Ava’s POV
Sylvia walked off with Leo, and Damon trailed right behind her.
He paused at the doorway, glanced back at me, and said, “Honey, I’m gonna calm Leo down.
Wait for me, okay?
I’ll be back before you know it.”
“Go ahead.” I watched him quietly, watched this man I once loved so deeply it hurt, this same man who could sleep with his mistress and then turn around and whisper sweet lies to me.
Maybe my silence, in his eyes, looked like acceptance.
Maybe even obedience.
The tension on his face eased, and he actually gave me a soft, approving smile.
“You’re always so gentle. So understanding.”
Understanding?
I felt a cold sneer rise in my chest.
Sure.
A “perfect,” clueless fool who’d been fed birth-control pills for four years without knowing, who worked herself to the bone for him.
Of course she’d seem understanding.
He walked away without a shred of hesitation.
I listened to his footsteps fade down the long hallway, then slowly closed the door.
Apologize?
Not a chance.
I could already picture Elizabeth and Catherine tomorrow, smug as hell, sitting in that fancy restaurant watching Damon and Sylvia wait from morning till afternoon.
The thought alone eased some of the resentment stuck in my throat.
My phone buzzed.
A message from Alvin.
“Ms. Crawford, there’s an important charity gala the night after tomorrow, organized by the Pack Alliance Council. As the largest annual sponsor, the Crawford Pack is expected to send a representative and deliver a speech.”
I called him back immediately.
“Alvin, I already know.
Alpha Adrian told me.
He wants me as his date.”
“Sounds like your meeting with Adrian went well.
I’m glad, this should help you take control faster,” Alvin replied.
I nodded.
Then it hit me, I still didn’t want anyone knowing I was the Crawford heir.
Showing up as Adrian’s date would at least give me a legitimate reason to attend.
Which meant I needed to find out whether my stepmother Rebecca and stepbrother Lucas planned to show.
“Is Rebecca going? What about Lucas?” I asked.
“As far as I know, neither of them intends to attend. You know they’re doing this on purpose… they want to embarrass you.” Alvin’s voice carried an apologetic note.
My first public appearance as the Crawford heir, and both my stepmother and stepbrother were skipping it.
To the outside world, it would look like I was unwanted by my own family.
Exactly the effect Rebecca was after.
But I’d prove, loud and clear, that I deserved the Crawford name.
“Don’t worry. I can handle it,” I assured him. Follow the newest chapters on g.com.
After ending the call, I stepped into the massive walk-in closet.
Rows of gowns hung neatly along the walls, each one outrageously expensive, each one bought by Damon to show off his Luna.
In the past, I barely had the chance to wear any of them.
Work and house chores ate up my life; fancy galas had nothing to do with me.
I was scanning through the dresses when my phone rang again, an unfamiliar number.
I answered, and Rebecca’s sharp, grating voice shot through the speaker.
“Hello?
Is that the Omega named Ava?”
“What do you want?” I asked calmly.
“I’m warning you, don’t you dare show up at the charity gala the day after tomorrow! The Crawford family can’t afford to lose face because of some little Omega dragged in from who-knows-what rural hole!” Her tone dripped with contempt.
Looks like Alvin’s intel wasn’t wrong.
She just changed her mind.
Or maybe she simply wanted another excuse to humiliate me.
“If you’re not calling for anything important, I’m hanging up.” I really couldn’t be bothered to waste another second on her.
“You dare!
You ill-mannered—
I ended the call before she could finish spilling that nonsense, then blocked her number.
The sudden silence felt like fresh air.
Right then, the bedroom door swung open.
Damon walked in, carrying a bit of the cold air from outside.
His face, almost too perfect, showed clear curiosity.
“Who was that?” He loosened his tie as he came toward me.
“No one. Some street promo call. Why are you back?” I turned away, avoiding the hand he reached out to wrap around me.
By all logic, he should be sweetly glued to his private tutor right about now.
His hand stiffened mid-air, his brows tightening just a fraction.
“What’s going on with you?
Feels like you’ve been dodging me lately.”
“Really?” I raised my eyebrows, playing dumb.
“Why would I do that?
Unless you did something to wrong me.”
“Of course not!” Damon snapped back a little too quickly.
“I’ve just been busy lately. And last time, taking Leo to see the aurora without you… I know I should’ve brought you.” His voice softened, almost like he was coaxing a child.
“I promise, once this busy stretch is over, I’ll make it up to you. As for Sylvia, you know everything I do is for Leo.”
He actually thought I was sulking.
Competing for his attention.
Ridiculous.
I shook my head and forced a gentle, understanding smile.
“I get it.
Really.
Spending more time with the tutor makes sense.
harmful to the kids.
You getting to know her better, spending more time with her, if it’s for Leo, I totally understand.”
My “thoughtfulness” made him look satisfied.
He stepped forward and wrapped his arms around me from behind, resting his chin on my shoulder, his warm breath brushing the side of my neck.
“Oh, Ava, having you as my Luna is the greatest blessing the entire Darkmoon Pack could ask for.” His voice was low and magnetic, made for seduction.
Before, his words would’ve turned my legs to water.
One sweet line, one warm embrace, and he was my whole world.
Now, all I felt was nausea curling in my stomach.
His touch was like hot metal, pressing against me only made my skin crawl.
I pushed him away lightly.
“I’m a bit tired today. I want to sleep alone, if you don’t mind.”
I still needed to figure out the Crawford family’s business layout as soon as possible, so I wouldn’t embarrass myself at the charity gala.
Damon must never know I’m investigating any of this.
His body tensed for a moment, but he didn’t push any further.
He stepped back, a fleeting, unreadable emotion flashing through those dark eyes.
Whatever.
I didn’t have the time or patience to guess.
“Of course I don’t mind.” He nodded, slipping back into that steady, dominant Alpha presence.
“Get some rest. I need to handle a few things in the study anyway. Make up for the losses caused by those client complaints.”
A perfect excuse.
A perfect mask.
His handsome face carried just the right touch of weariness and helplessness, the kind that made him look like he’d been working himself to the bone for the sake of the pack.
Any she-wolf who didn’t know the truth would probably ache for him on the spot.
“Then get some rest early, okay? Don’t push yourself too hard.” I played along, slipping neatly into my role as the perfect Luna.
He turned to leave, but just as he reached the doorway, he suddenly paused and looked back.
“Right, about tomorrow’s charity dinner. I want to bring Sylvia with me.”
My heart tightened for a second, but my expression didn’t even flicker.
He met my eyes and added, “You know how these events are. A lot of Alphas bring their Betas or their top aides. Sylvia’s been doing a great job as Leo’s tutor. I think it’d be good for her to meet some people from the upper circles of the pack. It’ll help her, and Leo too.”
Such a polished excuse.
Bringing his mistress to a major social event, and he still made it sound like the most reasonable thing in the world.
“And,” he went on, his tone shifting into that quiet, unquestionable kind of command, “you’ve looked exhausted lately. Your energy’s off. So tomorrow, don’t think about work. Just relax, spend some time with your mother, walk around, buy a few things, and apologize properly. I’ll give you my secondary card, get whatever you want.”
The way he said it, like he was tossing scraps, assigning me my tasks for tomorrow: shopping, apologizing.
I looked at him, at that smug face so full of control, and slowly, I let a small smile curve up.
“Sure.
Damon, you know I spent all day fixing mess-ups at the company…”
“Good night, Ava.
And, I love you.” Damon said, then disappeared behind the door.
I fought the urge to punch him.
Instead, I threw his pillow onto the floor.
Twenty-seven days left.
I could hold on.