62 - Whispered Fate Prologue

Leianna

I’m sitting in the living room, a book resting unused in my lap. I've been here for a few days and despite the warmth and safety of the pack house, a cold thread of isolation weaves through me. Being deaf in a world so reliant on sound is like living in a bubble, one that’s hard and transparent but isolates you just the same.

I’ve learned to read lips, to observe body language and facial expressions, to grasp at the fringes of conversations and emotions swirling around me.

But today, the bubble feels more like a cage.

The thought of my father and the cult searching for me sends shivers down my spine. They don’t just want me back; they want to put me on display, a deity in their twisted worship, stripped of my autonomy and voice.

The endless days spent under their watchful eyes, my every move dictated by their whims, my very existence, a tool for their manipulation. I would rather face any fate than to be dragged back to that life.

The idea of returning to a world where