Page 114 of Shadowed Whispers

“It can be,” he agrees, his fingers tracing patterns on my lower back, “but only if you don’t know what you’re looking for.”

“What if you do?” I ask, my heart pounding.

“Then,” he says, his voice dropping to a seductive whisper, “you might be able to understand them and see them for who they really are.”

His words hang in the air, heavy with meaning. I feel a strange connection to the story, like there’s something I’m missing, something just out of reach.

“Do you believe in the magic you speak of?” I ask, searching his eyes for answers.

As the first shadow crosses the moon, casting the world into darkness, Matteo’s hold on me tightens. I lean into him, feeling the steady beat of his heart against mine. The cool night air wraps around us, but Matteo’s warmth is all I notice. Somewhere inside, cheers rise until they fade away and then rise again, only louder. Everyone must have gone out front to witness the eclipse.

“I believe in a lot of things, Frankie,” he continues, his voice a low murmur. “Sometimes, the truth is hidden in plain sight. You just have to know where to look.”

His words stir something deep inside me, a feeling I can’t quite explain. I gaze up at him, trying to decipher the meaning behind his cryptic tale.

“You know,” Matteo says, looking back at the sky, “there’s more to the legend. They say that the hidden, when they reveal their true form, can possess incredible power, but only if they embrace who they are.”

“Incredible power?” I echo, my curiosity intensifying. “Like what?”

“Like the ability to move through the shadows and become one with the darkness,” he explains, his gaze locking onto mine. “To protect themselves and those they care about.”

I swallow hard, the weight of his words sinking in. “And how do they embrace who they are?”

He smiles a slow, knowing smile that sends another shiver down my spine. “By understanding their true nature and accepting it. Only then can they harness their full potential.”

The air around us grows colder as the eclipse progresses, but I hardly notice. Matteo’s presence, his warmth, and the intensity of his gaze keep me grounded.

“Matteo,” I whisper, my voice barely audible, “why are you telling me this?”

“Because,” he says, cupping my cheek, his thumb gently brushing my skin, “I want you to know that you’re not alone. That whatever happens, you have the strength to face it.”

His words are like a lifeline, anchoring me in the midst of my confusion and fear. I lean into his touch, finding comfort in the warmth of his hand.

“Thank you,” I murmur, closing my eyes as I savor the moment. The night is still, the sounds of the party distant, as if we are in our own world.

“You never have to thank me,” he says, closer than he was a moment ago. A flutter rises in my stomach, and my eyes snap open when his lips brush across mine.

Matteo swallows my gasp of surprise as he kisses me. It’s both a shock and a relief—a shock because I wanted him to kiss me, and relief because I worried he wasn’t interested in me. Although Leo and Bishop are both into me, I can’t help but want Matteo too.

And maybe Dorian, but that love triangle is a problem for future Frankie. Right now, I want to live in the present with Matteo.

Matteo, who is kissing me with a slow passion that makes my toes curl.

The warmth of his body, the taste of cinnamon on his lips, and the electric connection between us consume me. With a growl, he deepens the kiss, his tongue diving into my mouth and stealing every reservation I’ve ever had. Matteo makes me feel safe, cherished, and protected. He’s the only one who has given me anything more than vague reassurances, and maybe he doesn’t have all the answers, but what matters right now is that he tried.

I nearly climb him, my tongue plunging into his mouth to chase the cinnamon essence that is all Matteo. I swallow his growls of satisfaction and beg for more by pressing my body as close to his as humanly possible. His arms wrap around me, holding me as if he’s afraid to let go.

It still isn’t enough.

A sweeping growl that isn’t Matteo’s rolls over me, and I have to pull back.

“Did you hear that?” I ask, my voice trembling.

Matteo’s expression grows serious, his eyes scanning the shadows over my head. “Stay close,” he murmurs, his grip on me tightening.

I disentangle myself from him, my legs wobbly as he sets me down on my feet. Ever so slowly, I turn around, my body freezing with fear.

I fucking hate fear.

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