Chasing His Kickass Luna Back by Jane Above Story

Karl

I need to breathe.

Before anyone notices, I decide to sneak out of Abby’s apartment and away from the clean-up party, feeling like I’ve got a storm cloud hanging over my head.

Kissing Abby was a bold move, a stupid one maybe, and now the walls in there are practically vibrating with tension. My wolf isn’t happy either; he’s restless, prowling around inside me as if he wants to burst out.

I step outside, welcoming the chill in the air. It feels good against my skin, like it might cool off the heat of the moment, give my alcohol-addled brain some clarity. The sounds of the city’s nightlife hum in the distance, a muffled backdrop to my jumbled thoughts.

“Dammit, Karl,” I mumble to myself, shoving my hands into my pockets as I walk around the building. The gravel crunches under my boots with each step, as if scolding me. “What were you thinking?”

But then, suddenly, my senses flare just as I’m turning the corner. There’s a scent—something close to the window where Abby’s apartment was torched. I stop, sniffing the air. It’s not smoke or any cleaning chemicals. It’s something else. Something familiar.I can’t place it.

Just when I’m practically about to get on all fours and give the ground a good sniff—screw anyone who sees me—Chloe’s voice interrupts me.

“Karl? What are you doing out here? You look like a creeper.”

I jerk upright, meeting her gaze. “Just needed some fresh air. It’s kind of heavy in there, you know? Smells like smoke.”

Chloe crosses her arms, always too astute for her own good. “So you’re sniffing the air out here to clear your sinuses or something? Really?”

“Actually,” I say, “can you come here for a second?”

She arches an eyebrow but steps over, clearly intrigued. “Okay, what’s up?”

“Do you smell anything unusual here?” I gesture to the spot near the window.

Chloe sniffs the air, then shakes her head. “Nope. Just smells like burnt wood and cleaning stuff to me.”

I nod, taking her words to heart. If Chloe, with her sharp senses, can’t smell it, hen what the hell is going on?

She looks at me, her gaze probing. “Ugh, I can’t believe I’m actually asking his...” she mutters, running her hand through her hair. “But are you sure you’re lright, Karl? You look a bit... off.”
“I’m fine,” I lie, my mind racing. The scent, why do I recognize it? And why am I he only one who does?

Chloe holds my gaze for a moment longer before nodding. “Alright, if you say
so. But if you keep acting all broody and mysterious, people are going to start
thinking you’re up to something.”

I manage a forced smile. “I’ll try to act normal.”

She starts to head back toward the door, then stops, freezing for a moment. I feel as though I can see the gears turning in her head.

Then, slowly, she turns around. "Hey, um... If you figure out what's bothering you, you know where to find me."

I'm a bit taken aback by her sudden kindness. "Oh, um... Thanks, Chloe."

She heads back inside, and I'm left alone again, staring at the
window where this whole fire originated from. There's still orange police tape surrounding it, indicating that a larger investigation is at play.

But I'm still unsettled, my thoughts spiraling. That scent was so familiar, like a name I can't quite remember.

Could it be connected to the fire? It has to be. But why is it only familiar to me? Could I know the person behind all this?

"No," I think to myself, shaking my head. It can't be. I'm drunk, and the smoke from inside has clouded my senses, and my mind is still whirling from my kiss with Abby.

A kiss. With Abby. I almost forgot, I got so absorbed in... whatever this is. I should talk to her.

Just as I'm about to head back inside and face the mess that I've made with Abby, my phone buzzes in my pocket. I glance at the screen. It;s a call from Marcus, my Beta. Normally, I'd be irritated about the timing, but right now, talking pack politics feels like a welcome distraction.