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“That is, if revenge is what she’s looking for…” said Kevin thoughtfully.
“Of course, of course…” agreed Christine. “We don’t know that for sure, and I hope to God I’m exaggerating when I’m talking about revenge. We can never know what that poor girl is thinking and what her intentions are. Her poor mind has played so many tricks on her, and I don’t even want to imagine how she’s feeling now, after one month of going without medication.”
“Yeah, she’s crazy all right,” whispered Jocelyn.
“Josie, darling, please don’t say that.” Christine said the words in a hushed voice, but her disapproval was obvious. “We all know what Sabine has gone through all these years. Losing her family in a bloodbath, going through the painful transformation, then having to deal with the idea that she would never be able to have children… It was all too much for her. In fact, if we all take a moment to think about it, it would have been too much for any of us.”
Avelyn looked down. Judging by the way Max, Jocelyn, Kevin, and Ryan looked at Christine, it was clear that her words hadn’t impressed them, but Avelyn knew better. Even though Sabine had hurt her and had almost killed her baby, Avelyn still couldn’t find it in her to hate the girl or, even worse, wish her harm. After everything that happened, Avelyn could understand the girl’s rage and desire to get back at those who had taken her life away from her: the Blackmanes.
“As much as I hate to say this, Christine is right,” Max finally said. “It might be our only chance.”
Jocelyn sighed at his words, and Kevin shook his head.
“No, it’s not,” said Avelyn, her voice startling them. “Christine, you have no idea what Sabine actually thinks about you. It’s true that she never considered me her friend, but it’s also true that she never considered you either, even if she might have given you the impression.”
“What are you saying, child?”
All eyes turned on Avelyn.
“What I’m saying is that Sabine hates you. She told me about the herbal teas you prepared for her and how much she hated it when you made her drink them. They made her weak and helpless during the full moon.”
“Of course they did. They were supposed to protect her from herself. Sabine was not all right, Avelyn, she was a danger to herself. The tea prevented her from turning during the full moon, when her wolf would have been too strong to control.”
“She didn’t see it that way. She always thought that you were doing it because you didn’t want her to turn and break down the walls of her luxurious cell.”
“I was never her enemy…”
“I know that, Christine. We all know that, but Sabine didn’t. All she knew was that your teas always made her feel drowsy and helpless.”
Avelyn’s heart sank when she saw the hurt in the old woman’s eyes. Christine truly cared about Sabine. In fact, she might have been the only one who still remembered the girl the way she was before becoming a werewolf. Unfortunately, things were not as Christine thought they were. That girl was gone. The suave Sabine had died together with her slaughtered family.
“I know this is hard for you to understand, but you have to believe me: Sabine didn’t consider you her friend, she didn’t like spending time with you, she never looked forward to your company. She deceived me and lied about many things, but I know she was honest about this one thing. I’m sorry, Christine, I’m so sorry. I know you care about Sabine just as much as you care about me, and I can understand why. Sabine, on the other hand, can’t.”
Christine didn’t know what to say. She set her cup down on the glass table in front of her, then let her hands lay motionless in her lap. What Avelyn was saying made perfect sense, but what hurt Christine most was that, deep down, she had known these things all along. Hearing them from someone else made them more real than ever. She couldn’t deny the truth anymore.
“I still have to try,” she said in a weak, trembling voice. If the people in the office didn’t all have werewolf senses, they wouldn’t have heard her.
“What?” Avelyn couldn’t believe her ears.
“I still have to try, and you, more than anyone, know why. For so many years, Sabine was like my own daughter. She might not have thought the same, but this doesn’t mean I will let her down. I will never let her down.” Christine turned to Max, a silent plea in her faded green eyes. “Let me talk to her. If she ever comes close enough to the Schloss, let me go out there and try to talk to her.”
Max placed his pen atop his notes, and leaned back in his chair. He didn’t like Christine’s idea, but they didn’t have anything else to work with. “Are you sure?”
“Yes.” The old woman held his gaze, even as she was aware of Jocelyn’s hard eyes on her. When Max turned towards his sister, a silent question in his eyes, Christine held her breath. Even if Max was the main Alpha of Clan Blackmane, his sister’s opinion weighted a lot, and Christine knew Max would take it into consideration. Eventually, Max’s decision would be the last one, but Jocelyn had a unique way of getting into his head and making him change his mind, even when Max himself least expected it. This time, however, Jocelyn simply nodded her head in approval.
“Okay,” said Max. “You will talk to Sabine when the time comes. Until then, we can’t sit around with our arms crossed. We have to do something to protect my wife and my unborn child.”
Avelyn’s heart skipped a beat, and a small smile tugged at the corner of her lips. She loved it when Max became so possessive and protective.
“Avelyn isn’t safe here. Even though we managed to block all the entrances to the tunnels under the Schloss, we must be aware that Sabine still knows her way around the castle. We must make sure that neither she, nor any of her pack mates ever get to Avelyn. With Karl gone, I’m afraid we don’t have enough people to patrol the forest and guard the castle, not to mention that we still need people to go to Dunkelstadt and the neighboring villages and towns to keep an eye out for her pack.”
“So, you’re saying that the Crescents and the Moon Children are not enough to protect one woman from a rogue she-wolf and her lousy pack of misfits?” asked Jocelyn, disbelief obvious in her voice.
“No, Jocelyn, what I’m saying is that we must take all possible precautions. We underestimated Sabine once, I’m not going to make that mistake again. I’m taking Avelyn back to Alma Venus.”
At first, Avelyn thought she hadn’t heard him right. Back to Alma Venus? After having been so sure she would never see her friends again, it all sounded so surreal.
“Are you serious?” she asked.
