Surround 

ISABELLA’S POV 

I stared at Xavier, who was standing a few meters away. Even at that distance, his presence felt overwhelming. The authoritative aura he exuded was impossible to ignore, sending shivers down my spine. I pressed my lips together, trying to steady my breath. I had expected 

him to show up. 

In fact, he already knew about my meeting with Theodore today. It wasn’t a secret I wanted to 

keep from him. The thing is, I have changed my mind and decided to tell him about it earlier. 

~~Flashback~~ 

After tucking Liam and Lily into bed, I slipped out of the room, hoping for a moment to collect 

my thoughts. But as soon as I opened the door, I was startled to find Xavier waiting for me in 

the hallway, leaning casually against the wall. 

His dark eyes locked onto mine immediately, deep and calculating which made my heart 

pound. There was something intense, something unreadable in his gaze. We hadn’t spoken 

much since dinner, and the tension between us had become even more evident since earlier. It 

lingered like a storm cloud, threatening to break. 

I swallowed hard, debating if I should tell him. Could I keep my meeting with Theodore a 

secret? 

I had thought about going without informing Xavier, but the more I considered it, the more I 

realized it would only make things worse. He would find out. He always did. And if he found 

out I was hiding something like this, it would only complicate everything further. 

“He wants to meet you?” Xavier’s deep voice broke the silence, cutting straight to the point 

after I finally decided to tell him about Theodore’s note. 

I nodded, my expression grim. 

His frown deepened, suspicion flashing in his eyes. “What does he want from you?” 

“I don’t know,” I said, unsure of the answer myself. “But whatever it is, he doesn’t want you to 

know about it.” 

I 

His gaze hardened, and I could see the conflict warring inside him. “He gave you that note 

himself?” 

“No,” I said, shaking my head. “He left it. But I’m sure it’s from him.” 

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50 Pointi 

Surround 

He went silent for a moment. His jaw clenched, and I could see the gears turning in his mind as he processed what I had just told him. Then I hesitated, knowing there was more to tell, 

something that would shake him further. 

“There’s something else,” I said slowly, unsure of how to continue. 

His gaze sharpened, and I could feel the weight of his scrutiny. “What is it?” 

I took a deep breath, finally gathering my courage as I spoke in a low, cautious tone. 

“Theodore… can speak.” 

For a moment, Xavier stared at me as if he hadn’t heard me correctly. “What?” 

“I saw him, Xavier. I heard him. He was talking to someone,” I insisted, keeping my voice 

steady despite the unease swirling inside me with the possibility that he might not believe 

what I just said. 

His eyes slightly widened, his disbelief evident. His jaw tightened further. “How is that 

possible? He’s been mute for years.” 

I nodded, understanding his shock. “I know it sounds impossible. But I swear, I saw it with my 

own eyes. And his voice… it sounded exactly like yours.” 

The revelation hung heavy between us. Xavier’s reaction was immediate–he was filled with 

more shock, disbelief, confusion with my revelation. His entire body tensed, and I could see 

his mind racing. 

“What do you mean… his voice is like mine?” Xavier asked, his voice low and dangerous. 

“The resemblance of your voice, it’s uncanny. I heard him speak, and it was like hearing you,” I whispered, my gaze not leaving his and my tone deep and serious. 

Xavier looked like he was grappling with the impossible. His lips pressed into a thin line. 

That’s not possible. When we were younger, Theodore and I didn’t sound alike.” 

“When he was young, before that incident happened… was his voice the same voice as yours?” 

I asked, the unease growing inside me. 

Xavier shook his head firmly. “I can still vaguely remember his voice when we were younger. 

We had different voices. No one could mistake them.” 

“But I’ve heard it myself,” I pressed. “If you don’t believe me, come with me later when I meet 

him. Hide your scent, and you’ll see for yourself.” 

Xavier sighed deeply, running a hand through his hair. 

“It’s not that I don’t believe you,” he said quietly. “I just don’t understand how this could be 

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Surround 

possible.” 

I looked away, feeling the weight of the situation grow heavier. “I’m meeting him later. You can come, but stay hidden until he says what he needs to say.” 

Xavier’s expression was dark, but he nodded. “Fine. But this is not because I don’t believe you… 

” 

I turned to face him, my eyes meeting his. 

“I need to ensure your safety.” 

“I know,” I said, cutting him off, though my voice was softer than I intended. “I just need 

answers.” 

~~End of Flashback~~ 

Now, standing in this open field, I watched as Xavier confronted Theodore. His command was 

clear and sharp, ringing through the air. 

“Speak.” 

Theodore had his back to us, his posture casual, almost indifferent. But Xavier wasn’t one to 

be ignored. He took a few steps forward, his presence overwhelming the space, his face grim 

and filled with authority. 

But Theodore didn’t move. He didn’t flinch. And that’s when I remembered- Xavier had 

mentioned before that Theodore and his father, Xavier’s former mentor, had never really been 

fully accepted in this pack. That’s why Theodore wasn’t being affected by Xavier’s order. To 

him, Xavier’s authority meant nothing. 

“I’ve heard you speak,” Xavier continued, his voice cold, demanding. “Why have you been 

pretending all this time?” 

Finally, Theodore turned to face us. He wasn’t as tall or broad as Xavier, but there was 

something dangerous in the way he carried himself. His expression was blank, his dark eyes 

meeting Xavier’s with an eerie calmness. 

“I knew you’d come,” Theodore said, his voice sending chills down my spine. The sound of it, 

identical to Xavier’s, was deeply unnerving. 

My gaze flickered between the two of them. Same voice coming from two different men… It was unnatural and disturbing. How in the world was this even possible? 

Xavier didn’t seem fazed, though. His voice was as commanding as ever as he loomed over 

Theodore. 

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“Why did your voice changed?” 

Theodore ignored Xavier’s question. Instead, his eyes slid towards me, and a dark smile curled 

on his lips. His gaze then suddenly shifted, his eyes turning black–pitch black, making my breath hitched in my throat. 

Xavier was in front of me in an instant, shielding me from Theodore’s growing darkness, but I 

could still feel the cold dread settling deep within me, realizing Theodore was changing- shifting into something more sinister. 

“If you had just listened to me, Isabella,” Theodore’s voice, now deeper and more menacing, echoed in the surrounding. “I wouldn’t need to resort to this.” 

A knot of dread twisted in my stomach. Before I could react, rustling sounds from the surrounding forest drew my attention. And my blood instantly ran cold when I saw them- glowing red eyes, moving in the shadows.