Chapter 88
Soren
I lean against the door frame, watching Bree stuff clothes into an old, worn duffel bag with more force than necessary. She seems antsy to leave; she is wearing loose clothing,
comfortable and easy for her to escape when she needs to shift. The full moon is tonight, so Bree is heading to her grandmother’s old shack, a house that would be too polite to call it. I’m surprised the place is still standing. It looks like it is one strong gust of wind away from crumbling to dust or being blown away. A knot of worry tightens in my stomach as I watch her. I know she needs the isolation during her transformation, but the dilapidated state of the old cellar makes me uneasy. I can’t shake the feeling that something will go wrong and I won’t be there to help her.
“You don’t have to go,” I say for what feels like the hundredth time. “It’s dangerous,” I say, my voice full of worry. “I don’t want you to get hurt.” Bree pauses, her hands freezing mid- motion as she looks up at me, her eyes filled with annoyance.
“I appreciate your concern, Soren, but I need to do this,” she replies softly, her voice unwavering despite the tension in the air. “It’s the only way I can control the transformation and keep everyone safe.”
“We can secure you in the dungeons here. No one would bother you down there, you’d be perfectly safe down there, and I would be more at ease knowing you aren’t being taken advantage of if someone does happen to stumble upon you.”
Chapter 88
288 Vouchers.
“You just won’t give up!” she huffs, clearly annoyed at me harassing her over this, but there is no need for her to leave. We are equipped to handle a shifted rabid werewolf here.
“The cellar is falling apart, Bree. What if the roof caves in, or you get trapped down there? And what about if a male wolf finds you down there? There could be anything lurking in the woods around your grandmother’s old place, and you
wouldn’t be in any condition to defend yourself.” Bree sighs. heavily and shakes her head.
“Bree?” She pauses, her hands gripping the edge of the bag as she looks up at me, her eyes fierce and finding mine quickly.
“Soren, being locked away without seeing the moon would torment me for a whole month. You know how the call affects
me.”
“I need to be outside. Not being out in the elements on a full moon may drive my wolf mad. Plus, I will be more rabid until the next one, meaning I will be a danger to Max.” Her gaze drops for a moment. “The moon’s pull is stronger than you think, and I need to be free to follow it, even if it means returning to that old cellar.”
I cross my arms, unconvinced. “A cellar is no better. It’s damp, cramped-”
“Actually, it’s not just any cellar.” Her voice softens a bit as if she’s trying to ease my worry.
The cellar in Grandma’s house leads to a network of tunnels. There’s a Perspex dome I found out about” – she chuckles humorlessly – “which she conveniently forgot to mention. It sits right in the middle of the backyard. I stumbled upon it last
Chapter 88
time; it was hidden beneath the overgrown grass. I’ll see the moonlight, feel its presence. It will be fine, Soren.”
I want to argue further and point out a dozen different risks, but the hard set in Bree’s posture tells me it’s a lost cause. Her connection to the lunar cycle is something I can never fully understand since Lycans don’t need to worry about moon cycles. However, I respect it enough to trust her judgment. Besides, she will not listen to me, anyway.
“Alright,” I concede, pushing off the door frame. “But promise me you’ll be careful?”
“Always am,” Bree replies with a smirk, zipping up the bag.
Max’s small, inquisitive face peering around the corner of the door frame, his brow furrowed with worry. Bree pauses mid- pack, her eyes softening at the sight of him.
“Please don’t go,” Max whines at her. She kneels, extending her arms for a hug that Max rushes into without hesitation.
“Sweetheart, you know I have to go to Grandma’s tonight,” she says gently, smoothing back his hair as he nods against her chest. “I won’t let anything happen to you, okay? That’s why I can’t stay here.”
Max pulls back, his expression serious beyond his years. “Because of the moon?” he asks, and Bree nods, pressing a kiss to his forehead.
“Exactly. And I don’t want you to see me… not in control; I have no control in that state,” she whispers, her eyes flickering to mine, silently pleading for understanding. She stands.
