CHAPTER 191: INTO THE SHADOWS

Kiel

The night air was damp with the scent of moss and river silt. I could feel the cold pressing against my skin as the mist rolled in from the east. My heart hadn’t stopped pounding since the moment I saw the blood — Josie’s blood. It clung to my senses like iron and salt, a reminder that she was somewhere out there, hurt and alone. Every part of me burned to reach her, to find her, to make this right.

But Varen stood there like a damn rock in my path.

He hadn’t moved since the youth left, his arms folded, jaw tight. The torchlight flickered across his face, casting deep shadows beneath his eyes.

"Are you coming or not?" I snapped, my patience unraveling.

Varen exhaled slowly, his tone calm — too calm. "You’re imagining things again, Kiel."

I froze, then turned to face him fully. "Imagining things?" My voice was low, dangerous. "You think I imagined the blood? You think I imagined the memory that came with it?"

His gaze didn’t waver. "You’ve been through too much tonight. You’re exhausted, and your wolf’s agitated. You saw what you wanted to see."

The growl tore out of me before I could stop it. "Don’t patronize me, Varen! I know what I saw! Josie’s alive, and she’s in Shadow Pack territory."

He shook his head, disbelief etched across his features. "That’s impossible. The Shadow Pack doesn’t let outsiders in, not even rogues. And Liam? He wouldn’t have the nerve to go there."

I laughed bitterly, running a hand through my hair. "You don’t know Liam like I do. That bastard fooled all of us once. He pretended to be loyal, harmless — even kind. If he could do that, he can do this."

Varen’s eyes hardened. "You’re reaching. You’re letting guilt make you desperate."

The words hit a nerve. I stepped closer until our chests nearly brushed. "Desperate?" I hissed. "She’s my mate. She’s bleeding out there, and you’re standing here lecturing me about logic. If it were your mate, would you be so calm?"

Varen’s jaw tightened, but he didn’t answer. The silence stretched between us like a taut wire, ready to snap.

I shoved past him and started toward the river. "Fine. Stay here if you want. I’m going to find her — with or without you."

"Kiel—"

"Don’t," I cut him off, my voice sharp. "I don’t need your permission. I don’t need your doubt. I’m going."

I motioned for the warriors to follow. "Split into two groups," I ordered. "Half of you guard the border. The rest come with me. We head north until the river bends. From there, we cross."

The men hesitated, glancing between me and Varen. They wanted to obey both of us — but Varen’s silence gave them their answer. They followed me.

The forest thinned as we approached the docks. The moonlight painted the river silver, its slow current whispering against the wooden posts. I could hear the frogs croaking, the soft rush of reeds brushing the surface. But under it all was a pulse, faint but real — Josie’s scent still clung to my soul.

She was close.

I stepped into the boat, pushing off from the bank. The wood creaked beneath me as the river took hold. My hands trembled on the oar. I wasn’t sure if it was rage or fear. Maybe both.

Varen’s voice echoed behind me. "You’ll drown before you reach their borders."

I didn’t look back. "Then I’ll drown trying."

I rowed harder, my muscles screaming. The mist thickened, wrapping the river in a ghostly veil. Every push of the oar felt heavier, like the water itself wanted to pull me back. But I couldn’t stop. Not now.

"Damn it, Kiel!"

The boat rocked slightly as Varen’s voice grew closer. I turned just as a heavy thud sounded behind me.

He’d jumped in.

I blinked, startled. The boat swayed under his weight, water sloshing against the edges. He stood tall, soaked to the knees, glaring at me.

"What the hell are you doing?" I asked.

Varen grabbed an oar and sat opposite me. "You’re not going alone."

I frowned, still catching my breath. "I thought you said I was imagining things."

"I did," he said flatly, starting to row. "And maybe you are. But I’m not about to sit back and watch another brother die chasing ghosts."

Something loosened in my chest — something small, stupid, and warm. Relief, maybe. But I shoved it down quickly, not wanting him to see it.

"Fine," I muttered. "Just try to keep up."

He snorted. "I’ve always been the faster one."

The tension between us eased, just a little, replaced by something raw but familiar — the stubborn brotherhood that had always pulled us back together no matter how much we fought.

We rowed in silence for a while, the river swallowing the sound of our breaths. The mist clung to our clothes, beading on our skin. My hands ached from gripping the oar, but I didn’t care. Every stroke forward meant we were closer to Josie.

I could still feel her through the faint threads of the bond — a whisper, fragile and fading. She was weak. That alone fueled me more than anything else.

After a long silence, Varen spoke quietly. "You really think she’s there?"

I nodded, eyes fixed on the black horizon. "I don’t think, Varen. I know."

He sighed, shaking his head. "You’re going to get us both killed."

"Then at least it’ll be for something that matters."

He didn’t answer, and I didn’t expect him to. We both knew that even if he didn’t believe me, he’d follow anyway. That’s who Varen was — loyal even when it hurt.

The river grew rougher as we neared the bend. The current pulled at us, strong and unyielding. The air tasted like metal and rain. I could sense the Shadow Pack’s border close — a coldness that crept along the edges of my mind, warning us we were crossing into danger.

The mist shifted suddenly, and I saw the faint outline of a stone bridge ahead. Moss-covered, old — and guarded.

Varen saw it too. "They’re patrolling already," he murmured.

I smiled grimly. "Good. That means we’re close."

"Close to dying, you mean."

I ignored the jab and focused on the distant lights flickering across the water. Somewhere beyond that bridge was Josie — bleeding, scared, maybe calling out for me. The thought twisted my gut. I rowed faster.

The boat scraped the shore, and we stepped out quietly. My boots sank into the mud, cold water seeping through the seams. Varen adjusted his cloak and glanced at me.

"What’s the plan?"

I exhaled. "Get in. Get her. Get out."

He arched a brow. "Brilliant. You always had a talent for suicidal simplicity."

I glared at him. "Do you want to stay behind?"

He smirked faintly. "Not a chance."

For a moment, neither of us moved. The moon broke through the fog, lighting the river like spilled mercury. I could see the reflection of my own face — tired, bruised, but burning with one thing: determination.