Sun & Moon

Chapter 8 - Astrid

It is around 12 in the afternoon on a beautiful Saturday morning. The petals of the cherry blossoms fall on the green grass like floral snow, while the baby blue sky makes everything look like something out of a painting. Even though the day is determined to be cheerful and light, there's a storm brewing in my mind and heart.

The Greywoods' driveway is large with steel grey paving, and along the way there are three cars parked in a neat line. First is Alpha Gilbert's black Rolls Royce, then Luna Catherine's golden Porsche and last is Bianca's silver Mercedes. This is a stark contrast to my house where only the one car is there that everybody shares.

Hoping to stave away the storm on the distant horizon, I've come to make some sort of peace with Bianca. I guess I'm seeking forgiveness, but for what specifically I'm not sure as there are many reasons.

I enter through the open entrance like I usually do.

"Hello?" I call out.

I hear a commotion in the kitchen and the clanging of crockery, then the sound of clackety shoes on hardwood floor.

"Ah, Astrid!" Alpha Gilbert appears from around the corner looking rather dressed up in a polo shirt and loafers. "You couldn't have come at a better time. Would you mind going upstairs and waking Bianca up?"

"Sure, Alpha Gilbert."

"Great," he pats my shoulder. "We're having some important guests over in a bit and I think Bianca should be present for it. You are, of course, welcome to join as well."

I walk up the floating stairs, holding onto the golden handrails. Everything in the Greywoods' house is extraordinarily lavish and quite a few items are gold plated.

Bianca's bedroom door is closed but not locked. I enter to find her sound asleep face down on her pillow, her golden hair in disarray. She looks like she's had a tough night.

I sit next to her and nudge her awake.

"Astrid?" she mutters.

"It's time to wake up, B."

She mumbles and sighs some more, then turns her body 180 degrees to reveal a naked torso with dried mud smeared across her neck and chest.

I cover her up and this time yell "Wake up!" She gasps and clutches onto her blanket for dear life.

"What—what time is it?"

"It's after 12. And you need to take a shower and get dressed. You're having very important visitors over according to your dad."

She sits up and breathes heavily for a while.

"Did you go for a run this morning?" I ask to enquire about the dried mud.

Bianca rubs her face to reveal a pair of very dirty hands.

"Yeah, I just needed to get out of my head."

"Wanna talk about it?"

"Nah."

She gets up, dragging the wrapped blanket around her, walks to the bathroom and shuts it. I crash onto the bed and exhale heavily.

Last night was a lot to take in and I feel like an absolute jerk. Like I'm floating on a boat out in the middle of the ocean with dark clouds looming ahead and no way of getting safely to shore. I'm so exhausted thinking about it, the situation, the problem, the scandal.

It started with me being an ass to Bianca over her engagement, then me being an ass to Bianca over kissing her fiancé, then me, again, somehow being an ass for the Moon Goddess picking me as her fiancé's destined. And I'm still unsure if I should take the Lycan Alpha's statement with a grain of salt.