The moonlight bathed the forest path in silver, filtering through tall pines as the soft crunch of leaves followed two quiet figures. Elenora had asked Abigail to join her for a walk after the evening meal, away from the prying eyes of the packhouse and the ever-watching whispers of the omegas.
Abigail hesitated at first, unused to such invitations. But there was something in Elenora's eyes, gentleness, curiosity that made her follow.
"You like the forest, don't you?" Elenora asked, glancing at her companion with a faint smile.
Abigail nodded. "It's quiet here. No one notices me."
"Sometimes not being noticed is safer," Elenora murmured. Then she paused, her tone sharpening just slightly. "But not always."
Abigail frowned, unsure what she meant. They walked on, the trees opening up to reveal a small clearing where a stream whispered nearby. Fireflies danced above the water, glowing softly in the night air.
Elenora stopped, folding her arms. Her gaze lingered on the rippling water before she turned to Abigail. "Selene won't stop."
The words struck like a blow. Abigail stiffened, her eyes dropping to the ground. She didn't need to ask who Elenora meant.
"She's determined to have my brother," Elenora continued, her voice quiet but steady. "And anyone she thinks threatens that she'll crush."
Abigail's throat tightened. "I've done nothing to her. I don't want...."
"I know." Elenora reached out, lightly touching her arm. "That's why I'm warning you. It doesn't matter if you don't want him. It doesn't matter if you never look at him again. Selene will still see you as her enemy."
Abigail's heart thudded painfully. The truth in Elenora's words was undeniable. She had felt Selene's hatred like claws on her skin, relentless and sharp.
"She's already tried humiliating you in front of others," Elenora went on, her expression grave. "But she'll push further. She wants to break you, Abigail. To make sure no one ever looks at you without scorn."
For a moment, neither spoke. Only the stream's gentle gurgle filled the silence.
Finally, Abigail whispered, "Why are you telling me this?"
Elenora's gaze softened, her features shadowed by the moonlight. "Because I see things others pretend not to. You don't deserve what she does to you. And because…" She hesitated, then sighed. "Because I know my brother, too. Steve is pretending not to care, but he notices everything. And that makes Selene even more dangerous."
Abigail's breath caught at the mention of Steve, the name carrying a weight that twisted her chest. She forced herself to look away, blinking hard.
Elenora squeezed her arm once before letting go. "Be careful. Protect yourself. And remember sometimes silence is survival, but sometimes it only feeds your enemy."
The warning lingered between them, heavy and unspoken. As they turned back toward the packhouse, Abigail walked quietly beside Elenora, her mind a storm of fear, confusion, and something else she dared not name.