Page 88

The thought weighed her down for days afterward, but talking with Sandra and Eline on the phone every day always managed to lift her mood somehow.

Sandra goes on giving her the gist of her experiences touring the clans of Naturiah, while she listens excitedly. Sandra makes the stories so damn interesting, she was not surprised that the woman was a journalist at all.

Of course, she was curious to hear from Sandra how her first meeting with Wolfe went—in other words, her reaction to seeing him. But, her best friend has always evaded that conversation, which only made her curiosity grow.

She'd asked Eline several times, but the cougar female would always laugh without giving her an answer. It was weird but she wasn't worried. Ismena decided that it'll be the first thing she'll find out about once she goes back to Eline's.

When she wasn't talking to Sandra and Eline, she'd spend her day touring the outsides of the big Tower—both within the huge compound and outside the gates.

It was so exciting for her. She managed to find really beautiful places like the flower garden, the fountain lanes, and the large farm at the back of the Tower. Her days were never boring, which helped her to cope with her situation.

On the fourth day, she'd spent hours on the phone with her family. It gave her a whole new kind of happiness to hear Valentina's voice for hours on end, being her usual teenage grump and a cute little noisemaker.

She'd also spoken with her father too. Ismena got the feeling that her father was more worried about her than he was letting on. It made her concerned.

She had to reassure him over and over again that she was safe and sound.

But, speaking with her mother had been refreshing because her mother was happier about how much of a recovery Valentina had made. The hours on the phone with them made her feel light and better.

But the feeling evaporated at night. She was awake after midnight when she heard Wolfaraine's almost-soundless footsteps walk through the hallway.

He hesitated on her doorstep.

Lying under the huge duvet, curled into herself, Ismena prayed inwardly that he'll enter her bedroom.

Her fingers squeezed the covers tightly. She held her breath. She waited.

But, she heard his footsteps as he walked past her door. The sound of his door opened and closed.

Then, silence.

She battled tears furiously until she fell asleep in the wee hours of the morning.

Two days later, Ismena has had enough. It's been nine days since he devoured her like a raving animal in his bedroom, she was done staying in the dark and waiting like a spoilt princess.

If he's tired of her, at least he should have the decency to tell her off to her face!

She was fuming, raving mad all day while she waited for him in the Tower. He'd gone at dawn. She kept her eyes out for the sight of him all day.

But, he did not come back. Instead, it was Alphose that came to the Tower the next day.

She cornered him and asked him about Wolfaraine.

"He is in the jaguar clan. We are building a new Manor for the Jaguar Alpha, it's been going on for months now. The old one burnt to the ground. The Alpha King will be back tomorrow."

"Okay, thank you." She turned to leave, and stopped.

"Alphose?"

He turned and looked at her.

"Do you know what's going on with him?" She asked, trying to keep the sadness from her voice, "Something is going on with him, and you are his closest friend. I know you must have noticed too."

Thankfully, the cougar Alpha did not try to pretend like he didn't know what she was talking about.

He took a deep breath and looked at her, "Yes, something is going on. But, it's not because of you. He is not in a dark mood because of you, Ismena, it's all because of Nalaila." He confessed.

"Nalaila?"