Chapter 153

Ava

As Chris and I approached Alpha Edward at his seat at the head of the long dining table, I couldn’t help but feel a nervous lump swell in my throat—momentarily making me forget about everything else.

Alpha Edward was an imposing figure, at least six-foot-two with broad shoulders and a neatly trimmed beard that was streaked with gray. Despite the faded grandeur of the manor that surrounded us, Edward himself still carried an air of quiet dignity about him, and he rose gracefully from his chair to extend his hand to Chris.

“Alpha Chris,” Edward said, shaking Chris’s hand firmly before turning to me and bowing his head respectfully. “Luna Ava.”

I felt my breath catch slightly at those words, and for a moment, all I could manage was a tense smile. Chris, however, didn’t miss a beat. “Your home is lovely, Alpha Edward,” he said easily. “Thank you for inviting us. Ava has brought something for you.”

Edward’s expression softened slightly as he glanced at the woven basket that was looped over my arm. “Please, there’s no need for such formalities between friends,” he said with a wave of his hand. “My daughter and I are delighted to have you both here.”

Shaking my head and reaching into my basket, I retrieved a small bundle and extended it toward him. “Still,” I said, having regained my voice, “I thought you might enjoy these—they’re oranges from my own orange tree back in Moonstone.”

Edward’s eyes crinkled at the corners as he accepted the offering. He moved aside the cloth that was covering them and pulled one of the oranges out, holding it up and turning it in the light of the chandelier. “Thank you, Ava,” he said. “These will make a lovely dessert later. I’ll have the kitchen prepare something special for us to enjoy.”

With a brief nod to a nearby servant, he sent the fruit off to the kitchens. My gaze followed the oranges briefly before returning to Edward, who seemed to notice my lingering stare.

“I do hope the accommodations here have been to your liking so far,” he said, wringing his hands somewhat. Lily, who was standing nearby, quickly touched his forearm—and the weathered Alpha seemed to relax a bit.

Chris was quick to reply with an easy smile. “Of course, Alpha,” he assured him. “Everything has been wonderful.”

Edward seemed to let out a tiny sigh of relief before he gestured to the modest spread that was waiting for us on the table. “Please, sit. Let’s eat.”

As the first—and only—course of roasted rabbit was served, I tried not to let my surprise show too plainly on my face. While the dish itself smelled and tasted delicious, rabbit was considered by many to be somewhat of a ‘poor’ food—one that was easily hunted and prepared with little extravagance.

There was nothing wrong with it, of course, but it was a stark contrast from the lavish feasts I had heard Moonrise was famous for, to say the least. The last time I had visited a few years back, I distinctly recalled six courses with each course more extravagant than the last.

I picked delicately at my portion, appreciating the rich flavor but unable to shake the distinct impression that something seemed... off. It was then that I saw it: a tiny piece of fur clinging to the meat.

The rabbit had been hunted and cooked quite hastily—likely earlier that morning.

Carefully, I brushed the fur away and hid it in my napkin before Edward or anyone else could see.

“This rabbit is wonderful,” I said instead, smiling brightly at Edward and Lily. “You’ll have to share the recipe with me.”

A brief look of confusion, followed by relief, flickered across Edward’s face before he chuckled. “I’ll have to defer to our kitchen staff on that one. My cooking skills are, shall we say, rudimentary at best.”

Lily giggled. “Ever since Mama passed, I’m afraid that my father has stopped trying to learn how to cook more than buttered toast.”

“Hey!” Edward chided. “I’ll have you know that I also know how to prepare sunny side up eggs.”

The meal progressed pleasantly enough, with easy conversation and laughter flowing around the table. Still, I couldn’t ignore the lingering sense that something didn’t quite add up. Soon, dessert was served—a simple orange custard made from the oranges I had brought.

“This looks delicious,” Chris said, spooning a portion of the custard. “Although, I have to admit, I’ve heard amazing things about Moonrise’s famous peaches.”

An unreadable look passed between Edward and Lily before Edward cleared his throat and plastered a terse smile on his face. “Ah, yes, well... You see, we’ve been experiencing something of a shortage this year, I’m afraid. The orchards haven’t been quite as bountiful.”

“Beetles,” Lily quickly added with a curt nod. “Those damned pests get at our peach trees every few years.”

The explanation seemed reasonable enough, but the way that Lily’s hands seemed to be twisting nervously in her lap beneath the table made me think otherwise. Before I could contemplate it further, however, Edward was speaking again—this time addressing Chris and I directly.

“Now, I know there was some... uncertainty when the two of you decided to pursue this path together,” he said, gesturing to me and Chris. “But I want you both to know that you have my full support.” He smiled then. “True love is a rare thing. When you find it, you would be a fool not to cherish it.”

Chris reached over to give my hand a gentle squeeze beneath the table. “Thank you, Alpha Edward,” he said, then paused, his expression sobering a bit when he glanced over at Lily. “Although, I’d still like to make it up to you. I hope you know how… sorry I am that you made not one, but two lengthy trips to Moonstone only to discover that there really was never a chance at anyone but Ava becoming my Luna.”

There was a tense silence after that. My fingers tightened instinctively around my spoon, and I averted my gaze to my lap the moment Edward’s eyes slid over to me.

Finally, Edward was the one to break the silence.

“There will be plenty of time for more heartfelt discussions once we’ve all had a taste of some liquor, I think,” he said, rising and picking his custard dish up from the table. “Come. Let’s bring our desserts to the parlor.”

Nodding, Chris, Lily, and I followed suit. Edward led us into the parlor—a spacious, yet comfortable room with an open veranda looking over the gardens—that was adjacent to the dining room. With a flick of his wrist, Edward turned on the radio and wandered over to the bar to pour us drinks.

As the evening wore on, however, I once again found my attention continually drawn to small details that felt ever-so-slightly… off.

The sleek material of Edward’s suit seemed just a little bit too worn for his usual tastes, the toes of his shoes lacked their typical polish, and the liquor that he served had an unmistakable homemade quality.

None of it was glaringly out of place in any normal scenario, not really. But it was out of place here, in Moonrise, where grandeur and opulence were, well…

Sort of their whole thing.

At some point, I must have been gazing for a bit too long at the cobweb on the ceiling—because I was suddenly pulled from my reverie by the sound of Lily’s soft voice beside me.

“Ava, would you care to join me for a walk through the gardens?”