Chasing His Kickass Luna Back Chapter 225

Abby

After letting Officer Martinez out the back door, the loneliness and fear begins to set in again. Even though there’s a police car keeping watch, I can’t help but feel on edge. The front of my house is a media frenzy, and I feel like a target in more ways than one.

Finding myself unable to handle the profound loneliness, I decide to call Leah and Chloe. They’ve been spamming our group chat all morning, clearly having seen the horrendous news footage of me.

I dial their numbers on a group FaceTime call, and wait for them to pick up. Moments later, Chloe picks up first.

“Abby!” Chloe exclaims without preamble. “Oh my god, I’ve been so worried. I saw the news. Are you okay?”

Then, before I can answer, Leah picks up. She says almost the exact same thing.

“Oh, thank god, Abby,” she breathes. “Are you alright? I saw the news—”

“Yes, yes, I’m fine,” I say, hoping to ease their worries. “Everything is okay here. I promise.”

“That reporter was out of line, Abby,” Leah says. “She practically assaulted you with that microphone. You could press charges against her. It wasn’t shown in the footage, but it seemed like she wasn’t letting you close the door. That’s trespassing!”

I let out a sigh, the events of the morning replaying in my mind. “Yeah, she had her foot in the door,” I explain, having figured as much that they’d carefully leave that detail out of the shot. “But I’m fine, really. I don’t want to create even more waves over here.”

Chloe shakes her head, her frustration evident. “You shouldn’t have to endure that kind of harassment, Abby. It’s not right.”

“Seriously,” Leah chimes in. “Man, if I was there…”

I can’t help but chuckle. “Okay, okay,” I laugh. “Seriously, it’s fine. The truth will come out soon, I’m sure of it.”

Leah and Chloe both shoot me puzzled looks.

“Abby,” Chloe says cautiously, “are you still on about—”

“Guys, the police got back to me,” I interrupt. “The footage was analyzed. They linked the identity of the guy I spotted to a Beta, and it’s very possible that it was sabotage.”

Both Chloe and Leah gasp in unison, their eyes widening in shock. “Seriously?” Leah asks. “Were they sabotaging you? But why?”

“I’m not sure,” I reply. “It’s likely not even linked to me; the food was just a good cover-up. But I can’t say anything else until it’s confirmed, okay?”

Leah shakes her head, her expression a mixture of anger and regret. “I can’t believe we didn’t believe you, Abby. We should have known something was off, but we doubted you.”

I offer them a reassuring smile, wanting to put their minds at ease. “It’s okay, guys. Really, I understand that I probably seemed crazy at the time. But I’m just relieved to have you both on my side now.”

Chloe’s brow furrows in concern. “Abby, do you want to come stay with me for a while? Or should Leah and I come to your place?”

I consider their offers carefully, grateful for their unwavering support. However, I shake my head. “As much as I appreciate it, I don’t want you guys coming here,” I explain. “It’s not the safest right now. And I’m worried that the reporters or haters might follow me to your place and cause trouble there. I’ll stay put.”

“Are you sure?” Chloe asks.

I nod, my resolve unwavering. “I’m sure. I don’t want to put you guys in danger.”

Chloe lets out a sigh, reluctantly accepting my decision. “Okay, but promise us you’ll call if you need anything, okay?”

I reach out to touch the screen, as if I could feel their presence through the video call. “I promise. I love you both.”

As we say our goodbyes and end the call, I let out a sigh. I wish I could have taken Chloe up on her offer, but I can’t. With all of the reporters in a frenzy outside and the potential of someone coming to cause trouble now that I’ve possibly exposed an Alpha for poison, it’s just not safe.

I spend the rest of the afternoon pacing back and forth, trying to create some semblance of normalcy after everything. I try to occupy myself with reading, but I can’t focus on the words on the page. I try following a workout video, but I feel too tired. And I try to cook, but my hands shake as I try to chop the vegetables.

With a sigh, I glance at the clock. It’s only four o’clock, but I need something to take the edge off, to quiet the constant buzz of anxiety in my head.

I spot a bottle of red wine on the kitchen counter, and without a second thought, I grab it and a glass. Pouring myself a generous portion, I take a sip, savoring the warmth that spreads through me.

With a glass of wine in hand, I decide to distract myself with a movie. I flip through Netflix, searching for something lighthearted. Eventually, I settle on an old romantic comedy that always manages to make me smile.

As the movie plays on the screen, I let myself get lost in the story, allowing the familiar dialogue and cheesy plot to transport me to a different world. The wine has its intended effect, and I start to feel a bit tipsy, the tension in my body slowly melting away.

But as the movie progresses, my thoughts keep drifting back to Karl. The memory of our earlier conversation tugs at me, the abrupt way I hung up on him gnawing at my conscience. I wish he was here, too, to share this movie and this bottle of wine with me.

And in my tipsy state, I want more than that. Our previous arrangement keeps floating through my mind, and I can’t help but think about how we felt together that night that he stayed here.

Without thinking clearly, I reach for my phone on the coffee table and unlock it.

For a moment, I contemplate just putting the phone down and forgetting about it, but my need to talk to Karl overrides my hesitation. I hit his number on speed dial and hold the phone to my ear, listening to the ringtone.

It goes on for longer than I expected, and just as I’m about to hang up, it goes to voicemail. I let out a sigh of frustration but decide to leave a message anyway.

“Hey,” I begin, my voice slightly slurred from the wine. “I just…”

I pause, not sure what I’m even planning on saying. What can I even say? “I want you here, because, well, I want you?”

No. I can’t.

“I… wanted to tell you about what happened earlier,” I continue cautiously. “The footage was tampered with. Listen, it’s a whole story, but… they think it was another Alpha and his Beta who plotted it. I don’t know why. But they’re working on it, so that’s good, I guess.”

I take another sip of wine, trying to steady my nerves. “It might get a little dangerous here,” I add. “But I’m okay. Sorry for hanging up on you earlier.”

I pause for a moment, my thoughts swirling in a haze of uncertainty. For a moment, I almost ask him to come get me just as he said he would. But then doubt begins to set in again, and I remember that it could possibly get in the way of his election.

I clear my throat, shaking my head as if to dispel the thoughts. “Anyway, good luck with everything,” I say. “And… I miss you.”

With that, I end the call and place my phone back on the coffee table, my hand shaking slightly.

I take another sip of wine, trying to push away the loneliness in my mind. I wish Karl was here, but he can’t be.

And maybe it’s for the best.