The Forgotten Omega

Chapter 9: Her Name on Their Lips

Chapter 9: Her Name on Their Lips

Ava Pov…

The moment our eyes locked, time dragged its feet. My stepmother—Melra—stood there, her mouth parted in disbelief. I didn’t say a word. I didn’t blink. I turned to walk away, hoping she’d just let me go, hoping the past would stay where I buried it. But her hand gripped mine before I could escape, and she whispered my name.

“Ava.”

It cut deeper than I expected. Hearing it come from her lips... it sounded like a memory.

I smiled faintly and turned to her, tilting my head. “That’s funny,” I said, voice calm but cool. “That’s my name, yes. But I don’t think I’m the Ava you’re thinking of.”

Melra’s brows pulled together, her hand tightening around mine. “Don’t do that,” she said. “You know what I mean. There’s no way I’d forget my own child’s face.”

I wanted to laugh, but it sat bitter on my tongue. Now she remembered her child?

I let my lips curl into something polite—something fake. “Melra,” I said, careful with the name. “I heard you’re Luna Mother. But if you have a daughter, maybe I just look like her. After all, I’m a rogue, right? And surely your daughter couldn’t be one of those.”

There was a stretch of silence where we just stared at each other. Something flickered in her eyes—guilt maybe, or recognition. Then she looked away.

“There’s no way a rogue could be my daughter,” she said softly. “I... I just spoke without thinking. The Luna is my only child.”

The way she said it was final. Like I was a chapter she’d closed and set fire to long ago.

I nodded, forcing a light laugh. “You’re probably right. I’m sure you’re just confused. I’ll leave now. Sorry for the mix-up.”

I took a step back, ready to disappear into the corridor’s shadows, when a sharp voice sliced through the hallway.

“Mother?”

I froze.

Clara.

She appeared from around the corner, perfect as ever in her Luna robes, but there was a flicker of something feral in her eyes when she spotted me. She walked straight to Melra, completely ignoring me.

“What are you doing out here?” Clara asked. “You’re not supposed to leave your room. What if something happens to your heart?”

Heart?

I blinked, stunned by the revelation. Melra was ill? That wasn’t something I expected to hear. She’d always been strong—commanding. To imagine her fragile...

I cleared my throat. “Is everything alright?” I asked, glancing between them.

Clara snapped her head toward me, her expression cold. “This doesn’t concern you. It’s a family matter.”

Family.

That word again. Like a slap.

I watched her guide Melra gently by the elbow, whispering words I could still hear even though they thought they were being discreet. My abilities have sharpened since I awakened my wolf and power. I could hear the rustle of breath, the beat of hearts—every lie carried in a whisper.

“You shouldn’t be here,” Clara murmured to her mother. “The healer’s presence is enough. Don’t let this stress you.”

Melra said something back, too quiet to hear, but her hand trembled slightly as she passed something into Clara’s palm—a small glass vial.

A drug.

I stepped forward before I could stop myself. “What’s that?” I asked. “What kind of medicine are you giving him?”

Clara stiffened. Slowly, she turned to me with a glare sharp enough to wound.

“It’s none of your business,” she said. “Your job is to treat the Alpha. That’s it. You’re not here to pry into private matters.”

I kept my tone light. “I wasn’t prying. Just curious. As his healer, I should at least know what’s being given to him.”

She walked up to me, close enough to breathe the same air. “You’re not his healer. You’re a rogue with herbs. You’re lucky we let you through our gates. Don’t overstep.”

I smiled. Not kindly.

Clara pointed down the hallway. “You can leave now.”

I turned without a word, heading for the exit, but my mind wasn’t on my feet. It was on that vial in her hand, the way her mother had passed it like a secret, the way Clara had looked when I asked. And the way Kyran had looked the last time I saw him—weak, pale, slipping in and out of himself.

I didn’t trust her.

And now, I was sure of it—she was drugging him.

…

I walked back into the small room that had become our makeshift resting space. The door creaked softly behind me as I stepped inside, the air inside still smells of my herbs and the maids sleep.

The girls was still lying there, the sick girl curled on her side, her breathing shallow but steady. I moved closer and sat beside her, reaching out to rest my hand on her arm. Her skin felt colder than before. That wasn’t good. I closed my eyes and pushed a little of my warmth into her with my touch, just enough to keep her steady through the night.

The other two girls were still asleep, tangled in thin sheets and worn blankets. Only one of them stirred when she heard me. She blinked slowly, her gaze meeting mine through the half-darkness.

“You’re back,” she whispered, her voice hoarse from sleep.

I nodded. “I needed to check on the Alpha.”

She sat up a little, rubbing her eyes. “Is he doing better?”

I hesitated, then nodded again. “He’s... stable. For now.”

She watched me for a moment, then smiled a little. “If you want, you can take the bed. I’ll sleep on the floor tonight.”

I blinked, taken aback by the offer. “That’s not necessary,” I said gently.

“I don’t mind,” she replied. “It’s just a bed. Besides, you’ve been up all night.”

There was something sincere in her tone, something that tugged at me. She shifted to the side and pulled the blanket over her legs. “I’m Alex, by the way,” she said. “The one snoring is Ali, and the girl you’ve been healing is Catherine.”

I offered her a small smile. “Thank you, Alex. But I won’t be sleeping just yet. I’ll sit here a while. You should get some rest.”

She yawned and lay back down. “You’re not like the others,” she mumbled. “The Luna doesn’t like you, so you must be doing something right.”

A huff of a laugh escaped me. “That’s one way to look at it.”

Soon, the room was filled with their soft breathing again. I leaned against the wall, drawing my knees to my chest. The silence was comforting, but my thoughts were anything but.

Clara was hiding something—something dangerous. And Melra... did she truly recognize me? Or did she just want to be sure? The way she looked at me, the way she whispered my name, it hadn’t felt like confusion. It had felt like guilt.

I stood and walked quietly to the small window. The moon was still high—pale and watchful. The stars hung motionless around it, uncaring of the chaos below.

I stared at the sky, searching for something. Answers. Clarity. Peace.

“Moon Goddess,” I whispered, my voice barely a breath, “what’s going on?”

I waited, as if the night would whisper back. But the silence stayed, deep and unmoving. So I closed my eyes and kept the questions to myself.

For now.