ISABELLE'S POV
The hallway was shrouded in darkness, the faint moonlight filtering through the large windows, casting ghostly shadows along the walls. My heart hammered in my chest, the tension in the air thick and suffocating. I stood frozen, barely breathing, as Gabriel’s sharp voice echoed through the silence once more, sending a shiver down my spine.
“Who’s there?”
I swallowed hard, the coldness of the hallway seeping into my bones. Gathering every ounce of courage I had left, I stepped forward, letting the dim light fall over my face. Gabriel’s piercing gaze locked onto mine, and for a brief moment, I saw the flicker of surprise in his eyes before he quickly masked it with his usual cold, detached expression.
“Isabelle,” he said, his voice softening slightly, though there was still a hint of suspicion lingering beneath his words. “What are you doing down here at this hour?”
I forced myself to swallow the lump in my throat, willing my voice to stay steady. “I couldn’t sleep. I came down to get some water.” My gaze flicked to Charlotte, who stood just behind Gabriel, her eyes gleaming with malice. She wore a faint, triumphant smirk that made my stomach churn.
Gabriel furrowed his brow, his eyes narrowing as he studied me. “Did you hear anything?”
My heart skipped a beat, but I shook my head, my voice betraying none of the anxiety building within me. “No. I just got here.”
Charlotte exhaled dramatically, her voice dripping with fake sweetness. “We didn’t mean to disturb you, Isabelle. Gabriel and I were just finishing up.”
I couldn’t suppress the tightening of my jaw, my eyes narrowing as I met Gabriel’s gaze. “Finishing up what?”
The smirk on Charlotte’s face faltered for just a split second before Gabriel intervened, his tone deceptively casual. “We had a late meeting with Charlotte’s pack. It ran longer than expected, and she wanted to stop by for tea before heading home.”
My eyes flicked to the table near them. It was empty—no cups, no teapot, no signs of warmth lingering in the air. My stomach churned at the blatant lie, but I forced my face to remain neutral, unwilling to let them see how badly they had rattled me.
“Tea at three in the morning?” I asked softly, my voice edged with something I couldn’t quite hide.
Charlotte bristled at my tone, but Gabriel quickly placed a hand on her arm, silencing her before she could respond. “You’ve been looking exhausted lately, Isabelle,” he said, his voice taking on an almost kind tone. “You should take a break. Why don’t you spend the day outside tomorrow? Get some fresh air, clear your mind.”
I stared at him, my instincts screaming that something was off. But I nodded, forcing a faint smile onto my lips. “Maybe I will.”
Gabriel’s shoulders relaxed as though he had won some small victory. He smiled, though it was far too faint to be genuine. “Good. You’ll feel better.”
Charlotte gave me one last look, smug and satisfied, before brushing past me. Gabriel followed closely behind her, his eyes flicking back to me with a last, dismissive glance. “You should go back to bed,” he said before disappearing into the shadows of the hallway.
I stood there for a long moment, my hands trembling at my sides. My breath came out in shallow gasps as I glanced back at the empty table. The pieces clicked together, and my suspicion solidified into certainty. Whatever Gabriel and Charlotte were doing, it wasn’t just a late-night meeting.
The first rays of sunlight streamed through my curtains the next morning, but they offered me no comfort. I couldn’t shake the weight of the conversation, and the unease in my chest only grew as the day wore on. The warmth of the crescent pendant around my neck felt distant, like a memory that was slipping further from my grasp.
Unable to sleep, I was already dressed by the time Yna arrived in the kitchen. She smiled when she saw me, setting a tray of bread and fruit down on the table.
“You’re up early,” she said, her tone light, but I could see the concern in her eyes.
“Couldn’t sleep,” I admitted, sinking into one of the chairs. “Yna, do you know if anything’s happening tomorrow?”
Yna froze, her hands hovering over the tray as her expression shifted to something guarded. She avoided meeting my gaze, and I could feel the unease twisting in my stomach.
“Why do you ask?” she said, her voice carefully neutral.
The unease inside me tightened, and I forced myself to keep my tone even. “Gabriel suggested I go out tomorrow. Said I needed fresh air. It felt… odd.”
Yna hesitated before finally letting out a long sigh. “You’re not going to like this, Belle.”
“Tell me,” I demanded, my voice sharper than I intended.
She glanced around, as if making sure no one else was nearby, before leaning in closer. “It’s an engagement party. For Gabriel and Charlotte.”
