Avenging Luna
Chapter 134: Sugar-Fueled Child

Chapter 134: Sugar-Fueled Child

Chase POV:

Watching Ash run around with those puppies, falling and getting back up like a tiny hurricane, was both a little amusing and a little concerning. Every time he toppled over, he’d glance back at Leila, who would tense up, her eyes wide with concern, as though she expected him to break something every time he hit the ground. But without fail, Ash would flash her a grin and yell, "I’m okay, Mommy!" as if he wasn’t covered in grass stains, or dirt, or whatever else he’d found in his path.

Leila would give him a short, wary nod, but it was clear that her eyes never left him. As a mother, I couldn’t blame her. If I were in her shoes, I’d probably be the same way. That little ball of energy could easily exhaust himself into a state of delirium, and I was pretty sure he was already well on his way to doing so.

Meanwhile, I was stuck standing there, trying to be the voice of reason in the chaos. Every now and then, Ash would look back at me as if making sure I was watching, and then he’d go back to chasing the puppies like a man on a mission. I’d try to catch his attention, but he was too caught up in the race to even hear me.

"Hey, kid, slow down before you break something!" I called after him.

His response? A maniacal laugh, followed by a yelp as he tripped over a rock and went tumbling to the ground.

"Ash!" Leila gasped, her hands instantly shooting up as though she were going to rush over to him, but Ash, ever the optimist, was already picking himself up.

"I’m okay!" he said with a triumphant grin, brushing himself off as though nothing happened.

Leila exhaled, her shoulders sagging in relief, but I could see the storm of anxiety behind her eyes. The kid was fearless, and that made her worry more than anything. It wasn’t that she didn’t believe in his strength; it was just that... well, he was her son. She couldn’t help but be concerned.

I watched her as she sat there on the bench, her hand at her mouth, trying not to react too strongly. Leila was a tough woman, but watching her kid charge headfirst into everything wasn’t always easy.

"Maybe we should put him in a bubble," I joked, walking over and sitting beside her.

Leila didn’t even crack a smile. "I think he’d pop it in about five seconds," she muttered, her eyes not leaving Ash for a second.

I couldn’t help but chuckle, but it was hard not to feel my heart soften a little. There was something about how she cared for him, how her whole world revolved around his well-being. It was obvious that she loved him with everything she had.

After a few more minutes of Ash running around with the puppies, the couple who owned them packed up and left, their dogs happily trotting along behind them.

That was when Ash came charging back toward me, his little legs working overtime to carry him through the grass. He was grinning like he’d just conquered the world.

"Uncle Chase! When do we go skating?" he asked excitedly, practically jumping on me with the kind of enthusiasm that only a child could muster.

I almost fell backward under the sheer force of his excitement. "Whoa, slow down, buddy. You’re like a freight train!" I grinned, ruffling his hair. "Are you sure you’re not already tired from all that running?"

Ash shook his head so vigorously it almost looked like his head would fall off. "Nope....I’m ready! Let’s go!"

I glanced at Leila, who was shaking her head, still looking like she was preparing for the next disaster. She had a slight frown on her face, but there was a glimmer of affection in her eyes that I couldn’t help but notice.

"Are you sure you want to go roller skating after all that running?" Leila asked, raising an eyebrow at me.

"Hey, don’t worry, I’ll make sure he doesn’t break anything... or get run over by anyone." I gave her a wink and then, after a beat, added with a sly grin, "Besides, I’m a professional."

Leila looked at me skeptically, her arms crossed over her chest as she studied me. "A professional?"

"Yep," I said, my tone playful. "In roller skating... and in keeping up with sugar-crazed kids."

Leila’s lips quirked up at the corners, but she still didn’t look convinced. "I’ve never seen you roller skate, Chase."

That was true, but it didn’t exactly matter. I was pretty sure I could manage. I’d done my fair share of training in all kinds of physical feats over the centuries. Roller skating? Easy.

"Trust me, Leila. I’ve got this," I said with more confidence than I probably should have. "Now, are you ready to let your son burn off more of that sugar, or do we need to wait until he’s bouncing off the walls some more?"

Leila rolled her eyes, but I saw the smile fighting to get out. "Fine," she said, standing up. "But if he falls and breaks something, I’m blaming you."

I raised my hands in mock surrender. "Wouldn’t dream of it."

We started walking toward the roller rink, Ash practically skipping ahead of us. His energy was endless. As we made our way to the rink, I glanced over at Leila, whose expression had softened a little.

"You know, I’m starting to think you really enjoy making me play the bad guy," I said, nudging her playfully.

She side-eyed me, giving me a smile that was more knowing than anything else. "You make it easy," she said, her tone teasing.

We got to the rink, and Ash immediately ran up to the counter, excited to rent a pair of roller skates. The staff gave him a pair, and he practically bounced on his heels as he put them on. I helped him with the straps while Leila watched from the bench, arms crossed.

"I’ll go easy on him," I said, winking at her.

Leila raised an eyebrow. "I’m watching you, Chase."

I grinned and stood up, holding Ash’s hand as we made our way to the rink. Ash immediately zoomed off, leaving me to jog after him to make sure he didn’t fall flat on his face within two minutes.

"Whoa, buddy, slow down!" I called out, laughing. He wasn’t listening, of course. He was already off, skating circles around the rink.

I caught up with him quickly, and when he fell on his butt—sliding a good two feet before stopping—he bounced back up like it was no big deal. We were out in the open with humans and I as much as I would have loved to zoom to him with my vampiric speed and catch him before he fell. I knew I couldn’t expose myself especially when I was so close to the witches territories. I also didn’t want to expose him to any danger if their was any hunter in the area his safety was my priority.

"I’m okay!" he shouted, his voice full of pride as if falling was just part of the plan.

I extended my hand to help him up. "You’re tough, I’ll give you that."

Ash grinned at me, flashing a bright smile. "I’m a man!" he said, puffing out his chest in a way that was both adorable and hilarious.

Leila, watching from the sidelines, was shaking her head. "Yeah, sure you are, little man," she called out. "Just don’t get yourself hurt."

I couldn’t help but laugh.

"Don’t worry, Leila," I said. "We’ve got this. Right, Ash?"

Ash looked up at me with wide eyes and nodded enthusiastically. "Right! We’re a team!"

And with that, we both set off together, skating in circles with Ash giggling all the way. He may have been sugar high, but the sight of him so happy, laughing with abandon, made me feel like I’d finally found something worth sticking around for.

As we skated together, my mind wandered back to Leila, still standing on the sidelines, watching us. There was something so reassuring about having her near, even if she wasn’t part of the madness. She was the quiet observer, the steady one, making sure nothing went wrong.

At least, I hoped nothing went wrong.

But in that moment, I realized something. It didn’t matter if I had to wait years or lifetimes, if this was what it meant to be near them—if this was what it meant to be near her—I’d wait. I’d stay. I was never letting them go again.

As Ash continued to zoom around the rink, and Leila watched from the bench, I knew one thing for sure: this was where I belonged.

As I skated alongside Ash, my heart still light with the joy of seeing him so happy, I felt a strange sensation crawl up my spine. It wasn’t the usual thrill of skating or the adrenaline from trying to keep up with a sugar-fueled child. No, this was something darker. Something more dangerous.

The air had shifted, like a storm was brewing on the horizon, though the sky was still clear. It wasn’t just the chill that crept in, making the hairs on the back of my neck stand on end. It was the sense of presence.

I had learned over the centuries to trust my instincts. They were rarely wrong. But as I glanced around the rink, my eyes scanning the crowd, the unease grew. There was nothing immediately obvious, no looming figure, no threat in sight, yet something was off. The tension was palpable.

I looked over to Ash, still laughing as he raced past me, oblivious to the change in the air. Leila was sitting at the edge, her arms folded, her eyes still fixed on us, but I noticed the way her gaze darted over to me—an almost imperceptible flicker of concern crossing her face.

She felt it too.