9. Mira the female lead appearance

AT THE SAME TIME

ISABELLA'S POINT OF VIEW:

Sitting on the edge of my cave, I took a deep breath, trying to calm thoughts in my mind. I couldn't shake the feeling that I was running out of time in this world. How far into the book's timeline were we? The last time I checked, the female lead, a character who was supposed to be important was supposed to appear soon.

I glanced around, half expecting her to materialize out of thin air. But then my thoughts turned back to Xavier. His sudden obsession with me had become a source of confusion and anxiety. Why was he so interested in me, the villainess, when there were more pressing matters to deal with?

Suddenly, as if my thoughts had summoned her, I saw a figure approaching from the forest. My heart sank as I recognized her a beautiful woman with long, flowing blonde hair and an aura that screamed heroine. Mira.

"There she is."I muttered.

Mira strolled toward me with a confident sway in her hips, and I felt a wave of panic wash over me. The female lead, the beacon of hope for the story, was now walking directly into my life. This was not how it was supposed to go!

"Hi there!" Mira called, her voice sweet and inviting. "I'm Mira, just a guest in the area."

I forced a smile, my heart racing.

"Hi… I'm Isabella."I said.

She took a step closer, her gaze sweeping over me with an intensity that made me uneasy. Soon I got system notification.

"Make sure that villainess don't hate you."System said.

"Easy to do."I muttered, annoyed.

"Isabella! I've heard a lot about you. You're the infamous omega of this pack, right?"She said.

"Uh, yes, I guess that's me." I rubbed the back of my neck awkwardly, trying to ignore the implications of her words.

Mira's smile widened, but I could sense an undercurrent of something, was it competition?

"You know, it's nice to finally meet you. I've been curious about you. With you being the evil person and all, I thought you might be more… imposing."Mira grinned.

Imposing? I didn't want to be imposing! I was just trying to survive in this world without getting killed off.

"Well, I'm not really what people make me out to be." I replied, my voice slightly shaky.

She stepped even closer, tilting her head as if sizing me up.

"I find that hard to believe. After all, you've been making quite the impression on everyone, especially Xavier." She teased.

"Xavier?" I repeated, unsure of how to respond.

""Yes! He seems really taken with you." Mira said, her tone light but with a hint of something sharper beneath the surface. "It's interesting, really. I'd like to know more about your relationship."

There it was, an unspoken challenge. She was probing, trying to assess how much of a threat I might be.

"We're just… getting to know each other. He was my alpha after all." I replied, my voice barely above a whisper.

"Just getting to know each other?" Mira repeated, a playful smirk dancing on her lips. "I see. Well, be careful. In this world, it's easy to become a pawn in someone else's game."

"Right." I said, forcing a laugh. "I'll keep that in mind."

Mira took a step back, her expression shifting from curiosity to something more serious. 

"Just remember, Isabella. You have a role to play in this pack, and it's best to stay in character if you want to survive."She smirked.

"Thanks for the advice." I said, my voice laced with uncertainty.

"I look forward to seeing everything in future." She said before turning to leave.

As I watched her walk away, I couldn't shake the feeling that I had just stepped into a much larger conflict than I had anticipated. Just then, I heard footsteps approaching. My heart raced as I turned to see Xavier.

"Isabella, are you okay?"He asked.

"I'm fine." I replied quickly, but the panic still gripped my chest. "Just talking to Mira."

He frowned, glancing in the direction she had gone. "That's… interesting." He said slowly, his tone guarded.

"Why?" I asked, trying to mask my unease. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing, it's just…" He hesitated, clearly searching for the right words. "She has a reputation. I just want to make sure you're safe."

"Safe from what?" I questioned, feeling a mix of frustration and fear.

"From her." He replied, his voice low. "She's not just a pretty face. She has her own ideas."

"I can handle myself, Xavier." I insisted, though uncertainty crept into my voice.

He stepped closer, the intensity in his eyes unwavering. "Just promise me you'll be careful. "He said.

"I promise. "I said.

AT THE SAME EVENING

ADRIAN'S POINT OF VIEW:

I found her sitting near a dying fire, curled into herself, eyes darting around like she expected something or someone, to strike at any moment. Something was wrong. But when I stepped closer, a twig snapped beneath my boot, and her head snapped up, eyes wide, breath uneven. The scent of her panic was sharp. It made my wolf restless. Without thinking, I crouched down beside her, gripping her arms gently.

"Isabella."I said.

She flinched but didn't pull away. That was all the permission I needed. Before she could protest, I wrapped my arms around her and pulled her against my chest. She tensed, her whole body rigid but then, slowly, she melted into me. The moment her weight sank into my arms, something in me clicked. She needed this. She needed me.

I pressed my face into her hair, inhaling the soft scent of her, grounding myself as much as I was grounding her. My wolf settled slightly, but I could still feel his tension, his possessiveness, curling beneath the surface. She was his. Mine.

"What happened?" I murmured against her ear.

She exhaled shakily.

"Mira."She said.

"I see."I said.

 Of course. Of course it was her. I didn't care for the so-called 'heroine' of this world. She once visited my pack and I disliked her since the moment I laid my eyes on her. She meant nothing to me. I looked down at the woman in my arms, her hands still trembling against my chest. Isabella, she was everything. I wasn't leaving her here.

"Everything is okay. Rest."I whispered softly.

Without another word, I slid an arm under her knees and lifted her into my arms. She gasped, clutching onto me.

"A-Adrian-"She gasped lightly.

"I'm taking you somewhere safe."I said.

She stiffened.

"But I'm fine-"She started.

"You're not."I said.

Her lips parted slightly, as if she wanted to argue, but she didn't. Instead, she exhaled and rested her forehead against my shoulder, her body finally giving up its resistance. Good. I turned, ready to take her away from this place. Away from whatever was breaking her, but then, from the darkness of the trees, a figure stepped into my path. Xavier.

His expression was stone-cold. His wolf, Charlie hovered just beneath the surface, barely restrained.

He already knew.

"What the hell do you think you're doing?" He asked, voice dangerously calm.

I held Isabella closer.

"Taking her somewhere safe."I said.

"Put her down."He said.

"No."I said.

"She's not yours to take from here."Xavier said.

A growl rumbled in my throat.

"She's not yours to keep."I said.

Isabella clutched my shirt, burying her face into my shoulder. She didn't want to be here. And I wasn't letting anyone, not even Xavier take her from me.