The wolf protector. (A Bella and Jasper love story.)

Chapter 50:- Rehab Week 2: Acceptance And Breakthroughs

Izzy's P.O.V

It's my eighth day here in rehab, and I find myself sitting in Michael's office again. The room is quiet, the air cool and still. I'm used to this by now, and the routine feels different, but today, it feels different. I feel different. There's a weight pressing on my chest, and I know what it is. I've been holding onto this for too long, and maybe it's time to let it out.

"Michael," I start, my voice barely a whisper. I feel the words stick in my throat, but I force them out anyway. "I need to talk about Angel."

He nods, his eyes soft, patient. "Take your time, Iza. I'm here to listen."

I take a deep breath, trying to steady myself as the memories flood back. "It was in a club, where I first met him. I wasn't looking for anything serious, just out with friends, but then he walked in, and everything changed. The moment I saw him... I don't know, it was like everything else disappeared. There was just him. We started talking, and before I knew it, I was falling for him. Fast. Hard."

I pause, my heart aching with the memory of how happy I was back then. "We were so good together, Michael. We went out all the time, laughing, talking, just... living. He made me feel alive, like I'd found something I didn't even know I was missing."

Michael's quiet, just listening, giving me the space I need. "It sounds like he meant a lot to you," he says gently.

"He did," I say, my voice starting to tremble. "But then everything just... fell apart. I remember coming home from school one day. I was excited, you know? I couldn't wait to see him. But when I walked into my room... he was there. In bed. With Buffy."

My throat tightens as I force the words out, my eyes burning with tears I refuse to let fall. "I didn't know what to feel at first. I was shocked, angry, hurt... but then, I don't know, something else took over. I realized I could understand why he did it. Angel was always torn between us. I forgave him, Michael. I really did. I loved him so much that I was willing to pretend it never happened, to move past it like it was just a bad dream. But I couldn't forgive Buffy. She was my friend, and she... she betrayed me."

Michael leans in slightly, his face full of understanding. "That must have been incredibly painful."

"It was," I whisper, my voice breaking. "But I still loved him. I was ready to forget it, to go on like nothing happened. But Angel... he couldn't. He told me he didn't want to hurt me anymore, or Buffy. He said he loved us both, but he didn't know who he loved more, so he left."

The tears spill over now, and I let them. "When he left, it felt like my whole world shattered. I didn't know what to do, how to cope with the emptiness. I started using Spike... I used him to fill the hole Angel left. And then there were the drugs, the alcohol... anything that could numb the pain, even just for a little while."

Michael doesn't say anything for a moment, just watches me with those kind eyes, letting me cry, letting me feel it all. "Iza, I'm so sorry you had to go through that," He finally says, his voice soft. "It's clear how much you loved Angel, and how much his leaving hurt you. But you survived it. You're here now, facing these feelings, and that's incredibly brave."

I nod, wiping my tears with the back of my hand. "It's just... it still hurts so much, Michael. I loved him so much, and it feels like I'm never going to get over it."

"It's going to take time," He says, and I can hear the sincerity in his voice. "But you're already making progress. You're starting to accept what happened, and that's the first step toward healing."

I nod again, a small sense of relief washing over me. I've carried this pain for so long, and saying it out loud, admitting it to someone else... it doesn't make it all go away, but it's a start. Maybe, just maybe, I can start to heal.