Chasing His Kickass Luna Back

#Chapter 86: The Luna Returns

Abby

Stepping off the last stair, the whispers and murmurs reach a crescendo before falling into hushed

silence. My gaze lands on Karl, and I revel in the astonishment flickering in his eyes.

There’s a moment of silence as we gaze at each other. For a moment, things are like they used to be:

I’m the Luna, Karl’s wife, revered by the people around me.

In my shimmering red dress, I feel like a glimmer of my old self, plus or minus a few things. I feel more

mature now, but that’s how I prefer it. And as Karl gazes at me, taking me in, I think he prefers it this

way, too.

But why am I doing all of this, really? Am I really doing this as a knee jerk reaction toward Gianna’s

comments, to prove her wrong? Or is it something else?

“Ladies and gentlemen,” hKarl begins, seemingly regaining his composure, “I’d like to reintroduce

Abby. As you may know, she’s prepared tonight’s meal for us. Please, join us for dinner.”

A ripple of confusion sweeps across the room, but nobody dares to question Karl’s decision, not in front

of their Alpha.

I gracefully move towards the dining table, feeling the weight of dozens of eyes on me. Some are

bewildered, others are intrigued, but most are just stunned.

But as I approach, I can already sense an invisible barricade forming. Gianna is seated in my old chair,

situated right next to where Karl would sit. The spot I used to occupy as his Luna, the seat that I

thought would be mine forever in a strange way.

Our eyes meet, and Gianna sends a sneer my way, a message loud and clear. “This is my territory

now,” her expression seems to say.

I could argue, could cause a scene, but I decide against it. Tonight isn’t about claiming old territory; it’s

about breaking ground and proving people wrong. I begin to veer towards another chair, one a

respectful distance away from Karl and his secretary.

But just as I’m about to take a seat, Karl’s voice slices through the air, tinged with authority. “Gianna,

would you please move? Abby should sit there. It’s the Luna’s chair.”

A collective intake of breath sucks the air out of the room. All eyes swivel between Gianna, Karl, and

me.

“But… Abby isn’t the Luna anymore. She’s the ex-Luna,” Gianna retorts, barely masking her

indignance.

Karl locks eyes with her, unyielding. “It doesn’t matter. Abby is my special guest for this evening. She’s

gone to a lot of trouble to prepare the entire meal for us, so she deserves her old chair.”

Gianna’s face tightens, but she stands, moving her plate and glass to another seat with an air of

begrudging compliance. As I take my place beside Karl, I lean in to whisper, “You didn’t have to do

that.”

He turns to me, his eyes earnest. “I wanted to.”

Then, suddenly, Karl rises from his chair, his gaze sweeping over the room filled with pack members

and allies, some of whom were my friends once. “Ladies and gentlemen, if I could have your attention,

there’s something I’d like to say before we begin our meal.”

The room falls silent. Even Gianna, still sulking at her relocated seat, can’t seem to hide her curiosity.

“I know I’ve misled many of you,” Karl starts, his voice filled with something that sounds like regret. “I

made it public that Abby was cheating on me during our time together. And during that time, I believed

it to be the truth.”

“But recent tests and investigations have revealed that it was all a grave misunderstanding,” he

continues, his eyes meeting mine. “Abby never had any acts of infidelity.”

Murmurs break out around the room, but I’m too stunned to register them.

“I would like to formally apologize to Abby for tarnishing her reputation and for making her out to be

someone she’s not,” Karl says, each word heavy with sincerity. “I would also like to apologize to my

friends, colleagues, and staff for not coming clean sooner. I was too childish to admit my faults.”

Then he turns his gaze to me, and his next words strike me like a bolt of lightning.

“I am striving to be a better man, one who doesn’t make rash decisions based on falsehoods or let his

pride dictate his actions,” he confesses, his eyes searching mine for something—forgiveness, maybe,

or perhaps just understanding.

For a few seconds, it’s as if we're the only two people in the room. Words fail me. My mind is a thicket

of emotions, feelings too intricate and tangled to put into coherent thought.

When Karl finally sits back down, a part of me wants to run away, to escape this newfound reality

where the lines between past and present blur. But I stay put, because running would mean letting go,

and letting go means losing a piece of myself that I’ve just rediscovered.

“Now,” Karl says, raising his glass. “Let’s enjoy this delicious dinner prepared by a renowned chef.”

The room comes alive as plates are set and glasses are filled. The aroma of the three-course meal I’ve

painstakingly prepared fills the air, and the murmurs return with time.

“The food smells incredible,” remarks one of the Betas, breaking the ice. Others nod, murmuring their

agreement.

“Yes, it’s delicious, too,” Karl adds, casting me a meaningful look from across the table.

Except for Gianna. Oh, I catch her alright, barely taking a bite, making faces like she’s ingesting poison.

She doesn’t speak throughout the entire dinner, and when plates are taken away, hers is still full. She

refuses the dessert and the cappuccinos, resorting instead to swirling her wine around in her glass with

a deathly stare on her face.

My insides coil with irritation, but I let it pass. I don’t need her approval, not when I see the look of pure

satisfaction on the faces of everyone else in the room.

“Would anyone like to dance?” Karl announces once the plates are cleared.

A buzz fills the air as couples pair off, leaving Karl and me in a widening circle of emptiness. Then he

extends his hand towards me, a silent request that sends an unexpected thrill up my spine.

“Would you do me the honor?” he asks.

“I… I shouldn’t,” I murmur.

But Karl’s eyes are stern. “Dance with me. Please.”

My heart races as I take his hand, letting him lead me to the makeshift dance floor. For a moment, it

feels like old times. His body is pressed close to mine, his hand is resting on the small of my back, and

the scent of his cologne overwhelms me. It’s all I can do to keep my gaze averted and keep myself

from blushing.

But when I glance up finally, I notice that the expression on Karl’s face has shifted. His eyes lock onto

mine, holding a depth of emotion that I can’t quite decipher.

“I thought you didn’t want to attend the dinner,” he says quietly. “What changed?”

I look up at him, our eyes meeting briefly before I find myself having to look away again. I can’t lie to

him, not when he’s holding me like this. “I wanted to prove someone wrong,” I murmur, staring down at

our feet. “To prove that I’m not a pathetic housemaid.”

Karl’s eyes deepen, narrowing slightly. “Who told you that you were just a pathetic housemaid?”

My eyes flick towards Gianna, who stands isolated, observing us with a face like a storm cloud. I furrow

my brow for a moment as I see the butler lean toward her, murmuring something ever so briefly, before

he whisks away, leaving Gianna with an almost smug look on her face in his wake. It was a subtle

interaction, almost imperceptible, but I saw it. I don’t know what it means, though.

I swallow, returning my attention toward Karl. “Your secretary has some strong opinions about me.” Property belongs to Nôvel(D)r/ama.Org.

His jaw clenches. “I see. I’ll handle it.”

He holds me for a moment longer, allowing the tension to dissipate, letting the music wash over us.

Then he releases me, his eyes lingering on mine as if committing the moment to memory.

“Thank you for the dance, Abby,” he says softly.

“And thank you for letting me cook for everyone,” I reply, a smile forming on my lips.

He returns the smile, but it doesn’t reach his eyes, which look haunted by something else. Turning on

his heel, he walks away abruptly, leaving me standing alone amidst a sea of pack members and

swirling emotions.

With determined steps, Karl approaches Gianna. “Can I speak to you privately?”