Moonfall | Book Two

CHAPTER 3

Seated on the chaise in front of his bed, Michael stared at the wardrobe across the room while awaiting his mother's arrival. The sun had risen a few hours prior, and its light touched everything in his room but the wardrobe off in the dark corner. As the contrast was so clear, he found himself intrigued at the sight.

Had the sunlight not wished to be tainted by the darkness, or had the darkness repelled its unwelcomed touch? He knew the type of power darkness held within its grasp, but light was its equal and—should battle lines be drawn—its only worthy adversary as neither could exist without the other.

Just as life could never be free of death—a truth that relentlessly sought Michael out despite his efforts to avoid a confrontation. Efforts he would not allow to be made in vain.

So, despite telling his mother he wished to visit Gabriel, he had no real intention of doing so. It had been a ruse to create an opportunity to prey upon her. Visiting her dead son would undoubtedly put her in an emotionally fragile state, and Michael planned to use that to his advantage to get what he truly wanted: to go to the Woodlands.

He was not proud of the lengths he was going to, but he was her son, after all. If she could have him confined to his chambers to ensure he attended a pack meeting, surely, he could sink just as low. He had already committed to crossing the line, and the moment his mother arrived there could be no turning back.

That is if his mother did, in fact, show up.

Michael turned his attention to the table in the centre of his room, filled with an assortment of untouched breakfast foods his mother had sent nearly an hour prior.

Surely, she did not think it would take him that long to eat, did she? Or had she changed her mind?

Nerves set in as he wondered what kept her. His plan could not work without her. And that fact forced Michael to stand up and head towards the door. However, when he opened it, seeing his mother on the other side, dressed in black and hand raised to knock, caught him off guard.

She gave him a soft smile when their eyes met, but he did not return it. Instead, he focused on the faint tint of red in the whites of her eyes.

"Good morning, Michael. I apologize for keeping you waiting."

He knew right away why she had been late. Despite the rose in her cheeks and bit of colour painted on her lips, her efforts to draw attention away from her eyes had not fooled Michael. But if she wished to cover up the evidence that she had been crying, he would play along.

"Shall we go?"

After she nodded in response, Michael closed the door behind him and, together, they walked down the corridor. Once they turned the corner, he was thoroughly surprised to see all of the guards absent. So much so, he paused.

"You did not believe that I would send them away, did you?"

Michael started to walk again. "I learned a long time ago to never get my hopes up, is all."

"You know I never break my promises."

If she was trying to prompt him to fulfill his promise just as she had fulfilled hers, or trying to remind him he could trust her, Michael did not know. His uncertainty prompted him to say nothing, however, the silence did not last long.

"I did not think I would be able to accompany you today."

"Then why did you come?"

"Because I did not want you to be alone."

Again, Michael remained silent. It was not until after they reached the first floor and made it outside into the cool winter air that his mother spoke again.