Chapter 115

Ava

I turned slowly to see Chris watching me, that familiar grin of his tugging at his lips. Sighing, I felt my shoulders slump a bit beneath his gaze.

“No,” I admitted. “I don’t. And… I’m sorry for freaking out like that.”

To my surprise, Chris simply shrugged. “It’s alright; I can’t blame you. It’s a stressful situation.”

I swallowed and stared down at my feet. “Well… You handled it exceptionally. Thank you for doing that for us.”

“You should know by now to trust me, Ava,” Chris said softly. The floorboards creaked, and I jerked my head up to see that he had taken a step forward. “Please never forget it.”

…

The days following the meeting with the Elders were some of the most difficult I had experienced in quite some time. Chris and I could hardly look at each other, let alone speak. It was as if an invisible wall had been put up between us, so thick we could hardly hear each other’s voices through it.

We were polite, of course; we were still Alpha and Acting Luna for the time being. We got along just fine for the sake of the pack.

But whenever we were in the same room, the tension was palpable, almost suffocating. I would catch him glancing my way, only for him to quickly avert his eyes the moment our gazes met. And I was no better, finding any excuse to leave whenever he entered a space that I occupied.

It was torture, pure and simple. But I knew it was for the best.

After all, I was the one who had ended things between us. I had made that choice, even if it felt like someone had ripped my heart from my chest and stomped on it a thousand times over.

Still, I had to put on a brave face for the sake of the pack. I plastered on a smile whenever I was around others, laughing and joking as if nothing was amiss. But inside, I was crumbling.

Chris, on the other hand, seemed to be handling the situation with his usual confidence and poise. He threw himself into his duties as Alpha, addressing the rumors about the black fungus and the missing moonstone in stride.

No one outside of our inner circle knew about the missing moonstone yet; although, rumors were beginning to spread. But Chris ignored them, pretending that they were too ridiculous to even waste his breath on.

After that little incident at the press event, after all, we needed to keep panic to a minimum. For the greater good, of course.

“There is nothing to worry about,” he declared during a pack meeting, his voice carrying across the village square. “This fungus is merely in a fruiting season due to the recent humidity; just continue to report any sightings so we can handle it. I assure you, it will not affect our crops.”

“Be sure not to touch the fungus,” I said into the microphone. “If you do, wash your hands immediately and report to the clinic…”

One day, Chris called a council meeting to discuss his plans for the genetically modified plant that would feed on the fungus, effectively eradicating it from our lands.

“The method will be safe for all of the other flora and fauna in the region,” Chris said as he unveiled the new project. “In fact, the species that we will genetically modify will be one of our own—a native fungus that often gets its nutrients from dead plant matter.”

“Indeed,” our chief scientist added. “We are going to genetically modify this specific fungus to feed on the black fungus—it is a perfectly safe and ecologically-conscious method of eradicating a harmful species.”

“And the Moon Goddess?” Elder Bradley asked with a furrowed brow. “Our land doesn’t take kindly to outside influence, as we have already observed with that warehouse out in the woods. It might just make matters worse.”

Chris nodded. “I understand your concern; but we believe, since the plant we will modify will be native to Moonstone, it will not trigger the ancient magics surrounding our land to create more of a blight.”

The Elders murmured amongst themselves for a moment before Degas spoke up.

“I believe we should try all methods of mitigating the blight in case the moonstone is never found,” he said, pausing momentarily to cough into his handkerchief. “We will allow you to test your theory on a small patch of land toward Moonstone’s perimeter, far from any villages or houses.”

“Thank you, Elder Degas,” Chris said with a grin. “We’ll get started immediately.”

Over the next few days, I watched Chris take charge, leading meetings and strategizing with the council like it was the most natural thing for him. I couldn’t help but feel a sense of pride mixed with my heartache; this was the man I had fallen for—decisive, intelligent, and unwavering in his commitment to protecting our people.

Maybe I had made the right choice in ending our relationship, as much as it pained me. Chris was excelling as Alpha and the pack was happy with his leadership.

And now, he needed a Luna who could match his vigor and bring Moonstone even further into an age of prosperity.

It was for this reason that I told myself that I could move on, that the ache in my chest would eventually fade. Maybe someday, I would find someone who I was more suited to romantically; and maybe I would look fondly on our little affair as a short, sweet fling. That was okay, I supposed. Nothing ever lasts forever.

But then, as I walked into the Packhouse one afternoon, I was hit with a harsh reminder of the reality I was facing.

Preparations for the ball were already underway.

Decorators were scurrying around like chickens with their heads cut off, hanging garlands and arranging tables. A group of young servants were huddled together, whispering and giggling, no doubt speculating about who might be on Chris’s list of potential Lunas. A team of people were erecting a large wooden backdrop for pictures, and I could see the gardeners bustling around the courtyard through the open back doors.

The sight of it all made my stomach churn. It was one thing to know that Chris would be choosing a new Luna soon. But to see the physical preparations for that event, to have it laid out in front of me like that… It was almost too much to bear.

I stood frozen in the entryway, my breath catching in my throat as the reality of the situation crashed over me like a tidal wave. The clipboard I had been holding fell to my side, and instantly, I felt like all of the air had been sucked out of the room.

This was really happening.

Chris was going to pick a Luna, and I would have to stand by and watch as he courted and ultimately chose another woman to be his mate. The pain was almost unbearable.

Hot tears began to prick at the backs of my eyes, and I knew I had to get out of there before I lost my composure completely. Spinning on my heel, I made a beeline for the exit, my vision blurring as the tears threatened to spill over.

But just as I reached the doorway, Chris’s familiar voice called out and caused me to stop in my tracks.

“Ava, could you come here?”