Chapter 31

Ava

I couldn’t believe it at first.

Olivia hesitated, looking between Chris and the orange that was laying on the floor with an incredulous expression on her face. Clearly, she thought her brother was bluffing—that he would never actually make her, his own flesh and blood, get down on her knees in front of the Acting Luna.

And frankly, I thought he might be bluffing too.

“You don’t mean that,” Olivia huffed, folding her arms across her chest. “You’d ask me, your sister, to get down on my knees like a servant?”

I almost cursed out loud; clearly she saw me as a servant in her own eyes if she had been perfectly fine with me picking up the oranges just a moment ago.

But Chris simply raised an eyebrow, his jaw set in a firm line as he waited patiently for her to comply. When she still didn’t move, he spoke again, his tone leaving no room for argument this time.

“Pick it up, Olivia. You are no higher in status than Ava, and even if she was an Omega, such blatant mistreatment of others like they are ‘lessers’ is no longer allowed in my pack.”

A muscle ticked in Olivia’s cheek, but she knew better than to disobey a direct order from her Alpha—especially after banishment, like Ethan, had already been threatened.

With a huff of anger, she bent down and snatched up the orange, rising to her full height again. For a moment, I thought she might try to make a break for it, but instead, she shoved the fruit into Chris’s hand, her cheeks flushed a deep shade of red with humiliation.

“There,” she spat. “Happy now?” Then, without waiting for a response, she whirled on her heel and stormed out of the Packhouse. The door slammed shut behind her so hard that it caused me to jump ever so slightly.

An uncomfortable silence fell over the entryway in Olivia’s wake. I finished gathering the last of the oranges into my basket, my heart still pounding from the confrontation, and tried to avoid Chris’s gaze; more so because of what had happened between us last night than anything else.

“Here. Let me help you with that.”

I looked up to see Chris crouching down beside me, already reaching for the basket. Our hands brushed as he took it from me, and I felt my cheeks grow warm at the memories that simple touch provoked.

“Thank you,” I said softly as he helped me to my feet. “For speaking up, I mean. You didn’t have to do that. I don’t mean to put any more distance between you and your sister.”

Chris shrugged, setting the basket on a nearby table. “She had it coming. I won’t have anyone in my pack treating others like they’re lesser beings.” His eyes found mine, warm but serious. “Especially not you, Ava.”

I felt myself blush again at his words, quickly looking away as if that would somehow hide my embarrassment. “Still, you didn’t need to bring her down just to make me feel better about—” I waved a hand vaguely, unable to find the words to say it out loud. “Well, you know.”

“I wasn’t trying to bring her down,” Chris said matter-of-factly. “I was only trying to make her learn that treating others as lessers will never get her anywhere in life. She needs to experience having to clean up her own messes sometimes. The Omegas aren’t going to do it for her anymore.”

As he spoke, he bent down to pick up one last stray orange. He stood, rolling the fruit between his palms absently. My gaze was drawn to the movement of his large, soft hands with those slender piano-player fingers of his—hands that had touched me so intimately just last night.

Clearing my throat, I forced my thoughts away from that dangerous territory. “Well, thank you anyway,” I said again. “It was... decent of you to stand up for me like that.”

Chris nodded, extending his hand to offer me the orange. Our fingers brushed again as I reached for it, and despite my efforts, I couldn’t quite suppress the shiver that raced down my spine.

Instead of taking the fruit, however, I gently closed his fingers back around it. “You can keep it,” I murmured. “Consider it a peace offering after my... well, after last night.”

I could feel the warmth of his palm against my own for a few lingering seconds before pulling my hand back, trying not to appear flustered.

A faint smile played over Chris’s lips, but it didn’t quite reach his eyes. “Speaking of last night…” he began slowly.

My heart plummeted into my stomach. Of course he would want to address the elephant in the room. Quickly, I cut him off, shaking my head. “It was a mistake,” I said firmly, unable to meet his penetrating gaze. “I drank far too much and... well, you know how it is.”

Something flickered across Chris’s expression then—hurt? disappointment?—before he swiftly pulled his features into a carefully neutral mask once more. “Of course,” he said in an even tone of voice.

I swallowed. “And I’m sorry,” I added, maybe a little more quickly than I intended. “That was no way for an Acting Luna to behave last night. I shouldn’t drink to the point of making myself sick.”

Chris merely shrugged. “It happens to the best of us. The last time I made myself sick from drinking too much wasn’t all that long ago, you know.”

“I’m ten years older than you,” I replied with a snort. “I should know better—”

“It’s fine, Ava.”

Chris’s voice was low and firm, the orange still grasped in his hand. His eyes seemed to soften upon looking at me, leaving me speechless. All I could do was nod.

“Well, anyhow…” He cleared his throat and offered me a friendly smile, holding up the orange. “Thank you for the fruit, Ava. And actually, I’m glad you came. I was just coming to get you myself.”

I raised an eyebrow. “You were?”

Chris nodded. “I’ve chosen the new Beta. I was up thinking about it late last night, and…” He paused, pulling his shoulders back a bit. “Anyway, do you want to come and meet him?”

My brows knit together in surprise at his sudden announcement. Chris hadn’t mentioned anything recently about his search for a Beta. It seemed, though, that maybe his moves to find replacements and leave our island were coming along more quickly than I had anticipated; and that filled me with worry. After all, I had to keep him here. The prophecy demanded it.

“Your Beta?" I repeated slowly, my mind racing. “But I thought—”

“Follow me. I’ll show you.” Chris turned and headed deeper into the Packhouse, not waiting to see if I would follow.

After only a brief moment of hesitation, I grabbed my basket of oranges and trailed after him, my curiosity piqued. We made our way down a dimly lit hallway before pushing through a heavy wooden door and emerging into the Alpha’s—Chris’s, for the time being—office.

As we entered the room and my eyes adjusted to the harsh sunlight streaming in through the wide-open window, my gaze fell on a tall, svelte form standing in front of Chris’s desk. I recognized that salt-and-pepper hair immediately, those broad shoulders, and especially those cool blue eyes as the man turned around and smiled at me.

“Ava.”

“Leonard.”