AvaThe door closed behind Leonard, leaving a deafening silence in its wake. Chris turned without a word and stalked away, his shoulders tense.I stood there for a moment, watching him walk upstairs, torn between following him and giving him space. In the end, I decided to let him process this on hi
His face crumpled, and he buried it in my lap, his fingers bunching up around my skirt.Sighing, I stroked his hair gently and leaned back to look up at the stars. It was a clear night, all things considered; cool and comfortable, with a slight breeze, and not a single cloud in the sky. The occasion
AvaThe market was bustling with activity as I made my way through the stalls, holding a wicker basket in my arms. It felt so different from last night; lively, cheerful, full of noise.Such a stark contrast from that eerie feeling that had settled over Chris and me as we had hurried home.“What sho
“Ophelia,” I said, blinking as I set down the tray of tea and cookies. “What are you doing here?”“We have an important announcement to make,” Bradley said, already reading for his tea. “One that Miss Ophelia should be present for.”The room fell silent, all eyes on the Elders. Elder Claire cleared
AvaI stayed up late every night for days after that, my eyes burning as I pored over medical textbooks and ancient manuscripts. The stack of books on my kitchen table grew taller with each passing day, but no matter how many pages I turned, I couldn’t find anything helpful.“There has to be somethi
In fact, he was officially declaring war on Moonstone.“Oh, Goddess,” I breathed, feeling like I might faint all of a sudden. “He can’t be serious.”“He’s a fucking moron,” Chris spat, pacing the room. “Trying to start a war when the other three packs are behind us? What is he thinking? It’ll be a m
AvaI busied myself in the kitchen, preparing a traditional Moonstone meal for our guests, which were only two: Leonard and Ophelia. A celebratory dinner for our newest pack member, although it was more than that.The scent of roasting herbs and sizzling meat filled the air as I worked, trying to fo
“Darling, I…” Leonard began, but Ophelia cut him off.“Don’t ‘darling’ me!” she cried, her hands balling into fists. Surging forward, she began to pummel Leonard’s chest, not caring, for the first time since I had met her, whether her makeup became streaked or her hair grew mussed.She only stopped
Chris shook his head, rolling his eyes. “Unbelievable,” he hissed as I smirked with satisfaction.The trip to the clinic went by a lot faster on wheels than on foot. Chris remained glued to my side, his hair falling into his eyes as he repeatedly checked on me. I simply smiled in the backseat, and w
Epilogue — Part IIAvaAs the balloon hit me square in the face, I stumbled back, nearly losing my balance. Chris’s strong arm caught me, steadying me as a chorus of “Surprise!” filled the air.Our living room had been transformed, covered with balloons and streamers in shades of blue and silver. A
Her imprisonment in New Moon was coming to an end, and soon she would be returning to Moonstone on parole. The thought filled me with a mixture of apprehension and hope, as it did all of us.But that was not coming for another month.As the Elders filed out, I leaned back in my chair, unable to keep
Before I could comment, the Elders finally filed in, their usual robes swishing around them as they moved. Fatima was now the Eldest since Elise was gone, and so she took the end of the table opposite Chris.Claire hobbled in after her; she had been leaning on a cane lately due to a sudden onset of
Epilogue — Part IAvaMy hand rested on my belly as I waddled through the doors, half-ignoring Chris’s presence. He sighed, letting the door fall shut behind me.“What’s wrong?” he asked, following me to the circular council table in the center of the room.“Nothing.”That was a lie.It was my 40th
For a moment, Chris was silent, his gaze intense as he searched my face. Then, without warning, he dropped to his knees, burying his face in my skirt. His arms wrapped around my waist, holding me close.“Goddess, I can’t wait to marry you,” he murmured, his voice muffled by the fabric.I smiled, run
AvaI found Chris on a balcony overlooking the golden sunset of New Moon mountain. The sky was ablaze with vibrant oranges and pinks, casting a warm glow over the snow-capped peaks. The crisp mountain air carried the scent of pine and distant earth from far below, the scent of autumn.Back in Moonst
“As you should, Alpha Edward,” Chris said, clasping the Alpha’s forearm. “As you should.”It was heartwarming to see how everyone seemed to be thriving. The bonds between the packs were stronger than ever, and there was a palpable sense of hope in the air.Finally, it was time for the meeting to beg
AvaGolden sunlight streamed through the enormous windows, shafts of warmth spreading across the large meeting hall. A fire crackled merrily in the hearth, and a long oak table had been placed at the center of the room. Soft piano music played from a human-made record player in the corner, and counc