Josie
For a long mont, I couldn’t even breathe. The entire dining hall felt like it had frozen over — heavy, cold, and suffocating. The elders’ words rang in my head long after they’d stopped speaking.
A rogue.
They wanted to turn into a rogue.
I forced myself to stand, the chair scraping harshly against the floor. "What exactly have I done wrong?" My voice ca out steadier than I expected, though my insides were shaking. "Michelle is gone. She’s not part of this pack anymore. So tell —what have I done?"
Elder Seraphine’s face twisted with disdain. "Your existence is an offense enough. You bring storms wherever you go."
I laughed bitterly. "That’s not an answer."
She ignored , turning to the Alphas instead. "You three would risk your pack for this girl? For this... creature?"
Kiel’s growl was low, deep, and warning. "You will not speak about her like that."
But Elder Marrek only sneered. "You’ve gone blind, Alpha. She has bewitched you all. Can’t you see how every curse, every misfortune, began the mont she arrived?"
Thorne’s chair cracked beneath his clenched fists. "Enough."
Still, they wouldn’t stop. The elders ranted louder, their voices rising above reason, throwing accusation after accusation until the air pulsed with anger.
"If the Alphas will not act," Marrek barked, "then the people will. There will be a riot before dawn if she remains among us!"
Their words hit like a slap. My knees almost buckled. A riot. Over .
I couldn’t even speak. I just stood there, cold spreading from my heart outward.
Kiel slamd his palm on the table, his voice shaking with fury. "Get out! Both of you! You’ve said enough!"
But the elders didn’t even flinch. They gave one last venomous glare before storming out of the dining hall, their robes sweeping behind them like smoke trails of judgnt.
When the doors slamd shut, the silence left behind was unbearable.
My lips trembled. "Why... why does nothing ever work for ?"
Varen was the first to move. He ca around the table and knelt beside , his hand firm but gentle on my arm. "Hey, don’t say that. We’ll handle this."
I looked at him, really looked at him, and saw the exhaustion in his eyes—the weight of trying to keep everything from falling apart. "You keep saying that, but it never gets better," I whispered. "Every ti I try to make things right, sothing else happens. Ever since I realized I was mated to all three of you, it’s been chaos."
He gave a tired smile. "Chaos loves you, Josie."
I almost laughed, but the sound caught in my throat.
"Eat," he said softly, guiding back to the table.
"I don’t think I can—"
"You’re going to eat," he said firmly, and before I could protest again, Kiel was already beside with a plate.
"I’ll feed you myself if I have to," Kiel muttered, his tone half-teasing, half-serious. He picked up a small piece of at with a fork and held it out to .
I wanted to argue, but the sincerity in his eyes stopped . So I opened my mouth and let him feed . The food was tasteless, but sohow it felt like breathing again.
For a few minutes, the silence around the table was fragile but peaceful.
Then Carolyn appeared.
She carried a tray in her hands, smiling sweetly like nothing in the world was wrong. "I thought so juice would help you relax, Luna," she said, walking up to .
Before I could thank her, the cold liquid splashed over my head.
I froze. Juice trickled down my face, soaking into my clothes, sticky and humiliating.
Carolyn gasped dramatically. "Oh! I’m so sorry, I didn’t an to—"
"Don’t," I snapped, rising to my feet.
Her fake apology died on her lips when she saw my eyes. "Josie, it was an accident, I swear—"
"An accident?" I hissed, wiping the sticky liquid from my cheek. "Then why are you smiling?"
Her expression faltered for just a second, then she bowed quickly and scurried off.
I couldn’t stay there anymore. I turned and walked away before I said sothing I’d regret.
"Josie—" Thorne called after .
I didn’t look back.
By the ti I reached my room, my chest was heaving. I yanked the wet clothes off and threw them aside, then sat on the edge of my bed, pressing my face into my palms.
It was too much.
Too many accusations. Too many people pretending to care while waiting for to fall apart.
I called one of the maids, a quiet young woman with trembling hands. "Tell the Alphas I want to be alone tonight," I said. "No one cos in."
She nodded quickly and left.
As soon as the door shut, the silence beca oppressive.
I thought of calling Marcy—sweet, loyal Marcy who’d stood by through everything—but she had a husband now. A new life. It wouldn’t be fair to drag her back into my chaos.
So I lay there in bed, staring at the ceiling, trying to convince myself I was fine.
But I wasn’t.
The air in the room felt heavier than usual. The wind outside seed to whisper against the windows, though the night was still.
I turned on my side, clutching the blanket, but the unease wouldn’t leave . My wolf stirred restlessly, pacing inside .
Sothing’s wrong, she whispered.
I sat up. The room was dark except for the faint flicker of the candle on my nightstand. The shadows seed to stretch, long and distorted, like they had minds of their own.
Then I heard it—voices.
Faint. Whispering. Coming from the hallway.
My heart pounded.
I slipped out of bed, barefoot, and crept toward the door. When I opened it, the corridor was empty, but the murmurs continued—soft and strange, like a chant carried by the wind.
I knew I shouldn’t go, but curiosity—or maybe instinct—drove forward.
The closer I got to the maids’ quarters, the stronger the haze in the air beca. It shimred faintly, almost like smoke, but thicker. My skin prickled with unease.
And then I saw him.
Liam.
He stood at the far edge of the corridor, his back half-turned to , staring into nothing. His eyes glowed faintly, unfocused, like soone lost in a trance.
"Liam?" I whispered.
He didn’t answer.
For a heartbeat, I thought about stepping closer—but sothing deep inside scread don’t.
My wolf growled low. He’s not alone.
I glanced around, and though I couldn’t see anyone else, I felt them. The presence. Watching. Waiting.
That was when I realized the truth.
This wasn’t about . It was about them. Thorne. Kiel. Varen.
Whoever was behind this didn’t just want to destroy —they wanted to destroy the Alphas through .
And I was the only one who could stop it.
I backed away quietly, my pulse racing, and slipped back into my room without a sound. I locked the door, leaning against it as my breath ca in sharp, uneven bursts.
I didn’t sleep that night. Every creak of the floorboards, every whisper of the wind made flinch. By dawn, my eyes burned from exhaustion, but my mind was clear.
I had to tell Thorne.
When he found the next morning, I was already dressed. He looked tired, but there was sothing urgent in his eyes.
"The seer’s here," he said. "She’s waiting for us at the cottage."
I followed him silently through the forest path that led to the old seer’s ho. The air felt colder the deeper we went, thick with the scent of moss and rain.
When we reached the small stone cottage, the door creaked open before we even knocked.
Inside, the seer sat hunched over a small fire, her eyes wide and glassy, lips moving rapidly as she muttered to herself.
"Seer?" I called softly. "We ca to—"
She gasped, cutting off, her gaze darting toward the door. "He’s here," she whispered. "He’s already here."
Thorne frowned. "Who?"
The woman’s voice trembled. "It’s too late... it’s ti..."
"Ti for what?" I asked, stepping closer, my pulse quickening.
But before she could answer, the air in the cottage shifted. A strange energy crawled across my skin, thick and suffocating.
The door behind us slamd open.
A woman stood there—dark-haired, cloaked, her eyes burning with unnatural fire.
The seer scread, stumbling back.
Thorne moved instantly, shoving behind him. His body vibrated with power, his voice a thunderous growl. "Leave," he snarled, eyes blazing. "Or you’ll die by my hands."
The witch smiled.
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