Chapter 8 Chapter 8
Chapter 8 Chapter 8
CHAPTER EIGHT
Aveline’s POV
My heart stopped.
For a moment, I thought I misheard him.
“She says… she’s Aveline’s mother.”
The words echoed in my head, over and over again, refusing to make sense.
My mother?
Another one?
My chest tightened so hard it hurt.
I slowly turned to Fenrir, my eyes searching his face, trying to find some kind of answer there. But his expression had gone cold again, unreadable, like he was already thinking ten steps ahead of everyone else.
“This isn’t funny,” I said, my voice coming out weaker than I intended.
“No one is laughing,” he replied.
I swallowed hard.
My legs felt unsteady, but I forced myself to stand straight.
“Take me to her.”
Fenrir didn’t move immediately.
That alone made panic rise in my chest.
“Take me to her,” I repeated, louder this time.
His eyes shifted to me slowly.
“You just saw what happened.”
“I don’t care.”
“That could be another trap.”
“I don’t care!” I snapped, my voice breaking. “If there’s even a chance that it’s her, I’m going.”
The courtyard had gone completely silent again. Warriors stood around us, pretending not to listen, but I could feel their attention.
Fenrir stared at me for a long moment.
Then he exhaled quietly.
“Fine.”
Relief rushed through me so fast it made me dizzy.
“But you stay behind me,” he added. “And you don’t touch her until I say so.”
I didn’t argue.
“I just need to see her.”
He nodded once and turned.
“Clear the way,” he ordered.
The warriors immediately stepped aside.
Fenrir started walking toward the main gate, his movements calm but sharp, like he was ready for anything.
I followed closely behind him, my heart pounding so loudly I could hear it in my ears.
This had to be her.
It had to be.
The first woman was a trick.
A cruel, twisted trick.
But this…
This had to be real.
It had to be.
Please, Moon Goddess… let it be her.
The walk to the gate felt longer than it should have.
Every step made my anxiety worse.
What if it wasn’t her?
What if this was just another game?
What if—
We reached the gate.
Two large iron doors stood open, and several guards were gathered around someone standing just outside.
Fenrir slowed his steps.
I held my breath.
Then I saw her.
My world tilted.
She looked… fragile.
Weaker than I remembered.
Her clothes were worn and dusty, her hair dull and tangled, her body thinner than it should have been.
But her face—
My heart clenched painfully.
It was her.
It was really her.
“Mom…” I whispered.
Her head lifted slowly.
Her eyes searched the courtyard.
Then they landed on me.
For a second, she froze.
And then—
“Aveline…?”
Her voice was weak.
Barely there.
But it was hers.
Tears blurred my vision instantly.
I moved without thinking.
“Aveline—”
Fenrir’s hand shot out, grabbing my wrist.
“Wait.”
“I can’t!” I cried, trying to pull away. “That’s my mother!”
“I know,” he said firmly. “But you need to be sure.”
“I am sure!”
But even as I said it… doubt crept in.
Because of what just happened.
Because of that woman.
Because of that blade.
My chest tightened.
Fenrir stepped forward slowly, placing himself between me and her.
His eyes scanned her carefully.
Taking in every detail.
Every movement.
“You came a long way,” he said calmly.
My mother looked at him weakly.
“Please… I just want my daughter.”
Her voice broke.
“I was told she was here.”
My hands trembled.
It sounded like her.
It felt like her.
Everything about her was her.
Fenrir didn’t move closer.
“Who told you?”
She hesitated.
Then she swallowed.
“A man… I don’t know his name.”
My heart dropped slightly.
Fenrir’s eyes darkened.
“What did he look like?”
“Tall… dark hair…” she said weakly. “He said if I came here… I would find my daughter.”
My chest felt tight again.
That sounded like something my father would do.
Or worse…
Fenrir’s uncle.
I stepped forward again.
“Please,” I whispered. “Let me go to her.”
Fenrir glanced back at me.
I could see the hesitation in his eyes.
Then slowly…
He released my wrist.
I didn’t wait.
I ran.
“Mom!”
She barely had time to react before I threw my arms around her.
Her body felt so light.
Too light.
Like she might break if I held her too tightly.
But she was warm.
Real.
Alive.
“Aveline…” she whispered, her voice shaking as her arms wrapped around me.
I broke.
All the fear.
All the pain.
All the helplessness I had been holding back came crashing down at once.
“I thought I lost you,” I cried into her shoulder.
“I’m here… I’m here…” she murmured weakly.
I pulled back slightly, holding her face in my hands.
“You’re okay… you’re okay…”
But even as I said it, I could see it.
She wasn’t okay.
She looked worse.
Much worse.
“What did they do to you?” I whispered.
She shook her head faintly.
“It doesn’t matter… I found you.”
Tears slipped down my cheeks.
“I’m going to fix this,” I said quickly. “You’re going to be fine. I’ll get you the medicine, I swear.”
Her eyes softened.
“You’ve always been strong,” she whispered.
I shook my head.
“I’m not strong. I just—”
Her body suddenly tensed in my arms.
I frowned.
“Mom?”
Her grip on me tightened.
Too tight.
Pain shot through my arm.
My breath caught.
Something was wrong.
Very wrong.
“Aveline.”
Fenrir’s voice came sharp from behind me.
I tried to pull back—
But my mother didn’t let go.
Her fingers dug into my arm.
My heart started racing.
“Mom… you’re hurting me…”
She didn’t respond.
Slowly… I lifted my head.
And what I saw made my blood run cold.
Her expression had changed.
The softness was gone.
The warmth in her eyes… gone.
Replaced with something else.
Something cold.
Something empty.
My stomach dropped.
“No…” I whispered.
Her lips slowly curved into a faint smile.
Not my mother’s smile.
Never my mother’s.
“I was wondering how long it would take you to notice,” she said.
My entire body went numb.
“No… no, you’re lying… you’re—”
“Careful,” she murmured. “You might hurt my feelings.”
My hands started shaking violently.
“You’re not her…”
“Of course I’m not.”
The words shattered something inside me.
Before I could react, she leaned closer, her voice dropping to a whisper only I could hear.
“But the real one says hello.”
My breath hitched.
What?
“What did you—”
Pain exploded in my side.
I gasped.
I hadn’t even seen the blade.
It was already buried in me.
A sharp, cold burn spread through my body as the dagger sank deeper.
My mind went blank.
I couldn’t breathe.
I couldn’t think.
All I could feel was pain.
My knees gave out instantly.
The woman shoved me away, pulling the blade out as I collapsed to the ground.
Screams erupted around us.
“Aveline!”
Fenrir’s voice roared through the chaos.
I hit the ground hard, the world spinning around me.
My vision blurred.
Everything felt distant.
Cold.
The last thing I saw before darkness started creeping in…
Was Fenrir lunging toward her—
And her smiling.
Like she had already won.