Chapter 227

Chris

The helicopter ride felt longer than usual, my mind constantly drifting back to Moonstone and Ava. I hated that I was leaving during so much turmoil, hated to say goodbye to Ava, even if only for a few days; but I knew it was necessary.

Still, by the time we landed in the city, I was already feeling the ache of separation. And that ring in my pocket was feeling heavier than ever.

As Ophelia and I hailed a cab to our hotel, I slipped my hand into my pocket, rubbing my thumb across the little velvet box. I had carried it everywhere with me in recent weeks, constantly feeling the urge to propose to Ava but always stopping myself at the last minute.

I should do it when I get back, I thought to myself. As soon as I get off the helicopter…

Ava knew it was coming, of course. She thought that I was teasing her, messing with her by dropping to one knee in front of her all those times.

But I hadn’t been teasing. Those efforts had been genuine, but…

I was a coward. Each time I came close to doing it, I had lost my nerve and come up with some joke, some game to make her laugh.

“Earth to Chris,” Ophelia suddenly said, snapping her fingers in front of my face. “We’re here. Time to put on your game face.”

I nodded, shaking myself out of my reverie, and stepped out of the cab. We had work to do.

The hotel was a blur of activity as we prepared for the press conference. My assistants were already waiting for us in our large suite, prepared with notes and wardrobes for the evening. Ophelia flitted about, making sure everything was perfect, while I rehearsed my talking points with my PR team.

“Remember,” my assistant said, “stick to the script. We want to control the narrative.”

I nodded, but something didn’t sit right with me. We were here to tell the truth, after all. How much control did we really need? Was ‘control’ even what I was after anymore? It didn’t feel that way; not when my pack, and the life of my best friend, were hanging in the balance.

Before I knew it, hours had passed and it was officially time for the press conference. I was dressed in a pristine black suit, and Ophelia was dressed similarly, wearing a well-tailored pantsuit with her hair pulled back into a sleek bun.

No frills, no fuss. Not tonight. Not when we needed to show how we truly felt: dead serious and… grim.

As we approached the podium, the flash of cameras was almost blinding. Ophelia gave me a reassuring nod before we stepped into the spotlight.

“Good evening,” I began, my voice steady despite the nerves fluttering in my stomach. It was all too easy to flip that switch and go into ‘media mode’, with that calm smile that I had practiced so much over the years. “We are here today to announce some significant changes to Moonstone Pack.”

The room fell silent, all eyes on us. I took a deep breath and plunged in. No preamble, no jokes, just… gravity.

“First and foremost, I am pleased to announce that Moonstone will now be open to human residents, specifically those who marry Moonstone citizens.”

There was nothing more than a brief silence before the room suddenly erupted into a cacophony of flashing cameras and frenzied questions from the reporters. I held up a hand, silencing them.

“I know you have questions, and we will get to them. But first, I would like to introduce someone who can speak to this change personally. Ophelia?”

Ophelia stepped forward, her smile dazzling. “Thank you, Chris. As some of you may know, I have been living in Moonstone for some time now. And I can tell you, it has been the most wonderful experience of my life.”

She went on to describe the beauty of Moonstone, the warmth of its people, and her love for Leonard. By the time she finished, I could see the crowd was completely charmed—just as I expected.

“Any questions?” I asked, and hands shot up across the room.

“Alpha Chris, where is your partner?” one reporter asked. “Why isn’t Ava here with you tonight?”

“Ava is a devoted Luna. She stayed behind to take care of Moonstone in my absence.”

There was a collective swoon from the crowd, mixed with looks of disappointment. “I wanted to see her,” I heard voices murmuring. “I wish she was here…”

“Why isn’t she here?” another reporter blurted out, raising her pen in the air. “You’ve brought Luna Ava to the human world with you before; what is so important in Moonstone that she cannot join you for one day?”

I swallowed hard, glancing down at the paper in front of me: my script. My perfectly-poised answers and statements.

Ava is currently handling some personal matters, the notes said, in case a question like this was asked.

But as I opened my mouth to say just that, my voice faltered. I couldn’t. It wasn’t… right. It wasn’t… honest.

I took a deep breath. This wasn’t part of the plan, but I couldn’t read those notes. ‘Personal matters’ didn’t cut it. Honesty did. That was what we all needed, what we all deserved: the truth.

“I’ll be blunt,” I said, pulling my shoulders back and ignoring the terrified looks from my assistants. “Moonstone is facing a crisis. A blight has been affecting our territory, and… And we need help.”

The room went silent. I could feel Ophelia’s shock beside me, her blue eyes boring holes into the side of my head, but I pressed on. Over the next few minutes, I explained the blight, the issues it posed, the way it had not only wreaked havoc on our land but also on my dear friend’s lungs.

“That is why we have come,” I said at the end. “That is why we have been calling for scientists and doctors to come to Moonstone. We need your expertise, your fresh perspectives. This isn’t just about Moonstone, either; it’s about bridging the gap between our worlds. A gap that has been far too wide for far too long.”

I looked out at the sea of faces, seeing a mix of surprise, concern, and curiosity. “We’re all kin, whether we’re from Moonstone or New York, whether we’re werewolf or human. It’s time we started acting like it. We should care for one another, help each other in times of need.”

There was a brief silence, and then I murmured: “Please.”

No one spoke after that. No questions, no answers. The room was so silent you could hear a pin drop, and I swore that my assistants’ eyes had burned hot red holes into my back. But I remained focused on the crowd, on the cameras, on the pleading look on my face.

“Please,” I repeated, my voice echoing in the vast room. “Your brothers and sisters need your help.”

Only then did the room erupt into chaos. Ophelia and I fielded dozens of questions, our voices nearly lost amongst the din. By the time the questions came to an end, my knuckles were white around the edges of the podium.

Perhaps I would regret this. Perhaps I would face severe consequences for so openly admitting our pack’s troubles.

But I had no choice, and Ophelia knew that as well; we needed the help. Being vulnerable was the only way to get that help.

As we stepped away from the podium a little while later, wrapping up the press conference, I saw my assistants rushing toward me with wide eyes. Smoothing down my jacket, I steeled myself for a scolding—but received none.

“Chris, we’re already getting emails from interested scientists and doctors. Your speech... it really struck a chord.”

I felt a wave of relief wash over me, so thick and heavy I nearly stumbled back against the podium. Oh, thank the Goddess…

As we made our way through the crowd, a familiar figure approached: George, the Coke endorser, complete with his signature oversized belt buckle and snakeskin cowboy boots.

Ophelia stiffened beside me. “Oh, bloody hell,” she muttered. “Here comes the walking fashion disaster.”

I had to bite back a laugh. George’s presence was expected and begrudging, seeing as how he was at every goddamn event he could get his grubby hands on, but I schooled my face into a mask of pleasant indifference.

“Chris, my man!” George boomed, slapping me on the back. “Hell of a speech you gave there.”

I nearly coughed at the sheer force of his slap driving the air from my lungs. “Thanks, George,” I said, bracing myself for whatever pitch was coming—no doubt some attempt to sell a product in the werewolf world to ‘help’ fund our research.

But to my surprise, George’s usual salesman grin was replaced by a serious expression. “Listen, I want to help. Whatever you need for Moonstone, just say the word. No strings attached. I’ve got a check with your name on it.”

I blinked, taken aback. Even Ophelia’s mouth dropped. “I... Thank you, George. That means a lot.”

He nodded, tipping his hat. “Hey, we’re all in this together, right? That’s what you said up there, and I believe it.”

As George walked away, Ophelia turned to me, her eyebrows raised. “Well, I’ll be damned. Maybe there’s hope for humanity after all.”

I was too stunned to even respond.

We made our way out of the conference hall, dodging reporters and well-wishers. By the time we got into a taxi, I was exhausted but hopeful.

As Ophelia rattled off the hotel address to the driver, I pulled out my phone. I needed to hear Ava’s voice, even if she was furious that I had gone off script and told Moonstone’s secrets to the world.

I dialed her number, listening to it ring. Once, twice, three times. No answer.

“I guess she’s already asleep,” I muttered, slipping my phone back into my pocket.