Whisper - Chapter 160: Chapter 160

Shadow Den's Justice ( Olivia's POV )
The confined space of the basement amplified the intensity of Vanessa's crazed confession. Her voice echoed off the cold stone walls, each word dripping with desperate longing
"I like you! I love you, Alpha Connor! Can't you feel my burning love for you, the call of my wolf to yours?" Her violet eyes were wild, her wolf's desperate howls for a mate she could never have laid bare for all to see "Do you want to ask me why I did those things? Hahahaha, of course, it's for you! Con, haven't you realized my feelings after all these years, how my wolf aches for you?"
After she said this, the basement fell silent. The only sounds were Vanessa's ragged breathing and the faint drip of water from somewhere in the darkness.
Connor stood tall and imposing, his Alpha presence radiating an almost physical coldness. He towered over Vanessa, his ice – blue eyes chilling as a winter storm as he assessed her.
A palpable coldness emanated from him, mingling with the faint, metallic scent of spilled blood and fear that permeated the air. I felt a suffocating grip on my heart as I watched the scene unfold on the monitor in the observation room.
My wolf Cora recolled from the raw, dangerous energy radiating from Connor. I desperately wanted to know his response, yet feared it simultaneously.
What if Con softened towards Nessa after her confession? What if his wolf acknowledged even a sliver of her desperate plea? They had grown up together, shared years of pack life. Could those bonds sway him?
A moment stretched into an eternity before Connor finally broke the silence with a sardonic chuckle, a harsh sound that echoed off the stone walls.
"Love me?" he questioned, his ice – blue eyes dark and unfathomable, his wolf's contempt a palpable force. He looked at Vanessa, his expression one of utter disdain. "Are you worthy?"
Each word was delivered with deliberate precision, dripping with scorn, a verbal lash that cut deeper than any physical blow. Vanessa's face paled, all color draining away as tears streamed down her face, her wolf whimpering in despair.
I was taken aback by the harshness of Connor's response. I had anticipated a more fraternal approach, perhaps a stern lecture, but not this brutal dismissal.
"Alpha Connor ... Con ... how can you be so cruel ... Vanessa sobbed, her voice filled with accusation, her wolf's pain echoing in her tone.
Connor remained unmoved, his ice-blue gaze fixed on Vanessa.
"Vanessa Reed, from this moment onward, you are no longer a part of the Rivers Pack."
His words carried the weight of a formal decree, severing her ties to the pack that had once raised her.
Vanessa’s eyes glazed over, her voice barely a whisper as she retorted,
"I never wanted to be your sister anyway."
Her wolf, though battered and broken, still flickered with defiance.
Connor gave a slight nod, his expression unyielding.
"Then now, it’s time for you to atone for what you’ve done."
He called for Dominic Reeves, his security chief, and gave him a curt nod.
"Take her outside."
Vanessa’s eyes widened in fear.
"Where are you taking me?" she demanded, her voice edged with panic.
Connor offered no explanation. Without another word, he turned and strode toward the exit, leaving Vanessa in the hands of Dominic and his enforcers.
I waited anxiously on the plush leather sofa in the observation room, uncertain of Connor's intentions. Soon, he returned, his face unreadable
"Livvy, let's go out," he said, his voice leaving no room for argument
I nodded, guessing that he intended to punish Vanessa further. My wolf sensed the shift in the Alpha's demeanor, a primal dominance that both frightened and fascinated me.
As we prepared to leave, Connor retrieved a heavy, charcoal gray longcoat. "It's cold outside, put this on." The coat was oversized on me, nearly dragging on the ground, but it carried his familiar, comforting Alpha scent. A subtle reassurance that despite the coldness I'd witnessed, he still cared for my comfort. Connor took my hand and led me outside, where a thick blanket of snow was falling, muffling all sound except the crunch of our boots. A helicopter sat on the Shadow Den's grounds, its rotors still.
I turned to Connor in confusion, my wolf uneasy. "What's with the helicopter?"
"You'll see," he replied cryptically, his ice – blue eyes unreadable.
Dominic and his men, including Marcus Shaw, dragged Vanessa out, her wolf struggling feebly, and dropped her unceremoniously onto the snow – covered ground.
With a growing sense of dread, I watched as one of the enforcers bound Vanessa's hands with a thick, silver – laced rope, the other end of which was attached to the helicopter's landing gear. The silver would sap her strength and prevent any attempt to shift.
The helicopter roared to life, its rotors whipping snow into a frenzy, and lifted off. I realized Connor's plan – a brutal, primal form of justice. The helicopter would drag Vanessa through the freezing air, a punishment that could kill her if prolonged.
I had never seen this cruel, Alpha-dominant side of Connor before.
It was as if a mask had been lifted, revealing the predator beneath the polished exterior.
Connor’s touch—his hand gently resting on my arm—pulled me back to the present. I looked up at him, the question clear in my amber eyes, my wolf trembling slightly.
“Is she… is she going to die?”
Connor met my gaze, his voice low and steady.
“Don’t worry. I know what I’m doing.”
I hesitated, struggling to process this revelation. This side of him—the one capable of such cold retribution—was unfamiliar, unsettling. This was the Alpha of Shadow Den in full command.
Then Connor cupped my face, turning me to look at him. His ice-blue eyes searched mine.
“Livy, this is another side of me—cold, ruthless. Don’t be afraid of me.”
My eyes reflected a storm of emotions.
“I… I’ve never seen you like this before…”
His voice softened, rich and deep, his wolf reaching out to soothe mine.
“Livy, I will never be like this to you. Don’t be afraid.”
I looked away, my wolf still uneasy.
“… I’m just a little uncomfortable. I’m not… not afraid of you.”
“I see.”
Connor drew me into his arms, wrapping me in a firm, reassuring embrace. His Alpha scent enveloped me, a familiar balm against the harshness of what we had just witnessed.
I closed my eyes, inhaling him, letting the strength of his presence settle the turmoil inside me. Gradually, my wolf calmed—sheltered by him.
( Third person's POV )
Seeing them embrace, Dominic nearly interrupted to tell Alpha Connor that Vanessa's time was almost up, knowing the limits of werewolf endurance in such conditions. However, he resisted doing so, respecting the Alpha's moment with his Luna Apparent
The next moment, Connor gestured with a subtle flick of his wrist. Dominic understood instantly and immediately spoke into his handheld walkie – talkie.
"Okay, stop. Bring her down."
The helicopter landed slowly, its rotors decelerating. Connor took Olivia's hand and walked towards where the helicopter was parked.
Olivia's heart was beating fast, nervous and scared, her wolf anticipating the aftermath. As they approached, Olivia saw that Vanessa's face was frozen purple, her lips were black, and her eyelashes and hair were covered with a layer of ice and snow.
Vanessa was lying motionless on the ground, looking lifeless, her wolf utterly defeated.
"Is she ... dead?" Olivia was a little scared and took two steps back subconsciously, her wolf reacting to the near – death state of another.
"Don't be afraid, Livvy, she should be frozen, her wolf in deep hibernation to survive." Connor stabilized Olivia's figure, his voice calm. "The Shadow Den has proal medical staff, beta healers skilled in reviving those exposed to extreme cold. I won't let her die so easily."
His justice was harsh, but not necessarily a death sentence.