Howl at the Heart's Edge

Chapter 19

Lorenzo’s Secret Observations.

The moonlight came in broken shards through the canopy, shrouding the forest in shadow. Lorenzo walked in silence, his steps natural and accurate. Through the underbrush, his keen senses followed Isabella's movements, drawing him nearer with each sound and change in her fragrance.

The bond wouldn't let go, even though he knew he shouldn't be there, watching from the periphery of her world like a ghost. The mate pull was unrelenting, a pull that was both comforting and painful. As she moved purposefully through the dark woodland, he waited in the protection of the shadows, his golden eyes catching glimpses of her.

Isabella moved quickly yet methodically, demonstrating her resolve. Lorenzo felt a twinge of admiration and longing as she paused to examine the landscape, her brows wrinkled in concentration. Her determination and strength were energizing, but they also made him aware of the distance that had developed between them.

Lorenzo rested against a twisted tree, his mind a whirlpool of struggle as she pushed forward, unaware of him. He carried a lot of secrets, but seeing her made him want to keep them safe no matter what.

He was startled out of his reverie by a slight rustle. Lorenzo paused barely a second before following Isabella as she ventured farther into the trees, his heart heaving with a mixture of want and remorse.

The crackling of energy filled the clearing as Isabella and Giuliano faced off. Her posture was solid, her eyes were focused, and she moved with a fresh assurance. As he watched her dodge and hit, Lorenzo hunched over in the shadows, gasping for air.

Giuliano gave orders in a rough yet reassuring voice. "More quickly! Your speed is your strength; make use of it!

Isabella obeyed, dodging and countering, her body a whirl of movement. She delivered a blow that sent Giuliano reeling, and her face lit up with a victorious smile.

Lorenzo felt his chest constrict. He should have been proud, but instead he felt a sharp pain. Her development was evident, and her tenacity was admirable, but it was difficult to watch her change without being a part of it.

She was changing into someone he didn't recognize, someone who didn't require his help anymore. He couldn't take his eyes off it, even if it broke him.

With her pointed heels clicking against the polished stone floor, Alessandra paced the big hall again in Montelupo. Lorenzo's absences had increased, and she was growing impatient.

As Marco walked in, his massive bulk creating a deep shadow that stretched across the room, she turned abruptly. "All right?" With a tight voice, Alessandra demanded.

Marco's head c****d, his face unreadable. "I discovered him close to the rogue areas."

Alessandra's fingernails drummed on the table as her eyes sharpened. "The areas that are rogue? Are you sure?

Marco gave a nod. He wasn't by himself, either. He appeared to be observing someone. A female.

Alessandra's mind was racing, and her jaw tightened. Putting the pieces together didn't take long. This comes after Lorenzo's absences and restlessness.

She muttered under her breath, "Isabella," her doubts growing stronger.

Marco paused. "Want me to go up against him?"

"No," Alessandra snapped, a chilly smile twisting her lips. Let him believe he's being shrewd. But continue to observe. I will require evidence if his allegiance falters.

With calculating hatred in her eyes, Alessandra turned to face the fire as Marco walked out of the room. "Lorenzo will quickly realize how foolish he is if he believes he can disobey me."

The rough bark of an old oak dug into Lorenzo's palms as he leaned against its wide trunk. Isabella stood in the clearing below, her body rigid as she practiced under Giuliano's careful stare, and his golden eyes were fixed on her. He was drawn to her by the tie that held him to her, but it was also a source of pain, reminding him of the decisions that had caused them to split ways.

He took a deep breath and closed his eyes. His lungs were filled with cold air from the forest, but it did little to calm the inner turmoil. He had justified his rejection of Isabella as a responsibility and a sacrifice for the pack's overall welfare. But as he saw her now, powerful and resilient, he couldn't help but question whether his actions were motivated more by fear than by foresight.

It was a painful pill to accept the truth. Lorenzo had always taken great satisfaction in being a leader who prioritized the needs of others before his own. But he had stumbled under the pressure of the mate bond. Had he feared the strength she evoked within him? Or had he disregarded his father's expectations because he was too cowardly?

He observed Isabella's precise and fluid motions as she repelled a blow from Giuliano. Her strength and progress were undeniable. He adored and envied her since she had grown into a self-sufficient individual.

He was struck with the thought that his rejection had not shielded her. It had, if anything, brought her closer to peril, to the wild existence he had worked so hard to protect her from.

Isabella's head turned slightly as he shifted, her keen eyes searching the treeline as a twig shattered beneath his boot. Lorenzo's heart was racing as he froze. She might have sensed him, he thought for a second. However, she turned back to Giuliano, and Lorenzo let out a hushed breath as the tension in his chest increased.

Later that night, Lorenzo observed Isabella and Giuliano by the campfire while crouching behind a clump of thick bushes and breathing heavily. They spoke softly, much of their talk obscured by the crackling flames. But one sentence sent a shiver down his spine as it sliced through the night air.

"Antonio's involvement in the Lunetti family's death due to fire."

Lorenzo's body tensed and his eyes squinted. Leaning forward, he tried to hear everything.

Giuliano went on in a somber tone, "I can't prove it." However, the sequence of events and timing were not coincidental. Antonio doesn't leave anything unfinished. He would have made sure your parents were silenced if they threatened his ambitions.

Isabella's response was shaky, her rage barely contained. "He must pay for his actions if that is the case."

Lorenzo's thoughts were racing as Giuliano's remarks began to weigh heavily. It's possible that his father, whom he had both dreaded and admired, planned the catastrophe that had molded Isabella's life. The thought was nearly unbearable.

Isabella's resolute face was illuminated by the flickering fire, and Lorenzo was overcome with shame and rage. Lorenzo's heedless devotion had only served to uphold his father's despotism if Antonio had started the fire.

His resolve hardened as he clinched his fists. There was only one location where he could find the answers he needed. However, it would be difficult to approach Antonio, particularly if he hadn't disclosed that he had been observing Isabella.

Lorenzo emerged from his hiding spot, his azure eyes blazing with resolve. One thought ran through his mind as he vanished into the darkness: My father will be held accountable if he has betrayed us.