Innocent As Charged (Completed)

Chapter 33

Isaac's POV
Our paws sink into the soft earth beneath us, the river lapping at our feet. There is no trace of Iz's scent but some long disused instinct urges us to follow the river, to trust that she did the same. The trees loom overhead, blocking out the sky, protecting us from the wrath of the clouds, the rain pelting down like needles and teardrops, the sun absent.

Darkness prevails, drowning any emotions I have left, the weather preventing me from moving on, preventing me searching for her. The darkness fills my shattered soul, obliterating any feeling except pain, any feeling except the agony destroying me mentally and physically.

Then I see her.

Smiling, walking towards me, arms outstretched, her hair streaming out behind her like water, the bird's having awakened, singing loudly.

"Iz?"

She nods.

I run to her, ignoring the rain, tightly wrapping my arms around her, pulling her into my desperate embrace, feeling her warmth, her scent smothering my nose. She's here. She's really here.

"I love you Isaac," she says, her hands cupping my cheeks as I stare into her diamond blue eyes. "I promised I would never leave you and I intend on keeping that promise."

Her hands are light on my cheeks, her hair still flying out behind her in one big, dark wave, soft as silk.

Isaac... Nate says quietly.

What? I snap, annoyed at his intrusion; there was no reason for it.

Isaac, this isn't real. It's a hallucination.

I realise the hole in my heart is still there; it hasn't gone. As he speaks, she fades away and the sense of desolation returns, suffocating me. It wasn't real. She's still lost to me. She couldn't keep her promise.

I fall to the ground with an agonized howl, the pain from the separation overwhelming me and I feel like I've been punched in the stomach. I retch and gag but nothing comes up, my body too starved to throw up.

Tears pour down my cheeks, my entire body shaking from the emotions clogging my heart, preventing my brain from thinking straight.

Nate, I can't do this.

Her voice is faint on the wind, and I climb to my feet. She's nearby. I start to walk towards it when Nate seizes control of my body, stopping me.

It isn't her.

It is. You don't understand; I have to go to her. She's right there. Just beyond the trees.

No Isaac. It's your imagination. She's not here. Our mate's not here.

She's here Nate! Stop lying!

She isn't. She's not here! It's just the wind! You're imagining it! Our mate is gone Isaac, she's gone!

He gives a small whimper at his own words and, for once, I feel his pain at losing Jack. We sink to our knees and I allow the pain to consume me, sobbing into my hands, my chest tightening from the lack of air but I don't care. I can't face life without her.