go when her fingers brushed against the fabric on her skin.

Fabric.

She hadn’t been wearing anything before .

The piece was heavy on her body, rigid with dried blood, and there was a tear on the side. This was the cloak her mother had been wearing. Her eyes lifted to Sebastian, the blanket thrown over him. Had her mother done this? Left them here together before disappearing?

“Where are we?” Isla spun so fast that she fell, kept only on her feet by Kai, who’d risen to stand beside her.

He appeared a bit dazed, as if still trying to process but made sure to catch her eyes. “Hey, Warrior Princess, you just nearly died. You need to slow down.”

Isla brushed him off, wobbling over to Sebastian to do her own survey on him. A touch to his chest revealed his heartbeat much steadier now, his skin burning as it should’ve with him in this state.

Thank the Goddess.

She brushed some of his blood-matted curls from his forehead and focused on his lumerosi. That glowing had to mean his wolf was okay, but to get the upper hand on him, they would’ve needed to use further tactics.

Isla inclined her head to Kai. “The poison she uses kills our wolves. That’s how it works. It can make us more susceptible to magic…it can even break our bonds.”

“Our magic can’t break your bonds.” A voice came from beside her. Isla turned to find Raana looking less sick than she had. “I mean, maybe, what do you call them, chosen? Because those are fabricated, but true bonds like yours are a deity’s power. We can’t counter the goddesses—even though some of us think we can.”

Her features fell as she spoke, and Isla was surprised she knew so much about wolves and their bonds.

“So, the bond will come back?” She felt her face light up.

“It will probably heal as your wolf does,” Raana said. “It’s not dead, but it’s very, very hurt. I couldn’t do anything to it without risking you losing it altogether or—changing it. You. I suspect it will recover on its own in time.”

Isla’s favorite phrase. Recover in time.

She sighed, rising to her feet. Kai had since scaled the distance between them, his hand brushing over her waist like he couldn’t stop himself from touching her. To make sure she was really there. “We should go. ”

Isla nodded in agreement.

For a brief second, he looked away from her. “What, uh, what do you want to do about your mother?”

She couldn’t miss the conflicted look in his eyes.

Looking down at the cloak she was wearing, she remembered the shame that had painted her mother’s face. All along, she’d been evading the witch and never revealed herself to Isla, to anyone. She’d wanted to remain hidden.

And maybe there was a selfish part of her that wanted to keep her hidden, too. To keep her safe.

She answered truthfully, “I don’t know.”

Finding their way out of the tunnels had been a nightmare, but when they finally breached the surface into the arena, Kai located the first guard he could and called off a search. Apparently, he’d had the whole pack scattered and looking for her.

So, their secret was out, and soon, it was joined by more.

Kai also explained the tunnels as he brought the guard to them, a new search issued for the witch and the rogue Isla had given a vague description of. She refrained from mentioning the identified murderer of their late alpha.

They didn’t mask their scents when they finally settled back in the room they’d been waiting in before the fight, cleaning up and claiming new clothes. They knew the news would spread that Isla had been found, so they waited.

Sometime after they’d put him down, a groggy Sebastian had awoken, and as he dressed, all he’d done was rant about his own failure. He was livid that he allowed the witch and rogue to get the jump on him. Isla had listened, consumed with guilt for what she now knew. Both Kai and Raana had been sworn to absolute secrecy, for now. He clearly hadn’t heard the revelation, and she felt now wasn't the best time to tell him. She knew the second she did, he wouldn’t rest until he found Apolla and brought her home, whether she wanted to be tracked down or not.

Isla had only just secretly hidden away her mother’s cloak when the door of the room was nearly broken down. More faces she thought she’d never glimpse again flooded the room.

Isla was the first target for the onslaught of embraces. Even Jonah hugged her. Ameera, too. Davina was a mess of joyous cries. One second later, she was lifted by Rhydian.

“If you died, I would’ve killed you,” Adrien said, circling his arms around her.

Isla leaned into his chest, snickering, before noticing his attention had also drifted elsewhere to where Raana stood in the room’s corner.

The witch pretended she wasn’t paying attention to him, but Isla had been there before. Raana made the mistake of turning for a better glimpse at Adrien and accidentally met his eyes. She looked down, suddenly very interested in her shoes, as she mumbled something under her breath. Adrien laughed, something sparking behind his eyes.

The last person he’d ever looked at like that was Cora—which meant he was in trouble. More than Isla had initially thought.

So, she’d learned on their trek back that Raana wasn’t only a witch but also bore the blood of fae. Putting aside her own fears and confusionamidst the gratefulness over what that meant for her healed self, Isla was concerned for her friend. This woman he held a fondness for may as well have been a bak. The pack, all the wolves of the continent, the world would view her the same way.

The amount of trust that Raana must’ve had in him, magic on her side or not, was great if she’d been willing to risk herself like this. To come here. To surround herself with predators that would’ve shredded her apart the moment they broke the surface if she hadn’t recast the enchantment meant to mask her from them.

Maybe she’d be useful in tracking down the other one.

Adrien left Isla, crossing the floor, and she watched closely as he and Raana spoke.

“Thank you,” he said to her.

Raana shrugged as if feigning indifference. “Now, we’re even.”

Adrien grinned again, but it fell promptly. “We should get back to my father. He’s already on the boat to go back into the city. Now that the lockdown’s lifted, he wants to leave immediately.”

Isla glanced at Kai, also listening, his features drawn in a scowl. No meeting, no parting words, no congratulations, she assumed. If she could hear him through the bond, she imagined he’d been thinking, good riddance.

Stealing another embrace after Adrien and Raana said their goodbyes, Isla let her arms linger around her friend for a few seconds longer than necessary. He held her tighter, too, in understanding. By the time they saw each other next, she'd likely be the Luna of Deimos, and they’d officially be on different sides.

A sudden knock came at the door, and silence descended upon the room. Ameera was closest to the entrance as if guarding it, and pulled it open to reveal Imperial Beta Malakai. He looked at no one else, not his runaway son, the Heir, or the other bewildered gazes. All he focused on was his daughter, tears lining his eyes. “You’re okay.”

For a moment, Isla forgot everything else. She forgot about the challenge vote and Io’s agenda. Isla rushed for her father, and as he hugged her, she could feel him shaking like he was fighting back tears. She let a few of hers fall, and when he looked up at the nearby Sebastian and didn’t get angry but beckoned him over, a couple more broke through. The weight of the body missing felt heavier now than it ever had, and Isla might’ve cried harder for it. For the words she just couldn’t speak.

Malakai stepped back from them and bowed his head to Kai. “I’m sorry. If I had known…I would’ve pushed harder.”

“Pushed harder?” Isla was wiping her face with her sleeve. “You said no?”

Malakai wasn’t allowed to say what he’d voted, but with the slight tip of his head, Isla knew. He let out a grunt as she nearly tackled him with another hug, and now his body shook with a chuckle.

“I need to go,” he said as Isla broke from him, and his eyes went to Kai again as the alpha shuffled closer. Isla took the few steps needed to stand at his side and took his hand in hers. Malakai gave a tight smile, his voice strained. “You have her?”

Kai’s grip on her hand tightened. “Always.”

Malakai swallowed hard, failing to subtly wipe his face, and bowed to them both. He turned to his son .

“I think I’m going to stay for a bit.” Sebastian glanced at his sister and brother-in-law. “If that’s okay with your majesties.”

Isla furrowed her brows. “Why do you want to?”

“Give my baby sister some support and destroy anyone who opposes you,” he drawled. “And I have a witch to kill.”

“Don’t we all,” Ameera mused, and the two of them shared a glance. For a second, Isla may have seen some camaraderie there—a common goal.

Sebastian asked their father, “I just want to be sure I won’t be declared a rogue by not coming home.”

Everyone seemed to grimace at the word.

Malakai said, “I’ll make sure you’re cleared.” And he and Isla exchanged one last embrace before he, Adrien, and Raana left.

“So, what now?” Rhydian asked. “You won. It’s over. The Imperial Alpha left with his tail between his legs. What’s next?”

“You’re probably wanted everywhere,” Ameera said, then gestured between them. “Both of you.”

Kai wrapped an arm around Isla’s shoulders while hers went around his back. He looked down at her, smiling at him, and leaned down to kiss her forehead. “Yeah, well, it’s late.” He lifted his head and trailed his gaze along his family. “I want to go home.”