Chapter 55

Ava

“Chris, I…” I began, taking a deep breath to steel my nerves before continuing. “I never actually agreed to move to the human continent with you. You know that, right?”

His brow furrowed in confusion, and for a few moments, Chris was silent. “What do you mean?” he finally asked, folding his arms across his chest. “I thought after everything we’ve admitted to each other, it was a foregone conclusion that you would come with me once I find an Alpha replacement.”

I shook my head slowly. A pang hit my chest upon seeing the innocent look in his eyes; we had admitted our feelings to one another, but this… this was too much, too fast. Wanting to be together was one thing, but expecting me to leave my home without even consulting me was another beast entirely.

“You may have assumed that, but I never explicitly said yes,” I said as softly as I could muster. “I’m sorry, Chris, but… you can’t just decide something like that for me. Just because you want to leave Moonstone doesn’t mean that I do.”

A flicker of realization passed over his features, soon replaced by chagrin. He quickly turned, his jaw set hard, and faced the window. “You’re right; I’m sorry. I guess I got ahead of myself there, didn’t I?”

Pursing my lips, I regarded him carefully before speaking again. “It’s not that I don’t want to be with you or anything, and I hope you understand that. But this is my home, Chris. Moonstone may have its flaws, but it’s where I belong.”

Chris was silent for some time before he turned back to face me. “I understand. But we can’t be together here. Because of…” He sighed and made air quotes with his fingers. “Tradition.”

I sighed and passed my hand over my face. “I know. That’s why it’s so tricky.”

“The human world has lots to offer, you know,” he said after a beat, crossing the room and taking his seat again. “There’s always something to do, plenty of places to see, and the people are much more open than we are here—everyone is allowed to make their own choices within reason, and no one is held back by archaic pack laws that dictate who can and cannot marry.”

At the mention of our marriage laws, I felt my stomach flip. I recalled Degas’s words about how the Elders may try to bar my future children from marrying Alphas if I didn’t follow their instructions, and that terrified me.

“But… the human world has so many flaws,” I blurted out.

“Name a few,” Chris said with a wave of his hand.

I drew in a deep breath and counted on my fingers. “Rampant pollution. Violence. Social injustice.”

“And the werewolf world has no flaws?” he challenged, arching an eyebrow at me. “Need I remind you of Omega slaves? Or the use of violent traditions in things such as Alpha challenges, perhaps? Yes, the environment here might be more protected, but don’t go thinking that werewolves are leaps and bounds ahead of the humans when it comes to social injustice.”

I opened my mouth to retort, but found I had no argument. He was right—the werewolf world had its own major issues that couldn’t be ignored. Not that long ago, he had fought with Ethan nearly to the death, all because of a law stating that an Alpha could be usurped in combat.

“Fine. You have a point,” I admitted begrudgingly. “But at the same time... I’ll be honest, I am intrigued by the thought of experiencing the human world and all it has to offer. It’s just..." I trailed off, worrying my lower lip between my teeth.

Chris regarded me patiently, waiting for me to continue.

“It’s unfamiliar,” I finally admitted. “I don’t know anything about the culture, the people. All I can think about are the negative things I’ve heard and seen with my own eyes.”

A slow smile spread across his lips. “Does this mean you’re at least open to the possibility? Of coming to live with me there?”

My cheeks flushed hotly and I averted my gaze. Was I really considering uprooting my whole life for a man? One who was ten years my junior, no less? And so soon after my own divorce?

And yet, the thought didn’t fill me with as much dread as I expected. In fact, a tiny spark of excitement flickered inside of me at the prospect of a new adventure.

“Down the road, perhaps I would consider it,” I said carefully, peeking up at him through my lashes. “But I need to know more before making any decisions. And… I’m not moving anywhere or marrying anyone until a proper dating phase has passed.”

Chris beamed, looking utterly delighted by my admission. “That’s more than I could have hoped for.” He took a step closer, his eyes shining. “So what do you say? Will you be mine, Ava? Someday?”

A tremulous smile touched my lips as I met his warm, hopeful gaze. Goddess, he was cute sometimes, especially when he didn’t mean to be. “Ask me again after I’ve experienced the human world for myself. If I still feel the same way, then… maybe.”

Chuckling, Chris shook his head in amusement. “Fair enough. In that case…” He reached out, taking my hand in his larger one. “You mentioned wanting to experience the human world and have a ‘proper dating phase’. Why don’t we kill two birds with one stone?”

I furrowed my brow, although I think I already knew the answer. “What do you mean?”

“I mean… how about I take you on a date to the human realm sometime soon? Show you what it has to offer with no pressure. If you still feel unsure after that, I won’t push you. And we’ll figure something else out.”

Relief washed over me and I nodded gratefully, feeling my cheeks grow warm beneath his green-eyed gaze. “I think I’d like that. Thank you for understanding, Chris. And… I’m sorry for assuming you assumed, if that makes sense.”

“It does.” His thumb stroked over my knuckles soothingly. “No need to apologize. I’m the one who got ahead of myself.”

…

The day of our date arrived sooner than expected. I fretted over what to wear, finally settling on a simple green sundress—not too formal, but still pretty. When Chris arrived, he assured me that our date would remain discreet. That he had told the others that I would be helping him attend to some matters on the human continent.

When we made our way to the ferry instead of his helicopter, I found myself pleasantly surprised.

“I see you took my words to heart last time,” I said as we paid our fares and stepped onto the boat.

Chris smirked. “How could I not?” he asked, leading me toward the observation deck. “You were right; that thing is horrible for the environment, especially for such a short trip.”

As the ship began its journey across the straight, we stood on the upper deck, letting the salty breeze whip through our hair. Eventually, the sun began to go down and the city lights drew steadily closer. Despite my reservations, I couldn’t help leaning into his side, resting my head on his shoulder.

His arm slid around my waist, pulling me flush against him. “See? It has its beauty,” he murmured, his lips brushing my temple.

I hummed in agreement, tilting my face up towards his. Our mouths met in a lingering kiss, and I didn’t pull away for some time. I let myself revel in the taste of his lips and his tongue, and I felt my heart soar when I felt his fingers curl into my hair.

When the ferry docked, I pulled away breathlessly with my cheeks tinged a delicate shade of pink. “So where are we going?”

A mysterious gleam entered Chris’s eye as he took my hand and pulled me away from the boat.

“You’ll see. It’s a surprise.”