The voices of the twins grew louder, and we broke into a sprint, pushing past branches and brambles that clawed at my arms and legs. My breathing came in short, sharp bursts as I tried to keep up with Kaid. Then we burst into another clearing.
The first thing I noticed was the deer. Its body lay crumpled in the grass, blood soaking into the earth. Long, jagged slashes marred its sides, with crimson streaks running down its fur. I couldn't stop staring at the gaping wound near its shoulder, the deep claw marks that could only have been made by wolves in their beast forms. My stomach roiled and I fought the urge to vomit.
But that wasn't the only thing.
I shifted my gaze and froze.
The twins stood just a few feet ahead, both still in their wolf forms—massive, red-coated beasts with glowing amber eyes. Their growls rumbled low in their chests, directed at a figure standing opposite them. A woman.
When she stepped forward, I froze.
It was Isla, my younger sister.
My thoughts crashed together in a chaotic frenzy. Isla? What was she doing here? Had my father sent her? Did this mean he knew where I was?
The other rogues reacted instantly.
"Who is she?" one of them barked, glaring at her.
"Look at her clothes, Joe. She's got Elite written all over her," another growled.
"She's probably a spy," someone snapped, already reaching for her arm.
Isla flinched as one of them grabbed her shoulder roughly. Before I could fully process the moment, they began to close in on her.
"Stop!" The word tore out of my throat before I even realized I'd said it. My legs moved on their own, carrying me forward, placing myself between Isla and the rogues. "She's my sister!"
The group halted, stunned. Then came the protests.
"Her sister?"
"Doesn't make her any less of a threat."
"Lena, she could've been sent here to—"
"I said stop!" I screamed, keeping my arms wide to shield Isla. Despite my outburst, they didn't back down, but Kaid stepped forward and raised a hand, forcing them to hold their ground.
I turned back to Isla. I didn't know whether to pull her into a hug or demand answers. She looked thinner than I remembered—her delicate features were more pronounced, though her green eyes—identical to mine—still carried the same innocence.
Before I could say anything, Isla darted forward and threw her arms around me. The sudden warmth of her hug caught me off guard.
"Oh, Lena," she whispered into my neck. "I missed you. We've been so worried."
I stiffened in surprise at first, but slowly my arms came up to wrap around her. I buried my face in her shoulder, inhaling the familiar scent of home, but it felt foreign now, like something I didn't belong to anymore.
She pulled back slightly, her hands still gripping my arms.
"What are you doing here?" I asked. "This place is dangerous. These people.... you're not supposed to be here."
Her gaze dropped to the ground. "I… I couldn't just stay behind. Father and Mother—everyone's been looking for you."
I bit back a bitter laugh. "Everyone?"
"Yes." Her voice was earnest, but there was something hesitant in her eyes. "Father is under so much pressure from the Conclave after what happened with Jesse… and your escape from the Sanatorium. He's trying to—"
"Stop." My voice cracked as I stepped out of her grasp. I shook my head bitterly. "You have no idea, do you? Of course, why would he bother to tell you the truth. Father was the one who sent me there. He's the one who ordered them to chain me at the Sanatorium like some animal and pump me full of drugs. He's the one who—" My voice broke, and I forced the words through clenched teeth. "He doesn't care if I live or die, Isla. All he cares about is his precious standing with the Conclave."
"She's one of them," a voice interrupted. "Why are we even entertaining this?"
I glanced over my shoulder to see Cassidy with her all-too familiar sneer, crossing her arms as she fixed her gaze on Isla. "An Elite. She's a danger to us. You can't seriously expect us to trust her."
A low murmur of agreement rippled through the group.
"Enough," I snapped, stepping forward to shield Isla from their accusing stares. "If anyone here even thinks about touching her, they'll have to go through me first."
Cassidy's lip curled in disdain, but she didn't step closer.
Behind me, I felt Isla's hand gently rest on my shoulder.
"Lena, it's okay," she murmured. "You don't need to do this."
I turned slightly to glance at her, confused by the calm expression on her face. Her green eyes—so much like my own—carried worry.
"I only came here to look for you, to make sure you're okay," Isla continued, but there was an undercurrent I didn't trust. "That's all. I wasn't trying to cause trouble, and I don't want to stay."
"You're leaving?" I asked. I couldn't keep the disbelief from bleeding through.
Isla gave me a faint, apologetic smile. "I have to."
"No." My head shook before I could stop it. "You don't understand, Isla. It's dangerous out there. The Conclave—Father—"
She cut me off with a soft sigh, her fingers tightening briefly on my shoulder. "I'll be fine. I promise."
But something flashes in her eyes, just for an instant. A shadow, or maybe a secret. Isla, who was always so plain and readable, suddenly felt like a stranger. My gut twisted, screaming at me that something wasn't right.
"Why did you really come here, Isla?" I demanded, searching her face.
Her smile dropped for a fraction of a second. "I told you," she said quietly. "I just wanted to see you. To know you're safe."
"Then stay," I urged. "If you're worried, stay with me. We can figure this out together."
But she shook her head firmly. "I can't, Lena."
Her arms wrapped around me again, pulling me into a brief, tight hug. I wanted to grab her, to shake her, to demand the truth, but before I could, she stepped back.
"I have to go," she murmured.
"No—"
"Good riddance," Cassidy muttered under her breath, and I shot her a glare.
Isla turned away and walked back into the trees. I opened my mouth to call after her, but something in me stopped. The secrets in her eyes haunted me.
She didn't look back as she disappeared into the trees.
"We need to go back to camp, Lena," Kaid urged.
But I barely heard him. My mind was tangled in questions I couldn't answer. What was Isla hiding?