Isaac rushed past me without hesitation, gathering her into his arms with gentle concern. His voice was tender, his touch soft—so unlike the cold blow he had just delivered to me.
"I told you I’d bring her over to say sorry," he murmured, brushing her hair back. "Why did you leave the room?"
Candice shook her head, her eyes glistening with tears. "It’s really not important. She didn’t mean it. Please don’t be angry with her," she said, voice trembling with faux kindness.
She cast a glance in my direction, then softened her tone further. "If her brother hears about this, it could strain the alliance between you two."
At the mention of my brother Ash, something flickered in Isaac’s face. But it vanished as quickly as it came.
"Her brother trusted me with her," he said stiffly. "Which makes it my duty to correct her when she crosses the line."
A dry, bitter laugh slipped from my lips before I could suppress it. "Correct me? And what exactly have I done that needs correcting? Even in a formal trial, there’s a need for proof before judgment is passed. But you? You hit me without hesitation, without evidence. Is this the leadership your pack looks up to?"