CHAPTER 181: FRACTURES AND FIRE

Thorne

Kiel’s hand was around Ruby’s throat before I could even blink. His fingers pressed into her skin, his eyes glowing gold with fury. Ruby gasped, a strangled sound, her nails clawing weakly at his arm as she tried to push him away.

For a moment, I didn’t move. Maybe part of me thought she deserved it — after all the lies, after how she twisted everything until I believed Josie was the monster. But then I saw Ruby’s face turning red, her eyes rolling slightly, and I realized Kiel wasn’t going to stop.

"Let her go," I muttered, stepping forward.

Ruby choked out a weak sob. Kiel didn’t even flinch.

"Kiel!" I barked, but he was too far gone. His wolf was in control now — his chest rising and falling with rage, his jaw tight, the veins in his arms bulging from how hard he was gripping her.

"Please!" Ruby rasped out, her legs kicking uselessly against the bed.

My temper snapped. I reached for Kiel’s shoulder, shoving at him until his grip loosened slightly. "Enough! You’ll kill her."

He turned to me, eyes wild. "You should’ve listened to Josie from the start."

The words burned through me like acid.

Ruby coughed violently as he let her go, her body falling back onto the bed. She curled up, clutching her throat, gasping for air as tears streamed down her face. The sound of her wheezing filled the room.

"Thorne—" Kiel started, but I cut him off with a glare.

"I’ve had enough of everyone talking at once," I snapped, my voice low and dangerous. My chest rose and fell too fast. I didn’t even know who I was angrier at anymore — Ruby, Kiel, or myself. "Quit the damn drama, Ruby. Talk. Now."

She whimpered, her fingers trembling as she rubbed her neck. "I—I didn’t mean to—"

"Stop lying!" I shouted. The fury in my voice startled even me. "You made me doubt her. You made me—" I swallowed the words before they could finish, before I admitted how deep the guilt cut.

Ruby sobbed harder. "I didn’t understand what was happening, Thorne. I swear. I thought I saw things that weren’t real. I felt this strange pull—like someone was whispering in my head, making me believe Josie wanted to hurt me."

Kiel’s lip curled. "How convenient."

Ruby flinched. "Please. I’m not lying. I don’t even know how it started. I just... I felt something dark that night. Something that wasn’t me."

Her words made my stomach twist. I stared at her trembling form — the way she shrank from Kiel’s glare, the way her voice cracked between each breath — and I realized how blind I’d been.

All this time, I thought Josie was the one who lost control. That she was reckless with her magic, careless with her heart. But it wasn’t her.

It was never her.

My throat tightened painfully. I couldn’t breathe.

Without a word, I turned and walked out. The morning sun hit my face, but I felt nothing but cold. The world blurred into meaningless colors as my boots hit the path leading away from Ruby’s glass house.

Every step felt heavier.

Kiel and Varen followed me out, but they didn’t say a word at first. We walked until we reached the small fountain near the east wing, the sound of the trickling water filling the silence between us.

Finally, Kiel spoke. "You feel it now, don’t you? The guilt."

I clenched my fists. "Don’t start."

Varen sighed, his tone quieter but no less cutting. "You hurt her, Thorne. You broke something in Josie that you can’t fix with one apology."

"I know," I bit out. "You think I don’t already know?"

"Then why are you still standing here instead of going to her?" Kiel snapped. "You were wrong. Completely wrong. She was telling the truth the whole time."

His words sliced through me, sharp and true.

I looked down at my hands — the same hands that had pushed Josie away, that had pulled her close only to hurt her again. My voice came out hoarse. "I tried to protect everyone. I thought—"

"You thought too much about control," Varen interrupted. "And not enough about her."

I didn’t answer.

Because they were right.

Every single word.

Kiel took a step closer, his eyes hard. "You owe her more than an apology, Thorne. But I don’t want to hear it. She does."

I lifted my head, meeting his gaze. "You think it’s that easy? After everything—"

He grabbed my collar, yanking me forward until our foreheads almost touched. "Don’t waste time arguing. Go. Fix it before she stops caring."

The heat in his words, the unfiltered anger — it was the only thing that could’ve pushed me past my hesitation. I brushed his hand off and took a step back. "You’re right."

Varen exhaled sharply. "For once."

Kiel scoffed. "Don’t tell me. Tell her."

They turned away, leaving me standing there in silence. I watched as Kiel’s hand gripped Varen’s shoulder before they walked back toward the mansion, their voices fading into the wind.

The moment they were gone, I felt my wolf stir — restless, angry, disappointed.

"You brought this on yourself," he growled inside me. "You always think you’re the center of everything. You never listen. You hurt her because you couldn’t stand to be wrong."

"Shut up," I muttered under my breath.

"No. You shut up and listen for once. She’s your mate, Thorne. You were supposed to protect her, not destroy her."

I bit the inside of my cheek until I tasted blood. The truth in his voice was unbearable.

"Enough," I hissed.

"Go to her," he snarled, his tone lowering. "And if she turns away, you’ll know it’s because you deserved it."

The bond between us burned, sharp and heavy, and I couldn’t take it anymore. I started walking — faster, my boots pounding against the gravel, my pulse matching the pace.

By the time I reached the mansion, my thoughts were a blur of guilt, anger, and desperation. I needed to see her. I needed to fix this.

As I stepped into the corridor leading to the maid quarters, I saw her.

Josie.

She was stepping out, her hair falling around her shoulders, her expression set in that familiar storm of anger and pride. Her eyes flicked to me — cold, unflinching, beautiful even in her fury.

"Josie," I called, my voice rough.

She ignored me and kept walking.

Something inside me snapped. I caught up to her, grabbing her wrist before she could escape. She jerked, trying to pull away.

"Let go of me!" she snapped, her voice sharp enough to cut air.

I didn’t. I couldn’t. Not yet.

She twisted in my grasp, but I tightened my hold. "You’re coming with me."

Her glare could’ve burned through steel. "You have no right to touch me."

"Maybe not," I admitted through gritted teeth, "but you’re going to listen."

She scoffed, her lips curling. "You always think I should listen, Thorne. But you never do."

The words hit harder than I wanted them to. I said nothing, just kept walking, dragging her down the hall. She tried to pull away again, but I didn’t stop until we reached my room.

The guards outside straightened at the sight of us. I turned to them sharply. "No one comes in. No matter what happens."

They nodded immediately, stepping aside.

I opened the door and pulled Josie inside before she could protest again. The moment we were in, I slammed it shut and turned the lock.

She whirled on me, eyes blazing. "Are you insane?"

"Maybe," I said, my voice raw. "But I’m done running from this."

She tried to back away, but I caught her by the shoulders and pressed her gently — no, not gently — firmly against the wall. The sound of the impact echoed through the room. Her breath hitched, but her eyes didn’t soften.

"Don’t," she warned, her voice trembling. "Don’t touch me unless you want me to—"

"I just want to talk," I said, my voice low, desperate. "That’s all."

She scoffed. "You never just talk."

Her knee came up fast, slamming between my legs — but I barely felt it. The pain registered somewhere far away, drowned under the fire of the bond snapping tight between us.

And before I could stop myself, before I could think or breathe, I crashed my lips against hers.

It wasn’t soft. It wasn’t tender. It was fire — years of anger and guilt and unspoken longing colliding in one brutal, consuming kiss.

Her muffled protest died against my mouth, and the world fell away until there was only her heartbeat and mine.