— •⚡️ Isabella ⚡️• —

Its been a few days since I woke up and I've been getting stronger every day. It's my birthday in 2 days and I have so much planned.

That voice I heard hasn't come back so I'm certain it was just my mind being in a sleep-like state from the constant unconsciousness. But I've been aching all over and I don't know if I need to go back to the hospital to tell someone about it because it gets really difficult to move sometimes.

No, don't.

What the?

Hello?

Okay... so I'm definitely still recovering because that was just weird.

For my birthday I've decided to have a woodland creature themed party. It was Abi's idea and I love it!

Anyway, I need to get going to meet the guys to finish planning.

I get up from where I'm sat and head over to the fire pit to where my friends are seated.

"Hey Bella, geez you took your time girl, what were you doing in there?" Abi asks me.

"I was just busy with something." I say. I don't want to say anything that will make them ask questions. I am a horrible liar and will end up saying everything.

"Right..." She says not very convinced. Turning to face Jamie and Jack. Along with Lucas and Paige.

"Hey cuz." Jamie and Jack say synchronically. It's really creepy when they do that.

"Hi." I reply. Cringing at the way they addressed me both at the same time. They notice this and start laughing.

Looking to the left of them I spot Paige. "Paige, oh my gosh, hi! I haven't seen you in ages." I say excitedly.

"Hi Bell, can I help you with the party?" She says even more excited than me.

I think everyone is more excited than me and it's my birthday for flips sake.

"Umm, Bella I am here you know." Lucas says half-joking and half-serious.

I smirk, not even turning to look at him. I'm still facing Paige. "I know."

"Wow." Is all he says.

Everyone just giggles, then the attention is turned back to planning.

I speak up. "So we decided on a woodland theme, correct?" Everyone nods.

"I was thinking that maybe the food should be shaped like woodland creatures or should taste like the woodland. Not as in a gross way but using edible plants and animals from the forest should be okay right? I mean we do hunt weekly." I say.

"Yeah, that's a good idea. I like it." Jack says nodding.

Jamie pipes in. "Maybe we could have games for the young ones and something for the adults too."

"We should totally have a dress-up competition." Lucas says.

"Yay!" Paige starts jumping up and down.

"Yeah, that's good." I say. I face Paige who is still jumping around.

"Paige, I have two options for you. You can enter the competition with all the other children or you can be the judge. It's up to you."

"I wanna be the judge. I get to decide. Yessssss!" She says happily.

She stops jumping when she notices Charlie and Daisy walking over.

"Hi, what you guys talking about?" Daisy asks smiling.

"We are planning Bella's party and I get to be the judge." She says excitedly.

"That sounds fun." She says to Paige.

"Okay well, I'll leave you to do that, unless you want to come train by the lake?" Charlie asks.

"No. No. We can come training, we've nearly planned it all anyway. We can finish up later." I say smiling at them both.

"Okay great, come on then guys."

When we reach the lake, I notice just how many people are training. There are about 20 people here. There are 4 adults all sparring, 3 are doing workouts by the log, 2 are swimming. 6 children are playing tag-fight, 2 people are climbing and jumping on trees and 1 person is stood punching the tree. How that doesn't hurt I don't know.

I've never seen this many people training all at once.

"Wow, there are a lot of people here. Practically the whole camp." I say.

"Yeah, they all wanted to come today I guess. You can go pick somewhere and train however you like." Charlie says.

I make my way over with the twins and ask to verse them both. They are obviously shocked but agree anyway.

People watch nervously. They think I'm weak because of all the stuff that's happened the last few weeks but honestly, I've never felt stronger.

I look them straight in the eyes and say. "Give me all you've got."

They look at one another before facing me again.

I smirk at them. "Come on guys, don't be scared. I don't bite... hard."

Jamie steps forwards. "Get ready for your funeral bitch." He snarls. He's quite intimidating actually but I pretend not to care.

I laugh in his face, which angers him.

He runs at me full pelt, sliding into my legs in an attempt to tackle me to the ground. I jump over his attack and turn to face Jack. He instead throws weak punches at me.

I shove him off me and swing around. Jamie is running towards me. I try to dodge but he's a quick learner. He jumps onto my back and I scramble around trying to get him off.

Hmm, wait, what if I try...

I throw him over my shoulder towards his awaiting twin. They stagger to the floor in a heap.

I pull Jack up by the collar and punch him in the groin. He cries out in pain to which I punch him in the face. Throwing him to the floor, I walk over to Jamie who has scrambled to his feet.

He smirks and before I know what's happening, Jack comes up behind me and sweeps my legs. Jamie must want revenge for his brother because he is the one who begins brutally hitting my face. He throws punch after punch before I'm bleeding all over. I kick him in the groin and jump up.

Spitting out the blood that's in my mouth. I kick Jack in the ribs, winding him. He falls to the floor. Leaving just me and Jamie.

Whilst Jack is coughing on the floor and breathing heavily trying to get air to his lungs, Jamie is eyeing up my next move. I look at Jack who is behind him and Jamie made the mistake of turning around.

I lunge at him, tackling him to the ground. I kick him in the arm and punch him in the face twice.

"That's for calling me a bitch." I say aggressively to Jamie.

I turn around and face Abi and Lucas who are gobsmacked. Even Charlie looks impressed which is not often.

I walk over to them.

"Umm, guys?" I ask.

Abi and Lucas try speaking but it doesn't come out properly.

"You..."

"How?"

I smile. "What?"

"How did you get them both down. You almost died last week, you shouldn't be that strong yet." Lucas says clearly confused.

"Yeah and you got some hard blows to the face, you got hit a lot harder than you hit them." Abi says.

"I don't know guys. Must have been the adrenaline rush." I say shrugging.

"Come on. Race ya." I say as I dart away, running all the way back to camp.

— • 🔐 Lucas 🔐 • —

I was stood watching my best friend fight her cousins. She was beautifully brutal. I was shocked into silence.

How was she so good at fighting? In the last few weeks, she had fallen unconscious from working too hard, been attacked and fallen unconscious again from the shock of finding out she nearly died. She hasn't exactly been in amazing shape lately.

"She looks so..." I say, not really sure what word to use to describe her.

"Dangerous? Violent? Magnificent? All at the same time?" Abi says, next to me.

"Yeah, that's one way to put it I guess." I reply.

We turn back to watching the fight. Bella is on the ground being savaged by Jamie, who is throwing punch after punch. Her face is all bloody and bruised. I want to lurch forwards and grab him by the collar. Throw him off her and rescue her.

"Lucas you need to chill, your Wolf is going to show." Abi hissed next to me.

"I know but I can't watch that anymore. They shouldn't be hurting her that bad, it's training for God's sake." I reply.

My nails are growing, digging into my clenched hands. My vision enhanced. Shit, I'm half turned. I try to control myself, taking deep breaths as I close my eyes.

I open my eyes, to see Bella kick Jack in the ribs, winding him.

I hear Abi sigh at the side of me. She mutters under her breath. But I can faintly hear what she said but pretend I didn't.

"Always her."

What the hell does she mean by that?

She's jealous.

No, she's not.

Whatever Lou Lou.

I told you not to call me that.

I know but you still call me Wolfie.

Haha. Shut up Wolfie, I'm trying to watch my best friend.

Urghh. I told you about calling me that!

...

I don't care.

Fine. Fine. I'm leaving.

Good. Talk later, Wolfie.

I end the conversation just as Bella finishes the fight.

"That's for calling me a bitch." She says aggressively. Before turning to face us.

As she walks over she noticed that we are staring at her not saying anything.

"Umm, guys?"

"You..." Abi starts but cannot finish.

Even I'm lost for words. Not because of her beauty this time. Bella can fight and it's terrifying.

"How?" I say stunned by her display of physical strength and brutality.

She just smiles. "What?"

"How did you get them both down? You almost died last week, you shouldn't be that strong yet." I say.

"Yeah and you got some hard blows to the face, you got hit a lot harder than you hit them." Abi adds.

"I don't know guys. Must have been the adrenaline rush." She says shrugging her shoulders.

"Come on. Race ya!" She shouts before sprinting off.

I so badly wanted to race her, run with her and laugh all the back to camp, where I would help her clean her wounds and apply bandages. I mean I'm pretty sure that she has a broken nose. But I know that Alpha Charlie wants me.

I turn to Abi. "I'll see you later Abi."
I say smiling at her. She just ignores me.

See jealous and mad and annoyed.

But why?

If I knew I would tell you, Lou Lou. Don't worry.

Go away.

I shut off the connection and block it so he cannot get through whilst I talk to my dad.

I make my way over to where my father is stood. Mum is there too, along with some of the others.

My father is the first to speak. "So glad you could finally join us." He says abrasively.

"I wouldn't miss it for the world father." I reply.

"He was too busy watching his girlfriend fight."

A man to the left of him laughs. I shoot him daggers.

"As future Alpha, shouldn't I be seeing how the group is doing? Making sure everyone can defend themselves if the rogues come back?" I rhetorically ask.

"Well yes but." My father starts.

"But nothing. I can watch whoever I want." I snap.

"Lucas don't talk to your father like that." My mother says, cuffing me around the ear.

"Sorry mother." I say and look at the ground. My shoes are dirty. I should clean them later.

My mother speaks again. "The twins did well to hold their own against her. She was really going at it."

"She did come out with a broken nose though." I say.

"It was strange really." The man next to my dad begins. "It was 1 vs 2 so the odds should have been in the twin's favour. Especially since she was weakened by being bed-ridden for weeks."

My father nods. "We should keep an eye on her."

"Agreed." My mother says.

"She is absurdly strong for someone who came out of a coma a few weeks ago." My dad says.

"Maybe run a few tests to see if you can find the source of it?" The man suggests.

"Maybe." Alpha says.

I don't like this one bit. My wolf is growling at the back of my mind at the thought of them testing her. Sticking needles in her to test her blood. But I guess it must be done. I love her either - human or wolf.

What about mate?

What about mate?

You know what happened. What if Bella breaks our heart?

She could be mate. Some people get second chances.

Very unlikely. Extremely unlikely.

Whatever.

I close the mind link off. I talk to my wolf way too much anyways. I should stop.

"Mother, father, may I be excused? I still have a party to plan." I say smiling.

"Yes." My mother says happily.

"No." My father says, clearly annoyed I'm going back to my friends rather than attending to 'pack' business.

"Thanks, mum." I say before giving her a kiss on the cheek and bounding off into the woods.

— •⚡️ Isabella ⚡️• —

Back at camp, it's really quiet.

"Boo!" A voice shouts behind me.

I turn around. Getting ready to hit someone.

"Woah chill. I'm sorry I just had to." The voice says.

Stood behind me was a fairly attractive guy. He had messy brown hair and deep chocolate-honey eyes. With a jawline that could cut glass at a touch.

"It's okay." I say smiling warmly.

This guy is fit.

So fit. Oml.

"You fought really well today." He says.

We start walking back to my tent so I can clean up. I look a mess and I'm pretty sure I've broken my nose.

"Thank you... Umm." I say nervously.

"Nathan."

"I'm Bella."

"Wow, you have a beautiful name. It suits you." He says.

"Suits me? Well obviously, it's my name." I say laughing lightly.

"I didn't mean that. I meant a pretty name for a pretty girl. Who is also a badass fighter on the side." He says smirking and blushing at the same time.

I just laugh at his reaction and pull him into my tent.

"So you sleep here?" He asks. Throwing himself into my bed.

"Yeah. Most of the time." I reply.

"Most of the time?" He questions.

"Yeah. I like stargazing, so sometimes I sleep outside." I reply.

"Oh cool, me too. It's the best when it's a clear night and you can see the Milky Way. I like trying to figure out the constellations." He says.

"Yeah, me too. Ever see a shooting star?" I ask.

"No, you?"

"Yeah actually, a few years ago, it was beautiful." I say smiling.

I walk over to my fold up desk and grab a wipe. I start wiping the blood off my face.

"Here. Let me help. I might as well."

I pass him the wipe and he begins slowly moving the wipe around my cuts. His finger occasionally brushing my skin, making me involuntarily shiver.

"Are you cold?" He asks suddenly aware of my shivering.

"Something like that." I reply. Blushing deeply from the situation.

Nathan just stared intensely at my face like he was trying to figure me out as if I was a puzzle that needed solving.

He tucked a piece of hair behind my ear before standing up.

"I really should be going." He says looking sadly at me.

"Why?" I ask. Confused a the sudden change in atmosphere.

"Because I'm not welcome here. Besides you need sleep to recover. You only just recovered from that bite, Isabella. Now you decided to twat your cousin. You definitely need rest." He says before walking out of the tent.

I sit there sad for a while. He seemed like a nice guy and he helped me with my cuts. I don't want him to go.

Then it hit me, I never told him my full name was Isabella...

And I definitely didn't mention the bite. It was fully healed at this point...

Word count [2732]

Who do you think Nathan is? Is he a spy? Or is he just a good guy that's a little stalkerish?

- Bri xox