I sat in the window seat of Auntie Aurora’s guest room,staring into the darkness of the Shadow Pack territory that stretched before me.
It had been exactly sixteen days since Mom moved out of our home.
"Isabella? Are you still awake,sweetheart?" Auntie Aurora’s soft voice came from the doorway,accompanied by her distinctive pine and vanilla scent.
I turned from the window,quickly wiping away any trace of tears. "I was just finishing my drawing."
Auntie Aurora glided into the room,her silver-blonde hair catching the moonlight streaming through the window. She sat beside me,her movements as graceful as always. Every wolf in our territory whispered about how she carried herself like a true Luna—unlike my mother,whose awkwardness at formal pack gatherings had become legendary.
"Your father just texted that he’ll be here soon," she said,gently brushing a strand of hair from my face. "Would you like to show him your drawings tonight,or save them for tomorrow?"
"Tonight," I answered immediately. I’d been working on these sketches all day,hoping they might make Dad smile. He rarely smiled these days.
Auntie Aurora nodded,her eyes studying my face. "You look so much like her,you know." ʀᴇᴀᴅ ʟᴀᴛᴇsᴛ ᴄʜᴀᴘᴛᴇʀs ᴀᴛ 𝓷𝓸𝓿𝓮𝓵⚑𝓯𝓲𝓻𝓮⚑𝓷𝓮𝓽
"Like who?" I asked,though I already knew the answer.
"Your grandmother Victoria," she said,tracing the curve of my cheek with her finger. "She had that same look in her eyes—like she could see things others couldn’t."
My chest tightened with pride. Everyone said Grandma Victoria had been special,gifted with abilities beyond normal wolves because of her elven bloodline. Dad told me once that her abilities had saved our pack from destruction multiple times.
"I wish I’d known her," I whispered.
"She would have adored you," Auntie Aurora assured me. "Just as I do."
A comfortable silence fell between us as she looked over my shoulder at the drawings in my lap—scenes from the dream I’d had last night. A forest bathed in moonlight,wolves running through clearings,and in the center,a small white wolf cub with silver-blue eyes.
"These are beautiful,Isabella," Auntie Aurora said softly. "You have a true gift."
I smiled,soaking in her praise. Mom never really understood my drawings. She’d look at them with that worried furrow between her brows,especially when I tried to explain they were from my dreams. She’d just suggest I focus more on my math lessons instead.
"Do you think..." I hesitated,picking at the edge of my drawing pad. "Do you think I’ll be strong enough to shift soon?"
Auntie Aurora’s eyes softened. "Your wolf is developing beautifully,Isabella. She’s just taking her time because you’re special—you have the ancient bloodline running through your veins."
"Mom says I need to be careful because of my health problems."
Auntie Aurora’s expression flickered briefly. "Your mother is naturally cautious,sweetheart. But sometimes,being too cautious can hold a young wolf back from reaching her full potential."
Before I could respond,I heard the front door open downstairs and caught my father’s scent.
"Dad’s here!" I jumped up,nearly dropping my drawings in my excitement.
Aurora smiled. "Go on down. I’ll be there in a minute."
I raced downstairs,my bare feet barely making a sound on the polished hardwood. Dad was standing in the foyer,shrugging off his jacket,his face set in the stern expression he always wore after work. But when he saw me,his features softened slightly.
"Isabella," he said,opening his arms.
I launched myself into his embrace,breathing in his familiar scent. "I made new drawings today," I told him excitedly,holding up my sketch pad. "They’re from my dream last night. There was a white wolf cub,and she was running through the moonlight,and there were these weird lights in the trees that looked like stars but—"
"Isabella," Dad interrupted gently,"slow down."
I took a breath,trying to contain my excitement. "Sorry. But can I show you? Please?"
Dad glanced at his watch,then nodded. "Let’s sit down first."
He followed me to the living room where I spread my drawings across the coffee table. As he looked through them,I watched his face carefully,hoping to see that spark of recognition,that moment when he might say,"This is just like Victoria’s visions."
But his expression remained neutral as he examined each drawing. "These are very good,Isabella," he said finally. "You’re becoming quite the artist."
My heart sank a little at his measured response. I’d hoped for more.
"She has a remarkable talent,doesn’t she,Silvano?" Auntie Aurora said as she entered the room,carrying a tray with coffee for Dad and hot chocolate for me. "Just like Victoria used to have."
Dad’s head snapped up,his eyes narrowing slightly at Aurora’s words. "My mother’s talents are her own," he said firmly. "Not copies of anyone else’s."
Auntie Aurora set the tray down. "Of course. I simply meant the creative gift runs in the family."
I sipped my hot chocolate,watching the strange tension between them. There was always this undercurrent when they talked about me or Grandma.
"Did Mom call today?" I asked suddenly,the question escaping before I could stop it.
Dad’s jaw tightened. "Your mother is very busy with her work."
"She hasn’t called me in sixteen days," I said,my voice smaller than I intended. "Not even once."
Something flashed in Dad’s eyes—pain,anger,I couldn’t tell which. "Isabella,your mother loves you very much. She’s just... finding her way right now."
"If she loved me,she wouldn’t have left," I blurted out,immediately regretting the words when I saw Dad’s expression darken.
Auntie Aurora placed a gentle hand on my shoulder. "Sweetheart,sometimes adults need space to figure things out. It doesn’t mean she doesn’t love you."
"But she calls Raven every day," I continued,unable to stop the hurt from spilling out. "She never forgets to call Raven."
"Who told you that?" Dad asked sharply.