Page 7 of Isabel and the Werewolf Beast

“Yes. Enough with your questions, werewolf beast. What’s it to be? You or your brother?”

“Me. Always me,” I said without hesitation. My life for his was a simple trade and one I’d always lay on the line.

“Dante. No. Leave me here. Save yourself,” Asher said.

The panic and fear tinging his voice made me even more certain I was making the right decision, but when it came to Asher, there was no decision to be made. I’d protect him.

“Not a chance, Asher.” I stepped closer to the gate. To the place, the strange wave of the dark stain swirled into existence one moment and disappeared the next.

The woman waved Asher toward me with her dainty hand. It wasn’t like she could hurt me. She was tiny compared to my massive werewolf form.

“How do you know I won’t just take him and leave?” I asked.

“Because your brother knows what I am and knows it’s wise not to run. I’d catch you and kill you both.”

Perhaps my assessment of the beautiful woman was wrong. But I had claws and muscles. I’d fight for Asher if she tried to hurt him. And if she killed him… the beast inside me would tear her to shreds.

“We did nothing wrong,” I said, trying my best to keep this exchange from bloodshed.

“Your brother trespassed on my property.”

We glared at each other while Asher kept shaking his head as though he was too scared to talk. So unlike the Asher, I knew. Who the hell was this woman?

“True, but he meant no harm.”

She grabbed Asher’s arm. “Werewolves always mean harm. I don’t want either of you in here, but you,” she said, pointing her finger, “at least seem to have a bit ofdecorum and I’m afraid the gates won’t let him leave, but a swap might work.”

“Might?”

“Magic.” She shrugged.

As if saying magic worked on the gate explained everything. What was she hiding? And why was I so intrigued to find out? Everything about her appealed to me. From the ballgown, wait, she wore a ballgown? I frowned and glanced at the quiet castle. It didn’t appear a ball was in progress. Even more questions jumped into my head. I hungered for the answers more than I’d starved for food in my life and that was saying something.

“At the same time, then.” I stepped closer to where the ‘magic’ had appeared. My skin prickled with awareness.

She walked Asher to the gateway, then stepped back a step and folded her arms. Her eyes lit with an emotion I couldn’t quite tell. If I knew her better, then maybe I’d understand what she was thinking and experiencing. That hunger deepened further.

“All right, Asher. Let’s get you out of there. Remember when we used to mimic each other?”

“Yes,” he whispered.

“Like that.”

He chewed his bottom lip into his mouth. Such a slight gesture brought me back to our childhood. I couldn’t leave him in there.

“Now, Asher.”

He nodded. I nodded too. I lifted my hand, and he copied. Slowly, we inched closer to the gateway. The second my hand passed through the barrier, a thick sensation made my skin crawl with dread. I wanted to yank my hand back, but what would happen to Asher if I did since his hand was now on the other side of the gateway and it looked like this would work? Tiny movements at a time, and Asher and I passed each other.His eyes were wide with fear, but I kept my mouth shut because the mirror image thing wouldn’t work if I spoke. How I knew I didn’t understand. Perhaps too much reading. As we passed the point of no return, the barrier burst with a black light, sending us sprawling on opposite sides.

“Well damn,” the woman said. “I didn’t think that would work.”

Chapter five

Isabel

The pair of werewolves stared at me like I was stark raving mad. I may very well be. The night never ended with this curse. I didn’t comprehend how long Silas had trapped me inside these castle walls and grounds. An eternity might have passed for all I knew. No clock in the castle worked. I’d laid in a bed and counted once but soon gave up that foolish notion because I’d counted to an astronomical number before losing my focus.

The werewolves’ big brown eyes sparkled under the full moon. If they weren’t my natural-born enemy, I might find them almostmajestic. Almost.

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