Page 62 of Shadowed Whispers

“No.” He turns around and begins to walk in the opposite direction again. This time, he’s heading for the tower.

“Dammit, Dorian, would you just listen to me?” I toss my words at his back like barbs just as the world crackles and rumbles. The ground beneath us shakes, and the horizon ripples.

He pauses, whether to hear me out or wait out the earthquake, I don’t know, but I take my chance.

“We need her.” I cut right to the chase. “She is our core.”

Dorian drops his head back to gaze at the sky before turning around. “She is not my core.”

“Don’t be ridiculous. It’s past time you chose a pack.” I step toward him. I knew my reason for coming back to Shadow Locke wouldn’t be easy, but I had to try.

Packs are failing, our world is dying, and no one has an answer.

All I know is that at the end of the day, if we are all to die, then I want it to be in the arms of my pack, and I will do anything to bring us together.

I didn’t know who would become a part of my pack years ago, only that they weren’t here yet, so I left.

I can feel them, each of them calling to me, and as I near Dorian, I feel our energy humming, yearning for the bond they deny. I need him to accept us and help me build our pack.

Dorian’s laughter rolls across the island, his head shaking in disbelief. “You’re a fool, Bishop. A pack?” He laughs again, only it’s humorless and full of spite. “You want to build a pack with her as the core? You are a fool.”

“Why?” I stand my ground because no matter what, I will bring the five of us together, even if it takes my last breath. “Why am I a fool for wanting what all of our kind has?”

“Our kind doesn’t rely on packs anymore, Bishop. The old ways have failed us,” Dorian argues, gesturing broadly to emphasize his point. “Look around you! The bonds that once held us together are slipping, weakening with each generation. They aren’t just failing to form, they are actively decaying. How can you not see that?”

“You truly believe it’s pointless?” I suck on my cheek. When did he become so pessimistic?

“You may have forgotten, but my family has been cursed for generations,” Dorian snaps, his voice laced with bitterness. “Every attempt to break it has ended in tragedy. My time is running out, Bishop. With each passing day, the world grows closer to ruin, and I must break this curse before it claims us. That’s why I can’t afford the distraction of your idealistic visions.”

I nearly roll my eyes at the mention of his curse. “Your ancestors haven’t broken it. What makes you believe you will?”

I wince at my harsh tone. As soon as the words leave my lips, I wish I could take them back. I can’t lose Dorian. We need him just as much as we need Frankie.

Well, I need him.

His jaw tightens, and his lip curls at me. “I suggest you enjoy your last days at Shadow Locke, Bishop Mercer.” He goes to turn around but pauses, glancing at the moon above. “And leave me the hell alone.”

He walks off, leaving me alone in the courtyard.

Fuck.

Another rumble ripples through the world, this one less powerful than the last but no less purposeful. Frustrated with Dorian’s obstinance, I invoke the ancient rite, feeling the familiar pull at my core as I transition back to the human realm. The change is instantaneous yet disorienting. I find myself standing in the same courtyard, but now surrounded by the gentle sounds of the human world.

“Bishop!”

Cursing under my breath, I turn to see Tori walking over from the parking lot, two of her friends flanking her. Her eyes light up when I look at her.

“Hey, you.” She steps close, laying a palm on my chest. It feels wrong, so damn wrong, and it makes my blood boil.

This is my mother’s doing. In an attempt to save our world, she began pushing packs together, hoping they’d form bonds. She’s a fool. Unless it’s organic, the bonds will never stick.

Victoria is her attempt to push me toward a core—a female who binds the men together. She is the glue that keeps the pack together, but I feel nothing for Tori despite my mother’s wishes.

If only I could get the others on board, and then we could work on Frankie together, and help her access the veil and her full potential, but she hasn’t, not yet, and my mother grew tired of waiting.

“Tori.” I grip her hands, pulling them from my chest.

“I’m glad I found you. What are your plans for the eclipse?” She breaks free of my hold, only to reach out and sweep hair off my forehead.

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