Page 117 of Shadowed Whispers

With a sudden burst of speed, he swings the light pen at me again, but this time, I’m ready. My shadow moves faster than I ever thought possible, intercepting the beam and deflecting it away. Marcus stumbles back, momentarily disoriented.

“Give it up, Marcus,” I say, my voice calm and steady. “You can’t win this.”

His sneer returns, more feral and desperate. “We’ll see about that.” His laughter rolls over the dark alley, and his eyes peer up at the eclipse that’s almost at its peak. “What your little friend didn’t tell you is that all shadow shifters can shift during the eclipse.”

My heart hammers in my chest, and my face falls. Licking my lips, I ask, “What do you mean?”

“Let me show you,” he taunts, then with a gleeful smile, he shrinks down on himself, practically melting into a dark blotchy puddle on the ground before rising up in a large wolf like the ones beside me.

Oh shit. He… He can shift into a shadow wolf.

The door to the bar opens and closes behind me. What are the odds it’s someone I know who can help me? Laughter rolls around me, and I know exactly who it is—Amanda and Chloe. I’m so fucked.

“Oh my gosh, look who’s in over her head,” Amanda sneers, her eyes gleaming with malice.

“Didn’t we always say she was a freak?” Chloe chimes in, her laughter high and cruel. “Guess she finally found her place among the monsters.”

My heart sinks, the realization hitting me like a ton of bricks. They won’t help me. They never intended to. They want me gone, and they think this is the best way to get rid of me.

Marcus, now a massive, dark wolf, circles me and my wolves, his red eyes glowing with predatory intent. His form is larger and more menacing than any shadow I’ve faced before, and my wolves bristle, their growls vibrating through the air.

“You’re not alone, Frankie,” Amanda mocks, her voice dripping with false sweetness. “You have your little pets, but let’s see how long they last.”

I grit my teeth, anger and fear boiling inside me. I can’t let them see me break. I can’t let Marcus win. Summoning all my strength, I direct my wolves to attack, their forms a blur of shadows as they move in sync with my will, but Marcus is prepared. He dodges their attacks with ease, his own movements fluid and deadly. He lands a heavy blow on one wolf, sending it sprawling to the ground.

Panic surges through me. My wolves are losing, and I’m running out of time.

“Is this all you’ve got?” Chloe laughs, her voice sharp and cutting. “Pathetic.”

Desperation claws at my throat as I struggle to maintain control. I need to think, need to find a way to turn the tide, but every time I try to focus, Marcus is there, tearing through my defenses, his laughter echoing in my ears.

My last wolf lunges at him, teeth bared, but Marcus catches it midair, his jaws closing around its throat. With a vicious shake, he tosses it aside, and it dissolves into shadows, leaving me completely exposed.

I’m alone. Truly alone.

Marcus turns his attention to me, his eyes glowing with triumph. “See, Frankie? You’re nothing without your shadows. Just a scared little girl.”

My knees buckle, and I fall to the ground, the weight of my failure crushing me. Amanda’s and Chloe’s laughs ring in my ears, a cruel reminder of my isolation. Tears sting my eyes as I realize no one is coming to help me. I’m on my own.

Marcus prowls closer, his form shifting back into his human shape. He towers over me, his sneer a twisted mask of satisfaction. “This is where you belong, on your knees and powerless.”

I close my eyes, my body trembling with fear and anger. I’ve never felt so alone, so utterly defeated. The darkness around me feels suffocating, pressing in on all sides.

“Look at her,” Amanda says, her voice dripping with contempt. “She thought she could be one of us. How pathetic.”

Chloe steps closer, her smile cold and cruel. “Goodbye, Frankie. This is the end for you.”

The words cut deep, and I feel my spirit breaking under the weight of their betrayal. I don’t know how to fight back. I don’t know if I can.

Amanda and Chloe share a malicious glance before they start to shift. Their forms blur and melt into the darkness, rising again as massive wolves, just like Marcus. They circle me, their eyes glowing with a malevolent gleam.

Everyone can shift.

Panic surges through me as they close in. My mind races, but I can’t see a way out. I’m surrounded, outnumbered, and completely outmatched. I scramble to my feet, backing away as they advance, their growls rumbling through the air.

“Run, Frankie,” Amanda taunts, her wolfish grin widening. “Run while you still can.”

Before I can move, she swipes at me, her claws slashing across my chest. For a moment, I freeze in shock before I feel the pain, then Chloe strikes, swiping across my abdomen.

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