Chapter 187

[ 1,071 words ]

Third-Person POV:

Ten days had passed since Chris signed the papers to become Alpha, and another thirty days remained before the ceremony.

Angela hadn’t brought up Ava again after their conversation that evening. Chris had behaved normally afterward, treating her with the same affection as before, so she tried to convince herself that she had nothing to worry about.

But she couldn’t completely forget what he’d said.

She continued with her Luna duties, attending meetings, and overseeing the household arrangements. She had been trained for these responsibilities since childhood, and taking over after her father’s death hadn’t been particularly difficult.

Chris, meanwhile, was spending longer hours in his office as he adjusted to being Alpha. Some evenings, Angela barely saw him before dinner.

Then, one morning, everything changed.

Angela woke up and reached for her husband, only to find his side of the bed empty. She glanced at the clock. It was still early, and Chris usually woke her before leaving.

Wondering where he’d gone, she slipped on her robe and made her way downstairs. She was halfway down the staircase when she heard someone crying.

At first, she thought a pack member had come to see Chris about an emergency. But when she looked toward the living room, she stopped.

A young woman was standing in her husband’s arms. The girl had buried her face against Chris’s chest, crying as though something terrible had happened. Chris held her close with one arm wrapped around her waist while his other hand gently stroked her hair.

Angela waited for him to pull away, but he didn’t.

Instead, Chris lowered his head and kissed the girl’s hair. A few seconds later, he did it again, murmuring something Angela couldn’t hear.

It was such a familiar gesture that Angela immediately remembered all the mornings Chris had held her exactly that way.

She remained on the staircase, watching her husband comfort another woman with the same tenderness he usually reserved for his wife.

“Chris?”

Her voice made Chris look up immediately. The moment he saw Angela standing on the staircase, he loosened his arms around the girl and gently pushed her away.

The girl seemed equally startled. She quickly straightened, wiping her cheeks with both hands before turning toward Angela.

“Good morning, Luna.” She bowed her head respectfully, although her eyes were still filled with tears. “I’m so sorry for coming here like this. I just wanted to see Chris. That’s all.”

Angela slowly descended the remaining stairs, glancing at her husband before looking back at the girl.

Up close, she could see that the young woman was quite pretty. Her eyes were red from crying, and she seemed to be struggling to keep herself composed.

“I came to give you both my blessings,” the girl continued, attempting a smile. “That’s all. And believe me, you two look wonderful together.” Another tear rolled down her cheek, but she quickly wiped it away.

Angela didn’t need anyone to introduce her. This had to be Ava.

For a moment, she felt sorry for the girl, and the last thing she wanted was to be cruel to a woman who had once loved her husband. But that didn’t mean she was comfortable finding Ava in Chris’s arms.

“Please, have a seat,” Angela offered, gesturing toward the sofa. “You must be tired after your journey. I’ll ask someone to bring you some tea and a few snacks, maybe.”

“That’s very kind of you, Luna, but I don’t want to trouble you.”

“It’s no trouble at all,” Angela called one of the servants and asked her to prepare tea and some refreshments. She intended to be polite, let Ava rest for a while, and perhaps talk to her before she left.

Whether Ava wanted to remain in Blackthorn or return to wherever she had been living was entirely her decision. Angela certainly wasn’t going to ask her to stay in their home.

Unfortunately, Chris seemed to have something else in mind. Before Angela could say anything, Chris spoke up. “Actually, Ava, why don’t you stay here for a few days?” he suggested, looking much happier than he had a moment ago. “It’s been so long since you’ve visited Blackthorn. I could show you around, and then you can go back to your grandmother.”

Angela seemed taken aback by his words, but Chris didn’t notice. “Besides, you’ve traveled thousands of miles just to see us. It wouldn’t be right to send you away so soon.”

Ava looked between them. “Oh, Chris, I don’t think that’s a good idea. I really don’t want to make anyone uncomfortable.”

“Don’t be silly. You’re not a stranger.” Then Chris turned to his wife with an expectant smile. “What do you think, honey? We can let her stay for a few days, right?”

Angela looked at Chris in disbelief. Did he really expect her to be comfortable having his former lover stay with them?

His wife was still mourning her father’s death, and instead of giving her time to adjust, he wanted to bring another woman into their home.

***

Ava ended up staying at the Alpha residence, although Angela had never actually agreed to it.

Chris had been so pleased when Ava accepted his invitation that Angela couldn’t bring herself to object in front of their guest. She told herself it was only for a few days. Besides, she had enough responsibilities to keep her busy.

But as the days passed, Angela began noticing things she wished she hadn’t.

Chris had always been an affectionate husband. He would look for Angela whenever he returned from work, ask about her day, and insist that they eat dinner together, even if he was running late.

Now, whenever he came home, his first question was often about Ava. “Where’s Ava? Has she eaten?”

Sometimes Angela would tell him that Ava was resting in her room, and Chris would go upstairs to check on her before even changing out of his work clothes.

Angela tried not to make much of it. They were childhood friends, after all.

At first, Angela thought Ava simply needed time to get over Chris. But as the days passed, she began to wonder if Chris was the one who hadn’t gotten over Ava.

She had already lost her father. The thought of losing her husband’s affection so soon after their marriage was something she wasn’t prepared for.

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