Chasing His Kickass Luna Back

Abby

“Can I sit with you?”

Karl is standing in front of me, his mask in his hand, his hair tousled by the chilly wind. His brown eyes are full of concern, although I think he’s trying to hide it just a little bit.

I nod, moving over to let Karl sit beside me on the cold metal bench. The night air nips at my skin, and I let out an involuntary shiver. Karl, without a word, shrugs his jacket off and puts it around my shoulders. I let him.

"So, what are you doing out here?” Karl asks as he sits beside me. “You just ran off, and now you've been sitting out here for upwards of twenty minutes.”

"Have I?" I draw the jacket closer around my shoulders to keep myself warm. “I didn't notice.”

Karl shoots me a curious look with a hint of worry behind his eyes. “Something's up with you,” he says quietly. “Look, if it's about the other night, you're safe now—"

“It's not that,” I interrupt, looking away as I bite my lip nervously.

“Then what is it?"

I take a deep breath, letting the cold air fill my lungs before I finally find the words to express what's been churning inside of me. “I'm... conflicted,” I confess. “I like being here, in the countryside, with you. But I also like the city, the life I've built there.”

Karl's brow furrows with curiosity. “Why are you thinking about this now?” he asks softly. “You should be enjoying the party, not worrying about what-ifs.”

I hesitate for a moment, my gaze dropping to my feet before I finally muster the courage to meet his eyes. “Look,” I say, “it's just that... My wolf only appears when I'm with you. That can't mean nothing, you know?”

Karl is silent for a long time, staring out at the snowy expanse in front of us. When I glance over at him, I can see how he’s leaning forward with his elbows on his knees, his jaw tight as he stares off into the distance. He's thinking deeply; I can tell.

Finally, he speaks.

“Look, Abby, I'd be lying if I said I didn’t want you to stay here, with me,” he murmurs. “I could provide for you; hell, I'd help you open a restaurant here. You'd only work if you wanted to—"

“But that's the thing,” I interrupt, a hint of exasperation in my voice. “You want to provide for me. You want to help me open a restaurant here. I don't want to fall back into our old routines, of being your spoiled princess who gets handed everything. I worked hard for what I have now.”

I feel a tear welling up in my eye, and I quickly blink it away. I turn my head to look out at the snowy backdrop, unable to meet his gaze.

Karl is silent again for a long time. When he finally speaks, his words are tight, terse. “That's not what I meant,” he says quietly. “I just... I love you Abby. I want you back. And I want to take care of you. Is that too much to ask?”

I take a shaky breath, my heart pounding in my chest. “Karl, you... you broke my heart once,” I say, the words heavy with my pain. “I'm afraid that if we get back together, you'll just break it again.” Karl's expression tightens, and I can see the pain in his eyes. He reaches out, his fingers brushing against my cheek as he speaks, his voice filled with regret. For a moment, I almost pull away, but I can't.

"Abby, I'm so sorry for what I did,” he murmurs gently. “I never meant to hurt you like that. And I'd never do it again. You know what, don’t you?”

I sigh and look away, my own voice trembling as I speak. “I know you don't want to hurt me, Karl,” I say. “But... already, I'm falling back into old habits with you.”

"Old habits?" he asks, pulling away.

“Letting you spoil me, feeling like a princess around you. Not thinking about my work.” I swallow hard, the lump in my throat growing. “I'm scared that I might be falling again, and if I do, you'll just break my heart all over again. You're so focused on your Alpha duties, always busy..."

Karl falls silent for a moment once more, his gaze fixed on the snowy landscape as he contemplates my words. “I know my duties as Alpha have to come first,” he finally says, his voice heavy with the weight of responsibility. “People are relying on me to lead my pack. And with the election coming up..."

“Look, I get it,” I say, shaking my head. “But Karl, the point I'm trying to make is that neither of us is suited to make it work right now. We've got our own lives, our own responsibilities. My restaurant needs me just as much as the pack needs you, and—"

“But Abby, you know I'd go to whatever lengths are necessary to make it work,” he suddenly interrupts. “You should know that by now.”

Karl's words should soothe me, but they don't. I feel as if I'm being overwhelmed by conflicting emotions, the turmoil inside of me threatening to consume me.

“Karl, I just... I just don’t know,” I admit, my voice breaking. “Our lives... they seem to be pulling us apart. And I'm afraid that getting back together could just end in heartbreak all over again.”

Karl remains silent for a while, his gaze locked onto the falling snowflakes as they drift lazily from the sky. The world around us is hushed and serene, as if nature itself is holding its breath, waiting for our decision.

Then, out of nowhere, Karl's mischievous grin reappears, and he says, “You know what, Abby? Maybe it's time to take a break from all this heavy talk.”

I raise an eyebrow, puzzled by his sudden change in tone. “What do you mean?”

Karl's eyes sparkle with a hint of mischief. “How about we sneak off for a little while and run through the woods in our wolf forms? Let off some steam, just like old times. We can save the talking for another time.”

“But the party—"

"Oh, to hell with the party,” Karl interjects, standing. “No one will notice if we're gone for a little bit.” A smile tugs at the corners of my lips as I'm reminded of our first encounter, the night that changed everything. It was a night much like this one, with snow blanketing the entire landscape. “You mean..."

Karl nods eagerly, his hand reaching out to help me to my feet. “Let's go for a quick run, Abby,” he says, his voice barely more than a whisper. “C'mon. What do you say?”

For a moment, I pause, staring at Karl's hand, unsure if this is the right idea. But my wolf pulls me from within, urging me to go. And the woods call to me all the same.

I take his hand, the warmth of his touch seeping into my cold fingers, and I can't help but feel a spark of excitement.

“Alright, Karl. Let's do it."