The Three Who Chose Me-Chapter 49: The Shadows That Follow

Josie

I woke up with a sharp gasp, my heart thundering in my chest like it wanted to rip its way out.

The room was too quiet.

Too still.

The absence of warmth beside me was like a slap. I jerked upright, the sheets tangling around my legs as panic bloomed inside me. Where were they? Where was Varen? Kiel? Thorne?

No footsteps. No scent. No presence.

Nothing.

A heavy weight dropped into my stomach, dragging my breath out of me.

And then it hit me. The memory. Like a storm cloud crashing into me—Kiel’s voice. His words. His mouth forming those horrible, horrible words.

We killed them.

I screamed.

My voice tore from my throat like it was trying to rip the truth out with it, but it didn’t help. It didn’t lessen the pain. It didn’t make the rising wave of terror slow down. It only made everything worse.

Suddenly, they were there.

My parents.

In the room.

In the corners.

By the windows.

Their faces looked the same and different all at once—sharpened features, cold eyes that pierced into me, hollow mouths curling into disgusted sneers.

"No..." I whispered, my hands flying up to my ears as if I could block them out. "No, you’re dead..."

"You killed us," my father said, his voice like gravel dragging along glass.

"You brought shame," my mother spat. "We gave you a real mate, and you spat on it. You rejected the path we chose for you. You chose filth over family."

"No!" I shouted, backing into the wall. My spine slammed into it, grounding me only for a second before I sank to the floor.

"You threw away everything we gave you," my father hissed. "Now you want to play the little Luna for three men who don’t even want you?"

"Stop it!" I sobbed, my arms wrapping tightly around myself as my shoulders shook. "They love me... they do..."

"You’re nothing," my mother sneered. "Just a slut in heat. They’ll get tired of you. Just like we were."

I screamed again and scrambled to my feet, sprinting out of the room. My breath came in painful, broken gasps as I tore down the hall, clawing at my own arms, trying to outrun the voices.

But I could still hear them—whispering, taunting, haunting.

"You should’ve died when they took you."

"You deserve to be alone."

"You’re cursed."

I stumbled to a stop as my eyes caught something ahead. My chest constricted. My legs almost gave out.

It was Thorne.

And Michelle.

She was laughing—laughing—and her hand was resting casually on his chest. His expression was soft, the kind he’d never worn for me. He leaned closer, and her smile widened as his hand slipped around her waist.

No. No, this couldn’t be real.

"THORNE!"

I screamed his name, my voice hoarse, raw.

He turned—his face a blur at first, then clearer—and in the next breath, I was in his arms. My nails dug into his shirt, my body trembling as I gasped, "Why were you with her? Why her?"

Thorne’s voice was low and careful. "Josie, breathe. Look at me. Just look at me, love."

I tried, but everything was spinning. My parents were behind him again, standing at the edges of my vision.

"She’s better than you," my father said flatly. "He doesn’t want you."

"You were always second choice," my mother chimed in, her voice laced with scorn.

"They’ll leave you. They’ll always leave you."

"No!" I clutched at Thorne’s shirt, sobbing into it. "Don’t listen to them! Please—tell me they’re wrong!"

"There’s no one here, Josie," Thorne said gently, cupping my face. "They’re not real. They’re gone."

I froze. The blood in my veins turned to ice.

"What?" I whispered.

"They’re not here," he repeated. "Whatever you’re seeing... hearing... it’s not real. They’re dead."

My eyes widened, and I shoved at his chest.

"You’re calling me crazy!" I shouted. "You think I’m insane!"

"No!" he growled, catching my wrists. "I never said that! I would never think that about you. You’re hurting, Josie. And you’re not alone in this."

"They were right there," I whispered. "I saw them. I heard them."

"You’re grieving. You’re in shock."

I shook my head. "I don’t believe you."

"Josie—"

"I don’t believe you!" I yelled, breaking free of his hold.

Then I ran.

My feet barely touched the ground as I flew through the halls, past faces I didn’t recognize, past walls that blurred together in a haze of fear and confusion. My breath came in painful bursts, my throat burned, and my head throbbed with the weight of everything I couldn’t make sense of.

By the time I slammed the door shut behind me, my room felt like the only place left I could hide.

I collapsed onto the floor, wrapping my arms around my knees.

The laughter started again—quiet this time. Subtle. Just outside the door.

Was it Thorne?

Was he laughing at me?

Was he watching me come undone?

More voices joined it.

I pressed my hands to my ears, rocking back and forth. "Stop it, stop it, stop it..."

A sudden bang made me jump out of my skin.

The door swung open.

I screamed.

"Don’t kill me!" I shouted, scrambling backward.

I couldn’t see clearly. There were shadows behind Thorne—shapes that could’ve been guards or demons or hallucinations. It didn’t matter. It didn’t matter anymore.

He took a step forward. I screamed louder.

He stopped.

"Josie, it’s me," Thorne said, holding his hands out.

But I didn’t believe him. I couldn’t. My mind wouldn’t let me.

"I SAID STAY AWAY!" I shrieked, my throat tearing open from the force of it.

His figure blurred. Shifted. Became two... three... and then one again. My heart pounded so hard I could feel it in my ears.

Everything spun.

Everything bled together.

The edges of the room curled like paper caught in flame.

"Make it stop," I whispered, barely able to hear myself. "Please..."

Strong arms caught me just before I hit the ground. My body convulsed, but I couldn’t tell if it was fear or exhaustion. Maybe both.

Voices rose—low, tense, angry.

But I couldn’t focus on them.

The last thing I saw was Thorne’s face hovering above me, mouth moving, but I couldn’t hear the words.

Then—

Nothing.

Just darkness.

And silence.