Chapter 27
Abigail's POV
The next night, I waited until it was completely dark before quietly leaving my room. Orchid was still sleeping—she'd spent almost the entire day asleep. Autumn stayed behind to watch over her while I slipped into the pack's dim corridors.
At this hour, the territory was especially quiet, most people already in their homes or crowded into the main hall for dinner. I kept to the shadows, moving quickly and lightly, avoiding the occasional passing guard's line of sight until I reached the forest's edge.
The northern oak grove wasn't far, maybe a twenty-minute walk through. Tonight's moon was nearly full, spilling enough silver light for me to see the path without being too exposed. Cold air rushed into my lungs, carrying the scent of pine needles, damp earth, and dead leaves mixed together—the nighttime smell I'd known since childhood.
The moment I stepped into the clearing, I saw Nicholas was already there. He stood near the center, his posture appearing casual yet radiating alertness everywhere. Beside him were three dark figures—from their builds and equipment, clearly warriors, wearing Winter Pack's distinctive dark leather armor.
As I approached, Nicholas turned, moonlight outlining the contours of his dark eyes.
"You came alone?" he asked.
"Autumn stayed back to watch Orchid," I answered. "I couldn't leave her by herself."
He nodded, clearly approving of this choice. "Wise."
I stopped a few steps away from him. "Thank you for being willing to come," I said. "I know what I'm asking isn't small."
"You were right to ask," Nicholas said calmly. "Your mother moved fast, cleaned up her tracks almost perfectly. The witness is currently being held in a farmhouse about fifteen miles east of here. Two guards taking turns watching her."
My heart seized sharply. "You've already found her?"
"I have people around me who are very good at finding people." He shrugged lightly. "The question is what you want to do about it? We can bring her back, but if she's already been threatened or bought off, she won't willingly testify for you."
I'd already thought about this. "Then we need to make her understand that Alpha Nicholas's protection is more reliable than any promise Luna can give."
The corner of Nicholas's mouth lifted slightly. "You want me to intimidate a kitchen servant?"
"I want you to give her a better option than being my mother's pawn," I said. "Clara isn't the mastermind here. She's just someone who got swept up in this. If we can make her believe that telling the truth is safer than lying for Luna, she'll talk."
Nicholas studied me silently, his gaze so deep I couldn't read the emotion in it. After a moment, he nodded.
"But there's another reason I came tonight." Nicholas jerked his chin toward the shadows behind him. "I told you before I'd bring a healer to examine you. I brought her with me. Might as well take care of both matters at once."
I froze for a moment, caught off guard. In the urgency of Clara's situation, I'd nearly forgotten he'd made such a promise. My chest tightened with an emotion I couldn't quite name—relief, mixed with unease.
"Now?" I asked.
"Unless you'd rather wait."
I nodded. "All right."
Nicholas raised his hand in a gesture, and a white-haired old woman stepped out from the shadows at the edge of the clearing. Her movements were surprisingly steady despite her age, her back still straight, her gaze sharp. A dark robe hung to her ankles, several leather pouches dangling from her waist, faintly releasing the scent of herbs and something spicy.
"Miss Rodriguez." The old woman spoke, her voice gravelly but not weak. She inclined her head slightly. "Alpha Nicholas has explained your situation to me. If you'll allow it, I'd like to examine you."
I instinctively glanced at Nicholas. He stood with his arms crossed, his expression calm, his posture carrying an unspoken sense of protection.
I turned back to the healer and nodded. "Please."
The old woman approached slowly, retrieving a few items from one of the pouches at her waist. She gestured for me to extend my hand, and I did, palm up. She examined my palm and nails carefully first, then turned my wrist over to inspect the skin on the back of my hand. Her touch was gentle, her fingertips pausing at my pulse point before moving to the inside of my wrist.
"Lift your head. Let me see your eyes," she said.
I obeyed. She leaned in close, staring into my eyes for a long moment, then checked my tongue, and swept her gaze along the sides of my neck, examining the color and texture of my skin. Throughout the entire process she said nothing, but her brow furrowed deeper and deeper.
Finally, she drew a thin silver needle from her pouch. "This will sting a little," she warned, then swiftly pricked the tip of my finger. A drop of blood slowly welled up, its color dark, its flow sluggish. She caught the drop with a small piece of white cloth, held it up to the moonlight, and studied the dark red stain spreading across the fabric.
Her expression grew noticeably graver.
"This young lady," she said slowly, turning to Nicholas, "has indeed been poisoned. A chronic toxin, extremely subtle. It's been accumulating in her system for years."
Then she looked back at me, her eyes softening with a touch of pity. "If left untreated, it will continue to erode your meridians, slowly strangling your wolf until she can never awaken. You'll remain wolfless for the rest of your life."
My throat tightened, but I forced myself to stay composed. "Can it be cured?"
The old woman nodded slowly. "Yes. But it will require a rare herb called Silverfrost Grass as the primary ingredient. Combined with other medicinal materials, I can prepare an antidote for you. You'll need to take it daily for about a month to fully purge the toxin from your body."
I exhaled shakily, relief washing over me like a tide. One month. Just one month, and I could finally be free of the poison that had haunted me since childhood.
Nicholas spoke up. "Once the antidote is ready, I'll have it delivered to you regularly."
"Thank you," I said quietly.
He gave a brief nod, then turned to the healer. "Start preparing the antidote as soon as you return. Make it as quickly as possible."
The healer nodded in acknowledgment. "As you command, Alpha."
The words had barely left her lips when, before I could fully process what had just happened, one of Nicholas's men approached quickly from the edge of the clearing, his footsteps nearly silent on the soft forest floor. He leaned close to Nicholas's ear and murmured something. Nicholas's expression didn't visibly change, but I saw the line of his jaw tighten for a brief instant.