CHAPTER 183: WHISPERS IN THE SHADOWS

Josie

I couldn’t tell what I was fighting anymore — my heart, my body, or the foolish part of me that still wanted to believe in Thorne. Every time I tried to think clearly, his scent clouded my judgment, his voice muddled my sense of reason.

But I wasn’t weak. Not anymore.

"Josie," Thorne muttered, running a hand through his hair as though trying to untangle the mess he’d made between us. "I told you I’m listening now. I swear I—"

"Stop swearing and start doing," I cut him off sharply. "You’ve said enough."

He froze, his jaw tightening. The room was heavy with silence — that thick, unbearable kind that made every breath sound too loud. I turned from him, pressing my palm against the cold windowpane, and for a second, the reflection staring back at me wasn’t my own.

It was her.

Carolyn.

My stomach turned.

I remembered the afternoon so vividly it still made my chest ache.

*Flashback*

Carolyn had come into my room uninvited, carrying that same sweet smile she always wore when she wanted to lie through her teeth.

"I’ve told you, Josie," she’d said, clasping her hands together, "I’m not speaking to anyone. You’re imagining things."

"Imagining things?" I repeated, staring her down. "Like how I imagined seeing you at the east wing last night when you were supposed to be helping the maids?"

She blinked. "You must have seen someone else."

Liar.

I tilted my head and smiled coldly. "You’re not very good at lying, Carolyn. You twitch your left eye when you do."

Her eyes widened slightly, betraying her. "I don’t—"

"You do," I said, stepping closer. "And you’re doing it right now."

Her mouth trembled as if to form another excuse, but that was when I saw it — a shadow moving behind her, near the cupboard.

A man’s silhouette.

I blinked once, twice. The figure was there, still and indistinct, like smoke made solid. My heart thudded painfully.

"Who’s there?" I demanded.

Carolyn turned, her face pale, and when I followed her gaze, the shadow had vanished. She started to shake, clutching her skirt. "You saw it too?" she whispered.

I couldn’t answer. My wolf stirred uneasily inside me, growling under her breath. That wasn’t a normal shadow.

When I turned back to Carolyn, she was crying, her tears wetting her sleeves. "I swear, Josie, I don’t understand what’s happening to me."

And maybe for a second, I almost believed her.

Almost.

*Back to the present*

I blinked hard, pulling myself back to Thorne’s room, where he was still watching me with that expression halfway between guilt and confusion.

"There’s something wrong with Carolyn," I said firmly. "I saw it with my own eyes. There was a man’s shadow, but it wasn’t human. I think... I think someone is manipulating her."

Thorne rubbed his temple. "Josie, are you sure it wasn’t—"

"Yes," I snapped. "Don’t you dare suggest I imagined it."

He raised both hands in surrender, but I could see the flicker of doubt still lurking in his eyes.

"I’m telling you the truth," I pressed. "Something dark is crawling through this pack, Thorne. I can feel it."

He sighed, shoulders slumping. "Ruby said the same thing before everything went to hell."

My eyes darted to him. "Ruby?"

He hesitated, then nodded. "When Kiel and I confronted her earlier... she broke down. Said she didn’t understand what was happening to her either. Like her mind wasn’t her own."

A chill ran through me. "You believe her?"

"I didn’t at first," he admitted quietly. "But now—after what you’ve said—I don’t know what to believe anymore."

I crossed my arms, staring at him. "You should start believing me."

He flinched. "I am trying."

"Then try harder," I hissed, my voice trembling with the anger I’d been holding in for too long. "You accused me, humiliated me, and made me doubt myself. And now you think a few words can fix everything?"

His jaw clenched. "No. But I can prove I’m not the same man from yesterday."

I wanted to believe him. Goddess, I wanted to. But belief was a luxury I could no longer afford.

"What are you going to do then?" I asked finally.

Thorne straightened, meeting my gaze. "Get a seer. Someone who can see beyond what we can. If there’s truly something off about Carolyn—or anyone else—I’ll find out."

His voice was steady, resolute.

"And you’ll believe me this time?"

He stepped closer, close enough that I could see the sincerity flickering in his golden eyes. "I will always believe you now," he said, voice low. "I’ve spent my whole life trusting what I can see. Reality. Facts. But with you..." He hesitated, exhaling softly. "You make me question what’s real. You make me want to believe in things I can’t prove."

Something inside me softened. Against my better judgment, I reached out, brushing my fingers along his wrist. "You’re infuriating, Thorne."

A small, sad smile touched his lips. "And you’re impossible."

For once, that didn’t sound like an insult.

He drew me closer until our foreheads rested together. "I’m sorry," he whispered. "For all of it. I’ll do better. I swear on the moon."

I sighed, the last of my anger slipping away like sand through my fingers. "If you mean it, then prove it."

"I will."

I didn’t expect him to hold me, but he did—gently, like I might shatter if he squeezed too tightly. And for a little while, I let myself rest in his arms, just breathing him in, pretending that everything outside this room didn’t exist.

When I woke later that evening, the sun was slipping beneath the horizon, turning the room gold and crimson. I sat up, stretching, and glanced toward the door just as it burst open.

Varen leaned against the frame, smirking. "Well, well. Look who finally tamed the beast."

Behind him, Kiel rolled his eyes. "You’re insufferable."

Thorne groaned from beside me, sitting up too quickly and fumbling with his pants. "Do you two ever knock?"

"Not when it’s this entertaining," Varen quipped, his grin widening.

I pulled the blanket tighter around me, glaring at them both. "You two are unbelievable."

Varen chuckled, then looked at me with exaggerated sympathy. "You poor thing. If you ever need a massage after dealing with my brother’s madness, you know who to call."

"Get out," Thorne growled.

I bit back a laugh as the brothers started bickering, their voices overlapping like an old melody. For all their rough edges, there was something comforting about them — chaotic, but oddly familiar.

Kiel, however, wasn’t joining in the teasing. He stood near the window, his face unusually pale. I noticed his silence immediately.

"Kiel?" I asked softly.

He turned to me, eyes distant. "Ruby’s words... they keep echoing in my head."

"What do you mean?" I asked, stepping closer.

Varen and Thorne quieted at that, both watching him carefully.

"She said something strange," Kiel murmured. "Something about how I’d understand one day... that all of this was to make me a better man for her."

I frowned. "Her?"

He nodded slowly. "I thought she meant herself, but now... I’m not so sure."

The air shifted between us.

I crossed my arms. "Kiel, someone is pulling strings in this pack. Maybe it’s the same force that’s been twisting Carolyn and Ruby. You’ve been watching Carolyn, right? Has she done anything odd?"

He hesitated. "Not really. She hardly leaves her quarters. She prays a lot. Talks to herself sometimes."

"Talks to herself?" I repeated.

"Yeah." He rubbed his jaw. "Like she’s answering someone I can’t see."

Thorne swore under his breath.

That couldn’t be a coincidence.

Before I could say another word, the maid burst into the room, out of breath. "Alpha! Luna!" she gasped. "Dinner is ready."

I forced a smile, trying to mask the unease building in my chest. "We’ll be down in a moment."

As we descended the stairs together, the scent of roasted venison and herbs filled the air. Everything looked deceptively peaceful—the flicker of candles, the faint hum of laughter from the maids. But beneath it all, I could feel it: tension.

I took my seat beside Thorne, while Varen and Kiel sat across from us. The conversation was light, filled with teasing remarks and laughter, but my instincts wouldn’t quiet down. Something was off.

Just as I reached for my drink, the dining hall doors slammed open.

Two elders stormed in, their faces thunderous. Their robes flared behind them as they marched to the center of the room, the weight of their authority silencing everyone in an instant.

Elder Marrek’s voice boomed first. "Alpha Thorne Calloway!"

Thorne rose slowly, his eyes narrowing. "What is this about?"

The elder’s gaze cut to me like a blade. "Her."

My stomach dropped.

Elder Seraphine pointed a trembling finger in my direction. "She’s brought corruption into this pack! We have reason to believe she’s been touched by forbidden magic!"

Gasps echoed through the room.

"Excuse me?" I said, my voice cold.

Marrek slammed his fist on the table. "The council demands that she be turned rogue—or have her powers stripped before they destroy us all."

The room erupted into chaos, but all I could hear was the thunder of my heartbeat.

So this was it.

The war had just begun.