Chapter 92

Abigail

I waited until Mom and Dad left.

It took awhile considering mom wouldn’t leave me alone, like she thought I was going to burst into flames.

I was fine!

…I think.

Anyways, after that, it wasn’t hard. They were busy with “serious adult business,” which, as far as I could tell, mostly meant frowning a lot, whispering about things they didn’t want me to hear, and exchanging those dramatic, broody looks that made my stomach twist in ways I didn’t like.

Mom had been acting weird ever since she saw the marks under our eyes, the shrine.

Still… I didn’t understand why we both had them. It’s not like mom would tell me.

And Dad—well, Alexander—was always intense, but today, he’d gone full King of the Overprotective Tyrants mode.

And it was all because of Theo.

They weren’t wrong, I did barely known him, sure. But that didn’t matter. He wasn’t dangerous. I knew it in my gut. And I was so tired of everyone treating me like some clueless kid who didn’t know what I was talking about.

Which is exactly why I was sneaking into the basement prison to see him.

Easier said than done.

Dad’s mansion was huge—too huge. Stone walls, towering windows, and enough rooms to get lost in. But despite the castle-like luxury, it was still a prison. Guards patrolled the halls like we were living in a warzone, and sneaking past them was the real challenge.

I waited until nightfall, until the mansion settled into that eerie kind of stillness where every creak of wood and whisper of wind felt too loud. The guards switched shifts around midnight, groggy and bored. It was the perfect time.

I slipped out of bed, barefoot, my pulse a steady drumbeat in my ears. My room was suffocatingly silent, but my mind was not. Every thought circled back to Theo—chained up like some monster in our basement.

It wasn’t fair.

No one had given him a chance to explain. No one had even tried to listen to him. Not Dad. Not Owen. Not even Mom, and she was usually the one who actually thought before jumping to conclusions.

She seemed so out of it recently.

Theo deserved better.

Which was why I was about to break, like, every single rule in existence to talk to him.

The hallway was dim, silver moonlight stretching in through the tall windows, cutting long slashes of shadows across the sleek wooden floors. I pressed my back to the wall, moving slow, deliberate. Every step was measured, my breath steady despite the rapid beating of my heart.

Step one: Get past the night guard stationed by the main hall.

Mr. Grumpy Guard stood exactly where I expected him—right at the entrance to the lower floors, arms crossed, leaning against the wall with the classic I’d rather be anywhere but here energy. He had the expression of a guy who thought he had the world’s most boring job.

I smirked. Perfect.

The thing about adults? They never look up.

I flexed my fingers, feeling the sharpness of my nails extend into claws. They weren’t full wolf claws—more like halfway there—but they’d do the job. So much for a Moon Goddess’s Blessing.

With a deep breath, I grabbed onto the rough stone wall and climbed.

My fingers dug into the grooves between the stones, my bare feet pressing against the surface for balance. Every muscle in my body tightened as I scaled upward, careful not to move too fast. Slow was better. Slow meant silent.

The guard shifted below me, sighing. He muttered something under his breath—probably about how boring his job was.

Yeah, yeah, cry me a river.

Once I reached the wooden ceiling beam, I hooked my legs over it and carefully flipped myself forward, balancing for a second before lowering myself down on the other side.

Step one: Complete.

I grinned, dusting off my hands and bolting toward the basement door. The scent of damp stone and old metal filled the air the closer I got. My fingers had just brushed against the door handle when—

“You’ve gotta be kidding me, Abs.”

I froze.

Crap.

I turned slowly, already knowing who I’d see.

Owen stood there, arms crossed, his expression stuck somewhere between annoyed older brother and tired babysitter. His dark eyes burned into mine, his jaw tight.

“There you are!” I snapped, tossing a hand his way. “Why didn’t you visit me today! Mom wouldn’t let me leave the room!”

“Are you actually doing this right now?” he asked, voice low but sharp.

I straightened, crossing my arms to mirror him. Why was he so mad? “Okay, Grumpy. Are you actually following me right now?”

He rolled his eyes. “I wasn’t following you. I was making sure you weren’t stupid enough to try sneaking down here. Turns out, I was wrong.”

I huffed. “I’m not being stupid.”

“Yeah?” Owen took a step closer. “Then what do you call sneaking into the basement to talk to the random guy Dad locked up because he was dangerous?”

I flinched. “Hello? Random guy? Theo isn’t dangerous.”

Owen scoffed. “Right. That’s why you nearly died and he’s chained up like an actual threat.”

“I’m fine?” I rolled my eyes. “You’re being dramatic and don’t understand.”

“You don’t understand,” Owen snapped. “You didn’t watch you burn up, and scream. Unde rmy watch. We barely know him, Abs. He’s not one of us, and we don’t even know what he is. If he’s telling the truth.”

I clenched my fists. “I know he’s not a liar.”

Owen blinked. “What?”

“He has honest eyes.” I met my brother’s gaze, steady and sure. “People with honest eyes don’t lie.”

For a second, Owen just stared at me like I had grown a second head. Then, he groaned, dragging a hand down his face.

“Oh my god, do you hear yourself? You sound like Mom.”

I frowned, a defensive spike hitting my chest. “What’s that supposed to mean? My mom is perfect?”

Owen flinched and I realized my mistake quickly. “Our, mom,” I corrected, averting my eyes. “Sorry.”

Owen sighed. “It just means that means you’re way too trusting. You don’t know what he’s capable of, and now with those weird marks on your face and Mom’s face, you really think this is the time to start messing around with some random rogue?”

I bit my lip.

“No one should mess with the Moon Goddess,” he muttered. “And yet, we have. And apparently so did Mom and Dad.”

His words sent a chill down my spine.

I hated that he was right. I hated that he made me doubt for even a second.

But I also hated that he didn’t trust me.

I swallowed. “I’m going.”

“Abs—”

“You’re not stopping me.”

Owen exhaled sharply, frustration flickering in his eyes. His fingers curled into fists at his sides before he finally—finally—threw his hands up.

“Why can’t I just say no to you. This is how we keep ending up in trouble,” he muttered.

I grinned, elbowing his side. “Aw, you care.”

Owen groaned. “Shut up. I’m staying right here. If that guy so much as breathes wrong, I’m yanking you out of there.”

“Love you too, brother.”

He glared but didn’t move as I turned and pushed open the door to the basement.

Cold air rushed past me, carrying the scent of damp stone and rusted metal. The stairway leading down was dimly lit, each step creaking under my weight. My heartbeat thundered in my ears, excitement and nerves tangling together in my stomach.

At the very bottom of the steps, behind thick iron bars, sat Theo.

Chained but not broken.

He was slumped against the wall, his white T ragged with slumped overalls, his red hair grease over his face. Still, he was barefoot and I couldn’t help but think how cold he must be down here.

His head lifted as I stepped closer, and when his gaze met mine—bright, sharp, and honest—he smiled.

“Abs,” he said, his voice smooth despite everything. “I was wondering when you'd come to visiting hours.”