Chasing His Kickass Luna Back Chapter 307

Abby

Feeling a little bit lighter, Chloe and I decide to make our way back to the party.

“You’re really sure you’re okay with everything?” I ask before we leave the kitchen, my arms laden with snacks to bring back to everyone.

Chloe nods and shrugs at the same time. “I’m trying to be,” she says with a slight smile. “Thank you for bearing with me, Abby. I know I can be… well, a bit of a bitch sometimes.”

I can’t help but laugh. “Chloe, you’re not a bitch,” I reassure her. “You’re honest. And if I were in your position, I would be wary of Karl, too.”

“And I still am, for the record,” she adds with a slight punch to my arm. “But I trust your judgment too, Abby. And I see how happy you’ve been. Don’t snuff this out before you’ve given it a chance, alright?”

Chloe’s words fill me with a newfound sense of calm. My mind has been a whirlwind of thoughts for what feels like forever, but the concept of just giving it a chance, seeing how things will play out, is oddly reassuring. I figure that maybe it won’t be so bad to see what will happen instead of making any rash decisions.

As Chloe and I return to the party, the comfortable hum of the movie and the warmth of our friends envelop us.

“There they are!” Daisy exclaims as we enter, reaching her hands out for the bowl of popcorn I’m holding. “I’m starving.”

Ethan, who has himself wrapped around Daisy beneath a blanket, rolls his eyes. “You just ate, like, three cookies a second ago,” he teases.

Daisy smirks. “Yeah, but now I need something salty.”

I laugh as I hand them the bowl of popcorn, and dole out the rest of the snacks. It comes to my attention that Karl isn’t here, but I don’t bother asking; he’ll probably be back momentarily.

Chloe and I settle onto the couch beneath a blanket. From across the room, I meet Leah’s gaze, and she shoots me a subtle wink; it’s obvious that she knows Chloe and I just hashed some stuff out, and all three of us are glad for it. I gesture for her to join us.

Leah pads over and slides under the blanket with us, her body fitting snugly next to mine. The three of us, a tangle of limbs and shared warmth, watch the movie together. However, despite the laughter and the lightness of the film, a tinge of sadness lingers in my heart.

I’m going to miss this—the camaraderie, the closeness, the feeling of being surrounded by people who really understand me. As much as I do like it here, I’ve been sorely missing my friends. I find myself hoping that they’ll visit again soon, or that the restaurant case will blow over quickly so I can return to my life in the city.

Although, if I’m being honest, I’m not sure how much I’m looking forward to that, either. This place is my home, despite everything. And as much as I hate to admit it, I’ve got something—or rather, someone—tying me to this small town.

In the midst of these thoughts, I notice Karl entering the room with a drink in hand. But something about his demeanor seems off. His smile doesn’t quite reach his eyes, and there’s a tightness in his shoulders that speaks of hidden tension. I watch him for a moment, wondering if he’s okay.

As the movie comes to an end and everyone starts to say their goodnights, I reach out and touch Karl’s hand. “Are you okay?” I ask softly, concern filling my voice. “You look—”

Karl recoils slightly at my touch, and his response is curt. “I’m fine,” he interrupts, avoiding my gaze. “Goodnight.”

Without another word, he turns and stalks up the stairs. I watch him walk away, a knot forming in my stomach.

“What the hell was that about?” I ask my wolf as I head up the stairs myself after a few moments.

My wolf sighs. “Not sure. Tired, maybe?”

“Must be.”

That has to be it; Karl’s tired, as he should be after the long week. I’m tired, too, and my bed is calling to me.

And yet, after a hot shower and slipping into my pajamas, sleep eludes me once I crawl into bed. My mind races with thoughts of Chloe and our conversation earlier. I wish her all the best in her search for true love and happiness, and I’m glad we worked everything out.

It’s not just about Chloe, though. I hope Karl is okay; something about his demeanor earlier made me uneasy. I can’t help but wonder if maybe he’s still upset after last night, or maybe the interview made him uncomfortable; but that doesn’t explain why, then, he was so chipper when we got back to the mansion earlier.

Is it something else?

As I lay there, though, something else happens. A sense of unease seems to creep over me, a paranoid feeling that I can’t shake off. I’m suddenly reminded of that strange car last night, and although my room is dark with no headlights shining through, something just feels… off. Even my wolf senses it, too.

“Are we being watched?” she asks.

Compelled by this feeling, I realize I can’t rest without checking. So, I carefully get up and peek through a slit in the curtains.

And, lo and behold, there it is again: the same car from last night, parked outside along the side of the road. Its headlights are off tonight, which is even more suspicious. And now, without the glare of the lights blinding me, I can see someone sitting in the driver’s seat.

Someone who is looking directly at my window. A man, from the looks of it.

“Shit,” I whisper, my gaze fixed on the strange black car. “Who the hell is that?”

My heart pounds in my chest as I watch, wondering what to do. My gaze momentarily flickers over to my phone, wondering if I should call Officer Martinez after all; but I guess the movement caused the curtains to flutter, and just like last night, the driver notices me and speeds off.

I’m left astonished in the wake of the car’s quick escape. They didn’t even turn on their headlights as they drove off, disappearing around that same bend again.

My eyes flicker to the phone again, but it’s late and I know there’s not much that Officer Martinez could do right now, assuming she even answered. No, I need to tell Karl. This could be serious.

I hurry to Karl’s room, but when I enter, I find it empty. “Karl?” I call out. There’s no answer, and his bed is still made. He must not have gone to bed yet, and so I decide to check the next best place: his study.

Quickly padding down the hall, the large oak door to Karl’s study comes into view in the dark hallway. I swing the door open without even knocking, but my eyes widen when I see the sight in front of me.

Karl is there, slumped in his chair, a half-finished bottle of whiskey on the desk. He looks up at me, his eyes glazed over.

He’s drunk.

“Abby?” he slurs, his voice thick with alcohol. “What do you want?”