Chapter 91

Lauren

I’m getting tired of fainting, collapsing, benign useless when I want to be anything but.

I was used to waking up not knowing how I got where I was, but this time there was a small warmth. A familiar, steady warmth against my chest, the gentle rise and fall of breath that wasn't my own.

My arms curled instinctively around the small frame nestled against me, my fingers brushing over soft, tangled hair. For a moment, I just lay there, my mind swimming in that quiet space between sleep and wakefulness, unwilling to move, unwilling to let go.

Then, my eyes opened.

Abigail.

My daughter was in my arms, curled up against me as if she were still a child who had come crawling into my bed after a nightmare. But she wasn’t a child anymore. Well, she was, but she was growing, changing, everyday right before my eye.

I shifted slightly, brushing a strand of chocolate hair from her face. And that’s when I saw it.

Two small, inky-black dots just beneath each of her eyes.

My breath hitched. My fingers hovered over them, not quite touching, afraid they might disappear if I blinked. They were just like mine.

But… how?

Abigail had never transformed... She had never shifted into a wolf from whatever they were doing at the shrine. That much I knew. But the marks—signs of Moon Goddess—were right there, stark against her pale skin.

Panic clawed its way up my throat.

Was she sick? Like me? In a commanding hold? Was this something else entirely? Had my blood—cursed and complicated as it was—passed something onto her that shouldn’t have been?

I was so lost in thought that I didn’t notice her stirring until a soft sigh brushed against my collarbone.

“Mom?” Abigail’s voice was thick with sleep, her body stretching slightly before she settled again. She blinked up at me with those same bright eyes that had always held far too much wisdom for her age.

I was just glad they opened again.

I swallowed, pushing down the worry threatening to choke me. “I’m here, baby.” My fingers skimmed over her back, soothing, grounding.

Abigail hummed, nestling closer for just a moment before her brows furrowed. She pulled back enough to study me, her gaze sharp despite the sleep still clinging to her features.

“Why are you looking at me like that?”

I forced a small smile. “Like what?”

We were both quiet for a moment, like we knew we we both hiding things.

“Like you just saw a ghost.” She rubbed at her eyes, yawning. “Or is it the…marks. Why do we both have them?”

My heart clenched.

I wanted to tell her. Tell her what I knew, but to be honest, I didn’t know either. I was just as much in the dark. I wanted to ask if she felt any different if she had noticed anything strange, why she was at the shrine. But before I could open my mouth, the door creaked open.

Abigail and I both turned as Alexander stepped inside.

Dressed in dark slacks and a half-unbuttoned shirt, he looked exhausted, though his presence filled the room like a storm cloud. His sharp gaze flickered between us before landing on Abigail, his expression unreadable.

“You’re two are awake,” he said simply, his voice low and steady.

Abigail stiffened against me.

“Obviously,” she muttered, sitting up fully. She knew she was in trouble. The warmth between us disappeared as she pulled away, and I already missed it.

Alexander exhaled, his jaw tightening for just a moment before he shifted his focus to me. “We need to talk.”

I knew that tone. It meant trouble.

I sat up as well, brushing my hair out of my face. “Yeah, we do.”

Alexander glanced at Abigail, hesitating for a beat. “Right, but first, Theo.”

The air in the room changed. Abigail’s whole body went rigid.

“What about him?” she asked quickly.

“What about him?” Alexander scoffed. “Well for one, he’s in the basement,” he said, crossing his arms. “Under watch. We’ve taken him into custody until we figure out exactly who he is and why he was here, why he tricked you to consuming the moon goddess’s shrine water.”

Abigail shot up so fast the blankets nearly slid off the bed. “You locked him up?!”

Alexander’s expression remained impassive. “Yes.”

“That’s insane!” Abigail’s voice rose, sharp with frustration. "He didn’t trick me anywhere! I went on my own! Theo isn’t dangerous—”

“You don’t know that,” Alexander cut in, his voice like steel. “You don’t know anything about him.”

Abigail’s hands clenched into fists. “I know enough! He’s my friend!”

“Is he?” Alexander tilted his head slightly, his gaze never wavering. “Because from what I recall, we barely know anything about him. And until we do, he stays where he is.”

Abigail trembled with anger, her shoulders shaking. “That’s not fair—”

"This isn’t up for debate."

The finality in his tone left no room for argument.

Abigail gave me a look, begging for back up, but I had nothing to give her. For once, I was siding with Alexander. My hand cupped her face, “He’s right, baby.”

For a moment, I thought Abigail might keep fighting, that she might scream or lash out. But instead, she pressed her lips together, swallowing whatever words she wanted to throw at us.

Alexander sighed, his expression softening just a fraction. He stepped forward and, without warning, pulled both of us into his arms.

It was unexpected. Warm. Strong.

I closed my eyes for a second, letting myself lean into it. Abigail, however, stood stiff in his embrace before finally relenting and resting her forehead against his chest.

After a long moment, Alexander murmured, “Do not go down there, Abigail. You and Owen are forbidden from seeing Theo until I say otherwise. Do you understand me?”

Abigail said nothing.

“Abigail,” I prompted gently.

She exhaled sharply. “Fine,” she muttered, though the fire in her voice said otherwise.

Alexander stepped back, eyeing her carefully before turning toward me. “I need to check in with the others. Stay here.”

I nodded, watching as he left the room, the weight of his presence still lingering.

The moment the door shut, Abigail turned back to me, her expression hard to read.

“What are these?” she asked suddenly.

I blinked. “What?”

She pointed at her face, at the two black dots beneath her eyes. “Why do you and I have these.” Her voice lowered. “What do they mean? Did you drink from the shrine too?”

I hesitated.

I didn’t have a simple answer yet. Or maybe I did but I was tired, had just woken from fainting. Again. I owed her a better answer then what I could give right now.

So, instead, I cupped her face again, pressing a soft kiss to her forehead. “They mean we’re connected to the moon.”

Abigail’s brows knitted together. “Mom—”

“They mean you’re my daughter.” I smoothed my thumb over her cheek. “And no matter what, I will always protect you.”

For once, Abigail didn’t argue.

She just leaned into my touch, silent but searching.

I wasn’t exactly lying, but was she old enough to start understanding our bloodline?

Was I? Considering I had only just begun to understand it myself.