Chapter 27 Chapter 27

Chapter 27 Chapter 27
The Goddess. The memories came flooding back, the golden light, the voice speaking through me, the ancient knowledge that had poured into my mind like molten metal. I groaned and pressed my palms against my temples, trying to ease the throbbing.
"Where am I?" I managed to croak out, my throat feeling raw and scratchy.
"My room," Kyle admitted, and I could hear the hesitation in his voice. "Dad thought you'd be safer here than at your grandmother's house, in case Silverclaw tries anything else."
I forced my eyes open, taking in the masculine décor, dark wood furniture, navy blue walls, and shelves lined with books about pack history and werewolf lore. It was surprisingly neat for a college-aged guy's room, though I supposed being an Alpha heir came with certain expectations.
"How long was I out?" I asked, struggling to piece together the fragmented memories of what had happened after the Goddess withdrew from my body.
"Eighteen hours," another voice answered. I turned my head carefully to see Caspian sitting in a chair beside the window, his amber eyes shadowed with exhaustion. "You scared the hell out of us."
"Where's Asher?" The question surprised me. When had I started caring about all three of them being present?
"Getting food from the kitchen," Kyle replied. "We've been taking shifts watching you. Grandmother's been here too, but Dad finally convinced her to get some rest."
The bond between us hummed with their concern, their relief at seeing me awake. It was overwhelming, feeling their emotions layered on top of my own confusion and lingering exhaustion.
"I remember... some of what happened," I said slowly. "The Goddess spoke through me. She said things about my bloodline, about the triple bond being her doing."
Caspian leaned forward in his chair. "Do you remember what she said about Silverclaw? About the darkness they serve?"
Flashes of ancient knowledge flickered through my mind: blood magic, corrupted bloodlines, entities that existed in the spaces between worlds. I shuddered, pulling the blanket more tightly around myself.
"Some of it," I admitted. "It's like having someone else's memories mixed in with my own. I know things I shouldn't know, but I can't always access them when I want to.”
“Even better, I’m a bigger freak than I was the day before. I’m sure everyone is having such a good laugh at my expense. I’ve gone from the freak that writes love letters to gay guys, to her dead parents and the daughter of a killed Alpha, to now some kind of thing bound to the Goddess, yay, lucky me.”
Kyle's face fell at my bitter words, and I immediately felt his hurt through our bond. A week ago, I would have revelled in causing him pain. Now, it just made me feel hollow.
"No one's laughing, Imogen," he said quietly. "The entire pack is in shock. The Goddess herself spoke through you. Do you have any idea how rare that is?"
"Great, so I'm not a laughingstock, I'm a freak show." I pushed myself up against the pillows, ignoring the way the room tilted dangerously. "Even better."
"That's not what I meant," Kyle started, but the door opened before he could finish.
Asher entered carrying a tray laden with food, toast, fruit, a bowl of soup, and what looked like homemade cookies. His eyes widened when he saw me awake.
"You're up," he said, relief evident in his voice. "How are you feeling?"
"As I got hit by a truck, then the truck backed up and hit me again," I muttered, eyeing the food with equal parts hunger and nausea. My stomach growled loudly, making the decision for me.
Asher set the tray carefully across my lap. "Our stepmother made the soup herself. She's been worried sick about you."
That caught me off guard. Alpha Williams' mate, Elise, had always been polite to me, but distant. The idea that she'd been cooking for me seemed impossible.
"Why would she care?" I asked, picking up a spoon with trembling fingers.
The brothers exchanged glances, a silent communication passing between them.
"Because you're our mate," Kyle said simply, as if that explained everything. "And because the Goddess claimed you as her chosen."
I took a sip of the soup to avoid responding. It was delicious, rich chicken broth with vegetables and herbs, but I could barely taste it past the lump in my throat.
“Right, even better, everyone’s going to be nice to me now, as not only am I a freak, but I am going to be seen as dangerous, and if they piss me off, they're going to come up with some bullshit that I’ll hurt them with my powers.”
Caspian's expression hardened. "No one thinks you're dangerous, Imogen. They're in awe. There's a difference."
"Right," I scoffed, taking another spoonful of soup to hide my discomfort. "Because people always react so well to things they're in awe of. They definitely don't treat them like they're freaks or try to use them for their own gain."
"You're not being fair," Kyle said quietly. "To us or to yourself."
As if to prove my point, my phone started going off.
Did you see the video feed from the gym? She’s a bigger freak than we thought…
I stared at my phone, feeling sick. Someone had recorded what happened in the gym with Xavier. Of course, they had. In an age of smartphones and social media, privacy was just an illusion.
"Imogen?" Kyle's voice was gentle. "What is it?"
I handed him my phone wordlessly, watching his expression darken as he read the text. His jaw clenched, a muscle ticking at the corner.
"Who sent this?" he demanded.