Chapter 97

Abigail

Sneaking into the prison basement was easier tonight, the guard more then clocked. It was a lot like trying to tiptoe past a sleeping guard dog while wearing bells on your shoes. Not impossible, but definitely not smart.

The hallway held that smelled like damp stone and something metallic—blood, maybe? Gross. The flickering overhead light did its best horror-movie impression as I inched forward, balancing a cloth-wrapped bundle of food against my chest.

If I got caught, I was dead. Worse than dead. Grounded.

Good thing I was pretty good at this now.

I rushed down the steps, trying to ignore the grin on my face when I saw him. Theo sat against the wall, arms draped over his knees, looking at me like I was more of a nuisance than a savior. Typical.

“Oh, look,” Theo drawled, a lazy smirk tugging at his lips. “My favorite little outlaw. Back so soon? Couldn’t resist my charm?”

I rolled my eyes. “Shut up and eat, criminal.” I shoved the bundle of food through the bars, nearly smacking him in the face with it. He caught it easily, unwrapping it with a kind of reverence that only came from eating prison slop.

“Wow,” he murmured, staring at the sandwich like it was a work of art. “Did you make this for me? I’m touched.”

“I stole it from the kitchen when nobody was looking.”

He took a bite, eyes closing for a second like he was experiencing divine intervention. “I take it back. I’m even more touched. Such devotion. What did I do to deserve this?”

“Absolutely nothing,” I muttered. “You should be grateful I took pity on you.”

“Pity?” He scoffed. “Nah, I don’t buy it. You wouldn’t risk sneaking down here just for pity. No, you’re here for something else.” He took another slow bite, watching me like he already knew the answer. “Let me guess—you want answers.”

I huffed, crossing my arms. “Wow, what gave it away?”

“The fact that you can’t resist a good mystery?” He gestured at me with the sandwich. “And that you’ve got that look in your eye. The same one you had last time. That ‘I will shake the truth out of you if necessary’ look.”

I pointed at him. “I do not have a look.”

“You one hundred percent have a look.”

I ignored that. “Alright, since you’re so perceptive, let’s get to it. Who are your parents?”

Theo chewed slowly, like he was really savoring this moment. “No idea.”

I narrowed my eyes. “Where were you born?”

He shrugged. “Couldn’t tell you.”

“Oh, come on!” I threw my hands up. “You are literally the worst at this.”

He grinned. “I prefer ‘mysteriously evasive.’”

“More like ‘infuriatingly cryptic.’”

“You say that like it’s a bad thing.”

“It is a bad thing, Theo!” I exhaled sharply, pacing in front of his cell. “You’re telling me you just happened to be wandering around, conveniently getting caught near our territory, but you don’t remember where you’re from or who your parents are?”

“More or less. Maybe More.”

I let out a dramatic groan. “Great. I’m interrogating a brick wall.”

“A very handsome brick wall, though.”

I shot him a glare. “I could take this food back, you know.”

He clutched the sandwich to his chest like I’d threatened to take his firstborn. “Alright, alright. No need for violence.” He licked some crumbs from his thumb, eyes twinkling. “Look, Abigail, some questions don’t have easy answers.”

I crossed my arms. “So you do have answers, then.”

He hesitated, and for the first time, his smirk faltered. A flicker of something—guilt? Uncertainty?—crossed his face before he leaned in slightly, voice dropping.

“You already know the answers to most of them,” he said quietly. “You just don’t want to say them out loud.”

I blinked. “Excuse me?”

He sighed, rubbing the back of his neck. “You, your mom, your brother—you’re all mixed with an alpha’s blood. And on top of Lyan?” He shook his head. “That’s a genetic recipe for power. You three are different, and different in this world? It draws attention.”

My stomach twisted. “I know that,” I admitted. “But why would that draw rogues here?”

Theo looked like he wanted to say more, but before he could, footsteps echoed down the stairs.

My heart lurched. Crap.

Without thinking, I darted behind a stack of crates, pressing myself into the shadows as the footsteps grew closer. Theo’s expression shifted instantly, going from teasing to unreadable, like he hadn’t just been spilling secrets a moment ago.

I held my breath, waiting.

And then I heard the last voice I wanted to hear.

“Abigail.”

I winced.

Busted.

Alexander’s voice rang out, sharp and angry. “You think I wouldn’t find out?”

I risked peeking out. My father stood in front of Theo’s cell, arms crossed, gaze like a loaded gun.

Theo raised an eyebrow. “Find out what?”

“Don’t play dumb,” Alexander snapped. “You’ve had my daughter running around like some reckless child, sneaking in here like you aren’t dangerous.”

“Dad—” I started, stepping out, but he cut me off with a glare.

“You have no idea what you’re meddling with, Abigail,” he said, voice tight. “Stay away from this pup.”

Theo stiffened. “Charming.”

“He’s not dangerous!” I argued. “You’re just too stubborn to see it.”

Alexander’s expression darkened. “This is not up for debate.” He grabbed my arm, pulling me away. “Go to your room. Now.”

I shot Theo an apologetic glance before storming up the stairs, furious and frustrated.

I have never bed set to bed so forcefully.

That night, sleep came in fits and starts, my mind restless as I drifted between waking and dreams. Then, like fog creeping over the land, a dream wrapped around me, thick and heavy, like mist settling into every crevice of my mind.

Wolves. Their presence surrounded me, a pack that moved through the trees with silent grace. The forest was bathed in silver light, casting an ethereal glow over everything. The air was cool, and every breath felt sharp, as if I could taste the very essence of the night itself.

In the distance, one figure emerged from the shadows—a massive white wolf, larger than anything I’d ever seen. It was so white it seemed to glow, its fur almost luminescent under the moonlight.

Its two tails swayed behind it like something out of a myth, each movement smooth, elegant, and otherworldly. Its eyes, bright green, locked onto mine with a ferocity that made my heart stutter. They were piercing, sharp, and full of ancient knowledge.

Beneath those eyes, two black dots appeared—deep, endless, and familiar. Just like mine. Just like Mom’s.

An aura shimmered around the wolf, something divine, something untouchable. It radiated a power that could not be contained, a presence that felt both comforting and terrifying at once. It was like standing in the presence of the stars themselves. My breath hitched, and I felt something inside me stir, something old, something hidden.

The Moon Goddess.

The words felt like truth, ancient and undeniable. The wolf, the glowing light, the power—it all clicked into place, and I understood, even if just for a moment, that I was not the only one in this world with secrets.

I shot up in bed, my heart hammering against my chest. The dream lingered in my mind, vivid and all-encompassing. My pulse raced, the silence of the room pressing in around me.

I wasn’t alone. Across the house, I felt it—a presence. Someone else awake. Someone else disturbed. The air shifted, charged, like two worlds had collided and now, they were both in motion.

I climbed out of bed, padding down the hall until I reached my mother’s door. It was already open. Lauren sat on the edge of her bed, staring at her hands, startled.

“You saw her too,” I whispered.

She looked up, her face pale, eyes wide. “Abigail? What are you…” she hesitated before letting out a sigh. “Yeah.”

We sat in silence before she pulled back the covers, patting the spot beside her. Without hesitation, I climbed in, curling up next to her like I used to when I was real little. The world felt too big, too full of unanswered questions.

For tonight, at least, I just wanted to feel safe.