Chapter 0461


    Abby


    After wandering down a narrow, dimly lit hallway in search of Karl, | push out into an equally narrow alley. The cold night air bites


    at my skin, but | can hardly feel it thanks to the beer in my belly. Furrowing my brow, | look around; and then | spot him.


    | find him standing alone in the alley, a cigarette lit between his fingers. He’s leaning against the stone wall of the pub, and the


    dim light from a nearby streemp casts shadows across his face, revealing a contemtive expression.


    “Go to him,” my wolf says. I’m not entirely sure why she’s so insistent tonight, but | don’t resist. Maybe it’s just the alcohol, or


    maybe | secretly want to be closer to him, too.


    “Hey,” | murmur as | approach, pulling my sweater closer around my shoulders. “Thought I''d find you out here.”


    Karl looks up, the red ember of his cigarette hanging in the air as he nces at me. “What are you doing out here in the cold?”


    he asks.


    I shrug. “I could ask you the same question. And | could ask why you’re smoking when you know it’s bad for you.”


    “Fair enough,” he says with a chuckle before taking another drag of his cigarette.


    | join him up against the wall, and we stand there for a few moments, just taking in the night air. Karl doesn’t smoke very often;


    only ever when he’s thinking deeply, which he must be doing now. It’s a stark contrast from his earlier jovial behavior.


    “Something wrong?” | finally ask, breaking the silence.


    Karl exhales a cloud of smoke, his gaze distant. “Just thinking,” he replies, his voice carrying a hint of mncholy.


    “About...2”


    He shrugs. “I see how passionate you are about your restaurant and your staff, and... | feel bad for ever suggesting you start


    over here.”


    Karl’s words take me by surprise. Swallowing, | watch the smoke curl upwards, disappearing into the night sky. “Can | have a


    drag?” | ask, surprising even myself with the request.


    He quirks an eyebrow as he nces over at me. “What ever happened to it being bad for you?” he teases. But | just hold my


    hand out, and he hands me the cigarette without a word.


    | take a deep inhale, feeling the smoke fill my lungs. It’s a sharp contrast to the crisp night air. | don’t even smoke, but right now, |


    need something to calm my nerves.


    “Why are you feeling bad about it?” | ask, exhaling slowly and watching as the smoke floats up and dissipates in the amber light


    of the streemps. “And why think about all of this now? We''re supposed to be having fun tonight.”


    Karl takes the cigarette back, his eyes meeting mine. Our fingers brush, and it sends a shock through my hand. “I realize your


    life here is over,” he says quietly. “You have a new life, new people in the city. | shouldn’t have ever suggested youe back


    here after everything you''ve built there,” he says, a note of resignation in his voice.


    | pause for a moment and look at him. His gaze has turned to the cobblestone ground in front of us. I''ve always loved the


    cobblestone streets here, the feeling of stepping back in time. “Karl, you shouldn''t feel bad,” | find myself whispering. “I do miss it


    here, sometimes.”


    He nces at me. “You do?”


    “| do,” | reply with a nod. “I guess | sort of forgot these past few years, but I’ve always loved this town. | can’t deny the memories


    here.”


    Karl’s gaze meets mine, a mixture of emotions flickering in the depths of his soft brown eyes. “This ce has a lot of memories


    for both of us,” he says, his voice soft. “But | get it. Your life has moved on, and you have new ties in the city.”


    | take a deep breath, the chilly air filling my lungs. “The city is different, but it’s grown on me. There’s a vibrancy to it, a pace to


    life there that I’vee to love.” | pause, my thoughts drifting to the bustling streets, the diverse people, and the new challenges


    I''ve faced there. “I love the city. Just in a different way.”


    He nods, his expression thoughtful. “I get it,” he says. “You’ve built something important there, Abby. Your restaurant, your


    team... It’s impressive.”


    I smile, abination of gratitude and sheepishness welling up inside of me. “Thanks,” | say softly. “That means a lot to hear


    you say it.”


    We stand in silence for a few more moments, the only sounds being the distant murmur of the pub and the asional car


    passing by. Then, Karl speaks up again, his tone hesitant. “I’ve been thinking... about us, this arrangement, the bet. | don’t want


    you to feel like you have to choose between your life there and... whatever this is between us.”


    | look up at him, surprised by his admission. “Karl, |...”


    He cuts me off, a determined look in his eyes. “I want to waive the bet. It was never about winning or losing. | just... | wanted to


    be close to you again. But | can’t ask you to give up everything you''ve worked so hard for.”ConTEent bel0ngs to N?v(e)lD/rama(.)Org .


    His words hit me like a wave, a mixture of relief and confusion washing over me. “You don’t have to do that,” | start to say, my


    voice hardly more than a whisper, but he gently shakes his head.