Page 116 of Shadowed Whispers

Taking a deep breath, I feel my way to the door, the cool metal handle solid under my fingers. I hesitate for a moment, Matteo’s words echoing in my mind, but the pull of the unknown is too strong to resist. I turn the handle slowly, easing the door open just enough to slip outside.

The night air is cold against my skin, and the silence is eerie, broken only by distant sounds of laughter and music. The moon, nearly covered by the eclipse, casts a surreal, dim light over everything, painting the world in shades of gray. I move cautiously, sticking to the shadows, my senses on high alert.

I round the corner of the building, peering into the alley where Matteo stood moments before. My heart skips a beat when I see him, his form tense as he faces off against the shadowy figure I glimpsed earlier. At least I’m pretty sure it’s him. The figure is even more terrifying up close, its form shifting and writhing as if it’s made of pure darkness.

Matteo stands his ground, his body poised and ready, but he doesn’t see me. I should go back inside like he told me, but I can’t. I need to know what’s happening. I need to understand this world that’s been hidden from me.

As I take a cautious step forward, a twig snaps under my foot. The sound is deafening in the quiet night, and both Matteo and the shadowy figure whip around to face me. For a heartbeat, everything is still, and then chaos erupts.

The shadowy figure lunges toward me, its eyes glowing red with malevolent intent. Matteo shouts something, but I can’t make out the words over the roar of my fear. Instinctively, I raise my hands, as if to ward off the attack, and something within me responds.

My shadow rises from my feet, and my wolves, the ones who have been protecting me my entire life, materialize from the ground and step in front of me. Their forms are dark and solid, their eyes glowing with a fierce light. I drop my arms, watching as the beast steps out of the shadows. It’s almost triple the size of my wolves. It sniffs the air and creeps closer.

I stand frozen until a buzz ripples through the air. It’s one of those light pens that Dorian had, and Matteo uses it. The beast roars and takes off, its form dissolving into the darkness.

My heart pounds as Matteo steps out of the shadows. I can’t hide my wolves from his eyes. When the form emerges from the darkness, I realize I’ve made a grave mistake.

It isn’t Matteo. Hell, it isn’t any of my guys.

It’s Marcus.

He steps into the dim light, his face partially obscured by the shifting shadows. His expression is unreadable, but his eyes lock onto mine with an intensity that sends a chill down my spine.

Chapter 40

Frankie

Marcus sneers in the dim light, a pen clutched in his hand. “Well, well, well,” he drawls, his voice dripping with mockery. “Look who finally figured it out. You’re not even human, but a shadow shifter. Took you long enough, didn’t it?”

My heart hammers in my chest as I stare at him, the reality of my situation crashing down around me. I’m a shadow shifter. The truth now blazes through my mind with undeniable clarity.

“What do you want, Marcus?” I ask, trying to keep my voice steady despite the fear and anger boiling inside me. I barely hide my smile. It’s the perfect night to hunt, and it’s been so long since I’ve taken out the trash. All my fear evaporates in that moment.

“What do I want?” He chuckles darkly, waving the light pen in the air. “Isn’t it obvious? I want to watch you squirm. I want to see you suffer for all the trouble you’ve caused.”

“I haven’t done anything to you,” I snap, my hands clenching into fists at my sides. “You’re the one who’s been hurting people, abusing your power.”

“Oh, don’t play innocent with me,” he sneers, taking a step closer. “You think you’re so special, just because you can shift here with the rodents, but you’re just a freak, Frankie—a freak who doesn’t belong anywhere.”

His words cut deep, but they also ignite a spark of defiance within me. I’ve spent too long feeling lost and powerless, but now, I have something he can never take away from me—my true nature, my power.

“I’m not a freak,” I say, my voice growing stronger. “I’m a shadow shifter, and I’m not afraid of you.”

Marcus’s eyes narrow, his grip tightening on the light pen. “Oh really? We’ll see about that.” He lunges at me, the pen’s light flashing dangerously close to my face. I instinctively raise my hands, and my shadow rises with me. My wolves, my protectors, surge forward, their forms solidifying from the darkness around us.

Marcus’s eyes widen in shock, but he quickly recovers, a vicious grin spreading across his face. “So you’ve got some tricks up your sleeve. Doesn’t matter. I know how to deal with your kind.”

He activates the light pen, its beam cutting through the air. My wolves snarl, retreating slightly but not backing down. The light doesn’t seem to affect them as much as it did the beast from before, but it still makes them uneasy.

“You think that little toy is going to save you?” I taunt, stepping forward. My confidence grows with every passing second, the power of my shadow shifting coursing through me. “You don’t know what you’re dealing with, Marcus.”

“Oh, I think I do,” he retorts, his voice trembling with barely contained rage. “You’re just a scared little girl playing with shadows, and you know nothing about the world you were born into.”

Born? I brush the thought away even though it makes my hands sweat. I take another step forward, my wolves flanking me, their eyes glowing with an inner light.

“I’m not scared,” I declare, meeting his gaze. “Not of you.”

He snarls, his face contorting with fury. “You should be!”

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