Your Don

Isabella

The chatter was overwhelming, a cacophony of voices clashing all at once. Where was I? A club? A wedding? A funeral? My head spun as I tried to make sense of it. Slowly, I opened my eyes.

The first thing I saw was a beige ceiling adorned with flowery patterns. "Cute," I mused absentmindedly. I turned my head slightly, expecting to find the source of the noise, but the room was empty. The voices must have been coming from outside. For them to be so loud, they must have been right under my window.

I was in a bedroom—judging by the queen-sized bed beneath me and the baby pink covers draped over me. It was cozy, almost too comfortable. I ran my hand over the fabric, marveling at the softness. "I've never slept on a queen-sized bed before," I muttered to myself. "So comfy."

I didn't sit up right away. Instead, I sank deeper into the mattress, letting myself bask in the moment. But the peace didn't last. Memories of the previous night surged back to me, unrelenting in their vividness. My breath hitched. The last thing I remembered before everything went dark was—

"I fainted!" I exclaimed, bolting upright. My hands flew to my face, trembling as I examined them. "Phew, back to normal," I muttered in relief. The sight of my hands calmed me, but the fear of not knowing what had happened lingered.

When I was sure I was alone, I turned inward, reaching out for Natie. "Natie? Are you there? Are you okay?" I whispered softly. For a moment, there was no response, but then I felt her stir within me.

"Bella? Bella, are you okay?" Natie's voice was shaky, laced with fear.

"Natie, I'm fine," I reassured her, though my heart still raced. "I'm just glad you're okay. Last night…" I trailed off, unwilling to revisit the events. I didn't want Natie to relive the pain I felt.

"Isabella, I'm sorry," she began, her voice heavy with guilt. It was almost heartbreaking. Could wolves cry? Because she sounded like she was.

"Natie, it's not your fault," I interrupted, trying to soothe her.

"No, Isabella, you don't understand! It's all my fault. Everything you went through—it's because of me," she howled, her anguish cutting through me.

"Natie, talk to me. What's wrong? I'm sure it's not your fault," I urged her gently.

She hesitated before responding. "Bella, your failed shift last night… me losing control… it's all because of me. I'm… I'm a defective wolf."

"What? Natie, stop that," I said firmly, horrified by her words. "You are not defective. Don't you dare call yourself that. And as for the shift, we'll figure it out. It was our first time, after all."

But Natie wasn't convinced. "You don't understand. I'm what they call a latent omega. My wolf genes were modified, and it affected my ability to shift. I've known this for a long time, but I kept it from you. I didn't want to disappoint you."

Her confession left me stunned. "Modified genes? How? Why didn't you tell me?"

"When I was younger, I was bound to another wolf princess. On her eighteenth birthday, the same thing happened to her as it did to us. She rejected me in a fit of rage. I thought I would die, but then I found you," she explained, her voice softening. "You were so excited to meet me. You even gave me a nickname. She never did that."

A lump formed in my throat. "She didn't deserve you," I said earnestly. "And I'm glad she abandoned you. Because now, I have the best partner I could ask for."

Natie hesitated. "You're not mad at me?"

"Of course not," I said. "Weakness is just a starting point. We'll grow stronger together."

She seemed to brighten at my words. "Really?"

"Really," I assured her. "Now, about the moon—"

"That's a different story," she interrupted quickly. "It has to do with an ancient curse. I'll explain later. Someone's coming."

She retreated before I could say more, leaving me alone just as a knock sounded at the door.

"May I come in?" a sweet voice called out, followed by a head peeking into the room.

"Yes, please," I replied. The girl who stepped in was stunning—a classic blonde with sparkling blue eyes. She smiled warmly, her beauty disarming.

"I heard movement and thought I'd check on you," she said. "How are you feeling?"

"Okay, I guess," I mumbled, unsure of how to act.

She stepped closer. "Oh, where are my manners? I'm Zoey, an omega. Nice to meet you." She extended her hand.

I shook it awkwardly, noticing how soft her hand felt compared to mine. "Isabella Morgan," I replied shyly.

"I know," she said, her smile unwavering. I flinched. Of course, they knew who I was. I was the enemy's daughter.

"Don't do that," Zoey said gently. "Your name is fine. It has nothing to do with your family. Don't let that jerk Sebastian get to you."

"Sebastian?" I repeated, confused. "Who's Sebastian?"

Her eyes widened. "The beta of the pack. The one you're supposed to marry?"

My heart sank. "He told me his name was Kai."

Zoey frowned. "That little liar. I'm sorry, Bella—can I call you Bella?"

I nodded, my mind reeling. Zoey continued, "Sebastian's the beta. Kai is his older brother—the alpha of the Crescent Pack and… my mate."

"Wait, you're the Luna?" I asked, startled.

"Yep," she said cheerfully. "But don't be scared of me. I'm just a normal teenager. Let's be friends, okay?"

Before I could respond, she added, "I need to go, but talk to Don when you get the chance. He's your personal guard—the one who saved you."

"Don?" I repeated. "Which Don?"

"Your Don," she teased, winking. "If it weren't for my mate, I'd say take a second look at him. He's quiet, hot, and gives off that bad-boy vibe. Definitely worth a bite."

A growl sounded from outside the room. Zoey giggled. "Oops, jealous mate. Anyway, thank him when you see him. He's the reason we found you."

With that, she was gone, leaving me more confused than ever. Don? My personal guard? Saved me? How could I wake up to such surprises?