Chapter 148: Branded by Truth
Josie
I pressed the heel of my hand against my forehead, trying to soothe the pounding headache that throbbed behind my eyes. Kiel and Thorne were at it again, snapping at each other like wolves in a fight ring. Their voices crashed into one another, harsh and unrelenting, neither willing to back down.
"I don’t owe you anything," Kiel barked at Thorne, his arms folded tight across his chest. His voice was sharp, heavy with stubbornness.
Thorne’s eyes narrowed, his jaw ticking. "You’d rather choke on your pride than admit I saved your stubborn hide during the investigation?"
"You call that saving?" Kiel shot back, scoffing. "You just—"
"Enough," I whispered at first, but the sound was swallowed by their growls.
The headache worsened. My temples throbbed like a drumbeat. I lifted my hand weakly and forced my voice louder. "Please. Stop. I can’t—my head."
Their argument stuttered to a halt. Kiel’s sharp glare lingered on Thorne for a moment before he finally looked at me. His face softened. "Josie..."
I shook my head, cutting him off before he could say more. My throat was dry, but I made myself speak. "You two fighting won’t change what’s already done. Thorne, Kiel... the truth is out. That’s all that matters now." I forced a small breath past the ache in my chest. "I’m glad it was uncovered, even if it came at a cost. I never want anyone else to go through what I did."
Kiel stepped closer, his voice lower now, laced with protectiveness. "No one will. I’ll make sure of it."
His certainty should have been a comfort, but there was no true comfort left in words. Still, I nodded faintly, because I wanted to believe him.
Thorne’s voice cut through the brief silence, calm but firm. "We can’t stop here. The findings need to be made public."
My stomach twisted. "Public?"
"Yes." He stepped forward, his dark gaze steady on mine. "Michelle is still out there. Declaring her wanted is the next step. And you—" His voice lowered, weighty with purpose. "You need to be prepared for the announcement."
I blinked at him. "I don’t understand. Why me?"
Thorne didn’t flinch. "Because you stopped Kiel from speaking the full truth. You’ve hidden enough. The people deserve to know exactly what you are, Josie. How powerful you are."
My lips parted, but no words came.
Varen, leaning against the wall, finally pushed himself forward, his brow creased with worry. "She might not be comfortable with that."
"Comfort," Thorne said sharply, "isn’t the point. With power comes responsibility. If Josie wants to see change—if she wants to protect anyone else from going through what she did—then she can’t hide any longer. The pack deserves to know who stands with them."
His words stung because they were true.
I bit my lip, my mind spiraling. All my life, I’d carried pieces of myself in shadows, covering them, pretending they didn’t matter. But Thorne was right. If I wanted to step forward, if I wanted to do anything meaningful, I couldn’t keep hiding.
I stared down at my hands. They didn’t look like much—just hands, fragile, trembling slightly—but I knew what they could do. What I could do.
I lifted my chin slowly, meeting Thorne’s gaze. "You’re right."
Kiel’s head snapped toward me. "Josie, you don’t have to—"
"I do," I interrupted softly, but with resolve. "I need to. For myself."
Varen frowned, stepping closer. "Are you sure about this?"
I nodded. "Yes. I’ve run from who I am for too long."
Kiel’s jaw tightened, but he didn’t argue further. He just gave me a look filled with protectiveness and frustration all tangled together.
When the brothers left the room, the silence that followed felt heavy. I walked slowly to the window, leaning against the frame. The world outside was quiet, deceptively peaceful.
I exhaled, whispering to myself. "If only I’d been strong enough to end her." Michelle’s face burned in my mind, cold and cruel, her laugh echoing in memory. The thought made my hands curl into fists. "Next time, she won’t take me. Next time, I’ll be ready. I’ll make her regret even thinking about me."
A small fire lit in my chest, one that didn’t feel fragile anymore.
I straightened, determination replacing the ache. I didn’t need tutors or whispers of guidance anymore. No. I would train with my mates, and I would become strong enough to stand on my own feet. Strong enough to protect.
The next day came faster than I wanted. My body still ached with leftover weakness, but I forced myself to stand. Forced myself to dress, to walk, to lift my chin and face the morning as if it couldn’t crush me.
The crowd gathered in the open square. The air buzzed with unease, tension, fear. They knew something was coming; they just didn’t know what.
Thorne stood tall at the front, his voice carrying effortlessly over the crowd when he began to speak. The restless murmur stilled, as though the weight of his authority pressed their lips shut. He spoke of the investigation, of the truth uncovered, of Michelle’s betrayal and the danger she posed.
And then his voice sharpened. "From this day forward, Michelle is declared wanted. She will not rest among us, nor will she ever be welcome in this pack again."
Murmurs rippled through the crowd, anger mixed with fear.
One man’s voice rose above the rest. "She won’t dare show her face here again! If she does, she’ll pay for the unrest she caused!"
Others shouted in agreement, voices hard with fury.
I watched them, my stomach in knots. Their rage was justified, but the fire of it still made me uneasy.
Then Thorne’s hand lifted, silencing them again. His eyes flicked toward me, and his voice lowered just enough for only those near to hear. "It’s your turn now, Josie."
My heart lurched.
"I can’t..." I whispered.
"You must," he said, unyielding. "It’s your truth. No one else can speak it for you."
My legs felt like stone as I stepped forward. A hundred eyes pierced me at once, heavy, expectant. My hands trembled slightly at my sides, but I forced myself to breathe.
"My name is Josie," I began, my voice quiet. Too quiet. I swallowed and lifted my chin. "The Moon Goddess... blessed me. She gave me power." My throat tightened, but I pushed the words out. "I can command nature. I can call upon animals. I can use these gifts to protect this pack from anything that threatens us."
Silence.
Every heartbeat echoed like thunder in my ears.
Then, sharp as a knife, a voice cut through the quiet.
"She’s a witch!"
The words slammed into me like a blow.