Chapter 229

Ava

Of course, I didn’t sleep a wink that night.

Rather, I paced back and forth in my living room all night, my mind racing with the information Patrick had shared. The soft ticking of the clock on the wall seemed to mock me as the hours crawled by.

Throughout the night, every creak in the house had me scurrying over to the basement door to check and make sure that my prisoner wasn’t trying to escape. Every rustle of wind or a small animal in the bushes beneath my window had me running around the house like a madwoman, my fangs dropped and claws extended, ready to attack.

I felt like I was going insane. I needed to sleep, but I couldn’t; not with such an immense weight on my shoulders.

What should I do? Could I trust Patrick? Was this all some elaborate trap, and I was being played like a fiddle?”

As the first rays of sunlight began to peek through the curtains, I made a decision. I needed to talk to someone, and with Chris away, there was only one person I could turn to—only one person who I could trust, if Patrick’s words about a mole being in Moonstone were true.

Leonard.

I picked up my phone and dialed his number, my fingers trembling slightly. It was early, far too early for most, but I knew that he would already be awake and milking the cows.

After a few rings, Leonard picked up. “Hello?” To my surprise, Leonard’s voice was groggy with sleep. The sound of it made me cringe. He hadn’t been rising as early as he normally did thanks to that damn fungus in his lungs.

“Leonard, it’s Ava,” I said, resisting the urge to tell him everything right then and there. “Would you like to come over for breakfast?”

There was a pause, then a muffled cough. “Um, sure. I’ll be there shortly.”

Thirty minutes later, there was a knock at my door. I opened it to find Leonard standing there, looking even worse than he had the day before. His face was pale as death, and the dark circles that ringed his eyes were practically pitch black.

My heart clenched at the sight, but I managed a watery smile.

“Come in,” I said, ushering him inside.

As Leonard settled at the kitchen table, I busied myself with brewing a strong pot of coffee and whipping up some eggs and toast. The familiar routine helped calm my nerves, if only slightly.

“What made you want to do this so early?” he asked, rubbing his eyes as he sat at the table. “Is it about the press conference?”

I stiffened, recalling the press conference that I had missed last night while I was dealing with Patrick. I wondered how it went, and hoped that it went well. But that was a discussion for later.

“Here,” I said, placing a steaming mug and a plate of food in front of Leonard. “Eat up. We have a lot to discuss. And no, it’s not about the press conference.”

Leonard raised an eyebrow but didn’t argue. As he ate, I took a deep breath and began to recount everything that had happened the night before. He remained silent, although his face somehow paled even more as I told him everything.

“One of Olivia’s cohorts was here?” Leonard muttered, his voice hoarse. “In your house? And you didn’t think to call me, call for help?”

I pursed my lips. “He’s still here.”

Leonard dropped his fork on his plate with a clatter. “He’s here? Now?!”

Shushing him, I held my hands out in a placating gesture, not wanting our conversation to be heard. Leonard, understanding, nodded and shoved another forkful of eggs into his mouth as though that was the only thing that would keep him quiet.

I continued with my story, watching Leonard’s expression grow more and more concerned with each word. When I mentioned Olivia’s plan to take over Moonstone and give Chris that ‘impossible’ decision, his food had been abandoned and his hands were clenched into two white fists around the tablecloth.

“But here’s the thing,” I whispered, leaning forward. “Patrick says that Olivia doesn’t know about your condition. Which is actually a good thing, because she doesn’t realize how much of a threat the blight really is. She doesn’t know about that… weakness.”

To my surprise, Leonard let out a bitter laugh.

“Not anymore,” he said, pulling out his phone.

My stomach dropped. “What do you mean?”

Leonard pulled up a video and handed me his phone. “I’m assuming you missed Chris’s press conference last night, since you were… busy. Just watch.”

I pressed play, my heart racing as I watched Chris standing at the podium. He looked confident, determined... and then he dropped the bomb.

“Moonstone is facing a crisis,” Chris said. “A blight has been affecting our territory, and we need help.”

I watched in mounting horror as Chris went on to explain the full extent of the blight, every detail, including Leonard’s condition. By the time the clip ended, my hands were shaking.

“Oh, Goddess,” I whispered. “This changes everything.”

Leonard nodded grimly. “Olivia knows now. Everyone knows.”

I jumped up from my chair, nearly knocking it over in my haste. “Fuck. I need to call Chris,” I said, fumbling for my phone.

I dialed his number, my foot tapping impatiently as it rang. Once, twice, three times... and then voicemail. I cursed under my breath.

“He must be in a meeting,” I said, tossing my phone onto the table in frustration.

Leonard coughed, a deep, rattling, wet sound that made me wince. “What do we do now?” he asked once the fit had passed.

I took a deep breath, steeling myself. “We need to talk to Patrick,” I said. “Come with me.”

“Time to meet the bastard,” Leonard hissed, rising from his chair.

We made our way down to the wine cellar, the cool air hitting us as we descended the stairs. Patrick, to my relief, was still asleep on the makeshift bed I had set up for him, looking surprisingly peaceful for a man who had spent the night locked in a dark basement.

“Wake up,” I said gruffly, nudging him with my foot.

Patrick’s eyes snapped open, instantly alert. He sat up, taking in Leonard’s presence with a raised eyebrow, and then a slow smile spread across his face.

“Good morning,” he said, his voice rough with sleep. “I take it you’ve considered my proposition?”

I crossed my arms, looking down at him. “I have,” I said. “And I’ve come to a decision.”

Patrick leaned forward with a grin, his chin propped smugly on his fist as though he knew what I was about to say. “And?”

I took a deep breath. “If you vow to obey my orders and not betray me, then I will personally integrate you into the pack and give you a Moonstone tattoo. You will be immune from political consequences and you will become an official member of Moonstone pack until the end of your days. You will receive your own piece of land and a large sum to live comfortably.”

Patrick’s eyes widened slightly, but before he could speak, I continued.

“But until then, you are on extremely thin ice. One slip-up, one hint of betrayal, and you’re dead. Do you understand? Dead.”

The words felt foreign in my mouth. I had never been one for threats or violence, but the stakes were too high now. I had to protect my pack, my people, no matter the cost.

Patrick studied my face for a long moment, his expression unreadable. “Well, you’ve certainly changed,” he said finally.

I nodded, my jaw set. “I have,” I admitted, glancing over at Leonard, who was leaning on a wine barrel—not out of nonchalance, but because he needed something to support his weight. “I hate the idea of harming anyone, but if I have to, I will. Moonstone comes first. My people come first.”

“So,” I said, crouching to come eye-to-eye with Patrick. “What’s it going to be? Are you with us, or not?”

Patrick was quiet for a moment, his eyes darting between Leonard and me. Then, slowly, he moved to his knees in front of me, then leaned forward—and pressed his palms and forehead to the floor.

The same gesture—the one of irreverence, of respect, of fear—that I had given to Alpha Winston.

“I am here to serve, True Luna.”