Ethan P. O. V
I felt a gentle warmth on my chest while I was out on the balcony, taking a puff. Lucy wrapped her arms around me, planting soft kisses on my back. It was the same sweet kiss I always got, and I should be feeling over the moon with all this love from her. But honestly, it just feels hollow right now.
“What’s on your mind?” Lucy asked, her hand resting on my abs. It tickled a bit, but it didn’t really spark anything.
“I’m just trying to figure out how to make a solid offer for the exchange,” I said.
But that wasn’t the real thought running through my head. There was something more profound, but I kept it simple to avoid stirring up unnecessary drama between us.
Lucy shifted, now standing before me, wrapped only in a sheet, with nothing else on her.
Her curves are so perfectly shaped; I can’t help but want to touch them all the time. Honestly, after we hook up, I just want to chill and enjoy that moment.
“How about we devise a clever plan to buy some time until Christopher Gale shows up to ask her back?”
“That sounds too dangerous. I’ve mentioned that we might need to gear up for a fight if Christopher Gale finds out he’s around.”
“Do you really think Christopher Gale would go that far for someone he desires so much?”
Lucy might have a point there. Still, I’m not keen on taking any unpredictable risks. After all, everyone knows what Christopher Gale has been like since he took the throne of the Moon Fall Pack.
“I’ll think about it after I chat with Danny. You should get some rest.” I’m heading down to see him. I said as I flicked the rest of the cigarette away.
“It’s pretty early in the morning; maybe Danny’s already asleep.”
“If he wants to stay alive, he better be awake when I show up,” I replied, glancing back at Lucy, who was still on the balcony, wrapped in a blanket.
I grabbed my shirt from the floor, threw it on without buttoning it up, and went downstairs to find Danny on the mansion’s north side with Gamma and The Wolf Warriors.
Just as I reached the bottom of the stairs, I noticed a car pull up. Chen Lien stepped out, followed by Claire, smiling and thanking someone.
I kept an eye on them. I figured they skipped dinner because he was out cold, and Claire was pouting, knowing Lucy was my fiancee. But they just left the mansion and didn’t return until early.
Chen Lien caught my eye, and while I was teary-eyed, he just smiled, brushing some hair out of his face. They strolled over to me, hand in hand.
“Oh, Ethan, I thought you were asleep,” he said, but I could tell it was just small talk.
“Where have you two been?”
“I took Claire out for a bit. I figured she might be constantly tired of being cooped up in her room.”
You just took off without telling me, and now you show up at this hour? I’m just trying to figure it out.
Instead of answering me, Chen Lien decided to play the boss. She told Claire to come into her room without even asking me first.
It’s crazy. Claire just followed her orders and walked away without saying a word. Now, it’s just Chen Lien and me left here.
“Where have you been all day?” I asked her while she was busy fixing her long hair.
“Just wandering around town, hunting for good food, and giving him a taste of what this Pack is all about.”
“I didn’t say you could do that.”
“Do I look like someone who needs your permission for anything I do?”
“Chen Lien! This is my Pack! Stop pretending like you run the show here!” I’m really fired up.
I grabbed his collar, closing the gap between us until I could hear his steady breathing, completely unfazed, as if fear didn’t exist.
“I’m just trying to help you. Can’t you see how she’s down and always dodging you?”
“Whatever’s going on is not your concern!”
“What if he wandered into the forest and got taken out by rogue wolves?”
“What are you talking about?”
“She nearly went into that forest. I tried to stop her, but she was really stubborn, so I had to find another way to get through to her-I took him away,” Chen Lien explained.
I was sceptical about what he was saying. There was no way Claire would actually head into the woods behind the mansion. That just didn’t seem possible.
“Even if you don’t see her as your Luna, you should treat her like a person. If you want what you desire, it’s time to set aside some of that ego.”
Chen Lien pushed my hand away from his collar. After saying that, he stared at me momentarily before leaving me there.
I wiped my face, feeling like Chen Lien had crossed a line. Still, I couldn’t deny that it was probably necessary because if Claire Halle decided to leave this Pack, everything would be for nothing.
“Maybe it’s true; I must compromise to reach my goal.”
First, I had to meet her, chat with her, and act like I recognized her as my Luna, even though I didn’t want to.
The mansion was completely empty; there wasn’t a single Wolf Warrior or Guard around because I had kept them away while there.
I headed straight to Claire’s room on the second floor, on the opposite side of my room with Lucy. The hallway felt super dark, almost like it was trying to keep anyone from passing through. Some of the lights were out and needed fixing.
When I got to her door, I pushed it open without knocking. I was taken aback when I walked in and found Claire changing, with her panties and bra halfway off.
“What brings you here?” Claire asked, not looking surprised at all. She turned her back to me, casually unhooking her bra, then slipped on a cuff and a T-shirt that was a bit baggier than her usual fit.
“Where were you with Chen Lien?” I shot back, wanting answers.
Claire seemed taken aback by my tone. She could’ve been mad but acted like I was invisible instead.
“Didn’t you ask Chen Lien the same thing? I think you already know the answer,” she replied, sounding pretty smug.
That really got under my skin. Her confidence was infuriating, and I could feel my temper rising. I moved closer as she headed to the bathroom with her dirty clothes.
I yanked her hand hard, causing her clothes to drop to the ground, and she flinched when I unintentionally twisted her wrist.
“Why are you treating me like this? Do I need to remind you who the real Chen Lien is so you know whose side to take?”