A LOVE WRITTEN IN STARLIGHT

Chapter 16

Forbidden Desires

The night was thick with the scent of rain, the storm outside mirroring the chaos within Lucian's mind. He paced the dimly lit room, every muscle in his body coiled with frustration. Isla lay on the bed, her breath shallow, fingers curled into the sheets. The mark on her arm had faded, but something was still wrong.

Dorian had promised the ritual had severed Elias's claim—but Isla wasn't the same.

Lucian had sensed it even before she had. The way her pulse had quickened at the slightest sound, the way her pupils dilated in the dark. And now, she stirred restlessly, her body betraying a transformation that should have been impossible.

He had failed her.

Isla shifted beneath the covers, her voice barely a whisper. "Lucian…?"

He was at her side in an instant, his cold fingers brushing against her forehead. She was warm. Too warm.

"I'm here," he murmured.

Her gaze met his, and something flickered in her eyes—something feral.

"I can hear the rain," she whispered.

Lucian frowned. "I know. It's loud."

She shook her head. "No. I can hear each drop. The way they hit the leaves, the way the wind moves through the trees."

Lucian stilled.

Isla squeezed her eyes shut, gripping his wrist. "What's happening to me?"

His jaw tightened. He didn't want to say the words aloud, but there was no point in denying it.

"The transformation is still happening."

Her breath hitched. "But I thought—"

"So did I."

Silence stretched between them, thick with unspoken fears.

Then Isla surprised him. Instead of panic, a flicker of determination crossed her face.

"Then we find another way."

Lucian exhaled, a reluctant smirk playing at his lips. "You never stop fighting, do you?"

Her fingers tightened around his. "Not when it comes to you."

The hours bled into one another. They searched through Dorian's ancient books, scoured his cryptic notes, but nothing revealed a true cure.

Frustration burned inside Lucian. Every second that passed brought Isla closer to something she could never undo.

Isla stretched her arms above her head, letting out a small groan. "I need a break."

Lucian's eyes flicked to her, his gaze darkening as he took in the smooth curve of her exposed stomach, the way her shirt had ridden up. He clenched his fists. Not now. Not when she's in danger.

But Isla had sensed it.

She stepped closer, tilting her head slightly, as if reading him. "You're always so tense," she murmured. "Even before all of this."

Lucian didn't move as she placed a hand on his chest. Her warmth seeped through the fabric of his shirt, sending a slow burn through his veins.

"You should rest too," she said softly.

Lucian swallowed hard. "Isla—"

She stretched up, brushing her lips against his jaw. "Don't overthink this."

But he always did.

Before he could stop himself, his hands gripped her waist, pulling her against him. Their lips met in a slow, burning kiss, years of restraint unraveling in a single moment. Isla gasped against his mouth as his fingers traced fire down her spine.

Her hands tangled in his hair, her breath shaky as she whispered, "I want this."

Lucian groaned, pressing her against the wall, his mouth trailing down her neck. "You have no idea what you do to me," he murmured against her skin.

She arched against him, her body demanding more, but before they could go further—

A sharp pain shot through Isla's body.

She cried out, clutching her head as the world tilted.

Lucian caught her before she collapsed, his mind snapping back to reality. "Isla?"

Her body trembled violently, her breathing ragged. When she opened her eyes, they weren't their usual shade.

They were golden.

Dorian burst into the room, taking one look at Isla before swearing under his breath. "Shit."

Lucian shot him a glare. "Tell me you know how to fix this."

Dorian didn't answer immediately. Instead, he crouched beside Isla, studying her carefully. He lifted her wrist, examining the faint scar where the sigil had been.

"It's not gone," he muttered. "It's hidden."

Lucian's grip on Isla tightened. "What does that mean?"

Dorian sighed, rubbing the back of his neck. "It means Elias played us. The mark didn't disappear—it sank deeper. And now it's working from the inside out."

Lucian's vision went red. "So, what you're saying is, we wasted time while she continued to turn?"

Dorian shot him a pointed look. "Not wasted. Delayed."

Isla took a shaky breath. "How much time do I have?"

Dorian hesitated.

Lucian growled. "How much?"

Dorian sighed. "A few days. A week if we're lucky."

Isla's fingers curled into Lucian's sleeve. "We need to stop this before it's too late."

Lucian looked at Dorian. "Tell me you have a real solution this time."

Dorian hesitated. "There is one way."

Lucian's eyes narrowed. "What is it?"

Dorian exhaled, looking between them. "We need to sever the connection at the source."

Lucian went still. "You mean…"

Dorian nodded. "We have to kill Elias."

The plan had barely taken shape before the first sign of danger appeared.

A distant howl echoed through the trees, sending a shiver down Isla's spine.

Lucian immediately went rigid. He knew that sound.

"They found us," he muttered.

Dorian cursed. "They move fast."

Lucian grabbed Isla's hand. "We have to leave. Now."

Dorian was already gathering supplies, shoving books and vials into a satchel. "I'll buy you some time."

Isla's heart pounded. "You're not coming with us?"

Dorian smirked. "I'll catch up. Just don't die before then."

Lucian didn't wait. He pulled Isla through the back entrance, slipping into the cover of the night. The rain had stopped, leaving the forest eerily silent.

Then—movement.

Lucian barely had time to react before a massive figure lunged from the shadows. Isla gasped as Lucian shoved her behind him, his fangs bared.

A deep, mocking voice filled the air. "Running so soon?"

Lucian's grip tightened. "Elias."

The werewolf Alpha stepped into the moonlight, golden eyes gleaming with amusement. He was taller than Lucian, broad-shouldered, his presence radiating raw power.

Isla's pulse spiked. She could feel him.

Elias smirked. "You didn't really think I'd let you take what's mine, did you?"

Lucian snarled. "She was never yours."

Elias tilted his head. "Tell that to the mark that still pulses inside her." His gaze flicked to Isla. "You feel it, don't you? The way your senses are shifting. The way your body knows what it's becoming."

Isla's breath hitched.

Lucian's fury erupted. "You will not take her."

Elias grinned. "We'll see."

And then—he attacked.

Lucian barely managed to shove Isla away before Elias crashed into him, the force of the impact sending them both into the trees. Isla scrambled back, her heart hammering as the two immortals clashed in a brutal flurry of claws and fangs.

She had to do something.

A sharp pain seared through her chest, and suddenly, her vision sharpened. Every detail around her became clearer—the way the leaves shifted in the wind, the scent of blood in the air.

The transformation was accelerating.

Isla gasped. She had minutes, maybe even seconds, before she lost herself completely.

Her gaze snapped to the fight. Lucian and Elias were locked in a deadly struggle. If Lucian lost, there would be no stopping her transformation.

There was only one choice.

She had to end this.

She had to kill Elias.