Rejected by Blood

Chapter 9: The Cabin’s Secrets

The floor creaked beneath my boots as I paced the far end of the cabin, sunlight spilling in through dusty windows. Uncle Jeremy’s old place still felt like him—rugged, quiet, protective. I’d lived here for weeks now, yet it surprised me how much comfort the creaky walls and cedar-scented air brought. But today, something felt different. Off.

Drawn to the fireplace, I knelt and pressed at a loose floorboard. It popped open, revealing a rusted tin box, its corners weathered but intact. My fingers trembled as I lifted the lid.

Inside were letters. Dozens of them. All addressed to me.

Isla — for when you’re ready.

My throat tightened. I sank to the floor, pulling out the first letter and unfolding it carefully.

Sweetheart,

If you’re reading this, then either I failed… or you finally started asking the right questions. There are things I couldn’t tell you—things I had to protect you from. Your father… he isn’t who you think he is. Stay strong. Trust your instincts. And watch your back.

—Jeremy

Tears welled in my eyes. His handwriting brought memories flooding back—rough hands lifting me onto his shoulders, his quiet chuckle when I got mud all over my shoes, the fierce way he stood in front of me when I was scared.

“I knew it,” I whispered. “He didn’t leave me. He was protecting me.”

The second letter was shorter but no less powerful.

Isla, if you are reading this, know that you carry more strength than I ever could have hoped for. Life has thrown us both into darkness, but you have the light within you. I hope you’ve grown into the fierce, brave woman I always believed you could be.

My chest tightened. I hadn’t expected his voice to sound so… tender.

The third letter was different. More personal, more raw.

My dearest Isla,

I want you to know how much I love you. Even when I couldn’t be there, you were always in my heart. Watching over you from afar was both my greatest pain and my greatest hope. I hope you’ve grown strong. I hope you’re ready. You’re stronger than any shadow the pack or Donnavan can throw at you. Stay strong. Stay safe. And remember—no matter what, you are never alone.

Tears spilled down my cheeks. For so long, I’d felt abandoned, angry at the silence, at his absence. But these words were a balm, a reminder that even in his silence, he had cared.

I wiped my eyes just as Axel stepped quietly into the cabin, his face lighting up with concern when he saw me.

“Isla?” His voice was soft but steady.

I handed him the letter. “He… he wrote this to me.”

Axel’s brow furrowed as he read, then looked up, his eyes full of something I hadn’t seen before—understanding.

“You didn’t just lose an uncle. You lost someone who believed in you, loved you,” Axel said quietly. “And even from afar, he never stopped fighting for you.”

I nodded, my voice barely a whisper. “I thought I was alone. I thought he didn’t care. But this… it changes everything.”

He reached out, brushing a stray curl from my face. “You don’t have to carry it all yourself, Isla. We’ll fight this together.”

The next morning, Axel led me outside to a clearing surrounded by tall pines. The cold air was sharp in my lungs, but I welcomed it. My wolf churned inside me—restless, wild.

“Training starts now,” Axel said, voice calm but commanding. “You need to learn control—not to fight your wolf, but to work with it.”

He demonstrated a series of slow, deliberate moves—each blending strength and grace. When it was my turn, I stumbled at first, muscles tight and mind scattered with doubt.

“Breathe,” Axel urged. “Feel your wolf, but don’t let it take over. Use that energy, channel it.”

A low growl bubbled up in my throat, the wild part of me ready to break free. Axel stayed steady beside me, mirroring my movements and anchoring my wildness with his calm.

“Again,” he said, patient but firm. “This time, trust yourself.”

By the end, sweat dripped down my face, my legs trembling, but something inside had shifted. I felt sharper, stronger—alive.

“You’ve got fire,” Axel grinned, rubbing his ribs after I flipped him to the ground during a spar. “Let’s see what happens when you stop playing nice.”

Later that night, Keri came by with warm tea and a blanket of comfort. We sat outside the cabin, stars hanging low overhead.

“He left me so many letters,” I said quietly. “All this time I thought he abandoned me.”

Keri rested her head against mine. “He never stopped protecting you. And now? You’re doing the same—for all of us.”

I smiled softly. “Thanks for believing me, Keri. Even when I didn’t believe in myself.”

She squeezed my hand. “Always.”

I swallowed hard. “Sometimes I feel like I’m drowning in all this… the secrets, the lies, the pack politics. But with you here, with Axel, maybe I can finally breathe.”

Keri’s eyes shimmered in the firelight. “We’ll get through this storm. Together.”

Before dawn, Liam found Keri watching the trees sway in the wind. The moment she saw him, her eyes lit up like the sun breaking through clouds.

“You’re okay,” she breathed, rushing into his arms.

“I had to see you,” Liam murmured. “I couldn’t stop thinking about what would happen if I didn’t make it back.”

“You did,” she said. “And I—I can’t pretend this is nothing anymore.”

They stood quietly, the weight of unspoken feelings filling the space between them.

“I feel it too,” Liam finally said. “The bond. It’s real.”

Keri smiled, squeezing his hand. “Then let’s stop running from it.”

Meanwhile, Axel and Liam were deep into their own investigation, hours from the cabin. The smell of iron and decay clung to the hidden tunnel they’d found beneath the old packhouse on the borderlands. Crates stacked to the ceiling, each marked with the moonroot symbol—but inside were chains, syringes, and worn collars.

“This isn’t just about drugs,” Liam muttered, snapping photos with his phone. “They were trafficking wolves. Pups.”

Axel’s eyes burned with rage. “And Jeremy tried to stop it. That’s why he had to die… or so they thought.”

“Isla needs to know this,” Liam said grimly. “The more we find, the more she becomes their biggest threat.”

Back at the cabin, the air buzzed with change. The letters weren’t just warnings—they were maps, hidden codes, names. Uncle Jeremy had left behind a plan. A legacy.

The Silver Lake Pack was watching. The Blue Moon Pack was cracking.

And I—Isla May Black—was done running.

Uncle Jeremy’s secrets lit a fire in my soul.

They took my childhood.

They tried to break me.

But I’m still standing.

And I’m coming for the truth.