CHAPTER 105: UNDER PRESSURE

Josie

I swallowed hard, feeling the lump in my throat drag down like a stone sinking into dark water. The heaviness of it made my chest ache, and I could almost hear the sound of my own pulse thudding in my ears. My lips parted to respond, to defend myself, but Varen’s sharp voice sliced through the air before I could even form the first word.

"What the hell were you thinking making Michelle stay back?"

It wasn’t just the words—it was the bite in his tone, the way it carried that edge of authority that was meant to cut, to force obedience. The question landed like a slap across my face, so sudden it stole the breath from me for a second. My stomach twisted in a hard knot, and my thoughts scattered like startled birds.

It was in that instant that I knew—truly knew—nothing was going to save me from the wrath of these brothers. Their eyes were on me like predators closing in, unyielding and heavy, pinning me in place as though I were prey that had made a fatal mistake.

A wave of weakness swept over me, heavier than anything I’d felt in a long time. My knees felt hollow, my fingers cold despite the heat in the room. It took everything in me not to let that weakness show. I forced my shoulders back, inhaling slowly, making my breathing measured even though my chest felt tight. I clamped down on the emotions pressing hard against my composure—anger, hurt, frustration—sealing them away.

"I had a plan," I said finally, making my voice sound steadier than I felt. "A plan to expose Michelle. And for that to work, I needed Michelle to stay. You need to trust the process, so that everything will fall into place."

The silence that followed was sharp enough to make my skin prickle. Varen didn’t answer right away. Instead, he studied me with eyes that seemed to strip my words apart, searching for weakness, for cracks in the truth.

"Are you sure about what you’re saying?" he asked finally, voice low and deliberate. Each syllable was a weight, a test I could fail at any moment.

"Yes," I said quickly—too quickly. The word felt almost like a reflex, like an instinctive shield I’d thrown up before I could think. "I’m sure."

But that certainty didn’t seem to ease the tension in him. Varen leaned forward slightly, his presence suddenly larger, heavier, filling my space. "You need to understand something, Josie—the whole thing is not as it seemed anymore. There’s a lot you need to consider."

That last line hit me like a spark on dry kindling. My jaw tightened, heat blooming in my chest. "What exactly do I need to consider?" I asked, my tone sharper than I’d intended, the frustration threading itself through my words.

"You want to keep her here? Fine." I shook my head, more to myself than to him. "But don’t pretend Michelle wasn’t going to waltz in here like it was her second home anyway. She’s already everywhere she shouldn’t be. And the elders—" My voice faltered before the words came out harsher. "They’re mounting pressure on me."

That seemed to make him pause. "Mounting pressure?" Varen repeated slowly, his voice cooling into something far more calculating. "What do you mean by that?"

I let out a sharp sigh, trying to keep the irritation from spilling over. My tongue pressed against my teeth, holding back the harsher words I wanted to say. Before I could answer, Kiel stepped in, his voice calm but clipped.

"She’s talking about what happened earlier this morning," Kiel said, cutting through the tension. "It’s handled."

I turned on him, my patience fraying. "Handled? How exactly did you handle it, Kiel? Because last I checked, Michelle is still here—still creating chaos, still making things difficult for all of us."

Kiel’s jaw twitched, but he didn’t elaborate. That silence told me enough—whatever he’d done, it wasn’t enough to remove the problem.

Varen’s voice rose, heat flaring behind it. "And what about Liam, Josie? What’s your plan there?" His tone carried an edge that felt like an accusation all on its own. "If Michelle sees someone like him around, she’s going to ask questions. She’ll start snooping. And that"—his eyes hardened—"will be completely bad for you."

The truth of it sat between us like a stone dropped into still water, rippling outward. And for the first time since the argument began, I didn’t have a comeback. I hated that silence more than I hated their suspicion, but no words came.

The room stayed quiet for half a heartbeat—until the door creaked open.

"Who’s Liam?"

The voice was sweet, almost musical, but underneath it I could hear the sharpness—the false innocence sharpened to a fine point. My spine went rigid. I turned my head, and there she was. Michelle stood just inside the doorway, her hand resting lightly on the frame like she belonged there. Her head tilted slightly in mock curiosity, but her eyes... her eyes were gleaming, already hungry for trouble.

"Get out!"

The command ripped from my throat in perfect sync with Varen and Kiel. The force of our combined voices seemed to hit her like a wave.

Her expression faltered, her lips parting as if she might protest. Her lower lip trembled, just enough to look wounded—like she was seconds from crying. But I knew her better than that. This was a performance.

Still, she didn’t push it. After a tense pause, she stepped back, retreating into the hall without another word. The scent of her perfume—sickly sweet, cloying—lingered in the air after she’d gone, an unwelcome reminder.

Varen’s voice snapped through the air, sharp and commanding. "Guards! Make sure she doesn’t come near this room again. For whatever reason."

"Yes, Alpha," came the muffled reply from the hallway.

I pressed my fingertips against my temples, trying to ease the pounding behind my eyes. My frustration was building, a relentless drumbeat in my head. Now that the room was clear again, I could see it all—what they’d been warning me about from the beginning. This wasn’t just about my plan anymore. This was a storm building on all sides, and Michelle was lightning striking closer and closer.

I turned back to Varen, meeting his gaze directly. My voice was tight, deliberate. "You have to make Liam more like you. Blend him in. Make him... unnoticeable."

Varen’s eyebrows lifted slightly, and he gave me a long, unreadable look. The weight of it pressed against my nerves, but I didn’t flinch.

"That’s not a suggestion," I said, my chin tilting up. "That’s an order—from your future Luna."