A few days later, the tension between Quinn and Isaac was palpable as they stood in the middle of the hallway, surrounded by the muted hum of school activity. Quinn's eyes narrowed, her arms crossed over her chest, and her posture as rigid as a statue. "I asked for one thing, Isaac—one thing, and you failed to do it!" Her voice was sharp, the words cutting through the air with the same intensity as the anger that simmered beneath her skin.

Isaac usually found Quinn's angry stance overwhelming, but today, despite the anger in her voice, something about her was undeniably endearing. She stood there, with her lips pursed tightly, cheeks slightly puffed, and eyes narrowed in frustration. To anyone else, she might have looked intimidating, but to Isaac, there was something about the way her features softened even in her fury that made her more adorable than anything. Her eyes, fierce and determined, still had a glimmer of vulnerability in them—like a puppy trying to look tough but failing miserably in the most charming way.

Isaac couldn't help but feel his chest tighten in a way he didn't entirely understand. It wasn't the anger that drew him in, but the way she still managed to look so effortlessly cute, even in the heat of her frustration. His heart raced for reasons he couldn't articulate, and his thoughts were a whirlwind of emotions he wasn't prepared to confront.

When Quinn had approached the twins earlier that day—with Isaac trailing behind her like a shadow—the conversation had started off smoothly. Isaac, for once, had decided to stay quiet and observe, hoping that keeping his distance would prevent any unnecessary conflict. It was an unusual move for him, but he was trying to be patient, trying to let Quinn take the lead. He had hoped it would be the perfect opportunity to mend things with the twins and make amends for the past. But, as it often did with Quinn, things didn't go as planned.

The trouble had started with Aiden. The blonde werewolf, always the mischievous one, had decided to tease Quinn with a few harmless—well, harmless to him—flirty remarks. He knew exactly what kind of reaction he would provoke from Isaac, and for a moment, he seemed to relish the tension he was causing. Isaac had clenched his fists, his knuckles whitening with suppressed anger, but he stayed silent, even when Aiden's playful remarks turned into something more personal. Quinn, for her part, had just rolled her eyes, clearly unimpressed by the attempts at flirtation, but that didn't stop Aiden from pushing further.

Isaac, however, couldn't stay calm for long. As soon as Aiden made a bold comment about how nice Quinn looked, Isaac's restraint shattered. He wasn't sure why, but something inside him snapped, and before he even realized it, his fist was connecting with Aiden's jaw. The force of the punch sent Aiden sprawling to the ground, but Isaac wasn't done. The sound of his fists pounding into Aiden's face was drowned out by the furious pounding of his heartbeat.

Aiden, for his part, wasn't surprised. He had been baiting Isaac, and he knew he'd likely end up with a black eye for his trouble. But even he hadn't expected it to escalate so quickly. Ethan, who usually acted as the voice of reason, didn't step in to stop Isaac this time. Instead, he simply moved to help Quinn pull Isaac off his brother, who was now trying his best to avoid Isaac's punches. Aiden, ever the stubborn werewolf, wasn't about to let it slide without a fight, but he could see the danger in pushing Isaac any further. The situation was volatile, and it was clear that if they didn't de-escalate soon, it could ruin any chance they had of being accepted into Scott's pack.

Despite the chaos, the twins' bond held strong, and Aiden quickly conceded. Quinn was the one who managed to calm Isaac down, though it took a few deep breaths and firm words. Once Isaac was pulled away, Aiden wasn't about to make things worse. He understood that Quinn wasn't about to let him off the hook, but he also knew that she wasn't going to let the situation spiral out of control. It was clear to him that she wasn't just a friend to the twins—she was family, and that meant something to them. Even Aiden couldn't afford to lose her.

Later, as the group sat together, Quinn couldn't help but continue to lecture Isaac. "I don't even understand what Aiden did to deserve you beating him up," she said, her tone still laced with irritation but tinged with confusion.

Isaac was silent, looking down at the floor, unwilling to meet her eyes. "I can't really explain it," he mumbled, his voice quiet and filled with uncertainty. He didn't know why he had done it, not in a way that made sense to him. All he knew was that when he saw Aiden's flirtatious smile aimed at Quinn, something inside him had gone wild. It was as if he couldn't bear the thought of anyone getting too close to her, even if he didn't fully understand the reason behind his own actions.

He still couldn't shake the memory of the way Aiden had spoken to her—lighthearted, casual, as if he had every right to flirt with Quinn as if she were just another girl to him. The jealousy that bubbled up inside Isaac was so strong that he didn't even consider the consequences of his actions. He simply acted on impulse, driven by the overwhelming need to assert some form of control over the situation. But as soon as his fist made contact with Aiden, Isaac felt a sense of regret wash over him. He didn't know why it had happened, but he couldn't undo it.

Quinn, noticed his discomfort. She could see the way his chest rose and fell with each shaky breath. She could hear the tension in his voice, the way his heartbeat quickened as he tried to explain himself. "I'm sorry, Quinn," Isaac said finally, his voice soft and almost resigned. "Okay? I just—I really can't tell you."

Quinn raised an eyebrow, her frustration beginning to melt into something else. She wasn't angry anymore. She was just... confused. She reached out, her fingers brushing the back of his hand as she studied his face. "You're not lying," she murmured, her eyes narrowing slightly as she tried to decipher his feelings. She could feel the unease in him, but she couldn't quite place what it was. She wanted to believe him—she had to believe him—but there was a part of her that still wondered what was really going on inside his head.

Isaac didn't meet her eyes, instead focusing on his hands, his knuckles still raw from the fight. He could feel the weight of her gaze on him, and it made his chest tighten. "I don't regret it," he whispered, his voice low and unsteady. "And even if I did say sorry, I wouldn't think for a minute that what I did was a mistake."

Quinn's heart sank at his words. She had expected him to feel regret, to feel some remorse for what he had done. But instead, she found herself facing the cold reality that Isaac had let his anger overtake him in a way she hadn't seen before. She had known Isaac for a long time, and she had seen him struggle with his emotions, but this was different. This wasn't the Isaac she remembered.

"This isn't you," she said quietly, her voice breaking slightly as she fought to hold back the tears threatening to spill.

Isaac felt the pain in her words like a knife twisting in his chest. "Maybe it is, Quinn," he whispered, barely audible. The words hung between them, heavy and unresolved, as silence descended over the room. Neither of them knew how to move forward from this moment, but both understood that the road to healing would be long and fraught with more challenges than either of them were prepared for.