THIRTEEN PART 3

"That's enough. We shouldn't be attacking each other. We're a team, a family. And together, we'll find a solution. But not while everyone is so furious. We all need to take a step back and cool off. Isabelle, when was the last time you had something to eat?"

I gave a nonchalant shrug, not having prioritized eating since the attack had unfolded.

"Take your time, whip up something, and then we can start sorting this out," Malik offered with a reassuring tone.

I nodded in agreement, though my restless energy couldn't be contained by merely sitting around. My actions had left a trail of consequences – angering my father, offending Malik, irritating Chase, and holding Tyler against his will in the basement. I couldn't help but feel like I was failing miserably as the alpha.

"You worry too much, babe," Malik comforted me, but it only amplified the guilt already swirling within me.

"I don't deserve your understanding. I've been behaving terribly ever since I saw Tyler again," I admitted, my