Chapter 38|Revelations.

.....

**Isabelle's P O V.

Alexander took me away from Staten Island to his penthouse in Upper East Side after he had a meeting with the Council. Leah went with us but requested to stay in her condo not far from Alexander's before school resumed to be away from the chaos in the Pack. I had nothing to say about Arabella because the last time I saw or heard about her was on the day of her engagement party to Alexander.

Within two days of my being at his place Alexander left no gaps in my heart, he made sure that everywhere was filled with his thoughts and only stuff related to him.

A strange thing though happened to me yesterday when I was having a nap while Alex was away at the Company. I had a brief dream about myself in an enclosed darkened room with my hands shackled to the wall and when I attempted moving them the sound of chains grating against each other nearly deafened me. The only light in the room came from my hair, I jolted back to consciousness in correspondence with a shriek piercing through the air. When I realized my surroundings I found my hair glistening in the mirror, it was literally glowing brightly almost like it did in my dream.

After calming my erratic heart I had a one on one conversation with a part of my conscience which believed my dream to be a message and also that my hair truly shone, like there was a meaning to it. I argued that it was a mere illusion propelled by my dream.

Hallucinations.

By the time Alexander was back from the office I'd forgotten all about it. At night while we slept I had the same nightmare and Alexander's voice calling out my name in desperation awoke me. When I did wake up my hair was the only light in the dark room again and this time I was not the only witness to it, Alexander stared at it in awe and bewilderment.

When he touched it it burned him.

We both stared at the light blister on his finger wearing mixed expressions. I was honestly scared of whatever that could mean. When I was taken to the council members for interrogation after the attack the high cheekboned man whose name I never got muttered some words in my ear that I brushed off immediately. This incidence made me recall it and I fought the urge to scream at the top of my lungs at the restless feeling of being left in the dark.

"You red haired lecherous witch." Those were his words, words I decided to keep away from Alexander.

The next day Lucas, Damon and Francis came over for a meeting with Alexander.

**Alexander's P O V.

Isabelle's hair incident made me sit for hours in my study room searching for my grandfather's books, books belonging to his late wife wishing he was still alive to bear witness to what I beheld last night.

To say I was tongue tied will be an understatement. One thing I knew for sure was her hair blazing like it was on fire wasn't in the least bit an illusion, it was real and it wasn't normal.

The last time a Wolf with red blazing hair was found was ages ago when my Father, Enzo De Luca was still ruling over the De Luca Pack. What had my head spinning was the fact that Isabelle was human, she wasn't a wolf so how could I link her to my grandmother's lineage when all the members of her Pack were wolves before they were eliminated by foes because of the danger perceived by enemy packs from the powers they had and wielded. Before the attack that took them down, the Opium Pack was the strongest and most peaceful Pack.

When I found nothing to link the two together I slapped the book in my grasp shut and raised my head abruptly, smelling the scent of my brother filling my nose.

My head was really engrossed in the book and my thoughts I had no idea he was there. Being caught unaware and off-guard was so much unlike me.

"Hello Brother." He greeted plopping audibly on a couch.

"Where have you been?" I asked him tilting my head to the side trying to read his body language. There was something off about Lucas that I'd noticed on the day of my supposed engagement party. His smiles didn't reach his eyes and neither did his usual charming ways, they seemed too forced. It was at the back of my mind to confront him about it but Luke disappeared before I had the chance to unhook Arabella's hands off me.

He shrugged in response, looking about as if he was seeing the room for the first time.

"Where were you when the manor was attacked?"

My question had him scowling, his expression turning serious. "I heard about what happened to Isabelle, I'm sorry about that," He looked genuinely apologetic. "Found out from Leah." He added and my left brow arched I almost felt it touching my hair.

"Since when did you two started getting along?" I asked, surprised. Luke and Leah weren't pals, they were like fire and ice. One must douse the other for peace to be maintained.

"Since the situation was most relevant. I was carrying out my duties when it happened, shocked the hell out of me that our Sentinels did not see it coming when they were supposed to be alert at all times." Lucas shook his head in disappointment.

"Any luck in your findings?" I asked watching his every move. He seemed too tense to be the Luke I knew from birth, he looked to be strung tight like a bow.

"You won't like what I have to say about this but I think your fiancée has a hand in the attack."

I got up so fast from my chair I sent it flying backwards.

"Why do you think so?"

He nodded solemnly. His gaze distant.

"Wait, is there anything between you guys you're not telling me?" I watched him closely and saw the slight movement of his Adam's apple. He gulped.

Lucas gulped.

"Doesn't matter, you need to be with her to fulfill the requirements of the edict. I'm doing the job you assigned me to." He swerved from the question.

I decided to let him be for the time being, "So, how does she have a hand in it?"

"A day to the feast I found her lurking around the streets garbed in a cloak, she looked suspicious before heading into Fabio Ferrari's abandoned studio. Her words were muffled but she had a male companion. I couldn't get closer because... Because my scent might reach her if I get too close."

"That's bullshit and you know it. If you have no strings connected to her she can't distinguish your scent from any other wolf." I chose my words deliberately as his jaw worked. I was gauging his reaction closely.

"Trust me Alex she would've known I was there."

"Ah I see." I drawled biting the edge of the pen in my grasp between my teeth. I had no qualms with him having fun with her, he could have the whole of her for all I care.

"You don't understand." He began, stopped, then turned to face the wall.

The muscles on his back were flexing with unkempt fury, it was literally burning beneath the surface.

I decided to tip him off the edge.

"You guys fucked, didn't you?" The colour drained from his face, the horror I saw there nearly had me doubling over but I pulled a very impassive expression.

Luke clenched his jaw so hard lines appeared on his face, "For fuck's sake have some faith in me. I wouldn't fuck Arabella if she was the last woman in the world while she is your intended, your soon to be wife and Luna."

"What if she wasn't?"

He shook his head in amusement, deciding to speak without thinking twice, the words weren't calculated. "I would fuck her a thousand ways to Friday."

I let out a wolfish whistle at his admission.

"So you want her?"

He bit hard on his teeth, "She's my fucking mate."

I felt like the whole world had careened over a cliff at his declaration. I thought whatever he had for her was a passing attraction. Marriage between Arabella and I could never work out because even if Isabelle wasn't in the picture I would never marry my Brother's mate edict or not, oath or not. I'd rather die than betray Luke like that, I imagined the situation reversing and felt my blood raging at the thought of Isabelle with Lucas.

"Shit has really hit the fan this time, " I mumbled under my breath. "Why the fuck did you not tell me any of this earlier? Would you have sat back and watched as I marry your mate, create a life with her, fucking bed her?!" I was enraged too.

His eyes turned the shade of midnight, he was probably torturing himself imagining my words in his head.

"What sort of mess are we in for real Luke? All this must have an explanation of some sort, there must be a flaw or missing detail somewhere in this because it doesn't add up. In the edict it says she's my mate while I know who my actual mate is, you found your mate in her. Luke you're getting your mate for we're getting to the end of this bullshit. Now tell me everything you know, don't fucking hold anything back because we both need this. I can't be with anyone but Isabelle and I can see your need for your mate in your face, trust me. I know what it feels like to find a mate."

Lucas explained in detail everything that transpired between Arabella and the unknown man who in one way obviously knew something about Isabelle that we didn't.

"The dots feel connected now. They played their game well, the aim was to get rid of Isabelle. I can't wait to run my fist through whoever it is behind Arabella's actions. He'll pay Lucas."

Lucas cringed, turned his face to the other side before speaking, "What about her? Will she be charged for treason? Forced to face the consequences of her actions?"

"Alpha or not I'm your Brother Luke, what hurts you hurts me. We'll see if she's a bad guy or a con." I reassured him, feeling my worries subside at the sight of his constricted muscles loosening up.

I had to get to the end of this phase before it ruins all the hearts bound and attached to it.