Chapter 105

Ava

Smoothing down the front of my top in the mirror, I turned this way and that to get a better look at myself. I was dressed nicely, but still a little casual—as per Chris’s request. A matching skirt and sweater set, tall heeled boots, the necklace Chris had just given me, and I had put my hair up into one of those updos that looks a bit messy but secretly takes a lot of time to get just right.

Perfect, I thought to myself. I felt pretty; it was a shame that our lunch date had to be dampened by my own inner turmoil. Why couldn’t anything ever be easy?

Before I could think too deeply on it, however, there was a knock on the door. “Ava?” Chris’s voice called through the wood. “We have to go. Our reservation is soon.”

Sighing, I grabbed my purse and swung the door open. “How do I look?” I asked, gesturing to my outfit.

Chris’s face instantly split into a grin. He pushed himself away from where he was leaning on the doorframe and took a long, sauntering stride toward me. “And you’re telling me I’m not allowed to kiss you in public when you look like that?” he asked. “You’ve gotta be kidding me.”

Despite myself, I felt a smile tug at my lips as I waved him away. “If you don’t behave yourself, there won’t be any more dates like this. So…”

Chris huffed, but relented as we strode out of the hotel together. A little while later, we were stepping out of a cab in front of yet another high-rise building—this one was even taller than the hotel, stretching impossibly high into the sky with a long needle at the top.

“Chris, you told me this wouldn’t be too fancy when I texted you earlier,” I mused with a thin laugh. “I’m underdressed again.”

“No, you’re not. Trust me.” He looped his arm through mine and led me inside, down a carpeted hallway toward an elevator.

It surprisingly wasn’t long, despite the sheer height of the building, before we were stepping out of the elevator and into a bustling restaurant. Chris was right—it wasn’t overly fancy. People dressed in business casual attire were scattered around at the bar and at tables, waiters wearing uniforms scurrying around with trays of club sandwiches, mimosas, and other lunch foods. It was touristy and cute.

“I know you want to keep things as low-key as we can,” Chris said as the host, a woman dressed in a crisp white button down and black slacks, led us to our table. “So I figured this place would be good. Not too fancy or romantic, but still…”

When we arrived at our table, Chris gestured out at the view below us. We were seated right next to one of the floor-to-ceiling windows with the entire expanse of the cityscape stretched out beneath our feet.

I felt my breath hitch as I gawked out the window. You could see everything from here—all of the buildings, the cars and people bustling below like tiny insects, the ferry port to the werewolf continent…

“Look!” I exclaimed softly, punching my index finger toward the distant horizon. “You can just barely make out the werewolf continent!”

Chris chuckled as he followed my finger. There, off in the distance, was the peak of a mountain poking out through the haze of fog. Moonpeak Mountain—the tallest mountain in the entire werewolf continent, and also the location of Moonshine pack.

“Have you visited there before?” Chris asked as we settled into our seats. “Moonshine pack, I mean?”

I shook my head. “Never. It’s too far, and the mountain road to get there is treacherous.”

Chris nodded slowly. “Well… We should go sometime in the helicopter. I wonder if you can see this skyscraper from here.”

I couldn’t help but laugh at that. “Maybe,” I mused, allowing myself to fantasize for a moment—imagining the meaning behind being able to see that mountain from here, in the human world, and vice versa. I supposed we weren’t all as separated as we led ourselves to believe.

Soon, a waiter came over with two mimosas that Chris had ordered. We ordered our food, and as we waited, we sipped our drinks. I kept my gaze carefully fixed on the window whenever I could, my hand occasionally moving to touch the necklace around my neck.

Anything to avoid looking Chris in the eye. He was going to such lengths to spoil me yet again, and…

“Ava?” Chris’s voice suddenly snapped me out of my deep train of thought. Wincing a bit, I whipped my gaze up to meet his green eyes staring at me over the rim of his glass.

“Hmm?”

“Is everything okay?” he asked. “You’ve seemed a little… out of it today.”

I swallowed, my mouth opening and closing a couple of times of its own accord as I struggled to come up with something to say. Part of me wanted to lie and say that it was just that moon cycle brain fog getting to me, but…

The other part of me wondered if I should say it now. If I should tell him everything. The truth, my pain, our inevitable demise as a couple. All of it.

“Chris, I…” My eyes fluttered down toward the clean white tablecloth, and I found myself swallowing yet again. “I have to tell you something.”

“What’s up?” he asked, casually leaning back in his chair.

My shoulders tensed. Here he was, so calm and casual, so oblivious to what was really going through my head. I lifted my gaze to meet his, and felt my heart twist in my chest.

“I… I think…”

“A club sandwich for the lady,” the waiter suddenly interrupted, setting a plate with a vibrant sandwich and glistening french fries in front of me. “And a chicken caesar salad for the gentleman.”

“Thank you,” Chris said, smiling at the waiter. “Oh, and could I get some extra parmesan?”

“Absolutely. I’ll be right back.”

Once the waiter was gone, Chris picked up his fork and eyed me as he speared a piece of romaine and chicken. “You were saying?” he asked, popping it into his mouth.

My throat worked uselessly for a moment. I couldn’t, I just couldn’t do it. Despite myself, I shook my head and shot him a smile. “Oh, nothing. I was just… I was just going to say that I think we should save a visit to Moonshine until next year, in the spring. That’s all.”

“Ah. Well, we’ve got plenty of time,” Chris said with a wink.

No. We didn’t. But I couldn’t tell him that.

…

“And… open.”

Chris pulled the blindfold—his tie—away from my eyes in the dimly lit hotel room. I blinked blearily as I peered down at the box laying on the bed in front of me. Once it had registered, I whirled to face him.

“More gifts?!” I exclaimed, swatting him squarely in the chest. “Chris, you can’t keep showering me like this!”

Chris merely laughed and held his hand up to shield himself, using the other hand to turn me back around. “I can, and I will,” he said. “Just open it. It’s for tonight.”

With a shake of my head, I carefully lifted the lid off of the ornate gift box and gasped. There, nestled inside, was the most exquisite black silk gown I had ever seen—the straps were encrusted with pearls, the fabric heavy and luxurious as I pulled it out. The neckline was elegantly draped, and as I held it up to myself in the mirror, it fell all the way to the floor. Beneath the dress were also a pair of tall white silk gloves and a pair of strappy heels, as well as a faux fur shawl.

“Do you like it?” Chris asked, leaning against the wall with his hands in his pockets.

Turning this way and that, I nodded hastily. “It’s beautiful,” I breathed. “Really. But you’re going too far with all the gifts.”

Chris waved his hand dismissively. “I just got word that tonight is going to be a black tie event after all, so I had my assistants go out and get you something,” he said. “If it really bothers you, we can return it.”

I shook my head despite my own guilt. “No, it’s okay. I’ll wear it. Thank you.”

With a smile, Chris pushed away from the wall and pressed a warm kiss against my temple. My heart fluttered and sank in my chest all at once.

“Be ready in three hours,” he said, checking his watch as he strode to the door. He paused, shooting me a wink over his shoulder. “I can’t wait.”