Chasing His Kickass Luna Back novel Chapter 417

Abby

“Can I sit with you?”

Karl is standing in front of me, his mask in his hand, his hair tousled by the chilly wind. His brown eyes are full of concern, although I think he’s trying to hide it just a little bit.

I nod, moving over to let Karl sit beside me on the cold metal bench. The night air nips at my skin, and I let out an involuntary shiver. Karl, without a word, shrugs his jacket off and puts it around my shoulders. I let him.

“So, what are you doing out here?” Karl asks as he sits beside me. “You just ran off, and now you’ve been sitting out here for upwards of twenty minutes.”

“Have I?” I draw the jacket closer around my shoulders to keep myself warm. “I didn’t notice.”

Karl shoots me a curious look with a hint of worry behind his eyes. “Something’s up with you,” he says quietly. “Look, if it’s about the other night, you’re safe now—”

“It’s not that,” I interrupt, looking away as I bite my lip nervously.

“Then what is it?”

I take a deep breath, letting the cold air fill my lungs before I finally find the words to express what’s been churning inside of me. “I’m… conflicted,” I confess. “I like being here, in the countryside, with you. But I also like the city, the life I’ve built there.”

Karl’s brow furrows with curiosity. “Why are you thinking about this now?” he asks softly. “You should be enjoying the party, not worrying about what-ifs.”

I hesitate for a moment, my gaze dropping to my feet before I finally muster the courage to meet his eyes. “Look,” I say, “it’s just that… My wolf only appears when I’m with you. That can’t mean nothing, you know?”

Karl is silent for a long time, staring out at the snowy expanse in front of us. When I glance over at him, I can see how he’s leaning forward with his elbows on his knees, his jaw tight as he stares off into the distance. He’s thinking deeply; I can tell.

Finally, he speaks.

“Look, Abby, I’d be lying if I said I didn’t want you to stay here, with me,” he murmurs. “I could provide for you; hell, I’d help you open a restaurant here. You’d only work if you wanted to—”

“But that’s the thing,” I interrupt, a hint of exasperation in my voice. “You want to provide for me. You want to help me open a restaurant here. I don’t want to fall back into our old routines, of being your spoiled princess who gets handed everything. I worked hard for what I have now.”

I feel a tear welling up in my eye, and I quickly blink it away. I turn my head to look out at the snowy backdrop, unable to meet his gaze.

Karl is silent again for a long time. When he finally speaks, his words are tight, terse. “That’s not what I meant,” he says quietly. “I just… I love you Abby. I want you back. And I want to take care of you. Is that too much to ask?”

I take a shaky breath, my heart pounding in my chest. “Karl, you... you broke my heart once,” I say, the words heavy with my pain. “I’m afraid that if we get back together, you’ll just break it again.”

Karl's expression tightens, and I can see the pain in his eyes. He reaches out, his fingers brushing against my cheek as he speaks, his voice filled with regret. For a moment, I almost pull away, but I can’t.