Chapter 214: My Only Request

Isadora’s POV

I stared directly at Genevieve, my mind rejecting the heavy words that had just left her mouth.

"That is simply not possible," I said, shaking my head violently from side to side as a cold sweat broke out across my forehead.

"It cannot be true. There is absolutely no way."

I pressed my right hand firmly against the center of my pounding chest, right over my racing heart.

"If that man from the other side was truly my destined mate, my own wolf would have noticed him instantly," I continued, my voice shaking as I tried to logically break down her claim.

"Apart from that strange, heavy pull I mentioned, I didn’t feel anything else connecting us. There was no mate bond clicking into place, no spark of recognition, and no warmth."

"My wolf didn’t scream out for him or try to break through to the surface."

Genevieve leaned her body forward slightly, her blue eyes narrowing with deep understanding.

"When you were trapped in the dark corners of your own body by Drusilla’s magic, were you physically able to connect with your wolf? Could you feel her presence at all?"

I paused, forcing myself to think back to those long, miserable weeks of being a silent prisoner in my own flesh.

I dug through the memories, trying to find a single instance where my wolf had answered me.

After a long moment, I shook my head slowly.

"No," I whispered, looking down at my lap. "I could not feel her at all, though I tried to reach out to her every single day, but she simply wasn’t there. It was like she was blocked off from me."

"Precisely," Genevieve said, nodding her head firmly as if I had just proven her point.

"That same suppression is happening to him inside that body right now. He is currently locked deep away inside his own stolen frame, unable to connect with his own wolf because an ancient soul is sitting on top of him."

"The only way for you to truly recognize that he is your fated mate is by the exact thing you felt. That sudden, undeniable pull. The one beautiful thing that can never be destroyed or altered by anyone."

She paused for a brief moment, letting her intense gaze anchor me to the mattress.

"That specific pull was created by the Moon Goddess herself," she added softly, her tone filled with absolute reverence.

"No matter what kind of dark black magic bad people use to twist reality, that one divine connection can never be stopped or erased."

I instantly covered my mouth with both of my hands, a breathless gasp escaping my throat.

"Oh my God," I murmured, the words barely audible against my palms as the sheer weight of the truth finally crashed down on me.

"Oh my goodness."

Genevieve reached out across the space between us, her movements incredibly slow and predictable.

She gently took my shaking hand into both of hers, squeezing my fingers with a comforting, steady pressure.

"But right now, we desperately need your help, Isadora," she said, her gentle voice turning serious.

I looked up from our hands, my eyebrows pulling together into a deep frown as a sudden wave of defensive panic washed over me.

"You are the only person alive who actually knows the exact location to find him," she continued, her eyes pleading with me.

"And we need you to physically take us to that place so we can save him."

The moment the request left her lips, I pulled my hand back out of her grip with a sharp, violent jerk.

"No," I said, my voice cutting through the quiet room with a sharp, defensive edge.

"I cannot do that. I am so incredibly sorry, but I cannot go back to that place."

I shook my head violently again, pulling my knees up toward my chest as the memories of the castle threatened to suffocate me.

"I cannot go back to that horrific area," I muttered, my voice dropping into a shaky whisper as I stared at the wall.

"It was a living nightmare for me, being hunted and trapped like an animal. I do not ever want to step foot back there again."

"Please, Isadora," Genevieve pleaded, her voice soft and heavy with emotion.

I just kept shaking my head, closing my eyes tightly to shut out her face.

Then a sound of soft, slow footsteps echoed across the stone floor, signaling that someone was walking closer to the bed.

I didn’t bother to look up to see who it was, keeping my chin tucked tightly against my knees.

Suddenly, I felt someone kneel on the cold stone floor right beside me.

I slowly opened my eyes.

Her hand hovered uncertainly in the empty air for a brief second, as if she was completely unsure of how I would react to her touch.

Then, she gently dropped her palm onto my bare leg, squeezing my skin with a soft, comforting touch.

"I have never liked you," Azura said quietly, her modern tone completely raw and honest.

"You know that very well, Isadora."

She paused, letting the heavy truth sit between us for a second before she continued.

"And I have never, ever planned to beg you for a single thing in my entire life," she admitted, her voice dropping into an incredibly soft register.

"But right now, you are the only person who can get us to that hidden location. You are the only one who can help us end all of this horrific madness once and for all."

She squeezed my leg a second time, her fingers holding on firmly.

"Please, Isadora," she whispered, her grey eyes filled with a desperate emotion I had never seen in her before.

"This is literally all I am asking of you. And I promise you right here... I will personally protect you from anything that tries to hurt you."

I slowly lowered my gaze, staring down at her hand resting on my leg before looking up to study her face.

There was no trickery in her eyes, no hidden malice or mocking smirk.

She completely meant every single word she was saying. She actually wanted to keep me safe.

"It was a complete nightmare," I whispered back, my throat tight as the tears threatened to return.

"I am terrified to go back there."

"Then let us all go together and get rid of that nightmare once and for all," Azura said firmly, her jaw tightening with determination.

She held my gaze completely, refusing to let me look away.

"Please," she pleaded one last time. "We truly need your help."

I looked at Azura’s intense expression, and then I turned my head to look back at Genevieve.

The Luna was watching me with a quiet, patient look, waiting for my final answer.

I let out a long, heavy exhale through my nose, my shoulders dropping as the resistance left my body.

"I can only take you to the general area," I said slowly, mapping out my strict boundaries.

"But I do not want to go inside that building under any circumstances. I do not want to take a single step into that horrific place."

Azura nodded her head instantly, a look of immense relief washing over her features.

"Yes. You will not have to step a single foot into that building. Just take our warriors to the exact spot where it is hidden. Once we arrive, you can stay somewhere safe nearby."

I took a deep breath, trying my absolute best to calm the wild fluttering in my stomach.

My hands were still shaking against my knees, the adrenaline making my skin feel completely hot.

"When exactly do we leave?" I asked quietly.

A warm, genuine smile broke across Azura’s face, transforming her sharp expression.

"Thank you, Isadora."

She paused, taking her hand off my leg as she smoothed down her clothes.

"About the departure... we move out tomorrow morning," she stated calmly.

My eyebrows instantly shot up, my forehead wrinkling into a deep frown of pure confusion.

"I literally just woke up inside my own body a few minutes ago. Why on earth are we leaving tomorrow? No. I am not going anywhere tomorrow."

"Isadora, please calm down," Azura said, keeping her voice level and steady to soothe my rising panic.

"You will not be going through those woods alone. I am personally going to be by your side the entire time. A lot of other incredibly strong people are coming with us too."

"You will be completely safe from harm. But we absolutely have to move tomorrow. We simply do not have any more time to waste while he is trapped."

I looked back and forth between the two women, my mind feeling completely overwhelmed by the fast pacing of everything.

"Can I please just have some time to think about it alone?" I asked slowly.

Azura stared directly into my eyes for a long moment, searching my face for any signs of a lie.

Finally, she let out a quiet sigh, standing up from her kneeling position on the floor.

She walked backward across the room to her wooden chair near the door and sat back down, folding her arms as she lapsed into silence.

I quickly looked away from her, staring blankly at the single beam of light on the stone floor.

I didn’t care if she was secretly angry with me for stalling.

I desperately needed time to process the massive bomb that had just been dropped on my life.

Did I really want to risk my safety to go back to that dark forest?

Did I honestly want to face those terrifying memories again?

Even knowing that my true, destined mate was currently trapped inside that dark body, waiting for someone to save him?

I genuinely did not know the answer.

I just needed a few quiet hours to find my courage.