Chasing His Kickass Luna Back Chapter 249

Abby

Karl’s raised eyebrow tells me that my suggestion has taken him by surprise.

“A masquerade party?” he asks, his voice filled with skepticism. “I don’t know, Abby. That’s a strange request, at least for a holiday party.”

I sigh, running a hand through my hair. The memory of our first Christmas party together as a married couple is still floating through my mind, and it’s filled my heart with a warmth that I’m not sure if I want to express for the sake of coming across as too much of a softie.

“I just figure it could be a way for me to go without raising too many eyebrows,” I say with a shrug.

Karl looks at me for a few moments, and I can practically see the gears turning in his head.

“It’s just… with the election announcement coming up, I’m not so sure,” he says as he leans back against the long dining table behind him—it’s a beautiful mahogany, and all of the matching chairs have tufted seats made out of a classy golden-beige color that I picked out when we were married.

“What makes you think that it would hinder the election?” I ask, cocking my head to the side.

He shrugs. “I don’t know, Abby,” he admits. “I just won’t know if I want to create any waves right now. Maybe if Ethan and I weren’t fighting, but… I think I could use all of the good press I can get, and you know how people can be around here.”

I can understand his reservations. He’s got this tumultuous election against his brother coming up, and people in this area can be a bit… closed-minded.

If Karl throws a masquerade party for Christmas, I could see how it would make him worry that people might see it as odd or out of character.

But, at the same time, I can’t help but think it could possibly be a good idea.

“Look,” I say, taking a step closer, “you don’t have to do it. But think of it this way: it’ll generate buzz, people will be talking about it, and you could invite a lot of people from the pack. Maybe something exciting and out of the box would be good for your image; people will see you as an Alpha who’s changing. Evolving.”

Karl considers my words, his expression shifting from uncertainty to contemplation. He runs a hand through his hair, deep in thought. I can almost hear the wheels turning in his mind.

After a moment, he lets out a slow breath and nods. “You know what, Abby?” he says quietly. “You might just be onto something there, actually.”

“You think so?” I ask, my voice raising slightly with excitement.

Karl nods. “Yeah. It’s actually not a bad idea at all. It could garner some positive attention, and besides…” He pauses for a moment, his gaze softening as he looks at me. “If it means that you can attend, I’ll do anything to make it happen.”

His words make me blush, and I quickly avert my gaze before he can see. “I didn’t know that my attending this party was so important to you,” I murmur.

“Abby, of course it is,” he says gently, taking a step closer and effectively closing the distance between the two of us. I can smell his cologne from here, and it’s intoxicating. Before I can move away, he places a hand under my chin and lifts it to make me meet his gaze, and for a moment that feels like an eternity, we just stare at each other.

“Karl, I—”

“It’s settled,” he says before I can have a chance to change my mind. “So long as you come to the party, we’ll have your masquerade.”

I can’t hold it in any longer. A surge of excitement courses through my body all of a sudden, and I can’t help but throw my arms around his neck, hugging him tightly. “Oh, thank you, Karl!” I exclaim, my voice muffled in his neck. “I promise this will be amazing. People will talk about it for ages.”

Karl laughs, his arms wrapping around me. “You had better be right, Abby,” he murmurs into my hair. “Otherwise you’ll be in for trouble afterwards.”

His words make my heart skip a beat. I pull away ever so slightly, our lips almost touching as we look at each other. For a moment, it’s like we’re married again; and I’m reminded of our arrangement, the arrangement which neither of us has acted upon since I’ve been here.

And, for just a moment, I consider what the night of the party will be like: before, during, and… after.

Blushing a deep shade of crimson, I pull away and attempt to dispel the inappropriate thoughts from my mind. “I guess I’ll need a dress and a mask then,” I guess.

He looks at me with a mischievous glint in his eyes. “Do you have something in mind? Need me to take you shopping?”

I feel a bit uncertain, as the reality sinks in that he’s already done so much. I’m reminded of the box of gifts that was waiting on my bed when I arrived. It feels like he’s spoiling me, and despite our arrangement, we’re still not technically together in that sense.

“I’ll go shopping on my own,” I blurt out. “I’d like to use my own money, and it seems like you’re busy here. I don’t want to be a burden.”

Karl raises an eyebrow, a hint of amusement in his eyes. “Abby,” he says gently as he tucks a strand of hair behind my ear, “you’re never a burden. Besides, it’s my pleasure to do this for you. Consider it my way of making up for lost time.”

I sigh, shaking my head. “Karl, really. I’d like to buy it myself.”

He nods, and although I can see a slight flicker of disappointment flash through his eyes, I know that he’s not going to argue. “Alright,” he says. “Whatever makes you happy, Abby.”

“Hey, is that shopping center in the town over still open?” I ask, taking another step back. “Maybe I’ll head there now to look for something. I don’t have anything else going on.”

“Yeah, it is.” Karl reaches into his pocket and pulls out his car keys, holding them out to me. “Here, take my car. The roads might get snowy later, so be careful, okay?”

I take the keys from him, but roll my eyes teasingly. “Alright, alright,” I say with a laugh. “I’ll be careful.”

With a final smile, I turn and grab my jacket and surgical mask off of the hook by the door, then head out to the car. The leather is cool and familiar as I slide into the driver’s seat, and for a moment, it feels as though nothing has changed.

But as I drive away from the house, I can’t help but feel a mix of emotions. Maybe I shouldn’t be feeling like nothing has changed.

Maybe I shouldn’t be slipping back into the old routines so easily; just because I’m back in our old home for a little while doesn’t mean that I should just re-assume the role of Karl’s wife and the pack’s Luna, spending my days shopping and volunteering.

And yet, at the same time, I can’t deny the smile that works its way across my face as I drive.

The idea of a masquerade fills me with excitement, and although I hate to admit it, the thought of dancing with Karl, our eyes locked behind our intricate masks, makes my heart throb in my chest.