The Three Who Chose Me
Chapter 54: Shadows in the Truth

Chapter 54: Shadows in the Truth

Varen

I paced the length of my room for the tenth time, my bare feet echoing against the stone floor. The moonlight filtered in through the tall window, casting a silver glow across the walls. Josie had finally fallen asleep a little while ago—if that fragile state of unconsciousness could even be called sleep. Her body had curled so tightly into itself, and she kept murmuring under her breath, things she probably didn’t even realize she was saying.

But I heard them. I heard every damn word.

"She said they didn’t tell her to play," I muttered, running a hand through my hair in frustration. My jaw clenched as I turned and paced again. "She said it wasn’t them."

Thorne exhaled from his spot on the edge of the bed. "She was hallucinating again, Varen. She’s not lucid."

"And you think that makes it less important?" I snapped, rounding on him. "You think the words of someone who’s sick don’t carry weight? She’s not stupid. That girl remembers more than she lets on."

"Varen," Kiel spoke from near the window, arms crossed over his chest. "She’s been saying all sorts of strange things. Half the time she doesn’t know what’s real. You’re digging too deep."

I narrowed my eyes at them both. "You two are acting like you’re sure—like you’re one hundred percent convinced her parents were the ones who pushed her. But tell me this: did we see them do it? Did we catch them? Or did we just assume it?"

Thorne stood, face tightening. "They admitted their hatred. They had the motive. They practically confessed—"

"They said they hated her, yeah," I interrupted, voice low and sharp. "But they also said if it had been them, she wouldn’t be alive. They would’ve killed her outright. Do you remember that?"

Thorne flinched but didn’t answer.

"I do," I went on, voice rising. "And maybe they were telling the truth. Maybe they weren’t the ones who told her to go to the edge. Maybe someone else did. Someone she trusted."

Kiel rubbed his face. "You’re reading too much into this. The guilt is messing with her head."

"No," I said coldly. "She’s not just guilty. She’s scared. And you didn’t see the way her whole body reacted when she talked about falling again. It was like she was reliving it—not confused. Certain."

Thorne started pacing now. "Even if she’s right, what the hell are you suggesting? That someone else in this Pack—someone close—was the one who tried to kill her? That we executed the wrong people?"

"I’m saying we should be asking better questions," I ground out.

Thorne paused, then scowled. "What questions? From who?"

I looked up. "Marcy."

That name lit a fire behind Thorne’s eyes. "Absolutely not. She’s unstable. She accused us of trying to kill our own mate and tried to keep Josie from us!"

Kiel let out a bitter chuckle. "Sounds familiar, doesn’t it, Thorne? How many times have you accused people without proof?"

Thorne turned on him. "Don’t start with me, Kiel."

"I’ll start and finish, brother," Kiel snapped. "Because you’re doing the same thing now. Shutting down the one person who might know something."

I held up a hand. "Enough. I’m not doing this with both of you. We’re calling her. And if she says anything useful, then we follow it. If not, then you can gloat and go back to pretending we’ve fixed everything."

Thorne muttered something under his breath but didn’t object further.

Kiel nodded once. "Fine. But I swear, if this turns into another shouting match, I’m done."

We summoned Marcy.

She walked in, guarded. Limping slightly, still recovering from the pool incident. Her eyes found mine first, but they didn’t hold any warmth. She was exhausted and pissed off—and I couldn’t blame her.

"I’m not here to fight," I said simply, motioning for her to sit. "I just want to talk."

She crossed her arms instead. "Talk? After everything you all did?"

"This isn’t about us," I replied. "It’s about Josie."

Her expression faltered for a split second.

"We want to know what she told you," Kiel said, tone calm but stern. "Exactly what she said. No embellishments."

Marcy’s lip curled. "Why? So you can twist my words and make me look like the bad guy again?"

Thorne growled low in his throat. "Watch your mouth."

"Or what?" she snapped, glaring at him. "You’ll hit me again?"

He stepped forward, but I blocked him with an arm. "Enough."

I turned back to Marcy. "We’re not asking you to trust us. Just tell us the truth. Did Josie say anything—anything—that made you think someone else might’ve been involved in the fall?"

Marcy was quiet for a long time. Her eyes flicked to each of us, calculating.

"I won’t be your scapegoat," she finally whispered. "I won’t lie for you, and I won’t be quiet to protect you."

"We’re not asking you to do either of those things," I said.

She exhaled, looking at the ground. "She said... Michelle. She said Michelle attacked her."

The air in the room froze.

Thorne stepped forward, jaw clenched. "You’re lying."

"I’m not!" Marcy snapped, her voice breaking. "She said Michelle pushed her. She said it just once—when she was crying and shaking. And then she took it back. She got scared. She didn’t want to say more."

Kiel looked stunned. "And you didn’t think to tell us?"

Marcy wiped a tear from her cheek, chin trembling. "Why would I? You’ve never believed anything I’ve said. You think I’m a joke. You think I’m some jealous, clingy friend. No one ever listens to me."

"You should’ve told us anyway," Thorne hissed. "This could’ve changed everything."

Varen stepped between them. "She just did tell us. And we’re listening now."

Marcy turned away. "Too little, too late."

We didn’t get to say anything else. A knock came at the door, followed by one of the guards stepping in.

"The Elders are here," he announced solemnly. "They’ve come to question the Alphas."

"What?" Kiel barked. "Why?"

The guard hesitated. "They say... it’s about Josie. About her mental state."

My heart dropped.

"They think we’ve been hiding her illness," the guard continued. "They want answers."

We all exchanged a grim look.

Shit.

They knew.

And we were about to be dragged into a storm bigger than any of us had prepared for.