Chapter 122 - Stray

Morrigan found Pepper in the living room and pulled her aside. Without a word, Pepper followed her upstairs, her eyes wide, already bracing for what was coming.

Once inside the bedroom, Morrigan took a deep breath, hands in her pockets. “So… I guess this is it. I’m leaving now.”

Pepper’s shoulders slumped. “I figured.” She stared down at her feet. “I’ll miss you.”

Morrigan gave her a half-smile, reaching out to squeeze her shoulder. “You gonna be okay?”

Pepper nodded, though her eyes stayed downcast. “Yeah. I knew it was coming. But… it’s still sad to see you go.”

“Yeah, I know.”

Pepper hesitated before asking, “Who are you going with? I saw that lady with Sarah. Is she… your family?”

“Technically.” Morrigan exhaled, rubbing the back of her neck. “But I don’t really feel like she is.”

Pepper frowned. “Why not?”

Morrigan sat heavily on the bed, running a hand through her hair. “Well… she’s my grandmother, but I’ve never met her before today.”

Pepper blinked. “Never?”

“Never,” Morrigan confirmed. “When my mom was pregnant, things went sideways with her parents, so she moved in with my great-grandmother and my dad. My dad died when I was little, by the way. And my so-called grandmother never reached out once. Now, out of nowhere, she suddenly wants to take custody of me.” She shook her head.

Pepper tilted her head. “Does she seem… mean?”

“I have no idea. Maybe. She’s… I don’t know.” Morrigan huffed. “The whole thing’s messed up.”

Pepper hesitated, then offered tentatively, “Well… maybe she isn’t too bad.”

Morrigan let out a small, dry laugh. “Guess I’ll find out.”

A quiet pause stretched between them before Morrigan sighed. “I’m really gonna miss you, Pepper.”

“Me too. I wish you didn’t have to go…” She trailed off, shoulders bunching up.

“Hey.” Morrigan nudged her gently. “I’ll call when I can. We’ll keep in touch. And who knows? Once you’re a little older, maybe we can even—”

“Be roommates again?” Pepper asked, with a sudden spark in her voice.

Morrigan smirked. “Yeah. I’d like that.”

A soft knock at the door interrupted them. Sarah’s voice followed. “Morrigan, it’s time.”

Morrigan sighed, grabbing her bag and slinging it over her shoulder. She turned back to Pepper, hesitating just a second before stepping forward. To her surprise, Pepper wrapped her arms around her first, holding on tightly.

“Bye, Morrigan,” Pepper murmured into her shoulder. “Good luck.”

Morrigan hugged her back. “Yeah. You too.”

And with that, she turned and walked out, leaving one chapter of her life behind for another she wasn’t sure she wanted.

As Morrigan made her way down the stairs, bag slung over her shoulder, she spotted her grandmother, Evelyn, standing by the door. The woman still regarded her with that same cautious look, like she was some skittish stray who might bolt at any second.

Saffron was there too, shaking Evelyn’s hand. “I’ll be checking in to see how things are going. If you need anything at all, don’t hesitate to reach out.”

“Of course,” Evelyn replied.

Saffron then turned to Morrigan. “That goes for you too. I’ll be staying on your case for a while—until I know things are stable.”

Yeah, so basically until I turn eighteen and CPS stops pretending to care. Can’t wait for that.

Evelyn offered her a polite smile, but Morrigan didn’t return it. Instead, she let out a quiet sigh and shifted toward the door. Just as she stepped outside, her eyes caught a familiar pair of glowing yellow ones watching her from across the street.

Noir.

“Uh—hang on a second,” she muttered and quickly made her way over, ignoring the curious glances from the three women behind her.

Noir tilted his head up at her, unimpressed.

“Hey there, boy,” she said aloud, crouching down to scratch between his ears. His tail bristled in clear irritation from the contact.

“Morrigan, just what are you—”

She hissed under her breath, keeping her voice low. “Act like a cat, dumbass. I’m taking you with me.”

“Excuse me?” Noir’s ears flattened.

“Think about it,” she whispered. “I’ll still have reaping to do, and if she knows you exist, sneaking around will be way easier. No hiding in the shadows like the creepy eldritch horror that you are.”

“That hardly seems nece—”

Ignoring him, she scooped him up in her arms and started walking back. He tensed but didn’t resist, though she could feel his tail flicking against her in absolute disdain.

She leaned down and muttered in his ear, “Don’t forget to act like a cat.”

Evelyn, watching with mild surprise, smiled. “Oh, you must know that cat?”

Morrigan nodded. “Yeah. His name’s Noir. He’s part of the reason I kept sneaking out. I was always bringing him food.”

“So he’s a stray?” Sarah asked.

“Yeah, kinda,” Morrigan said, looking up at Evelyn. She still wasn’t sure what to call her—‘grandma’ wasn’t happening, and even Evelyn felt weird. “Hey, do you think I can take him with me?”

Evelyn hesitated. “Oh… well…”

“He’s a good cat,” Morrigan added quickly. “Won’t cause any problems. I just don’t want to abandon him.”

Evelyn studied Noir for a moment before finally nodding. “Alright. That should be fine.”

Morrigan smirked, tightening her grip around Noir in a quick, triumphant hug. “Hear that, buddy? You’ve got a home now.”

Noir flicked his tail harder, no doubt seething with rage.

She carried him over to the car, depositing him in the backseat along with her tote bag before climbing into the front. As she buckled in, Saffron leaned through the open window.

“Again, if you need anything just let me know.” The social worker gave them a smile. “Good luck, you two.”

“Thank you,” Evelyn said, lifting a hand in farewell. “I appreciate all your help with this.”

Morrigan barely held back a bitter scoff. I guess I’m the ‘this,’ huh?

Then, with a final glance at the shelter she was leaving behind, they were on their way. Morrigan was still trying to figure out just what the hell her life was turning into.

The car ride, as she suspected, did not disappoint in the awkwardness front. She got a sense of Evelyn wanting to say something but words failing her. The air between them was thick with unspoken tension until, eventually, Evelyn gave it a shot.

“So… who’s Pepper?”

“A friend.” Morrigan answered simply. Morrigan likewise had a hundred different things she could say, but none of them would have come out very nice so she figured best to keep her responses short and simple for now.

Noir sat reagally on the back seat, just staring forward, tail flicking. Morrigan planned to give him a few pointers on acting like a proper cat. For one, he should be at the very least exploring the car or sniffing around. But no—Noir just perched there like some judgmental little prince.

“Noir is very well behaved,” Evelyn said, watching him in the rearview mirror.

“Yeah. He’s a good cat.”

“How did you meet him?”

“Um…” Morrigan shrugged one shoulder. “I just spotted him one night when I went out and I started feeding him. He’d usually hang out with me all night.”

“That’s nice. Did you ever have any other pets?”

“One cat.” Morrigan said, remember the one she used to feed on her way to school. “It died.”

Evelyn frowned. “Oh, I’m sorry.”

Morrigan didn’t respond, because now she was thinking about her mom, and everything about this situation started burning in her chest again.

Not only did this lady never try to contact them, now that she was whisking her away they weren’t even telling her mom about it. Did she assume her mom was still the loser and failure of a child she abandoned all those years ago? Was she stepping in now to help Morrigan because she felt obligated to fix her daughters mistakes? As those thoughts started creeping up they just kept coming, and Morrigan forced her gaze out the window, her shoulders squaring angrily.

“So, school starts in a few weeks,” Evelyn said. “I was thinking I could take you shopping tomorrow to get anything you need. Not just for school, any clothes or other things you might want, just let me know.”

“Mmm.” Morrigan didn’t bother looking at her. She would’ve preferred an explanation for where this woman had been all these years instead of an offer for a shopping spree.

“Oh, and of course we’ll need a little box for Noir.”

Morrigan scoffed. “He’s an outdoor cat. Just let him out the door when he wants, and he’ll come back when he feels like it.”

Evelyn glanced at her. “Are you sure?”

“Yeah. Cats that lived outside shouldn’t be forced to stay inside.” She had no idea if that was true, but it sounded right. Besides, Evelyn would probably start getting suspicious if she realized Noir never used the litter box. Even worse than that… if Noir actually did use the litter box? Well…

Morrigan glanced over her shoulder at him. Noir was staring daggers at her, and she knew they were both thinking the same thing. 

She couldn’t help smirking slightly. Noir’s expression only darkened further.

Then Morrigan thought about school. That was definitely something she didn’t want to bother dealing with. It would be just too… too cliche. Like a bad teen movie.

Then again, it would give her more chances to see Emma. She would have to deal with deflecting all the annoying rumors that she knew were spreading about her by now. But quite honestly, she just didn’t care about that anymore. It would be nothing more than a mild annoyance if anyone ever decided to ask her about it. At least she didn’t need to worry about any of those bitches potentially pulling a knife on her.

The car ride continued in silence. Morrigan kept her gaze fixed on the passing scenery, watching as the city gave way to quieter streets lined with trees.  

Then, the houses started getting bigger.  

Morrigan’s brow arched as she took in the neighborhood. The homes here weren’t just nice—they were the kind that screamed money. Large, well-maintained, pristine. Perfect lawns, perfect driveways, perfect little lives behind perfect front doors.  

She flicked a glance toward Evelyn. So, she’s been living like this. Meanwhile, Mom had been barely scraping by. If it were not for her great-grandmother they wouldnt even have a roof over their heads.

Evelyn must have noticed her staring. “It’s a quiet neighborhood. I think you’ll like it.”

Morrigan didn’t answer.

A few minutes later, they pulled into the driveway of a house at the end of a cul-de-sac. It wasn’t quite a mansion, but compared to anywhere Morrigan had ever lived, it might as well have been. The lawn was neatly trimmed, the stone walkway clean, leading up to a grand front porch with elegant white columns. It was like something straight out of a home design magazine.  

“Well, here we are,” Evelyn said, unbuckling her seatbelt and offering a small, uncertain smile.  

Morrigan once again didn’t bother to respond and just got out. She opened the back door, but before she could grab Noir he flicked past her, ears folded back with a look that said “Touch me and you die.”

Morrigan smirked and let him go. He padded toward the house on his own, pausing on the porch like he was already waiting to be let in.  

Evelyn watched him with mild amusement. “Wow, he sure is a smart cat, isn’t he?”  

“Yeah. One of a kind,” Morrigan said dryly.  

Evelyn unlocked the door and flicked on the lights as they stepped inside.  

Yeah, this place was nothing like her mom’s house. No lingering scent of beer or cigarettes. Instead, the air was crisp and lemony, probably from one of those automatic air fresheners rich people used. The floors gleamed—polished hardwood stretching through the hall, meeting cream-colored walls untouched by scuff marks or stains. The furniture looked expensive, barely lived in. The whole house felt more like a showroom than an actual home.

Noir slinked past her legs, his tail flicking as he padded deeper inside, surveying his new domain with quiet disapproval.

Evelyn closed the door behind them. “I’ll show you to your room.”

Morrigan followed her down the hall and up a curved staircase. The silence between them was thick, but Evelyn didn’t try to fill it with useless small talk. At least she has that much sense, Morrigan thought.

At the end of the hall, Evelyn stopped in front of a door and pushed it open. “This is your space.”

Morrigan stepped inside and immediately felt out of place. The room was huge—too big for someone like her. A queen-sized bed sat neatly in the center, its plush duvet looking like it had never been touched. A large wooden desk was positioned against the far wall, a reading chair nestled near the window. There was even a walk-in closet.

It was nice. Too nice.

“I hope it’s alright,” Evelyn said carefully. “If there’s anything you want to change—”

“It’s fine,” Morrigan cut in before she could finish. Talking about furniture felt ridiculous when there were so many bigger things left unsaid between them.

Evelyn hesitated, then shifted gears. “You know, I just realized—you’ll probably want a TV. We can pick one up tomorrow if you’d like.”

“You don’t have to go that far,” Morrigan said flatly.

Evelyn studied her for a moment, maybe debating whether to insist, but she seemed to think better of it. “Are you hungry?”

“Um… not really.”

“Well, I’ll order a pizza anyway. If you get hungry, you can come down.” She turned to leave but stopped at the door. “Oh, and the bathroom is just down the hall. There are plenty of towels and anything else you might need in the closet.”

Morrigan just nodded, already done with this conversation. She dropped her bag by the bed and wandered toward the window. She could feel Evelyn lingering, maybe waiting for something—a thank you? A sign that Morrigan wasn’t completely miserable? If so, she’d be waiting forever.

Finally, Evelyn left, her footsteps fading down the hall.

As soon as she was gone, Noir hopped up onto the bed, curling his tail around himself with an air of smug superiority.

“Morrigan,” he hissed. “There was absolutely no need to drag me into this.”

“Yeah, well, you shouldn’t have made yourself so obvious.”

“I would have followed unseen.”

“Well, you’re here now.” She walked over and scratched the top of his head roughly. “So learn to play house cat like a good boy.”

Noir batted her hand away with an indignant swat. “I am not some common pet.”

Morrigan smirked, flopping onto the bed beside him. “You are now. Welcome to your new life as a pampered, spoiled house cat.”

Noir gave her a deadpan stare. “I will haunt your dreams.”

She chuckled and rolled onto her back, staring at the ceiling. The house was too quiet. Way too quiet. The shelter had been noisy—voices, footsteps, the occasional argument seeping through the walls. Even her mom’s house, as much as she hated it, had never been this silent. There had always been the distant hum of traffic or the TV murmuring from the other room.

This quiet? It felt unnatural.

Noir stretched out beside her, his tail flicking lazily. For all his complaints, he didn’t seem to mind the bed too much. Honestly, she had to admit—this was probably the softest mattress she’d ever slept on.

She exhaled. “So. I’m assuming I’ll need to do some reaping tonight.”

“Of course.”

“Well, at least sneaking out of here will be easier.” Her eyes flicked to the bedroom door. There was a lock on it. Convenient. At least she wouldn’t have to worry about her grandmother barging in or calling the cops if she noticed her missing in the middle of the night.

That was one thing going for this place, at least.

She just laid there for a while, trying to organize her thoughts. At one point, she caught the distant murmur of Evelyn’s voice—probably on the phone, placing the pizza order.

Sure enough, not even half an hour later, a knock echoed through the house, followed by some brief murmuring and then the sound of footsteps coming up the steps.

“Pizza’s here,” Evelyn said, standing in the doorway. Her smile was hesitant, awkward, like she wasn’t sure if this was the right thing to say. “I’m sure you’re at least a little hungry. Why don’t you come down and have a slice?”

Morrigan wondered if she’d been warned her about her… “dieting issues.” That was going to be one more annoyance about this whole situation.

But in truth, she actually was hungry, so shrugged a shoulder as she peeled herself off the overly soft bed and followed Evelyn downstairs. Besides, she couldn’t even remember the last time she had pizza. The shelter only served homemade meals, courtesy of Chef Cersi—always delicious, but nothing quite scratched the itch like greasy, cheesy pizza drowning in tomato sauce.

Downstairs, the dining room was just as fancy as the rest of the house—dark wood furniture, a glass cabinet displaying expensive-looking plates, and a chandelier that seemed like complete overkill for a simple meal. And there, sitting in stark contrast to all of it, was the pizza box, looking almost out of place on the polished table.

Evelyn had already set out plates and napkins, which somehow made the whole thing feel even weirder. Who the hell eats pizza with a plate and napkins like it’s some formal dinner? Morrigan grabbed a slice and dropped into a chair without waiting for an invitation.

Evelyn followed suit, taking the seat across from her. For a moment, there was only the sound of chewing. Good, Morrigan thought. No awkward conversation.

But, of course, that didn’t last.

“So,” Evelyn finally said, dabbing at her mouth with a napkin. “I imagine this is a big adjustment for you.”

Morrigan didn’t even bother looking up. “You think?”

Evelyn sighed, resting her hands on the table. “I know you have every reason to be upset right now. But since we’ll be stuck together for a while, why don’t we try to get along?”

Morrigan didn’t respond. She wasn’t interested in playing happy family.

“So… why don’t you tell me a little about yourself?” Evelyn ventured.

Morrigan let out a sharp, humorless laugh. “Maybe if you bothered to check in once or twice in the last sixteen years, you wouldn’t have to ask.”

The words left her mouth before she could stop them, but she didn’t regret them. She didn’t take them back.

Evelyn set down her half-eaten slice, exhaling slowly. Her expression didn’t shift much, but there was a noticeable pause before she finally spoke. “No, that’s fair.” She pressed her lips together, as if weighing something. Then, with another breath, she said, “I suppose you’d like an explanation.”

Morrigan shrugged. “It doesn’t really matter.”

“No,” Evelyn said, her voice quieter now. “I think it does.”

Morrigan watched Evelyn carefully, searching for any cracks in her expression. She wasn’t sure what she expected—maybe some grand confession, some excuse wrapped in regret. Maybe even an apology.

Instead, Evelyn straightened slightly, her fingers lacing together on the table. “First of all, I did try to reach out to your mother a number of times.”

Morrigan didn’t answer right away. She just stared at her, the words hanging in the air between them. 

So that’s it. She’s going to blame everything on Mom.

She braced herself for some explanation about how troubled her dear Anna was and how impossible it was to deal with her.

But then, something shifted in Evelyn’s expression, and her next words took a different kind of tone that made Morrigan think maybe she should at least hear her out. “I suppose I can’t blame her. The truth is I’ve made a few terrible mistakes, and I deeply regret it…”

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Chapter 123 - Regrets