Innocent As Charged (Completed)

Chapter 8

"Isaac? Whats wr-"

"Don't sit so close," he snaps. "It provokes us."

Us.

Not just Nate. Isaac too. Nate's voice is cold, his frigid tone overlapping with my mate's, producing an eerie echoing effect, and their eyes are a sickening lime green, Isaac's emerald green fusing with Nate's yellow. Sensing that Isaac is not fully in command of his own body, allowing Nate the freedom to do what he wants to us, Jack seizes control from me.

However, the moment our eyes turn yellow a ferocious growl rips through his body, and his hand tightens around our wrist, his claws piercing our burning flesh.

Jack tears free of his harsh grip, our heat returning in full force the moment she does so. She struggles to resist it, shaking but determined to overcome, knowing that our lives may be the cost we pay if we don't; Nate has no inhibitions when it comes to hurting us, that we know for certain.

The temperature is suffocating, slow trickles of pain crawling down our spine, the heat threatening to overwhelm us. A whine escapes her mouth and I realise how much she's sheltering us from the heat. I can only just stand it; how she's bearing it, I don't know.

Nate freezes at a second whine, concern for us overriding his hatred of Jack, and Isaac takes advantage of his distraction to take control, his eyes morphing back to his normal emerald green.

"Shit. I'm sorry Iz, I'm sorry. Are you alright?" He asks, grasping my hand, relieving the heat.

"Yes," I whisper, but I move away, creating some space between us, Nate's growls and partial shifts still echoing through my mind: I can't risk Isaac losing control. I can't risk being hurt by him if he loses it. I go to pull my hand away from Isaac but he holds on firmly, maintaining the crucial skin to skin contact I need.

"Stop it Isobel. We don't want to hurt you. The heat is just making. Nate. Closer. To. The forefront. Of my mind." He struggles to restrain his wolf, eyebrows furrowed in concentration. I freeze at the use of my full name; he really must be annoyed.

No, on second thoughts, Nate must be really annoyed. Not Isaac. Yellow flecks are flickering in and out of existence in his irises, warning me that Nate still lurks beneath the surface and Isaac is struggling to maintain control.

"Are you going to release me?" I ask, fighting the instinct telling me to get out of his sight. He sighs and clings onto my hand. "Heat. Thanks." I hadn't realised my hand was the only thing connecting us; without it I would be at the mercy of the heat. He passes me a hesitant smile. My relaxed mood sinks slightly.

"Isaac, what's wrong?"

"Nothing. I'm just constantly fighting Nate. He is desperate to mark you. Really, really desperate." His voice becomes increasingly strained, the effort of restraining his wolf evident.

"I'm sorry."

Let me speak to him.

Wait, Jack -

He needs to mark us.

I'm not ready.

Who truly ever is?

Please, just not at this moment. I want it to be something that isn't coerced or forced because of pain.

Okay then, I will wait. However, if you don't do it by next heat cycle I will take control and persuade him to do it. You have, I'd say, a week or two? Yes, a week or two to get comfortable with Isaac and be marked or I will. Deal?