One Night
One Night 230

Chapter 230

Third Person

Peter crouched in the snowy underbrush, blowing warm air in between his palms and rubbing them together. Carefully so as not to disturb the nearby plants, he stretched one leg and then the other, then rolled his neck and his stiff shoulders, all the while watching the little log cabin like a hawk.

He had been like this for hours now, just watching that cabin. Every sound, every flutter of movement in the forest would catch his attention in an instant, only for it to wind up being a bird flitting by or a bunny digging underneath the front porch.

He was beginning to wonder if she’d evaded him again.

Months had gone by and Peter couldn’t seem to hunt down Fiona. She was as elusive as a cat in shadows, always slipping out of his reach just when he thought he had her.

On more than one occasion, he had considered giving up his hunt for her. Edwin would understand; perhaps they would replace another way, a better way. Or perhaps Fiona wasn’t even a threat anymore and this was all in vain.

But after everything that Edwin had done for Peter growing up… After all of the beatings his big brother had taken, both physical and verbal…

Peter couldn’t give up. He had to at least do this one thing for his brother. He had

woman who had caused so

much trouble, the woman who seemed intent on harming the future Luna of Crescent pack, and bring her home.

It was the least he could do.

So Peter waited. And waited. Even though it was f****g cold as s***t out here in the forest.

After months of searching, he’d finally been able to track Fiona down to this little cabin in the northernmost mountainous region of Coldclaw territory. The cell service was notoriously bad in Coldclaw with no towers, or any real infrastructure for that matter, to be found anywhere-but this place was even worse.

It really was in the middle of nowhere up here.

Coldclaw rogues, since they had no pack loyalty, were sort of sc***d all over the place; little groupings here and there, camps that rarely stayed in one place. Peter had figured that Fiona would have gone to one of those camps, since he was certain she was working for someone. But she must have figured out that Peter was on her trail and had decided to stay solitary.

Well… sort of solitary.

She was with someone, Peter knew for certain. But he didn’t know who she was traveling with-could never seem to get a good look at whoever it was. All he knew was that she was with a man.

But Peter figured he would replace out today, if Fiona ever came home.

It was a long while later, and Peter was half-asleep in the cold bushes by the time he heard the distant sound of footsteps echoing through the snowy forest. He jolted back to life, eyes quickly adjusting to the fading light, and felt his wolf stir inside of him as he saw the slender form walking up the front path.

There you are, a*****le, he thought with a satisfied smirk.

Peter waited patiently while Fiona, clad in a puffy winter coat and furry boots, fished a key out of her pocket and unlocked the front door. He didn’t want her to take off into the woods once he approached her, so he waited until she got inside and a

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Chapter 230

light came on before he began to creep up to the side of the house, keeping low so as not to be seen.

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Inside, the sounds of pots and pans banging caught Peter’s ears. He was grateful for the noise as a plank of wood creaked under his foot while ascending the front steps; Fiona didn’t hear him. Or smell him, for that matter.

The door was still unlocked, so he carefully lowered the handle and pushed it open.

And there she was: Fiona, the traitor he’d been looking for for months, all alone and vulnerable.

“Hello, Fiona.”

Fiona whirled around from where she stood at the stove, her eyes wide, frying pan held aloft over her head. Her eyes widened even more when she saw Peter standing in the doorway, blocking her only exit.

“P-Peter?” Fiona breathed, slowly lowering the pan-although not fully. “What are you… What are you doing here?”

“What do you think?” Peter took a step closer. The way that her eyes darted to the window wasn’t lost on him. “I’m here to bring you back to Crescent. You’re in a lot of trouble, you know.”

Fiona’s throat bobbed. “I haven’t done anything.”

“We all know what you did to Claudia,” Peter replied. “There’s no sense in trying to pretend anymore. What kind of an evil person poisons their own mother?”

“She’s not my mother.”

Peter sighed and shook his head. “Suit yourself. But you’re coming back with me.”

For a moment, as Peter stepped closer to Fiona, her eyes darted around with fear. Peter suppressed a satisfied smile at that fear-he could save his goading for later, once she was behind the bars of a Crescent prison cell.

But then something… shifted in Fiona’s gaze.

Her fear turned to malice.

And she dropped the frying pan.

“You can come out now,” she called out.

Before Peter even had the chance to turn around, the sound of the door slamming shut and locking echoed through the small cabin. No-Fiona wasn’t alone after all.

Peter began to shift, but it was too late. He let out a feral snarl of pain as something sharp jammed in between his ribs, sending him crumpling to the floor like a ragdoll.

He knew the blade was made of silver before he even felt himself begin to bleed.

“You… You…” Peter turned slowly, agonizingly, his fingers itching to pull the blade out of his ribs.

No, he thought. No, I have to leave it in… Stop the bleeding….

“The longer you leave it in,” Fiona purred, leaning against the nearby counter, “the mare the silver will course through your blood.”

Peter could only manage another strained snarl in response. The agony was great, and already he could feel his wolf’s power ebbing away as the silver ran its course. If he left the blade in the wound, he would become even more helpless.

But if he pulled it out, his blood and guts would spill across the hardwood floor.

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Fiona sighed when Peter didn’t speak and glanced up at someone behind him, someone just out of Peter’s line of vision.

But he didn’t need to see him. That scent… He’d know it anywhere.

“I don’t want to have to move again,” she whined, sticking her lower lip out in a pout. “I’m so tired…”

A deep chuckle rumbled from behind Peter, and he felt the hard leather of a steel-toed boot kick the hilt of the knife. Peter howled in agony as the blade drove deeper, hot white pain lancing through every fiber of his being.

How…? How could he do this to Peter?

His own flesh.

His own blood.

How?

“We won’t need to move again, baby. No one will replace him all the way up here.”

“You… a****le…” Peter croaked out as those steel-toed boots strode calmly into view. He spat on the leather, but the wearer hardly even seemed to notice as he crouched in front of Peter’s limp form.

Peter tried to drag himself away, but a familiar hand grabbed a fistful of his hair and yanked his head back, forcing Peter to look at him.

Axel grinned down at Peter, revealing two gleaming white fangs.

“Hello, brother.”

“Audrey!”

I stiffened, recognizing that voice all too well. Beside me, I felt Edwin tense as well, his hand tightening around mine. Slowly, I turned to see my adoptive parents approaching, their faces plastered with fake smiles that didn’t even come close to reaching their cold, calculating eyes.

They wanted something. I could sense it already.

“What do

you

want?” I bit out before I could think better of it.

“Want?” My adoptive mother chuckled and shook her head. “We don’t want anything, dear.”

“Aren’t we allowed to attend our little girl’s graduation?” my adoptive father said as he reached out-as if to hug me. I think that was more words than I had ever heard the b****rd speak in one go.

Edwin moved to put himself between us, but I was already taking a step back, my voice cold as I responded, “I’m not your little girl. I never have been.”

My adoptive parents’ smiles faltered for a moment before they quickly reassembled their masks of so-called ‘parental affection’. My adoptive father cleared his throat, his voice gruff and insincere despite the words he was spewing out. “Now, Audrey, don’t be like that. We are so proud of you-”

“Save it,” I cut him off, the words sharp on my tongue. “I know exactly what you’re doing. You heard I shifted, didn’t you? Thought you could get something out of me?”

My adoptive mother’s eyes narrowed slightly, a predatory gleam flickering in their depths before she turned to Edwin. Her voice was sickeningly sweet, dripping with false kindness as she wrung her hands together. “Well, we could use some money

Edwin stiffened. “That’s not happening.”

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“Then perhaps you could convince your mate to lift the ban on us adopting more kids,” my mother said with another one of those chuckles, as if this was all just fun and games for her.

“Also not happening.”

My mother’s smile quickly slipped away, replaced by a frown. “Why not? We’re good parents; after all, look how wonderfully Audrey turned out. We could help so many more children.”

I couldn’t help it. I laughed right in their faces, the sound harsh and humorless. “You’re joking, right? I’m glad Edwin banned you from adopting more children. I hope you never get the chance to hurt another kid again.”

My adoptive father’s face reddened with anger, his facade crumbling like a sandcastle in the tide. He took a step toward me, his fists clenching at his sides, but Edwin was quicker. My mate moved to fully shield me from him, his broad shoulders tensing.

A low growl rumbled in his chest, a clear warning. “Back off.”

“Oh, do you want to fight, big man?” my adoptive father sneered, jabbing a finger at Edwin’s chest. “You know, I did some research… Last I heard, you shattered some poor kid’s eye socket in the ring and never fought again. I wonder if you’ll hurt an old man for trying to reunite with his daughter.”

I stiffened, reaching out to take my mate’s arm.

“Don’t listen to-” I began down the bond, but Edwin didn’t hear me.

“She’s not your daughter,” Edwin replied quickly, his voice deceivingly calm. “And I’ll gladly hurt you if you lay a finger on her. So go ahead.” He stretched his arms out, nearly blocking my view of my adoptive parents. I could see the muscles ticking beneath his white shirt, his wolf itching to fight. “If you want to fight, you can make the first punch.”

The tension in the air was like crackling electricity as my adoptive father eyed Edwin up and down, clearly weighing the risks. I found myself holding my breath, waiting for the inevitable explosion.

But then, another voice cut through the chaos.

“That won’t be necessary.”

I whirled around, shocked, to see Claudia-my real mother-hobbling toward us, leaning heavily on a cane. Her face was pale and she looked thin, but her eyes were brighter than ever.

“Mom?” I gasped, unable to believe what I was seeing. “I thought you were still in the hospital!”

“I am.” She smiled warmly at me, the expression lighting up her tired face, before turning a steely gaze parents. “Hello. I’m Claudia.”

e on my adoptive

“This is the b***h who stole our daughter?” My adoptive mother threw her head back and laughed abrasively. “She looks like a mild breeze might blow her away!”

My eyes widened. Edwin growled again. But my mother didn’t flinch. “I know how you treated my daughter. You should be ashamed of yourselves.”

“You’re the one who gave her up!”

“She was stolen from me at birth.” Claudia took a hobbling step forward on her cane, her thin hand shaking with rage. Edwin reached out to steady her, but she waved him off. “I, too, am glad that Alpha Edwin barred you from adopting in Crescent territory,” she said, her eyes darkening with each word. “And you are barred from adopting in Silverbite, as well.”

My adoptive mother sputtered, her carefully constructed mask slipping. “You… you can’t-”

“I can,” Claudia cut her off, her voice sharp as a blade. “I am the Luna of Silverbite, and you abused my heir for years.

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Perhaps you should leave now before I decide to have you arrested for treason.”

The color drained from my adoptive parents’ faces, leaving them looking even more pale and sickly than Claudia under the bright sun. They didn’t need much convincing; without another word, they turned and quickly disappeared into the crowd, the sea of people swallowing them up.

swayed on her feet, and I rushed to her side, my arm As soon as they were gone, Claudia’s strength seemed to leave her. She wrapping around her waist to support her while Edwin rushed to her other

arm.

I could feel how frail she had become, how much weight she had lost during her time in the hospital. We made our way to a nearby bench, where Edwin and I helped her sit.

“Mom,” I said, tears pricking at the backs of my eyes as I took in her condition. “I can’t believe you’re here. How…?”

Claudia smiled tiredly and looked up at Edwin. “Thanks to a particular Alpha’s orders, the doctor let me leave the hospital for the day. I couldn’t miss my little girl’s graduation, you know?

I turned to Edwin, the realization dawning on me. “This was your surprise?”

He nodded, a soft smile on his face. “I knew how much it would mean to you to have her here. It took some convincing, but the doctors agreed she was stable enough for a short trip.”

Overwhelmed with emotion, I pulled them both close. Edwin’s solid warmth on

other.

one side, my mother’s fragile frame on the

I held onto the two people who meant the most to me in the world, my heart full to bursting.

“I love you guys…”

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“We love you, too, Audrey,” my mother murmured into my hair. “Always.”

鱼