Chapter 47|The Future of The Bane Pack.

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**Isabelle's P O V.

Four years ago, a year after the Mile's family deception, he and his most trusted companions walked out the Bane Pack doors and two never returned. Stephano De Luca's death shook my whole world as well as Martin Miles' who left our Pack after his wife and mate's banishment, only coming to visit from time to time. My grandfather was the only one who returned and the state in which he was brought back made the whole Pack fall into a state of melancholy. He was unconscious and barely alive.

He was in coma for over a year. I was 7 years old and telling him stories about my day when he awoke. The monitor attached to his body making sounds I couldn't understand until I was pulled out by Doctors who hovered over him.

From that day on my grandfather was never the same. He lost his laugh lines at hearing of his friends' deaths, he became distant to everyone but myself and prohibited the mentioning of Martin Miles' name within his presence. Everyone was curious but none dared to ask why. His word was final.

We all lived in a trance, the Pack too quiet and not as fun as it used to be. Security and safety measures taken in case of emergencies enhanced.

I felt like everything was moving in a very fast pace. I only had the Alpha, my Uncle Drake and his wife to cheer me up when I was sad because the closest friend I had, Arabella had moved to the Lichen Pack to her Aunt Julia after her Mother's death. Each and every member of the Miles' family had moved out of the Bane Pack.

It was until two more years later that my grandfather broke down the barriers he built between himself and his family, I was 9 years old then and was beginning to understand the happenings of the world. Not everything was black or white as I thought it to be, there were so many colours in between.

Now at ten, I could easily say I know more than half of all I need to know that's been hidden from me and from the looks of seriousness etched on the great Christopher Knight's features, I could easily say I was about to know the remaining half.

My grandfather released a sigh, "My closest advocate did, all for selfish reasons. He killed my closest friend and rendered me useless.." I placed three of my fingers over his lips to halt his words.

"Shh, you're not useless and you never will be." I assured the man who was staring at me with unabashed admiration. I'm sure my expression mirrored his.

"I hope so Red, I hope so. Want to know of my reason for calling you?" He asked, his once playful tone sounding sullen and his appearance turning stern all at once.

I shook my head indicating at the negative and he released a huge sigh I felt the air that wafted from his lips brush over my face.

"I'm sending you away." He smiled as though he thought his words couldn't hurt me.

I recoiled from his words as if I was slapped with a folded carpet.

"I know it sounds bizarre to your ears but you're the only person I trust for this, you see your Uncle has duties as the head of our Pack, he can't be assigned to this task."

My lips pulled down, I couldn't understand his point. "But I'm too young pa." I reasoned.

"You may be young in age but your intellect surpasses that of a lot of people twice your age or more. You were born to protect your clan Belle and only you can protect it as though your life depends on it." He stated.

The determination in his voice made my resolve harden. Knowing my grandfather's resolution and knack for having things done his way the moment he sets his mind on it made me steel myself against any opposition I might have about his declaration. There was no going back.

I felt a sudden sense of responsibility overcome me as I responded to his words with a firm nod. The seer overlooking the activities of the Pack, an old woman named Old Ynes walked towards me in a drab brown dress, in her grasp was a thick sheaf. She handed it to me wordlessly and placed her gnarled palm over my chest.

I felt a bout of strength coursing through my veins, the touch energizing me. She did the same to my head until I was clutching the package tightly as though my life depended on it.

Moving three steps back, Old Ynes turned to my grandfather and with a nod of her head he explained everything to me in details, including everything about the man who betrayed me to what was encased within the sheaf in my possession. The most important being the vellum with thickened and engorged writings on it. The seer took it out from the package, placed my hand over it with hers hovering directly above mine.

Her eyes turned misty, distant and a thousand shades lighter than the grey I was used to seeing, "You must protect this at all costs because it secures your future and that of a very strong Pack. Your future depends on it as well as the future of the one you love most. Everyone in this Pack owes you one my child, you're young but you are our hope and our salvation." She squeezed my hands in a firm grip.

"We trust you to save the Bane Pack and return its loyalty to it. We love you more than anything and I personally will be here waiting for your return. I won't let go of the shreds of hope I have for my health because your return propels me to hang on. I love you Red, I will always love you." My grandfather added.

I threw my hands around his body as the impact of his words sank deep into my bones. It felt like a goodbye. My tears soaked up the front of his shirt and he wiped them away with his taut fingers.

Old Ynes let me have a few more moments with my grandfather before handing a cup over to me, she garbed me in a few pairs of outfits and a cloak before urging me to drink the contents of the cup.

I did and felt like my head was whirling. My world was spinning off its axis as I collapsed to the ground. I could hear my grandfather's voice barking orders at Old Ynes but the pace of my whirling made the words incoherent to my ears. I was too gone to comprehend what was happening.

I woke up unconscious in the middle of a very beautiful forest. Its trees were green and its smell heavenly. Birds chirped around and about. With no memories to remind me of what brought me there I wandered aimlessly at the forest and caught sight of a cottage. Hoping to meet someone there I walked in, to my surprise it was as empty as it was silent.

That was how I lived and survived at the forest of Eyre for ten years until Alexander came to me.