Chapter 146: Whispers of the Trees
Kiel
It had been three days since that scream. Three days since Josie vanished. Three days of silence echoing louder than any noise.
And in those three days, I hadn’t been able to do a single thing right. Every breath felt like failure. Every step reminded me that she was gone because of me. If I’d been sharper, stronger, if I’d paid more attention—she wouldn’t have been taken.
The guilt pressed down so heavily it felt like I was drowning in it. Sleep didn’t come easily. When it did, it was twisted with nightmares—Josie reaching out for me while shadows dragged her away. Each time I jolted awake, heart hammering, and cursed myself all over again.
That night was no different. I lay in bed, staring at the ceiling, when I felt it.
A voice. Not exactly a sound, not exactly a thought—something in between. It brushed against the edges of my mind like leaves rustling in a wind that shouldn’t exist inside a room.
I froze, breath caught in my throat.
Slowly, I climbed out of bed and padded barefoot to the window. My pulse was a steady drum against my ribs. I pushed the curtains aside, expecting... something. Someone. But the moonlit grounds outside were empty, still, the usual shadows dancing along the trees at the edge of the forest. Nothing unusual.
Frowning, I turned back—and nearly screamed.
There was a tree.
Inside my room.
It wasn’t possible, but there it was. Bark rough and gnarled, branches stretching almost to the ceiling, roots curling into the floorboards without breaking them. My heart leapt to my throat. I slapped a hand over my mouth to stifle the sound clawing up.
What the hell?
I forced myself to breathe. Forced myself to remember—this wasn’t danger. This was a call.
I swallowed hard and reached out with my gift. The one everyone thought was strange. The one even my brothers barely understood. The whisper of green, of life, of roots and sap and leaf.
The tree answered.
And in its voice, I heard her. Josie.
A shiver ran through me so sharp my knees nearly buckled. She had left a signal. A fragment of her essence woven into the trees. A desperate breadcrumb trail only I could follow.
I didn’t even stop to think.
I bolted out of my room, bare feet slapping the cold floor, and ran down the hall. The house was silent, dark except for the faint glow of torches outside. My fist slammed against my brothers’ door loud enough to rattle the hinges.
"Open up!" I barked, voice breaking with urgency.
The door swung open a moment later, and Thorne stood there, shirtless, hair messy from sleep, glaring daggers at me. Varen appeared behind him, rubbing his eyes, looking equally exhausted.
"What the hell is wrong with you?" Thorne growled. "Do you know what time—"
"I found something!" I cut him off, breathless, clutching the doorframe.
They both stared at me.
"I swear, Kiel," Thorne muttered, pinching the bridge of his nose, "if this is another one of your—"
"Shut up and listen!" I snapped. "Josie. I found a clue. A way to her."
That got their attention. Varen straightened immediately. "What do you mean?"
"The tree," I said, words tumbling out too fast. "She used the trees to send a signal. I heard her. She’s alive. She’s waiting. But we don’t have much time."
For a long beat, silence stretched between us.
Then Thorne barked out a laugh. "You woke us up in the middle of the night for this?" He shook his head, stepping back. "Unbelievable."
My hands clenched at my sides. "I’m not joking."
"Kiel," Thorne said, voice sharp with irritation. "I know you think your little... gift is special, but this isn’t the time for expensive jokes. We’ve been tearing apart the land for three days. Don’t start spouting nonsense about talking trees just because you’re desperate for hope."
The words burned. I could feel heat crawling up my neck. "You’ve always thought I was weird. Always thought my gift was a curse instead of a strength."
Thorne’s jaw tightened. "I have always fought for you. Don’t forget that."
"Fought for me?" I laughed bitterly. "You fought to hide the shame. To keep people from pointing out that your brother wasn’t normal. That he was the freak who heard voices in the woods."
Thorne’s eyes flashed, but before he could spit a reply, Varen shoved between us. "Enough!" His voice cracked through the tension like a whip. "Both of you, stop it. This isn’t about your pride or your grudges. Kiel—explain. If what you’re saying could lead us to Josie, then we need to hear it clearly."
My chest heaved. I forced the words out steady. "The tree said we only have tonight. If we don’t find her now, the trail will break. Every trace she left will vanish by dawn."
That stilled them both. Even Thorne’s anger flickered into something else—wariness, maybe even fear.
I pressed forward. "Do you think I’d risk this? Do you think I’d drag you out of bed if I wasn’t certain? Josie trusted me to hear her. I won’t ignore that."
For a long moment, Thorne didn’t speak. His eyes searched mine, hard and suspicious. Finally, he exhaled through his nose. "...If you’re wrong—"
"I’m not." My voice shook, but I didn’t let the conviction falter.
Varen nodded once. "Then we go."
We didn’t waste another second.
That night, I became the leader. Not Thorne, not Varen—me. For once, my strange, unwanted gift made me the one they had to follow.
I gathered the three Betas I trusted most, men who had never sneered at me for hearing whispers in the forest. They armed themselves quickly, and together we slipped into the night, the chill air biting our skin.
The forest welcomed me like an old friend. The leaves murmured as we passed, branches bowing slightly, roots shifting beneath the soil. Their voices braided together in my mind, urgent and anxious, urging me onward.
"She’s here," I whispered, more to myself than anyone else.
We pressed deeper, moonlight dappling through the canopy, our breaths puffing white in the cold. Every step quickened my heart, every whisper guided me further.
The trees led us to a clearing where an ancient oak stood, its trunk massive, bark scarred with age. I placed a hand against it, and the world tilted. Josie’s fear rushed through me, sharp and raw, and I nearly staggered from the force of it.
"She’s close," I gasped. "Inside. It’s here."
Thorne stepped forward, scowling. "Inside what?"
"The tree," I said, pressing my palm harder against the bark. The wood thrummed beneath my skin. "She’s inside."
There was a beat of stunned silence.
Then Thorne’s voice rang out, sharp and incredulous. "What the fuck?"