Chapter 198

Ava

Chris and I prepared dinner in the kitchen, the sound of Fabian and Betty’s laughter floating in from the parlor. Despite the warm and cozy atmosphere, I still couldn’t shake the uneasy feeling that had settled over me since our encounter with the fortune teller.

The way she had looked at me, as if she could see right through me, kept replaying in my mind on a loop. And the fog, still solidly pushed up against the windows and oppressing as ever, didn’t help any.

“Ava, can you pass me the salt?”

The sound of Chris’s voice broke through my thoughts, and I blinked, realizing I had been staring blankly at the vegetables I was supposed to be chopping. “Oh, sorry. Here you go.”

Chris raised an eyebrow as he took the salt shaker. “Are you okay? You seem a bit distracted.”

I sighed, resuming my chopping. “I just can’t stop thinking about that fortune teller. Something about her just feels... off.”

“You’re probably just nervous after that weird fortune she gave you,” Chris said, stirring the sauce on the stove. “Plus, I think this fog is messing with all of us. Try not to let it get to you.”

“I know, I know. It’s just…” I trailed off, not sure how to explain the feeling of dread that had been growing since we arrived in Moonshine. Maybe it was the fog; maybe it had seeped into my brain, just like how it was trying to seep into the manor every chance it got.

Chris set down the wooden spoon he was using. “You’re not starting to believe in ghosts now, are you, Miss Skeptic?” he teased.

I forced a smile and shook my head. “No. Absolutely not.”

“Mhm. Sure…”

We finished preparing the meal, and soon we were all seated around the dining table. The food was delicious, and the conversation flowed easily—especially once the scotch started to hit all of us. The sound of music playing softly on the record player filled the air, and the curtains had been drawn shut to help us ignore the fog. Finally, it felt like a normal visit between friends.

After dinner, we moved to the living room for more drinks and card games. Fabian poured us each another glass of scotch, as if we weren’t already tipsy enough, and we settled in for a game of poker.

“So, Betty,” I said, glancing at her over the top of my cards, “how long have you known Fabian?”

Betty smiled, glancing at Fabian. “Oh, we’ve known each other for years. We grew up together, actually.”

“Really?” Chris tossed a few of his poker chips into the middle of the table. “And you never got together before now?”

Fabian chuckled, a slight blush coloring his cheeks. “Well, I’ve always been a bit of a coward when it comes to matters of the heart.”

As the night wore on and we had begun to grow bored of card games, Chris suddenly sat up straight with a mischievous glint in his eye.

“Hey, I’ve got an idea,” he said. “Since we’re in this big, creepy house, why don’t we play a game of manhunt to pass the time?”

“Manhunt?” Betty asked, confused.

Chris nodded enthusiastically. “I used to play it all the time in college; it’s like hide and seek, but in the dark. And the hiders are allowed to change spots or run and be chased if they’re about to be caught.”

“Oh, no. That sounds terrifying,” Betty said, shaking her head and looking around nervously. “Too terrifying for this creepy old place.”

“Aw, come on,” Chris urged. “We’ll even add a twist. The seeker can ‘hunt’ in their wolf form. It’ll be fun! Call it… ‘wolf hunt’.”

I had to admit, the idea did sound exciting. And I was currently pretty drunk off of scotch, so anything that involved running around like kids was intriguing to me. “I’m in,” I said, grinning at Chris.

Fabian looked thoughtful. “Well, it could be interesting…”

Betty still looked hesitant. “I don’t know. This house is creepy enough without playing games like that.”

“We could always stop if it gets too scary,” Chris offered. “Come on, Betty. It’ll be fun!”

After a bit more convincing, Betty finally relented. “Alright, fine,” she said, throwing her hands up in the air. “But if I get too freaked out, I’m calling it quits.”

“Fair enough,” Chris said, standing up. “I’ll be the seeker for the first round. You all have five minutes to hide. Ready?”

We nodded, and once we had discussed the rules, Chris covered his eyes and began to count. Fabian, Betty, and I scrambled out of the room, Fabian and I giggling like children as we searched for hiding spots. Even Betty’s face broke into a grin as she ran head-first into Fabian when rounding a corner.

I ran through the dark hallways, my heart pounding in my chest. I couldn’t remember the last time I had played a game like this; definitely not since high school, at least. Although, the longer I dated Chris, the more I found myself getting involved in silly games that reminded me of my youth. I hoped for many more years of this.

As I ran, I could hear Fabian and Betty’s footsteps fading while they found their own hiding places. I needed to find somewhere good, somewhere Chris wouldn’t think to look.

Just as I heard Chris finish counting and begin to shift, I spotted a large wardrobe at the end of a hallway. Perfect. I slipped inside, carefully closing the door behind me.

The wardrobe was musty and filled with old coats, but it was a perfect hiding spot. I stifled my giggles with my hand over my mouth as I heard Chris’s low growls echoing through the house. Somewhere, I heard Betty shriek and laugh, and I heard pounding footsteps as she ran from Chris.

“Okay, okay! You got me!” I heard her laugh, her footsteps fading as she returned to the parlor.

Chris must have been coming for me next, because I heard the sound of soft footfalls on the hardwood floors. Leaning back further into the coats, I clamped my hand harder over my mouth, waiting for him to arrive outside my wardrobe at any moment.

Suddenly, I saw a flash of white through the crack in the wardrobe door. My breath caught in my throat, and my eyes lit up with glee. Was that Chris? His wolf form did have white fur. I held perfectly still, hardly daring to breathe as I waited for the wardrobe door to creak open.

But nothing happened. The flash of white disappeared, and I heard Chris’s growls somewhere off in the distance. I let out a silent sigh of relief, amazed that he hadn’t found me.

Time passed, and I began to wonder if the game was over. Just as I was considering peeking out and making a run for it, I heard Fabian’s voice calling from downstairs.

“Alright, game over! Chris found us both. Ava, you can come out now!”

Grinning triumphantly, I pushed open the wardrobe door and made my way back to the living room. The others were already there, Chris back in his human form.

“I can’t believe you didn’t find me,” I said as I entered the room with my hands on my hips.

“Where were you hiding?” Chris asked, scratching his head. “I looked all over but couldn’t find you.”

“Really?” I raised an eyebrow. “You walked right past the wardrobe I was hiding in. I saw your white fur through the crack in the door.”

Chris frowned, looking confused. “What are you talking about? I never went near any wardrobes. Where was it?”

“In the west wing,” I said, pointing down the hallway. “The big mahogany wardrobe in the hallway.”

“That whole wing of the house was off-limits for the game, Ava. Didn’t you pay attention to the rules?”

My smile faltered, my mind racing with thoughts. “But... I saw you,” I insisted as my arms fell helplessly to my sides, my earlier valor replaced by confusion—and maybe a hint of fear. “Or at least, I saw something white.”

The room fell silent, save for Fabian’s soft gasp.

Chris shook his head. “Ava, I swear, I never walked past there.”