The Chosen One •

28

✨ Isabel ✨

The woods welcomed me with their familiar serenity, the towering trees swaying gently in the breeze. I made my way to the clearing, my favorite place. The lake shimmered in the sunlight, its surface calm and inviting. With a heavy sigh, I sank to the ground near the water's edge, letting the tension seep out of my body.

Reaching up, I touched my lip, the sting reminding me of the fight. A small pulse of magic thrummed through my fingertips, and I focused it on the cut. The warm glow of my healing spell sealed the wound, leaving no trace of the injury.

With my lip healed, I dipped my hand into the cool water, my magic connecting with the elemental energy. The ripples followed my movements, swirling in delicate patterns as if dancing to an unspoken melody. This was my sanctuary, a place where I could feel free, even if only for a moment.

Footsteps behind me broke the quiet. Assuming it was Kun, I kept my focus on the water. "I told you not to follow me," I said, exasperated.

A deep chuckle answered me, one that didn't belong to Kun. My heart skipped as I spun around, finding Jace standing a few feet away, his expression amused.

"What are you doing out here?" I asked, my voice shy.

He shrugged, stepping closer. "I wanted to see if you were okay."

"I'm fine," I said quickly, though my voice wavered.

Jace didn't seem convinced but dropped down to sit beside me anyway. He glanced at the water, then back at me. "You're a hybrid."

The words hit me like a freight train. I froze, my breath catching. "A what?"

He held up a hand, his tone soft. "It's okay. I'm one too."

My eyes widened, disbelief coloring my face. "You are?"

He chuckled, the sound warm and unthreatening. "Yeah. It's a long story, but I got my wolf side, not my magic."

I studied him for a moment, searching his expression for any sign of deceit, but found none. "How did you know?"

"Hybrids usually have a unique scent," he explained. "Yours is different from mine and the one other hybrid I've met."

"The one other?" I echoed, my voice barely above a whisper.

His expression darkened, a flicker of pain crossing his features. "They died protecting me when I was a child."

A heavy silence settled between us, and I didn't press further.

"So how are you an alpha?" I asked, changing the subject gently.

"My father was the alpha," he said, his voice steady. "My mom, though—she was a witch. She raised me until I was eight, then sent me to live with my dad. She knew I wasn't safe in her coven without magic."

I listened, my mind spinning. There was so much I didn't know, not just about hybrids but about myself. "Does anyone else know?"

He shook his head. "Just my father. And now you."

The weight of his trust settled on me, and I nodded. "Do you know anything about hybrids? Like... how we're supposed to exist?"

He frowned. "Not much. My mom didn't get the chance to teach me, and my dad didn't want me to think about it. He wanted me to focus on being a wolf."

I sighed, leaning back against the ground. It seemed neither of us had answers.

Jace smirked suddenly, a playful gleam in his eye. "So, about Ming—did you have to go that hard on her?"