Karlughs, his arms wrapping around me. “You had better be right, Abby,” he murmurs into my hair. “Otherwise you''ll be in for


    trouble afterwards.”


    His words make my heart skip a beat. | pull away ever so slightly, our lips almost touching as we look at each other. For a


    moment, it’s like we''re married again; and I’m reminded of our arrangement, the arrangement which neither of us has acted upon


    since I''ve been here.


    And, for just a moment, | consider what the night of the party will be like: before, during, and... after.


    Blushing a deep shade of crimson, | pull away and attempt to dispel the inappropriate thoughts from my mind. “I guess I''ll need a


    dress and a mask then,” | guess.


    He looks at me with a mischievous glint in his eyes. “Do you have something in mind? Need me to take you shopping?”


    | feel a bit uncertain, as the reality sinks in that he’s already done so much. I’m reminded of the box of gifts that was waiting on


    my bed when | arrived. It feels like he’s spoiling me, and despite our arrangement, we''re still not technically together in that


    sense.


    “I''ll go shopping on my own,” | blurt out. “I''d like to use my own money, and it seems like you''re busy here. | don’t want to be a


    burden.”


    Karl raises an eyebrow, a hint of amusement in his eyes. “Abby,” he says gently as he tucks a strand of hair behind my ear,


    “you''re never a burden. Besides, it’s my pleasure to do this for you. Consider it my way of making up for lost time.”


    I sigh, shaking my head. “Karl, really. I''d like to buy it myself.”


    He nods, and although I can see a slight flicker of disappointment sh through his eyes, | know that he’s not going to argue.


    “Alright,” he says. “Whatever makes you happy, Abby.”


    “Hey, is that shopping center in the town over still open?” | ask, taking another step back. “Maybe 1’ll head there now to look for


    something. | don’t have anything else going on.”


    “Yeah, it is.” Karl reaches into his pocket and pulls out his car keys, holding them out to me. “Here, take my car. The roads might


    get snowyter, so be careful, okay?”


    | take the keys from him, but roll my eyes teasingly. “Alright, alright,” | say with augh. “I''ll be careful.”


    With a final smile, | turn and grab my


    jacket and surgical mask off of the


    hook by the door, thephend, altro! |


    thg ganeatir is cool and


    familiar as | slide into the driver''s


    seat, and for a moment, it feels as


    though nothing has changed. Please


    read the original content at


    NovelDrama.Org.


    But as | drive away from the house, | can’t help but feel a mix of emotions. Maybe | shouldn''t be feeling like nothing has


    changed.


    Maybe | shouldn''t be slipping back


    into the old routines so easily; just


    because I''m back in Qui ald | Komé for


    tle yutnt@adesn mean that |


    ould just re-assume the role of


    Karl''s wife and the pack’s Luna,


    spending my days shopping and


    volunteering. Please read the original


    content at NovelDrama.Org.Property belongs to N?vel(D)r/ama.Org.


    And yet, at the same time, | can’t deny the smile that works its way across my face as | drive.


    The idea of a masquerade fills me


    with ened and anoles


    ae ean ethodkt bPdaricing


    ia eyes locked behind our


    ie masks, makes my heart


    throb in my chest. Please read the


    original content at NovelDrama.Org.