The next day, Honey joined me in Adam's SUV as my guard to church. We got plenty of stares through. the service, but Honey and I were both used to it. Even if they were for very different reasons. Thankfully, nothing drastic happened. The whole church seemed to breathe a sigh of relief after we had spoken to the pastor and left. I couldn't really blame them for being so on edge after a group of Fae beings attacked. I sighed and slid back into the driver seat of the car.

"What's the plan?"

I glanced at Honey. "What do you mean?"

She snorted. "I know you well enough to know that you're not just going to sit back and wait. Not with Abigail on her own and her son so afraid."

I shrugged and answered honestly. "I didn't really have any concrete plans. Just wanted to swing by Evan's place and see if we could pick up anything the police might have missed."

She nodded, far more eager than I would have at first expected. I wondered if Evan reminded her of her husband Peter. His loss definitely still weighed down on her. I sighed and let silence fill the car all the way until we reached Evan's apartment complex. The complex had a gate that looked like management had given up fixing years ago. On the other hand, the outsides of the buildings were alright. A recent coat of paint had made everything look fresher. We drove around until we found the building question. It wasn't hard to pick out which one since there was still police caution tape surrounding the back doors and windows. They hadn't been able to completely cordon of the building because residents lived on the upper two floors. I put the car park and got out, Honey following my lead.

"What exactly are you hoping to find?" We started walking towards the building aiming to walk around the back to see if there were any easy access areas that wouldn't be noticed by a bunch of neighbors. Up close you could see that the paint job had been a superficial touch up. The whole building seemed to droop with age. And now it was likely to have ghosts. I could have sworn I saw a small child walk through the sliding glass door on the back porch of one of the sealed houses.

"I'm not-."

"Wolf girl." Both our heads snapped around at the voice that was clearly calling out to us. I turned to see a wrinkled old woman sitting on one of the back porches that faced towards the back of these apartments. Her hair was a dark brown with a generous salt color mixed in. She was reclined in an old plastic lawn chair that looked as fragile as she did. While her body looked fragile, I got the distinct impression that her mind was anything but. Her gaze was sharp and clear, there was even a hint of defiance in those grey eyes. I think we just stumbled across the neighborhood busy-body.

She lifted an old battered tea cup to her lips and sipped it while watching us. Then she waved us over. "I thought that was you Mrs. Hauptman. Recognize you from the news. Quite a show that was. Pardon my manners, I'm Ms. Betty Ann. Just Betty if you please. My mother dearest was nut to stick Ann at the end of a perfectly good name." She huffed. Then her gaze went to Honey. She held her gaze for several painfully long seconds before huffing a laugh and dropping her eyes. Something I got the impression she did not because Honey was more dominant than her, but cause Ms. Betty wanted to. "You'll do girl."

"We were wondering if you happened to see what happened to Abigail, perhaps the direction she had gone." Let her think we are trying to track her for the police.

She looked between us and sighed, "So, Abigail was a wolf, huh. Makes sense."

"What makes you say that?"

"Mrs. Hauptman, please try not to insult my intelligence. I highly doubt you would be here looking for Abigail if this wasn't related to the magical community, no matter how gruesome the wreckage was. And I've had my suspicions for a while about Abigail." I wondered if Ms. Betty might have magic in her own background. "Besides, why would the villains use guns when they could use magic, claws, of fangs."

I could think of a few reasons for using guns, but none of them boded well for my family so keeping them to myself served me better. "What can you tell me about that day?" No need to confirm nor deny Abigail's situation.

Though she smiled understanding exactly what I had done there. "Not a whole lot. Abigail came around back all stealthy like. She told me to go inside and not open up for anyone I didn't know. The look on her face…" Whatever Abigail's face had looked like; it had been enough of a warning to Ms. Betty. "I went inside and locked up until the police showed up."

It was my turn to smile. "And you didn't peek?"

Her serious expression froze then cracked into a wry smile. "There were some crashing noises before I watched two well-dressed men bolt like bats outta hell. Didn't get a good look at their faces." She was miffed about that. No doubt she would have relished helping the police catch those bastards. "But they didn't look like anyone I have ever seen around here. Seems like Abigail managed to be more than they could chew. Both of em looked like they'd been rolled around before they went scampering. That's when I called the cops. Haven't seen Abigail or her sweet boy since." There was an unsaid question in there.

"Evan is safe."

The old lady frowned. "Which means Abigail is still missing. She wouldn't stay away from her son unless she physically couldn't be there." Her frustration stirred the air between us and she took another sip of her tea. Finally, she sighed, "Well at least the young man is safe, so she will at least be happy with that. He is unhurt?"

"Yes."

A small flash of relief. "Good, I don't want to think of her getting hurt again. Being a single mom is hard enough without adding to it."

That caught my attention. "Abigail was hurt?"

"Yea. Her boy and the Hernandez boys," she had to swallow back her grief which washed through the air. "Were playing in the street. Some hooligan," her lips curled in disgust. "Came racing though as Abby was coming back from getting the mail. She managed to push the boys outta the way, but she was struck. Stubborn girl refused to see the doctor. I ended up calling the police. Those little punks needed to be taught a lesson. Though I shouldn't be surprised she was going to let it slide under the rug. People here like to keep to themselves." Her expression became thoughtful. "She did seem real jumpy after that."

Honey asked, "Why wouldn't she be? Her son was nearly killed right in front of her."

Ms. Betty shrugged. "It didn't feel like that. Besides, she started packing immediately after that. They were planning on moving, and that was four days ago." Maybe that was part of the reason Abigail's apartment was so sparse of Evan's belongings. Wait, the accident was three days ago. She immediately makes preparations to flee. Then two days later her home was raided by gunmen. I was inclined to believe Ms. Betty's earlier supposition that Abigail was leaving not because she was afraid of the neighborhood. That's the pattern. But why-. A sudden very dark thought crossed my mind.

"Did Abigail mention any family on her side?" I could feel Honey's eyes on my back. She knew as well as I that any family on Abigail's side would have to wolf to still be alive. Both of us knew family transformations were rare. I could count one hand the number of families that were. Bran and Samuel, as well as Ansil and his sons. But I couldn't deny the new information made it all fit neatly.

"Hmm, no, she didn't talk about her family. Her husband passed and no one wanted to pry after that." She hummed to herself. "But Evan mentioned a grandfather once." She wrinkled her nose again. "I get the feeling that girl didn't grow up in a very safe home, if you catch my meaning. Not the place she would run to with her son."

That I did, and I was very grateful for the old lady's misunderstanding. "Anything else you noticed?"

"Not that you'd be interested in. Unless you wanna know about the affair between two of my upstairs neighbors?"

I forced a chuckle. "No, but thank you." I started walking back the taped off apartment. Once we were far enough away that Ms. Betty's sharp ears weren't likely to hear, Honey cleared her throat.

"You don't actually think her father is hunting her?"

"Hard to say for sure. I think he is actually hunting those who hurt her. But it fits. Especially with how he is tracking her to different states. And I'd bet he also killed Evan's father."

Honey growled, "Why?" I wondered if she was imagining the what ifs with Peter and herself.

"What would happen if a wolf defied their Alpha?"

She didn't seem all that surprised by my change of topic and rolled with it. "A wolf wouldn't, not unless they dominate enough to potentially take the position themselves. Then there would be a fight for succession typically ending in the death of one of the parties."

"And if the theory of Abigail being an Omega is true, and she not only defied an order but openly worked to subvert or stop an order given." The order to kill Warren.

Honey didn't even blink. "She would have been punished." Physically. Wolves were awful like that.

"That's what I thought. And from what I can tell, Evan's father died maybe days after his son was born. Giving birth is painful, much less for a wolf. If the Shadow came across the man, he would have smelt of his daughter and blood. Especially, if there were complications." Honey gasped clearly making the same connections I had. "And the accident recently, she was trying to move to avoid collateral damage and find a safe place to tuck Evan away. But now he likely knows." I could feel that deep in my bones. "She plans to confront her father or at the very least draw him away."

"Do you have anything to back that theory up?" There was an odd note of resignation in her tone. Despite her question, I noticed there wasn't a trace of doubt in her. It reminded me of what Warren had said last night.

"Not a thing. Just a hunch."

Honey winced. "I was afraid you would say that." We turned down the through way of the apartments. All four doors on the bottom floor were tapped with police tape. There was even forensics paper sealing the cracks just above each lock. The smell of death and blood was seeping into the hallway from three of the doors, but faintly under all that I caught the scent of musk and mint. I followed it to one of the doors and was almost touching the door when I felt a wash of magic.

Wolf magic.

It rolled over like a tiny wave at the beach. An echo, probably whatever the Shadow had done to Tony. But this felt strangely familiar. It was only when Honey whined behind me that I realized what exactly it reminded me of. Pack bonds, but thicker? No, that wasn't right. I reached out to touch the door and Honey whined again. This time I turned to look at her and froze. She was terrified. Her eyes had changed color. It wasn't hard to see she was desperately trying to suppress the change.

"Mercy, safe not!" Honey's voice was broken and raspy. Like she was suddenly a small child. Oh shit! Honey wasn't home anymore. Her eyes widened and she looked at the door suddenly babbled, "Not here! Not know where! Did not hurt!" Deep breath, I told myself remembering the questions that the Shadow asked Tony.

"Honey, let's go back to the car, now." I said it with as much force as I could, pulling from Adam's power as I did. Honey almost instantly calmed to more tolerable levels and turned to go. As we turned, I felt the magic surge and try to catch at me, but once again it washed over me like the ankle high waves at the beach. Honey froze. "Keep going." We both took a couple more steps before the power broke apart, no longer able to maintain its shape. Before I could even sigh in relief my rang out loudly in the silence, startling both of us. The ringtone told me it was Adam.

"Hel-."

"Are you safe." It was Adam, but not. His wolf was in charge. Yep, he definitely felt whatever happened back there.

"I am safe."

"Who's there with you?"

"Other than Honey, no one."

"Come home." The now went unsaid, and I pretended not to notice it.

"We were heading back when you called." I glanced at Honey whose body was still trembling from the effort of holding back the change. She was even making soft growls. "I think Honey needs to change first."

"She does."

Oh goody, today was just getting better and better. We made it back to the SUV before Honey had to start stripping. Once she was in the back seat she swiftly ripped through her clothes and began to change. I waited until she was settled in her wolf form to start driving and explained my thoughts to Adam as I drove. The chatter seemed to help ease the tension in both him and Honey. Good, because I did not want to be in a house that was as tense as a barn full of tomcats in heat.

Adam snorted into the phone letting me know that bond had let that thought through. I grumbled about how there was an unfair biased towards my less dignifying thoughts. The next thing I knew, I felt like I had settled inside Adam's head. My voice wrapped around him/us settling the restlessness and chasing away the fear. I felt Adam's desire to wrap his arms around me and burry his face in my neck. Not unlike how a child clings to their favorite stuffed animal. The feeling was tender, soft, and left me feeling very vulnerable. All these things were things Adam did not show; couldn't. I blinked back the tears as I pulled into the driveway.