Chasing His Kickass Luna Back

Abby

I step out of Marcus’ car and take a moment to take in the mansion that stands in front of me.

I still can't believe that I used to call this place home. Hell, I designed almost all of it myself; the gardens, the fountain on the front walkway, the color of the shutters. They're a soft sage green, a nice contrast from the red bricks. There's ivy growing up the front, which is new. I like it.

Grabbing my bag, I follow Marcus up the front path and inside.

"Here we are,” Marcus says as he opens the door for me. “I have to attend a meeting, but make yourself at home.”

I nod and watch Marcus leave, then make my way toward the stairs. But as I pass by the dining room, my eyes widen in surprise.

Spread out on the dining table is an array of my favorite foods. My stomach rumbles at the sight of all the delicious dishes. It's clear that someone has gone to great lengths to make me feel welcome. As I look at the array, I start to wonder where Karl is. Surely he'll share a meal with me. I scan the room for any sign of him, but the place seems empty except for a middle-aged woman I've never seen before. She approaches me with a warm smile.

“You must be Abby,” she says, extending her hand. “I'm Sarah. Karl is in a meeting right now, but he wanted you to enjoy the food. He'll be here as soon as he can.”

I shake her hand and offer a polite smile. This must be the woman Karl hired as his campaign manager. She seems nice. “Nice to meet you, Sarah. Thank you for the welcome. The food looks amazing.”

Sarah nods. “It's our pleasure. Please, have a seat and help yourself. Karl left specific instructions to make sure you're well taken care of."

I take a seat at the table, feeling a bit awkward sitting here all alone.

The spread of food is tempting, though, and I decide to start with a small serving of my favorite dish. It's just as delicious as I remember, and instantly transports me back to a time when Karl used to surprise me with this sort of thing all of the time.

For a while, I just sit there, savoring the food. Karl is still nowhere to be found, but I don't mind the silence. It's a welcome reprieve after the days of chaos at my apartment, and I almost forgot how nice it was to hear the sounds of the birds outside rather than car horns and police sirens.

When I finish my meal, I decide to take my plate to clean it myself. I enter the spacious kitchen, which is well-lit and impeccably clean.

In fact, I'm just thinking to myself that I'll have to cook a meal later myself as I'm rinsing my dish, when a woman's voice startles me.

"Oh, let me take that for you, dear,” she says. I turn to see Alice, the housekeeper, bustling toward me.

I chuckle softly. “Hey, Alice,” I say. “Don’t worry about it. I can wash it myself.”

Alice gives me a warm smile. “Nonsense, Luna. I won't allow you to wash your own dishes.”

I furrow my brow at the title she uses. “Alice, you know I'm not the Luna anymore,” I say, a hint of sadness creeping into my voice.

She seems surprised by my response and gives me a curious look. “I thought you and Karl were back together.”

Now, I'm the one who's surprised. “No. Did Karl tell you that?”

Alice shakes her head. “No, he hasn't breathed a word. But there have been rumors, so I assumed...” I quirk an eyebrow. “Rumors? What kind of rumors?”

She leans in closer, her voice hushed. “Well, dear, there have been whispers since the Alpha party. People saw the two of you dancing, and you know how gossip spreads in a small community like ours. Everyone is saying you're back together.”