Chapter 18

Claudia's POV

I didn't react at all when Isaac kissed me. So I kept my eyes open and stared blankly into his golden brown eyes under his deep brow bones, like melted gold. His burning breath intertwined with mine, and it reminded me of the wonderful days we'd spent all night with each other before.

Eventually, he let go of me. I knew he was probably kissing me out of jealousy. That's what I could see in his eyes. I could taste the assertion of sovereignty in the kiss and it made him look sexy. Isaac looked a little embarrassed after the kiss ended. He grabbed Neil's jacket out of my hand and attempted to change the subject. "You can't dress his clothes again. And keep your distance from your 'friends'. I don't want to hear rumors about my brother all the time."

I was about to say something back but Isaac took the clothes and left. His back looked a little flustered as he left, and I could see his ears were still red. Finally, I couldn't help but laugh out loud, and at the same time a warm feeling flooded through me. I didn't know the reason for his sudden coldness towards me, but I was glad that he still liked me.

I looked at myself in the mirror and my miserable life seemed to be turning around. Not many people have been bullying me lately. Outwardly, I had Neil to help me. And behind the scenes, the word was getting out that if people bullied me, they would get their comeuppance. I no longer had bruises on me, and the maids no longer dared to push all the work on me. So I was going to spend the extra time washing my hair at the lake and avoiding everyone's attention.

Just like always, I watched my hair spread out in the water and the breeze blowing through the fuzz on the back of my neck. Everything was so restful. But then Gordon suddenly appeared behind me and I was taken aback, not reacting at all. His huge body blocked my way and I tried to scream when he covered my mouth. Gordon laughed hideously and I lost all strength in the face of that fear. I felt nothing but despair as I was caught, for he was the branded criminal.

I had heard a lot of rumors about Gordon, as he was a werewolf who was punished by Alpha and became an Omega. So many said he once was a very powerful warrior, but incredibly bloodthirsty, and the people he killed hardly had intact bodies. But in war, such a man was essential, so Alpha left him unchecked. Until he started to hurt his pack's people and hurt girls. So, after he was punished and became an Omega, no one dared to mess with him either. People of low status like us even avoided meeting him.

If only Nicole had been here, if she was here, I would have been able to detect that someone had been following me. But Nicole only appeared once because I was so weak. I kept struggling, trying to break free of his grip. But that obviously made him be more excited.

"I remember you." He pinched my face and made me look at him "Daughter of a traitor, you shouldn't have come out alone."

I used all my strength to turn my face to the other way, never letting him see my eyes. But my strength was so weak that I felt like he was going to crush my jawbone. He lifted my face and I looked straight into his eyes. There was only intense desire in them, lust mixed with a brutal desire for destruction.

"Help! Someone help me!" I yelled for help, but Gordon didn't care.

"I should thank you for picking such an isolated place."

Gordon jumped right on top of me when he saw my eyes. I struggled violently, waving my arms and legs. But that didn't bother him, and he started ripping my clothes. I tried to beat his eyes with my fists, but he clutched both of my arms together with one hand. The disparity in strength made the feeling of powerlessness wrap tightly around me.

My voice had become hoarse from calling out loud. It's over. Was I even going to die in such a humiliating way? Who would save me? Anyone? I just didn't want to die in this way. I prayed in my heart, and then the moon goddess seemed to answer me. A familiar face appeared in front of me, and Isaac kicked Gordon off of me with a single blow. I was still in shock, Isaac's concerned face looked so surreal.

"Are you hurt?" Isaac pulled his shirt off, covering my torn clothes.

I couldn't finish a full sentence yet and could only shake my head at him.

Gordon was interrupted and he looked like he was crazy. Or maybe he was already crazy, and now it was worse. He shifted straight away. White mist dispersed from his mouth as he growled, saliva falling from his fangs. I felt the warmth come from Isaac's arms. He was angry. His eyes had turned into the pupils of a wolf, and even without the mate link I could feel the veins in his arm rise. He's trying to think of what strength he can use to rip through his enemies.

I grabbed Isaac's wrist tightly. Gordon was the outlaw, he was the kind of enemy that was most dangerous. I couldn't help but worry about my mate. Isaac sensed my worry and he shook my hand soothingly. Isaac had also shifted into a wolf. His aura was totally different now, which made all the creatures around him shiver.

Gordon rushed towards us, and Isaac shielded me behind him. Because they were moving so fast, all I could hear was the low hiss in their throats. There was a heavy smell of blood coming from them, and then Gordon fell to the ground. I could see wounds of all sizes on Gordon's body, all from Isaac's claws. Isaac was still angry and he raised his claws to Gordon, who was lying on the ground, intending to deliver the final blow. I rushed up and pulled Isaac back.

"Can't kill him." My voice was still hoarse.

"But he did that to you" Isaac looked at me in surprise. "He's going to kill you, you know?"

"I know, but Alpha will be angry if you kill him."

"I don't care if he's angry, you almost died."

I was touched that Isaac cared about me so much. "But, you're breaking the rules of the pack if you kill him. A future Alpha wouldn't do that." Isaac's paws retracted and I continued. "I'm safe now. Thanks for saving me."

"You have no idea how scared I was that you would get hurt." Isaac turned back into his human form and hugged me.

"I know." I hugged him back and slowly stroked his back.

Isaac took a deep breath as if he had made up his mind. He looked me in the eyes and he said to me in a sincere voice. "I apologize for what I said before that hurt you. It wasn't my intention."

He looked at me firmly and seriously. "Claudia, my mate, I will always take care of you." I looked into his golden brown eyes, filled with deep emotion.

Isaac was a light in my miserable life. Maybe from the first time he helped me, I fell in love with him. Or maybe even earlier, when I was humbled in the kitchen doing the grunt work and he was surrounded like a prince as he walked by. Even though I'd known how he felt about me for a long time, hearing him say it in person still made my heart skip a beat.

"I'll always be with you, my mate."

Afterwards, Gordon was banished from the pack by Isaac. He wouldn't live for more than a few days because he was badly injured, but that was the largest mercy that Isaac could show him. Everyone in the pack looked relieved on the day of the trial. But I noticed the eyes that Fiona looked at me in the crowd, full of resentment and malice.