Chapter 81

Ava

The scent of freshly baked bread wafted through the air as I kneaded the dough, my fingers coated in a light dusting of flour. It was a simple task, one that normally brought me peace and allowed my mind to wander.

As I worked, however, Olivia’s words echoed in my head—that cruel taunt about being an ‘old hag’ who was only fit for farm chores. I still remembered the way her voice sounded when she had said it, and if I was being honest, it still hurt.

But I was tired of letting her words get to me. Soon, she would no longer be a part of our pack; and although that thought didn’t exactly fill me with joy either, I knew that there was no point in dwelling on the nasty things she had said.

So, I smiled to myself as I worked the dough, allowing myself to find joy again in the simplicity of the act. Baking, gardening, tending to my little cottage—these were the things that brought me happiness, the things that had always brought me happiness. Nothing Olivia said could take that away from me.

A contented sigh escaped my lips as I set the dough aside to rise and made my way outside to my garden. The sun was high in the sky, casting everything in a warm, golden glow, and the cicadas were buzzing in the air. I knelt down beside my rows of vegetables and began to search for something fresh and ripe for dinner.

I was so lost in my thoughts that I almost didn’t hear the knock at my front door. Furrowing my brow, I rose to my feet and brushed the dirt from the knees of my dress before making my way to the entrance.

I opened the door to find Leonard and Chris standing on my doorstep.

“Leonard, Chris,” I said, opening the door wider to let them in. “What are you doing here?”

Chris grinned, holding up a covered basket. “We come bearing gifts. Are you busy?”

I shook my head and gestured for them to enter. “No, not at all. Come inside.”

As I led them to the kitchen, I couldn’t help but wonder why they were both here at the same time—they had, after all, been visiting Olivia in the clinic earlier that day. Maybe they had news.

“I’ll never get tired of your home,” Leonard said as Chris set the basket down on my kitchen table. “My house has been missing a woman’s touch since… well…”

Leonard’s voice trailed off, but he didn’t need to finish. A pang of sadness tugged at my heart at the mention of his late wife, and I offered him a thin smile. “You know you’re always welcome here, Leonard.”

Leonard offered me a grateful smile before pulling a cloth-wrapped bundle from his jacket pocket. “I actually brought something for you,” he said, handing it to me. “Some of the cheese I made from my cows’ milk this season. Thought you might enjoy it.”

“Thank you,” I breathed, taking the package from his hand and unwrapping it to admire the fragrant, sharp cheddar. Already, my mouth was watering at the prospect of enjoying some with my fresh bread and a bottle of wine.

My gaze wandered over to Chris, then, who had turned around with a sheepish grin on his face. He was holding a tray of fresh fruit and pastries from the market, which he had pulled out of his basket.

I felt my eyes widen. “What is going on here?” I asked, unable to stifle an incredulous snort as I looked back and forth between the two of them. “I can’t tell if you’re just being nice, if you have good news, or if you’re trying to butter me up before you share some horrible news.”

Leonard and Chris glanced at each other before Chris cleared his throat.

“Can’t we just visit you because we want to?” he teased.

I pinched the bridge of my nose, smiled, and shook my head. “I’m not complaining. It’s just… you’re both laying it on so thick.”

There was a brief silence before Chris spoke up again. “Alright, alright; we have good news. But let’s save it for later. I’m hungry.”

“Very well.”

With that, the three of us got to work: we prepared the snacks they had brought, I opened a bottle of my wine, and we popped the bread in the oven. Soon, we were sitting around the cloth-covered table on the back patio beneath the light of the setting sun, chatting amicably as we enjoyed everything.

In fact, it felt like the perfect evening. Eventually, we moved to the fire pit and started a small fire, turning on the radio to enjoy some music. But all the while, Chris didn’t share his good news—and I was practically buzzing with anticipation.

That was, until Leonard finally cleared his throat and shot Chris a pointed look from across the fire pit.

Chris tensed almost imperceptibly before letting out a heavy exhale and turning to face me fully.

“Alright, alright,” Chris said, rising from his chair. “Ava, I think it’s time to tell you the good news.”

I watched, exchanging a momentary glance with Leonard as Chris went over to the table and refilled our wine glasses. He returned a moment later and passed them out, slowly lifting his as he spoke.

I felt my heart stutter—whatever news he had must have been really good if he was acting like this. Either that, or he was pulling my leg.

Chris seemed to steel himself before the words finally tumbled out. “I’ve decided to stay,” he said simply. “To remain here in Moonstone… as the Alpha.”

For a breathless moment, the words didn’t seem to register in my mind. And then, like I had just been hit by a freight train, their full impact hit me—along with a sudden surge of emotions I couldn’t even begin to process.

Without a second thought, I rose to my feet, set down my wine glass and threw my arms around Chris. I nearly knocked his own wine out of his hand, but I didn’t care.

“I take it you’re happy,” he chuckled, wrapping his free arm around my waist.

I nodded, pulling back enough so I could look at both him and Leonard. Although, I could barely see either of them through the tears of joy in my eyes. “Leonard, how did you convince him?” I asked.

Leonard simply shook his head. “I didn’t have to. He decided himself.”

My eyes widened as I looked back at Chris. “Chris, how…”

“Moonstone is my home,” he said softly. “It needs me. I need it… And I need you.”

At his words, I felt my heart do a somersault in my chest. Yes, he needed me; and maybe I needed him, too.

But as those words registered, I also felt my stomach sink; because as overjoyed as I was for him and his decision… It also meant accepting that our romance could never truly work out. Not with tradition keeping us from one another.

“Well… I’m happy for you,” I whispered, my voice trembling despite my best efforts. “And I’m glad that we had what we had for the time that we had it.”

I paused, and stared into the fire for a moment before continuing with a deep, shuddering inhale. “I won’t get in the way when you find a Luna. I hope you know that.”

As the words left my lips, I noticed Leonard quickly rising from his seat, muttering something about giving us some privacy before slipping back inside. And then, before I could react, Chris was pulling me flush against him, holding me so tight I could hardly breathe.

“Ava,” he murmured, gently digging his fingers into my lower back. “I’m not planning on finding a Luna who isn’t you.”