Chapter 173: The Veil
Michelle
The night was cold enough to make my bones ache. I pulled the rough shawl tighter around my head, keeping my face buried deep beneath its shadows. My heart was hammering so loudly that I swore the wind could hear it. If Kiel had seen me—if he had even caught a glimpse of me near that damned window—it would all be over. Every plan, every lie, every ounce of control I had been clawing to keep from slipping.
I kept walking until my legs threatened to give out. The forest had always been my ally, the thick trees and whispering leaves hiding me from the pack’s watchful eyes. I’d chosen the old cabin near the creek as my temporary hideout. It wasn’t much—four crumbling walls, a leaky roof, and a half-broken fireplace—but it was far enough from the patrol routes to keep us safe. Or at least, I thought it was.
When I stepped inside, the flickering light from the fire instantly met my eyes. Liam was there, crouched low beside it, his face illuminated by the orange glow. His expression was tight, the muscles in his jaw flexing as he turned to look at me. His eyes, sharp and suspicious as ever, followed every movement I made.
"Where have you been?" His voice cut through the air like a blade.
I forced a shaky smile, keeping my tone as soft as possible. "I... went out to get something for us to eat. I thought we could use something warm tonight."
He didn’t believe me. I could tell by the way his eyes narrowed, the way his hands clenched into fists at his sides.
"You think I’m an idiot?" he snapped. "You think I don’t notice when you’re gone for more than an hour? You think I can’t smell the fear all over you?"
I froze. The fire popped, a sharp sound that echoed in the silence between us. I swallowed hard, keeping my voice steady. "You’re overreacting. I wasn’t doing anything stupid, Liam. I’m trying to make sure we survive this. You know I wouldn’t ruin everything we’ve worked for."
He stood, his tall frame casting a long shadow across the wall. "If you get us caught," he growled, "if you bring them here—then whatever happens next, you’ll have to face it alone. I won’t save you again, Michelle."
I turned my face away, pretending his words didn’t burn like acid. "I won’t destroy the plan," I muttered. "You need to trust me."
He grunted, clearly unconvinced, but said nothing more.
Silence filled the cabin, broken only by the crackle of the fire and the distant call of a wolf somewhere deep in the woods. My fingers trembled as I sat near the flames, rubbing warmth into my palms. But no matter how close I sat, the cold wouldn’t leave. It wasn’t the night—it was what I’d seen.
Kiel.
He had been standing there by the window, naked, his skin slick with sweat, his muscles flexing as he turned toward the sound. And Josie—she was with him. Her scent had filled the air like poison, intoxicating, suffocating. I’d known what was happening before I saw it. I’d felt it.
The way she looked at him... that witch had him wrapped around her finger now. She was sleeping with him. My Kiel. The Alpha who once swore that no woman could make him weak.
I clenched my jaw so hard it hurt. The image burned behind my eyelids. Her gasps, his groans—it made my blood boil. How dare she? How dare he? After everything I had done, everything I had sacrificed, Kiel had chosen her.
He would pay for that. They both would.
Liam was still sitting by the fire, staring into the flames as if they held all the answers. I could feel his energy pulsing through the air—cold, unrelenting. He didn’t care about Josie or Kiel. He only cared about the plan. About power. But me? I cared about vengeance. I wanted to make Kiel beg for me again. I wanted Josie’s magic for myself. I wanted her broken.
"Go to sleep," Liam muttered after a while, his voice low, distant.
"I’m not tired," I lied.
"You need to rest," he said more firmly. "You’ll need your strength soon enough."
I didn’t argue. Instead, I stretched out on the cot in the corner, pretending to close my eyes. His breathing eventually slowed, turning into a steady rhythm. Only then did I sit up again, quietly wrapping the shawl around my shoulders and moving toward the door.
The night air hit me like ice, and I shivered. But I couldn’t stay inside—not when my head was filled with so much rage and chaos. I walked aimlessly for a few minutes, until something made me stop.
A shape.
A tall, familiar figure stood by the tree line. My breath caught in my throat.
No. It couldn’t be.
But it was.
"Father?" I whispered, moving toward him. The sight of him made my chest tighten. His hair was streaked with grey now, his face gaunt and tired, but his eyes—those same piercing eyes that once commanded a pack—still held that same power.
He sighed heavily when he saw me. "You’re doing this again?" His voice was soft, disappointed. "Michelle, haven’t we lost enough? You’re chasing ghosts."
I shook my head violently. "No. I’m not done. Not yet."
"You can’t win this war," he said. "You’ve already seen what they’re capable of. You’ve already lost your standing, your home, your future. Let it go."
"I can’t!" I snapped, my voice cracking. "I can’t, Father! I won’t! Kiel was mine before she came along. He looked at me like I was the only one in the room. And then she shows up, and suddenly, I’m nothing?"
"Michelle—"
"No!" My hands were shaking now. "You think I don’t know what I’ve lost? I’m reminded of it every single day! I see them together and it makes me sick. She took everything from me, Father—everything! My life, my power, my pride. I’ll take it back. I’ll make her pay for every tear I’ve shed!"
He stepped closer, his voice trembling. "You’re losing yourself. Don’t you see it? You’re not fighting for love anymore. You’re fighting for obsession."
I laughed bitterly. "Call it whatever you want. I call it justice."
His expression softened for a moment, the firelight reflecting off his tired eyes. "Please, Michelle. Stop this before it consumes you completely."
But I was already too far gone.
"I’m going to make sure the Alphas become mine again," I said, my tone sharp and unwavering. "I don’t care what it takes. I’ll use Liam to do it if I must. I’ll use anyone who stands in my way."
He shook his head slowly. "You’re walking down a path that ends in blood."
"Then so be it."
He stared at me for a long moment before turning away, disappearing back into the shadows like a ghost. My heart raced as the wind howled through the trees. I stood there trembling, my breath fogging in the cold air, every word he said echoing inside my mind.
"Michelle."
I froze. Liam’s voice came from behind me, rough and angry. My heart sank.
He had followed me.
I turned around quickly, pulling the shawl tighter around me. "Liam, I—"
"Have you gone mad?" he cut in, striding toward me. "You’re out here screaming in the middle of the night like a lunatic! Do you want the whole forest to hear you?"
I swallowed hard, forcing my voice to stay calm. "I wasn’t talking to anyone. I just—needed air."
"Air?" He let out a dark chuckle. "You were shouting about Kiel and Josie. Don’t think I didn’t hear you."
I clenched my fists, feeling the rage rise again. "I want to take all her powers," I hissed through my teeth. "I’m tired of hiding. Tired of waiting for the perfect moment. I can’t sit here while she takes everything that’s supposed to be mine!"
Liam’s gaze was sharp, calculating. "Then you’ll need to go back," he said slowly.
I blinked. "What?"
"To the pack house," he clarified. "But not as Michelle. You’ll need another face, another scent. I’ll help you create a camouflage. We’ll do it carefully, under my guidance this time."
I hesitated, my mind spinning. "You think I can just walk back in there? After everything that’s happened?"
He stepped closer, lowering his voice. "You’re not walking in as yourself. You’ll go in as someone new. Someone harmless. You’ll get close to Josie. Close enough to steal what you need."
A slow, wicked smile crept across my lips. "And what will I have to do?"
He smirked faintly. "Just play your part. Let me worry about the rest."
The firelight from the cabin flickered behind him, casting long shadows across his face. For the first time that night, I felt something that almost resembled hope. Twisted, dangerous hope.
"Alright," I said softly. "But this time, we do it my way. I’m not letting her slip through my fingers again."
Liam’s eyes gleamed. "Fair enough. Just remember, Michelle—when you play with magic that isn’t yours, the cost is always higher than you think."
I looked past him toward the darkness of the forest, the wind tugging at my shawl. "I’m willing to pay any price," I whispered.
Because I’d already lost everything.
And I wasn’t leaving this world until Josie did too.