Chasing His Kickass Luna Back Chapter 326

Abby

Karl takes my hand, threading his fingers through mine, as he leads me back inside the building. My lips are still tingling from our impulsive kiss, my heart pounding in my chest for more reasons than one.

But my breath catches in my throat when we enter the hall again.

The press is still milling around excitedly, their cameras clicking, their voices raised in lively speculation about the speeches—about the evident truce between Ethan and Karl—and about the altercation between me and Gianna.

As we enter, the cameras turn toward us and begin flashing in a frenzy.

“Luna Abby, are you okay?”

“Luna Abby! Over here! Let’s see your face!”

“Alpha Karl, are you aware of the physical fight between Luna Abby and your opponent’s mate?”

My heart pounds, but Karl is there as always. He wraps his arm around me, pulling me close and shielding me from the press. “No questions at this time, please,” he calls out, his voice firm and low. “Please, everyone take your seats and we will answer questions in an orderly fashion.”

The reporters are wise to follow Karl’s instructions. I let out a soft sigh of relief as they begin returning to their seats, their din turning into a soft murmur.

“Thank you,” I whisper, looking up at Karl.

Karl gives my hand a reassuring squeeze, but says nothing as we make our way toward the stage. His hand rests on my lower back as we walk up the steps to the abandoned podiums, and that’s when I see them: Ethan and Gianna, ascending the steps on the other side.

Gianna’s face is beet red, but she doesn’t look at me. Ethan, on the other hand, meets my gaze squarely and offers me a polite nod. His eyes are no longer cold like they were before, although he does look slightly embarrassed.

Karl leans into the microphone on his podium.

“If we could have your attention, please,” Karl’s voice booms out authoritatively across the room, amplified by the microphone. The chaos settles around us as all of the eyes in the room turn our way.

Beside Karl, Ethan stands straight-backed and silent, his hands clasped in front of him. There’s one more ripple of a murmur, and then silence.

“My brother, Ethan, and I have had a productive talk,” Karl announces to the crowd. “We have made a decision; a decision that some of you may not agree with, but a decision that had to be made nonetheless.”

Another ripple of murmurs makes its way through the room. Karl nods to Ethan, giving him the floor to speak now. Ethan steps forward, leaning into the microphone.

“Karl and I were driven apart by the fire of competition,” Ethan calls out. “But we have realized that what our pack really needs is cooperation, not conflict.”

There’s a pause. Ethan grips Karl’s shoulder, his lip curling upwards into a stiff, but genuine, smile. “I must admit that my brother makes an...adequate Alpha.”

A smattering of amused laughter makes its way across the crowd—a much-needed moment of humor amidst all of the tension. Karl shoots his brother a glare with no real heat in it before he turns back to the microphones with a small smile on his face.

“Therefore, as a united front, Ethan and I have chosen to temporarily—and perhaps permanently—halt the election campaign,” Karl says.

There’s another ripple of excitement, and Karl nods to the reporters. “And in time, after much discussion, we may arrive at an agreement to lead this pack together, in harmony. As co-Alphas.”

Excited exclamations break out as Karl finishes. A reporter near the front leaps up out of her seat, shouting, “co-Alphas? That’s unheard of!”

Karl and Ethan exchange glances before Ethan leans into the microphone once again. “We are aware that it’s… unconventional,” he says, “and there is much discussion that will be had in regards to the matter over the coming weeks. But my brother and I feel, as of this moment, that it’s the correct path to take.”

“What does this mean for the pack?” another reporter asks, his notebook and pen poised.

Karl clears his throat. “Our hope is that it will bring about a new era in our pack,” he says. “A new wave of cooperation, understanding, open-mindedness, and innovation.”

The room bursts into murmurs and questions, and I’m left frozen to my spot, unsure of how to act. But Karl and Ethan answer all of the questions in stride. I find myself glancing over at Gianna occasionally, but her eyes stay averted at the stage, her hands clasped in front of her.

After they’re finished fielding the barrage of questions, Karl and Ethan clasp forearms in front of the flashes of the cameras. I find myself smiling with relief along with the crowd.

Things may be different now, but maybe that’s okay.

Finally, Karl extricates himself and crosses the stage to me. “Shall we?” he asks, eyes softening. I nod; I want to go home. Everything else can wait until tomorrow.

But before we can leave, Ethan strides up purposefully. “Abby,” he says. “Could I have a word?”

Karl tenses reflexively. I touch his wrist in reassurance before turning to Ethan. “Of course.”

Ethan shifts his weight almost uncomfortably. “I owe you an apology. I should have listened when you tried to warn me about Gianna. I was… blinded by emotion.” His jaw tightens. “Tonight made her true nature painfully clear.”

My chest squeezes sympathetically. “Ethan…”

“Please, let me finish.” He meets my gaze squarely. “Gianna and I may be fated mates, but that doesn’t excuse the cruelty she’s shown you. If she’s going to treat my family like this, then she has no place by my side. Or Karl’s.”

I stare at him for a moment, my lips parted. Then I make a decision. Stepping forward, I lay a hand on Ethan’s forearm. “If you really do love her, if you really are fated mates, then don’t give up yet,” I find myself saying. “She’s scared, and in pain, and she lashes out because of it. But I think she does have good inside of her.”

Ethan searches my face, surprise flickering across his own. “How can you defend her after how she hurt you?” he mutters.

I offer a small smile. “Because everyone deserves a chance at redemption.”

Behind me, Karl makes a low noise of disagreement, but I press on. After all, how many chances have I given him? How many chances have we given each other?

“Follow your heart, Ethan,” I say softly. “It led you back to Karl, after all.”

Ethan glances between me and Karl, visibly wrestling with his thoughts. Then, a look of resolve seems to enter his eyes again. He nods, then reaches out and grips my hand firmly, taking me by surprise—but it’s not unwelcome.

“For now, Gianna and I will… talk, and consider our options,” he says stiffly, then pauses, licking his lips before continuing. “I must say, you have a rare spirit, Abby. Karl is fortunate to call you his Luna.”

He releases me and strides off without another word. I turn back to Karl, exhaling slowly, and rejoin Karl. He reaches out, pulling me into a tight hug, and I feel his lips against my hair. I don’t pull away, and I’m not sure if I ever want to.

After a long moment, Karl finally pulls away just enough to meet my eyes, his own dark with the same look that he gave me in the foyer earlier, and again in the alley.

“Ready to leave this madness behind?” he murmurs. There’s something in his voice that’s almost suggestive, and it sends a shiver of anticipation down my spine.

“Yes,” I breathe, just thankful to be going home.

But as we turn toward the doors together, I take one last glance over my shoulder. Gianna stands stiffly apart from the crowd. Only this time, something seems different.

Our eyes meet briefly across the chamber. And I see a glimmer of remorse in them that almost gives me hope. I linger there for a moment, unable to pull my gaze away. Then, with a small smile, I turn away, leaning into Karl’s sturdy warmth.

“Let’s go home.”