Chasing His Kickass Luna Back by Jane Above Story

Abby

As Karl speaks, my fingers worry the hem of my white chef’s coat, now no

longer pristine but splattered with sauce and tiny stains and the remains of

haphazardly cooked meals. It feels like a perfect representation of my inner

world right now: once untarnished and lily-white, but now stained and weathered

from the trials I’ve been through today.

We’re still standing in the supply closet, and the air feels thick. Karl is standing

over me still, his hand pressed into the door next to my head, sandwiching me

there with his body.

Enter title…

My wolf stirs ever so slightly, but now is not the time; I just found out that Karl

tried to talk to the judges for me, and I’m not sure how to feel about it.

“Abby…” he begins, his voice trailing off for a moment as his eyes search mine.

Finally, he pushes away from the door and crosses the small room, running his

hand through his hair for what feels like the millionth time in the past few

minutes.

“Just tell me, Karl,” I murmur, blinking away the tears that are threatening to

spill.

He pauses, then draws in a deep breath, and turns to face me again. “Abby,

yes, I did talk to Logan; but I never tried to bribe anybody. I hope you can

believe me in that regard.”

because despite the whirlwind that

lie to me right now. His integrity is

promised all those

But why talk to him?

and I can tell he’s choosing his words

him you’re an incredible chef, Abby. The

you don’t deserve the way he treats

The word hangs between

jaw tightens, and he looks away for a

it’s as though there’s

there’s something that he wants to tell me but he can’t get

out.

got this idea about you, Abby. He doesn’t see things clearly. I just…

you are putting in

competition. That’s it.”

and I don’t know what to say.

and dread knotting itself around my stomach: gratitude for

also dread because I know that, whatever

me are, nothing Karl can

of this doomed

happened with the sous chef?” I ask, my

whisper. “What happened, really?”

was tampering with the ingredients

I caught him in the act,

his hand, but I swear, Abby, I

the truth; Karl, despite

hurt anyone in this sort of context.

not on live

the guards didn’t believe

shakes his head. “The guards think I’m lying. The sous chef might

Anyway, it doesn’t matter. They’re

won’t be here when you get

staring at my feet. Outside,

crackle to life again: “Contestants, this is

stage in two

hand