Chapter 4 Responsibility

Aiden's POV

After leaving the office, I couldn't shake the conversation I'd just had with Mom. Her words echoed in my mind. "You're next to take over the pack, but you need to find your mate first."

I knew she was right. Dad was gone, and it was up to me now. But how was I supposed to do all of this without my mate? I'd searched everywhere, but I still hadn't found her. It felt like time was running out.

I needed answers, and I knew where to find them.

Isabel, the seer.

The seer's cottage was small and hidden at the edge of the pack's territory, but it wasn't hard to find.

As I stepped inside, the air felt different, Isabel was already sitting by her table, the faint light from a crystal ball lighting up the dark room. She didn't look surprised to see me.

"Good evening, Isabel," I greeted bowing slightly in respect.

"Good evening, Aiden," she replied, her voice calm. "What brings you here?"

I didn't want to waste any time. "I need your help," I said, my voice filled with desperation. "I need to find my mate. I've searched everywhere, but I can't find her."

Isabel looked at me for a moment before gesturing for me to sit. I did, my mind racing with different thoughts. What if I never found her? What if I wasn't meant to be Alpha?

Isabel placed her hands on the crystal ball, closing her eyes. I held my breath, waiting for her to speak. When she finally opened her eyes, I could see the seriousness in them.

"Your mate is among the Brickstone Pack," she said, her words making my heart leap with hope.

"Really?" I asked, leaning forward. "Who is she?"

But Isabel shook her head slightly. "I cannot see her face," she said, her tone serious. "But you must find her soon. There is danger in the Brickstone Pack. If you fail to find her, this danger will grow stronger."

My happiness quickly turned to concern. "What kind of danger?" I asked, my voice low.

"There is someone in the pack who wishes to take control," Isabel started slowly.

"They will use any means to do so, even if it means harming others. Your mate is the key to stopping this threat."

Not only did I need to find my mate for the sake of the pack, but now there was a threat to the Brickstone Pack as well. I have to find her and there is no other choice.

"I will find her," I said firmly, standing up from the table. "I won't let anything happen to our pack."

Isabel nodded, her eyes softening slightly. "Be careful, Aiden. Trust your instincts."

With that, I left the cottage, I couldn't shake the feeling that someone was watching me. The hairs on the back of my neck stood, and my wolf stirred inside me, sensing danger.

I shifted quickly, letting my wolf take over as I scanned the area around me. The place was quiet, but I knew someone had been there. I waited for a long time to listen, but no one appeared.

I eventually shifted back to my human form and headed back home. Time was running out, and I needed to find my mate before it was too late.

Camila's POV

I stood in my room by the side of the window staring at the moon that was bright in the sky as I watched the other young wolves get ready for their first shift. They laughed and joked, they were so excited. But all I felt was a pain in my chest.

As I had a flashback to when the whole incident happened, I had a flashback to when my bad luck happened.

"Camila, come on! Don't be scared!" my friends called out, but I forced a smile, trying to hide my fear.

I walked towards the other people that were ready for their shift, as we faced the moon looking up to the sky.

When the others began to shift, their bodies changing into strong wolves, I felt disappointed. I tried to focus, maybe that is what was preventing me from shifting to my wolf form, but no I didn't.

I have waited for this moment for years, but when it came, nothing happened. My body stayed human, and I could only watch in pain as everyone around embraced their true form.

Their parents walked up to them happily, as she rubbed their heads.

"Mom is going to be mad," I whispered to myself, knowing the disappointment that awaited me at home.

She always reminded me that I was different. "You're not like the rest of us," she would say, her voice full of anger. "You're just weak."

Her words hurt, and I tried to ignore the pain. My father had always been my comfort, the one who held me close and told me that it was okay to be different. "You're special in your own way, Camila," he'd say, his eyes full of love.

"You just need to find your strength."

But now, he is gone. He had died in a horrible attack that still felt unreal. I couldn't shake the image of his lifeless body, the blood pooling around him. My heart ached with the loss, and I felt more alone each day.

I stepped back from the window, unable to keep watching them as they changed to their wolf form.

"Why can't I be like them?" I whispered as I walked toward my bed.

I couldn't feel the wolf inside me, I couldn't reach her. "What's wrong with me?"

Suddenly, I heard footsteps and a light knock on my door which snapped me out of my trail of thought.

My heart raced as I turned to see Aiden coming toward me, with a worried look on his face. He had always protected me, the one who stood up for me when our mother's words hurt too much.

"Camila, are you okay?" he asked, concern evident in his voice. I wanted to tell him everything, the pain, the fear, the heavy feeling I felt inside me, but instead, I just nodded and forced a smile that felt fake.

"Just needed some air," I lied.

He looked at me for a moment, and I could see the doubt in his eyes. "Mom is just worried about you. She doesn't hate you."

His words felt untrue against the truth I heard her say. "She doesn't understand," I replied, my voice breaking at the edge.

"She thinks I'm a failure. And now with Dad gone..." My voice trailed off, as I sniffed back my tears.

Aiden pulled me into a tight hug. "You're not a failure, Camila. You're strong, and Dad wouldn't want you to feel this way."

I buried my face in his shoulder, and strangely enough, I was enjoying the warmth his body was giving me. "But he's gone," I whispered, tears streaming down my cheeks. "And I don't know how to be strong without him."

"You're not alone," Aiden said softly. "You have me. We'll figure this out together. Just give it time."

I still felt the fear. What if I never shifted? What if I was meant to stay on the sidelines, always watching but never belonging? I wanted to believe him, but doubt filled my mind.

"Okay," I finally said, looking into Aiden's piercing green eyes that made me captivated by them.

I quickly shifted my gaze from his, I couldn't understand how I was feeling, the feeling was not right between a brother and sister. "I'll try. For Dad." I muttered and he smiled.

"You're going to be okay, Camila. I promise," he assured me, but his striking features made me lost in my own world.

"Camila, Camila," he called, and I snapped out of it and gave him a small smile.

Why does my brother now look so attractive to me, that I was just noticing the smallest feature on his face, just like the small mole above his lips? I thought, as my brother walked out of my room, closing the door gently.