AvaUnbeknownst to Chris, I wasn’t asleep. In fact, I wasn’t even close.I stood in the doorway, my claws extended and fangs bared at Patrick. My heart was racing, adrenaline pumping through my veins. How did he get in here? What did he want?“Calm down, Ava,” Patrick said, his hands raised in a pla
I felt sick. We had imagined that it would come to this, but hearing it laid out in front of me, seeing the stony truth in Patrick’s face… It was all too much.Without thinking, I crossed over to the sofa and sat, the knife falling slack between my fingers.“What about the blight?” I whispered. “Doe
AvaOf course, I didn’t sleep a wink that night.Rather, I paced back and forth in my living room all night, my mind racing with the information Patrick had shared. The soft ticking of the clock on the wall seemed to mock me as the hours crawled by.Throughout the night, every creak in the house had
To my surprise, Leonard let out a bitter laugh.“Not anymore,” he said, pulling out his phone.My stomach dropped. “What do you mean?”Leonard pulled up a video and handed me his phone. “I’m assuming you missed Chris’s press conference last night, since you were… busy. Just watch.”I pressed play, m
ChrisI woke up early the next morning, the unfamiliar hotel room coming into focus as I blinked away the remnants of sleep. For a moment, I reached out, expecting to feel Ava’s familiar warmth beside me, craving the sensation of her skin beneath my fingertips.But the bed was empty, and reality cra
I took a deep breath and launched into my presentation, clicking through the slides that I had carefully prepared the day before.“What Ophelia and I are proposing today is a new hybrid business model. One that utilizes the efforts of both human and werewolf scientists to create GMOs that can greatl
AvaLeonard and I knew we couldn’t tell the Elders about Patrick. There would be too much time wasted on bureaucracy before we could come to a decision about hiring him, and if Elise or any of the other Elders was the mole, then it would be too dangerous.So, I made the decision to keep Patrick hidd
“Leonard, what the hell are you doing here?” I asked, rising from where I crouched by a section of wall. “You should be resting.”He waved a hand at the window, where the sun was setting. I hadn’t even realized how much time had passed. “You’ve been in here for hours, and… I can’t just sit at home w
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