Chapter 86

Owen

The pillow fort was a disaster—well, it wasn’t technically a disaster, but that’s only because we hadn’t started a fire or completely demolished it yet. Right now, it was a mess of blankets, cushions, and the remnants of what had once been a mighty fortress, now sagging in the middle like an old tent after our play fighting.

“Okay, I’m this close to just starting over,” Abigail announced from the other side of the pillow pile. “It’s like we’re living in a slouchy pancake instead of a fort.”

“Maybe if you didn’t treat the pillows like a trampoline, or pick fights, it would actually stand up again,” I replied, not looking up from the corner I’d claimed as my base of operations. I was on my phone, swiping through a bunch of completely irrelevant stuff that wasn’t remotely as important as what Abigail and Theo were doing.

After whatever nonsense Theo and her were spouting early about transformations, Theo called Abigail a baby again and well… the fort didn’t survive there war. I was just happy we switched the topic.

The only sound was the thwack of something flying through the air. “See? You just gave me the best idea,” Abigail said, her voice high and a little too gleeful. “We need more pillows. I mean, if we have a lot of pillows, maybe it’ll balance out our inner chaos.”

I sighed, putting my phone down. “I don’t even want to know what that means.”

“You’ll find out when we’re all in a giant pillow pile, and I’m basically the queen of it." She giggled and pulled a pillow from the ground. "Besides, Theo’s the one who made this place feel collapse in on us.”

I gave Theo a pointed look. "You’re not exactly helping, man."

Theo, who had been lying sprawled across a sea of mismatched pillows, wearing his usual sarcastic grin, slowly rolled over to give us a dramatic look of mock innocence. “Hey, I’m wiped out and was just simply enjoying the atmosphere, okay? This fort is… atmospheric after getting my butt kicked.” He motioned vaguely at the mess of fabric. “Really sets the tone for… something. Like a cave. A really comfy, crumbling cave. Ya’ll have snacks?”

Abigail raised an eyebrow. “It’s not comfy, it’s sinking. And yes!”

“And that’s the point,” Theo shot back. “Sinking gives it character. And I vote pizza.”

“Character? It’s more like a sad pile of laundry with delusions of grandeur,” I muttered, picking up a stray pillow and tossing it toward Abigail, who caught it with an exaggerated flourish.

“Alright, alright, enough about the saggy fort,” Abigail said, taking a dramatic seat in the middle of the ruins we called a fort. “Not that it was my fault.” She casted a look at Theo who motioned for food lazily to her smirk. “We need to talk about before! That was way more exciting than pillows.”

I sat up, hoping to avoid this. “Does this have to do with your idea of a secret underground pillow kingdom again? Because I’m honestly not sure I’m emotionally prepared for that.”

Abigail ignored me. “Theo, are you really gonna leave us hanging? I mean, come on. We’ve been dying to know the rest of what you meant eariler!”

I scoffed undermy breath, “We?”

Theo smirked, looking way too smug for his own good. “Ah, so you’re ready to learn.”

Abigail leaned forward, eyes sparkling with curiosity. “Totally. Spill it, Theo. What do we need to do to unlock our inner wolves! I need to see my coat color! I bet I’m the prettiest wolf ever!”

I raised an eyebrow, “You already know your brown and white, like a fawn? What more do you need? Besides, you’ll find out in a couple years regardless.” Theo had that look on his face—like he was about to drop a bomb and somehow act like it was a light breeze.

“Oh, absolutely,” Theo said, stretching his arms behind his head like he was about to lecture us. "She could wait, but you to are special. But yu’re right, my method is only for the best, we better not start officially testing the limits of our abilities.”

I blinked, genuinely confused. “Test our—what are you talking about? Are you suggesting we—?”

Abigail cut me off with a sharp, excited nod. “What is it? I need to know, Theo!”

Theo leaned forward, grinning like he was about to confess something really dangerous. “Alright. So, you know how you guys—the Moon Wolf Goddess—”

“Of course!” Abigail shreked. “The mother of all werewolves, a human and her mated and created the first one! She’s real you know!”

I groaned. As if.

“A plus!” Theo beamed at Abigail, “But do you know there is a shrine for her here? On these very grounds!” He paused for effect, glancing at me for the reaction he knew was coming. “There, well, I can show you how to transform early. But it’s gonna be... tricky.”

I stared at him like he’d just suggested we go rob a bank. I knew exactly what part of the pack’s forest he was talking about, we we were NOT allowed there. “Wait, so you want us to break the rules, go to the shrine in the ruins, and force our transformations? Are you out of your mind? Why would we even brother—”

Abigail bounced up. “YES! That sounds so cool!” She grabbed my arm, her eyes wide with excitement. “Owen, think about it! We could do it now. Right now!”

I resisted the urge to rub my temples. “Yeah, sure, Abigail, let’s just walk right into Pack grounds and break every rule our they have drilled into me since I was born. I’m sure that won’t cause any issues. None. At all.”

“Yeah, exactly!” Theo cut in with a mock-serious tone. “Because who needs rules when you’re on the cusp of greatness?” He flicked his fingers in the air like he was the one making all the important decisions here. “Honestly, what’s the worst that could happen? You get sick new powers? Bragging rights over others for transforming early? I mean think about the press for your dad. What a strong bloodline.”

“You’re joking, right?” I gave him a deadpan stare. “The worst that could happen is that we get caught, grounded for life, and our parents hunt us down like rabid wolves. Oh and, I don’t know, die? This isn’t some game.”

Abigail pouted. “Die? Little dramtic? Come on, Owen. Where’s your sense of adventure? Don’t you wonder what it’s like to run free? You’re coat color? To stand tall and strong like dad?”

I crossed my arms, trying to remain logical, trying to stay grounded. Though… the idea of being like Dad did itch at me. “My sense of adventure is telling me that going anywhere near that shrine is a horrible idea. Like, a really horrible idea.”

Theo tapped his chin. “Sure, but you’re forgetting one thing.”

“And what’s that?” I asked, already dreading whatever dumb thing he was about to say.

“Your sister,” he said, pointing at Abigail. “She has this, like, infinite curiosity that will force you to go. You’re gonna get dragged along whether you like it or not.”

Abigail gave me a big, innocent smile, clearly reveling in Theo’s manipulation skills. “No, he’s totally right, I’m going.”

I groaned, rubbing my face hard.

“Seriously,” she continued, “it’s what he said. You know, you can’t be all logic, Owen. Sometimes, you’ve got to just... feel it.”

I gave her a long, skeptical look. “Feel it? Are you serious? Primal power, Abigail. That’s what you’re after. That’s what Theo’s pushing us toward. We have no idea what will happen.”

“Exactly!” she said, her eyes lighting up. “Think of it as... an experience! A rite of passage or whatever. It could be epic, Owen. We don’t know what’s out there in those ruins! This could be the moment we become what we’re meant to be! What everyone is so worked up about!”

I glanced at Theo. “And you’re seriously pushing this? Telling us to go to the ruins, break into Pack grounds, and tap into primal power like the moon goddess magic? Everything about this feels wrong.”

Theo shrugged. “Honestly, yeah. Because that’s basically what we are. It’s just... the primal part of us. You’ve got to let go of the rules, the ‘safe’ stuff. It’s about pushing limits. You’re blood. It’s your birth right.”

Abigail jumped up, grinning from ear to ear. “Let’s do it! We’ll go out there and unlock something huge. Like, transforming before it’s even our time. This is our chance to be... well, us.”

I sighed deeply, shaking my head. “You two are insane. But if you’re going regardless, we need a plan. And if we get caught—”

“We won’t get caught,” Abigail interrupted, winking. “And even if we do, we’ll just say it was Theo’s idea.”

Theo held up his hands in mock surrender. “Hey, I’m just the guy giving you the tools to be legendary.”

I stood up, already regretting this, but there was no stopping them now. “Alright, fine. We’ll do it. But the second we get caught, I’m throwing you both under the bus.”

“Deal!” Abigail and Theo said in unison, and I couldn’t help but roll my eyes.

“Yeah, I’m sure this will end well for all of us,” I muttered.

And with that, we were off. To the ruins. To break rules. To push limits.

And who knows… maybe it would explain our blood line a it better, these half transformations.