Chapter 166

Ava

The methodical back and forth of the brush against the floor was strangely meditative for me. With each small stain and scuff that came away clean, it felt like another little part of my mind came away clean as well.

When I wiped away the stubborn smudge of tomato sauce under the kitchen table, I also wiped away my anxiety over the upcoming tour of the packs. When I scrubbed the black smudge off of the floor in the doorway, I also scrubbed my memories of the night we found Dedrick with the moonstone.

I was still on my hands and knees, scrubbing at a particularly stubborn splotch of caked-on mud by the counter island from a particularly rainy day, when the sound of the front door banging open broke me out of my reverie.

Startled, I looked up to see Chris storming in, his face blackened rather than his usual jovial expression. Something was up with him; anyone with eyes could see that.

“Chris? What’s wrong?” I asked, sitting back on my heels and brushing a strand of hair from my face with the back of one soap-covered hand.

“I’m fucking done with this,” he growled, striding into the kitchen. I gasped, holding my hand out before he could step onto the soapy tiles, and he paused in the doorway, realizing what he was about to do.

“Sorry,” he said, lingering in the doorway as I rose to my feet. “I’m a little out of it right now.”

“It’s alright. What’s going on?”

With a huff, he thrust a piece of paper at me, his hand shaking slightly. “Alpha Winston denied our request to visit New Moon pack,” he said, his voice tight with frustration. “‘Given recent events.’”

I took the letter, quickly scanning its contents. The formal language couldn’t hide the underlying hostility; they were clearly upset with us, just as Edward had warned us of. “Well, I can’t say I’m entirely surprised,” I admitted with a sigh, setting the letter aside on the table.

Chris ran a hand through his hair, pacing the front hallway. His shoes left muddy tracks on the floor I had just cleaned hours ago, but I bit my tongue. This was more important than clean floors.

“I thought... I don’t know,” he growled, his eyes flashing with annoyance. “I thought maybe he’d at least give us a chance. We’re trying to make amends, for Luna’s sake!”

I wiped my hands on my apron and walked over to the sink, where I dumped my dirty bucket of water and then got to work preparing a kettle for tea. “Maybe we should try visiting Crescent Moon first,” I suggested, trying to keep my voice calm and reasonable. “If it goes well, word might get back to New Moon. They could change their mind.”

Chris nodded, but I could see the dejection in his eyes as he finally kicked off his shoes and sank down into one of the kitchen chairs. “I’ve always been able to charm people,” he muttered, clearly more to himself than to me. “I thought I could win them over. What if I can’t do this, Ava? What if I can’t charm the other Alphas?”

Frowning, I placed the kettle on the stove and turned the burner on. “Tell me what you’re really worried about,” I said softly, turning to face him. “Is it just that you can’t charm your way into Alpha Winston’s life, or is it something else?”

He was quiet for a moment, his fingers fidgeting with the hem of his shirt. I waited patiently, knowing he needed time to gather his thoughts. It was as I watched him, though, that I realized how exhausted he looked.

While things had been looking up in Moonstone lately, he had been burning the candle at both ends; his eyes were rimmed with dark circles, indicating that he hadn’t been to bed in a timely fashion in ages.

Finally, when he spoke, his voice was low and gravelly and strained. “What if… What if I’m not cut out for this, Ava? Being Alpha... It’s more than just charm and good intentions.”

“What are you saying?” I asked.

“I’m saying… That maybe I’m not the great Alpha you think I am. Maybe I’m too brazen with my ideas, and my usual habit of charming people into doing what I want isn’t going to work her. And honestly, without that ability to charm…”

“You feel useless,” I finished for him.

He nodded and dropped his gaze to the floor. Sighing, I grabbed one of the kitchen chairs and dragged it over to him. Sitting, I took his hand in mine and squeezed it gently.

“Chris, look at me,” I said. When he finally met my eyes after a beat of hesitation, I continued, “Not everyone is going to be easily won over by your charm, and that’s okay. It’s a part of life, and especially part of being a leader.”

He sighed heavily. “I know, but—”

“But nothing,” I interrupted gently, placing a finger over his lips. “All you can do is keep working hard to prove yourself. Your actions will speak louder than any charm ever could. You’ve already done so much good for this pack, Chris. Don’t let one setback make you doubt yourself.”

Without a word, Chris leaned forward, burying his face in my lap. I could feel the tension in his shoulders as I ran my fingers through his hair.

“You’re right,” he mumbled into my dress, his fingers scrunching around the fabric of my apron. “As usual. How do you always know what to say?”

I smiled, although he couldn’t see it. “Hey, that’s what I’m here for. We’re a team, remember?”

As he sat up, I once again took in the dark circles under his eyes and the weariness etched into his features. “And you look exhausted,” I said, cupping his cheek in one hand and stroking my thumb along his jawbone. “You’ve been working so hard lately. It’s paying off, but you need to rest.”

He sighed and nodded at the same time. “I know. I need to relax.”

“What can I do to help you relax?”

A mischievous glint appeared in his eye, replacing some of the worry. “Well, now that you mention it…”

Grinning knowingly, I slid off my chair and came to kneel in front of him. My hand trailed up his thigh, eliciting a soft groan from him as I reached his crotch. “I could make you feel good, if that’s what you need,” I murmured, looking up at him huskily through my lashes. “Help you forget about all this stress for a while…”

Chris sighed contentedly, his eyes rolling back and closing for a moment. But then, before I could begin working at his belt, he took my hand and brought it to his lips.

Pressing a kiss to my fingers, he murmured, “That sounds lovely. But I actually have another plan.”

I raised an eyebrow, curious. “Oh? What did you have in mind?”

He nodded, a smile playing at the corners of his mouth. “Remember that human executive I’ve been working with on the moontea issue? James?”

“Right, the one who’s been helping with the trade negotiations,” I said, recalling our previous conversations. “What about him?”

“Well, he’s getting married next week. At a beautiful vineyard in the human countryside,” Chris explained, his tired eyes lighting up with excitement. “He invited me to the wedding, and I was thinking... why don’t you come with me? Be my plus-one?”

I felt a flutter of excitement in my chest. “A vineyard in the countryside? Really?” I had never been to the human countryside before—only the city.

Chris nodded, his smile widening. “Yeah, I thought we could make a little trip out of it. We could stay for a few days, explore a bit. And…”

He paused, suddenly looking a bit shy as he tucked a strand of hair behind my ear. “I’d like to take you on a proper date while we’re there. No pack business, no responsibilities. Just us.”

“Chris, I would love—”

Suddenly, the kettle began to whistle and drowned out my voice. Or maybe it was just his lips on mine that cut me off.