CHAPTER 186: THE PRICE OF POWER

Josie

The air inside the seer’s cottage felt like poison. Heavy, metallic, humming with energy that didn’t belong to this world.

"Thorne, please," I whispered, clutching at his arm. "Don’t challenge her. Something isn’t right."

He didn’t listen. Of course, he didn’t. His jaw was locked, every muscle in his body drawn tight like a bowstring ready to snap. The witch stood a few feet away, her eyes gleaming with the kind of confidence only madness could give.

Behind her, the seer was trembling so violently that her teeth chattered. "She came for her!" the woman gasped, pointing at me. "She came to take the Luna’s powers—"

"Silence!" the witch hissed. Her fingers flicked upward, and before I could move, the seer screamed and shot into the air, her frail body hanging from the ceiling by invisible threads.

"Stop!" I cried, the sound ripping through my throat.

Thorne moved forward immediately, his voice low but seething. "Put her down," he said. "Now. You’ve made your point."

The witch smiled—too wide, too sharp. "You think you can command me, Alpha?"

"I said, put. Her. Down." His growl shook the walls.

But she only tilted her head, like a child toying with a new doll. "You’re exactly as they said you’d be. Arrogant. Predictable. And utterly blind."

My stomach twisted. "What are you talking about?"

She ignored me, her gaze locked on Thorne. "Did Kiel not tell you?" she asked softly, mockingly. "He knew I would come. I told him myself. I warned him that I would be taking what’s mine—the girl’s power."

Thorne’s face darkened instantly. "You’re lying," he spat.

"Oh, am I?" She grinned. "Maybe he wanted me to succeed. Maybe he’s tired of protecting something he doesn’t understand."

"That’s enough," Thorne barked. "You won’t touch her. Not while I’m breathing."

He lunged, but before I could blink, she lifted her hand and sent a violent gust of energy hurling toward us.

"Thorne!" I screamed as he grabbed me by the waist, twisting midair and pulling me to the side. The explosion of power hit the wall where I’d been standing seconds ago, shattering wood and stone into flying splinters.

The smell of smoke filled my nose. The seer was still screaming from the ceiling, her voice cracked and raw. "Please! Release me! Please!"

"Stay behind me," Thorne said, his voice rough, his body shielding mine.

"Don’t," I begged. "Please, don’t fight her! You’ll only make it worse."

He glanced over his shoulder at me, blood trickling from the side of his mouth. "I’m not letting anyone hurt you again, Josie. Not ever."

The witch’s laughter filled the cottage, high and shrill. "So noble. So foolish." She waved her hand, and a crack of lightning streaked through the air. Thorne met it head-on, but it threw him back into the wall with a sickening thud.

"Thorne!" I screamed.

He hit the ground hard, groaning. The witch looked down at him with cruel amusement. "How does it feel, Alpha?" she mocked. "To know you can’t even save your mate?"

Her words sliced through me like knives. Something in me snapped.

I didn’t care about control anymore. Didn’t care about logic or fear or what might happen.

All I knew was that I couldn’t watch him die.

"STOP IT!" I screamed, my voice cracking with fury.

I felt it then—the raw surge of something ancient and wild deep inside me. The ground trembled under my feet, and from the shattered windows, long green vines burst through the frames. Thick, gnarled roots and sharp stems crawled into the room, spiraling up the walls like living serpents.

The witch’s grin faltered.

"Get away from him," I whispered, my voice shaking with power I barely recognized.

The vines responded instantly. They lunged, wrapping around the witch’s arms and legs, tightening like living ropes. She gasped as one of them coiled around her throat.

Thorne groaned somewhere behind me, but I couldn’t turn away.

The witch’s eyes blazed. "You think you can hold me, little girl?" she hissed.

The vines constricted harder, the wood groaning. "Don’t make me hurt you," I warned.

She smirked—and then snapped her fingers.

The vines shattered into dust.

Pain exploded behind my eyes. I stumbled, losing focus for a single heartbeat—and that was enough.

The witch moved faster than sight. She darted forward, her fingers glowing an ugly shade of red, and plunged her hand into Thorne’s chest.

His scream tore through the air, raw and animal.

"NO!" I shrieked, running at her.

My fury detonated like a storm. The cottage floor split beneath us, and thick tendrils of grass and roots surged from the earth, whipping through the air. They slammed into the witch, throwing her across the room. She hit the wall so hard that the wood cracked.

She stared at me then, real fear flickering across her face for the first time.

"Stay away from him," I said through clenched teeth, every word trembling. "If you ever touch him again, I swear by the goddess, I will burn you alive."

Her lips parted, but before I could blink, her body shimmered—then vanished into thin air.

Gone.

Silence filled the room, heavy and broken only by Thorne’s shallow breathing.

"Thorne," I gasped, falling to my knees beside him. Blood was spreading fast across his chest, dark and terrifying. "Oh my goddess, no—no, no, no..."

The seer dropped from the ceiling like a puppet with cut strings, landing in a heap. Her hands trembled as she crawled toward me. "I—I can help," she stammered, eyes wide with terror. "I can stop the bleeding."

"Stay back!" I snapped, the words sharp with panic.

She froze.

"This is my fault," I whispered. "He got hurt because of me. I told you to stay away!"

The seer flinched and scrambled backward, tears streaking her face. "I only wanted to—"

"Leave!" I screamed, my voice breaking. "Just go!"

She hesitated for a second, then fled through the shattered doorway, disappearing into the forest.

The moment she was gone, I turned back to Thorne. His skin was pale, his breaths shallow. I pressed my hands against the wound, but the blood kept coming, warm and slick under my palms.

"Please, don’t die on me," I whispered, my vision blurring. "You can’t. Not after everything."

His eyelids fluttered weakly. "Josie..."

"I’m here," I said, choking on the words. "Just hold on, okay? Please, just hold on."

His hand lifted slowly, brushing my cheek. "You... shouldn’t cry."

I let out a shaky laugh, tears spilling anyway. "You’re bleeding out, Thorne. I think crying is fair."

He tried to smile, but it hurt him. "You’re... stronger than you think."

"Stop talking," I whispered. "Please."

He didn’t listen—he never did. "I told you... I’d protect you."

"And look where that got you," I said bitterly, pressing harder against his chest. "You’re supposed to listen for once in your life."

His eyes started to close, and panic gripped me. "No. Thorne, stay awake. Do you hear me? Stay with me."

I fumbled for my phone, hands shaking so badly I nearly dropped it. "Varen," I gasped when he picked up. "Please—please come to the seer’s cottage. Thorne’s hurt. He’s bleeding. I don’t know what to do!"

"We’re on our way," he said. "Hold on, Josie. Don’t move him."

The line went dead, and I threw the phone aside, returning my attention to Thorne.

His breaths were shallow, his lips pale. I leaned close, whispering against his ear. "I’m sorry," I said, my voice breaking. "I’m so sorry I couldn’t be the Luna you needed. I tried—I really did. But everything I touch falls apart."

His eyes flickered open, barely a sliver of gold showing. "Don’t... say that."

"It’s true," I whispered, brushing his hair back from his forehead. "You deserve someone better. Someone who doesn’t drag danger wherever she goes. Maybe it’s best if I leave."

"Don’t..." His fingers twitched against my arm, weakly gripping me. "Don’t go."

"I have to." My tears fell faster now, landing on his chest. "You need to heal, Thorne. You need peace. And I—" My voice cracked. "I only bring chaos."

He tried to shake his head, but he was too weak. His hand fell away, his eyes closing again.

"Thorne," I whispered, my throat tight. "Please don’t close your eyes."

No answer.

The sound of footsteps thundered outside. The door burst open, and Varen rushed in with the pack’s doctor and two elders behind him.

"Josie?" he barked, his gaze landing on the blood. "What the hell happened?"

"The witch—she attacked him," I said quickly, my words tumbling over each other. "Please, just save him. I don’t care what it takes—just save him!"

Varen knelt beside Thorne, his expression grim. "Get the healer’s kit!" he ordered.

The doctor hurried to obey, while the elders muttered prayers under their breath.

I backed away slowly, my legs trembling. Everything felt too bright, too loud, too real. The walls of the cottage seemed to close in around me, filled with the smell of blood and burnt air.

Varen was shouting something, but I couldn’t hear him anymore.

I looked at Thorne one last time. His chest was rising faintly now, his body still.

I couldn’t stay. Not like this.

Before anyone could stop me, I turned and ran—through the door, into the forest, my heart pounding, tears blurring the path ahead.

I didn’t know where I was going. Only that I had to go.

Because if I stayed... I’d break all over again.