Chapter 24
Ava’s POV
“What did you just call us?” Isabella’s voice sliced through the air, sharp and low, jolting me from my swirling thoughts. She was already on her feet, tense and ready for a fight. My mind, however, was still reeling from Monica’s bombshell.
Grayson had almost married her?
Why hadn’t it happened?
Why was she back now?
The kiss I’d tried to forget suddenly felt heavier, more significant. Questions multiplied, fueling my frustration. Monica, meanwhile, simply stood there, smiling as if she held all the answers and enjoyed watching me struggle.
“Are you even sure you’re okay? If you insult me one more time, you’ll regret it,” Isabella’s angry voice snapped me back to the present. I blinked, realizing she and Elaine were already embroiled in a heated argument while Monica continued to regard me with that infuriating gleam in her eyes.
Everything was starting to make sense. Why she’d had that superior look in his office? Why she knew our encounters were far from over. Was this how it was going to be? A constant power play where she’d try to win Grayson back? Then it hit me: I only had one year, and after that, anything could happen between them.
I didn’t care. I shouldn’t care.
“You need to get something through that airhead of yours,” Isabella continued, stepping toward Elaine. “You don’t own this house. If anyone’s a stray here, it’s you. Lilian is the one who’s going to be Luna, not some ex-fiancée.”
Monica let out a low, mocking laugh, joining the conversation as if she’d been waiting for her moment. “A lot can change in two weeks. I mean, three days have already turned into two weeks.”
I shook myself out of my daze, finally turning to face her. “Whatever happened between you and Grayson in the past, whatever reason you broke up—that’s none of my business. But what is my business is you throwing yourself at him now.”
Her smile widened, becoming even more condescending. “Oh, so she speaks.”
I clenched my jaw, refusing to be drawn into her game. “I’m not doing this,” I said firmly, my voice steady despite the simmering anger. “Isabella and I were here first. If you want to use the theater, you can wait until we’re done. But this conversation? This whole thing?” I waved my hand between us. “It’s over.”
Elaine snickered, turning to Monica as if I hadn’t spoken. “I told you she had a sense of entitlement. Like she actually matters here. Giving orders like she’s important, while the other one—” she flicked her gaze to Isabella— “is just uncultured and doesn’t know when to shut up.”
That was it. Isabella growled, a low, primal sound that sent a shiver down my spine. Before I could stop her, she launched herself at Elaine, tackling her to the ground. Elaine yelped in surprise, but it was short-lived. They hit the floor hard, and Isabella’s claws were out instantly, swiping at her with blows that crackled with tension.
Elaine struggled beneath her, her eyes glowing as she tried to shift, but Isabella was relentless. Her hands gripped Elaine’s arms, holding her down as she landed another punch. The sound of flesh meeting flesh echoed in the room, and for a moment, it seemed Isabella had the upper hand.
But then Monica moved.
I saw her out of the corner of my eye, her stance shifting, her eyes darkening as her wolf threatened to surface. Panic surged through me. I didn’t have a wolf to shift into, no supernatural strength to rely on. But I wasn’t about to let Monica attack Isabella when she was already dealing with Elaine.
Without thinking, I moved. I crossed the space between us in a heartbeat and yanked Monica back by the arm, pulling her away from the fight before she could pounce on Isabella. She stumbled, caught off guard, but it didn’t last. She whipped around to face me, and for a split second, I saw the wildness in her eyes. Her wolf was dangerously close to the surface, and I knew I was in trouble.
Her claws shot out, sharp and menacing, and I barely had time to react. Years of being around Isabella had taught me a few things about fighting werewolves, but nothing could truly prepare you for facing one head-on—especially when you didn’t have the luxury of shifting. But I wasn’t helpless.
Before she could fully shift, I tackled her to the ground, throwing my weight against her to knock her off balance. It worked, and she hit the floor with a thud, stunned for a moment. But I didn’t stop there. I did the only thing I could think of—I grabbed a fistful of her hair and yanked hard.
She snarled, her claws swiping at me, but I managed to dodge just in time. Her nails grazed my skin, leaving a burning sting. The pain shot through me, but I gritted my teeth, refusing to let her see how much it hurt.
Monica’s eyes glowed with rage as she struggled to push me off. She was stronger, and I knew I wouldn’t be able to hold her down for long. But I didn’t need long. I just needed to keep her from shifting, keep her from attacking Isabella.
Suddenly, a voice cut through the chaos. “What the hell is going on in here?”
We all froze.
Hooked up to see Liam standing in the doorway, his expression a mix of shock and confusion. His eyes scanned the room, taking in the scene: Isabella pinning Elaine to the floor, me straddling Monica, both of us breathing heavily, our hair disheveled and clothes askew.
Elaine took the opportunity to shove Isabella off, scrambling to her feet and rushing to Liam, her eyes wide with false innocence. “They attacked us!” she cried, pointing an accusing finger at me and Isabella. “We just wanted to watch a movie, and they went crazy!”
Monica, finally able to sit up, wiped her mouth and nodded in agreement, her face flushed with anger. “We were just trying to be civil, but they—” she glared at me— “they started this.”
I could see Liam’s confusion deepen, his gaze flicking between us. His eyes lingered on me for a moment, and I saw something shift in his expression—something darker, more calculating. He wasn’t buying their story. Not completely, anyway.
“Is that true?” he asked, his voice cold, detached; the kind of tone that sent a chill down your spine.
Isabella stood, brushing off her clothes and shaking her head. “They came in here trying to kick us out. We were just minding our own business.”
Elaine opened her mouth to protest, but Liam held up a hand, silencing her. His eyes were still on me, sharp and assessing. I could feel the weight of his stare, like he was trying to decide if I was worth the trouble.
“Why are you here, Monica?” His question was directed at her, but I could feel the ripple of tension it caused.
Monica hesitated for a fraction of a second, but then she straightened, her confidence returning. “I was visiting,” she said smoothly. “I’m Elaine’s best friend, after all.”
I ground my teeth. Of course, they were best friends.
Liam’s eyes flicked to me again, and I could see the question in them, but I didn’t have time to process it. Monica was already moving, stepping closer to Liam, playing the wronged ex. “I didn’t come here to cause trouble,” she sighed, her voice softening, dripping with false vulnerability.
Elaine’s voice was laced with false innocence as she played the girlfriend card, her fingers lightly brushing Liam’s arm while she wiped at her already dry eyes. “Look at what she did to me,” she whined, trying to sound pitiful. “She’s completely out of control, just like when she outed us to Grayson. She had to.”
She turned toward me, her face twisted in a self-righteous scowl. “I told Grayson she doesn’t belong here, but he wouldn’t listen, and now look at what’s happening.”
I swallowed hard, trying not to let her words get under my skin. The anger boiling inside me was barely contained, but I didn’t let it show. I had to stay composed. But Goddess, it was hard not to snap back.
Liam’s expression remained unreadable, but I could see something shifting in his eyes, like he was calculating his next move, weighing all the pieces. Then his voice cut through the tension, low and commanding, almost chilling. “To Grayson’s study,” he ordered, his eyes still fixed on me, sharp and unreadable. He didn’t spare Elaine a glance, not even acknowledging her presence. “All of you.”