Avenging Luna
Chapter 148: Eloping Together

Chapter 148: Eloping Together

Chase POV

The morning sun filtered through the heavy curtains of the suite, casting golden rays across the floor. I was up early, the events of the previous day still replaying in my mind. Damond’s imprinting on Ash was a revelation, one I was still processing. While it made some things easier, it also added layers of complexity I hadn’t anticipated. For now, though, I focused on one thing: making sure Leila and Ash felt safe and comfortable.

I decided to surprise them with breakfast again. Ash loved pancakes, and I enjoyed seeing the joy on his face every time I whipped up a batch. For Leila, I prepared her favorite—bacon and eggs, with just the right amount of seasoning. The scent of food wafted through the suite, filling the space with a homely warmth that belied the tension lingering in the air.

As I plated the food, I noticed something odd. The faint sound of shuffling came from the bedrooms, followed by the low murmur of voices. It wasn’t unusual for Ash to chatter away in the mornings, but there was a hurriedness to the movements that piqued my curiosity. I set the spatula down, wiped my hands on a towel, and made my way toward the source of the commotion.

The door to Leila’s room was slightly ajar. I pushed it open gently and froze in the doorway.

Leila was kneeling by the bed, folding clothes I had bought for them into a small, well-worn duffel bag. Beside her, Ash sat cross-legged, enthusiastically stuffing his favorite toys into a backpack. It didn’t take long to piece together what they were doing.

"Leila," I said, my voice low but firm, "what’s going on here?"

She jumped slightly at the sound of my voice, her hands pausing mid-fold. For a moment, she didn’t look at me, her gaze fixed on the bag in front of her.

Ash, on the other hand, was more than happy to answer. "We’re getting ready to go!" he chirped, his bright smile cutting through the tension in the room.

I stepped inside, leaning against the doorframe. "Go where, exactly?"

"To a new city, of course!" Ash said as though it were the most obvious thing in the world. "You said last night that we could go to a new city. Remember? A vacation!"

My eyes shifted to Leila, who finally looked up at me. Her expression was guarded, her posture tense. She opened her mouth to speak but closed it again, as though unsure of how to explain.

"Ash," I said gently, "why don’t you go check on breakfast? I made your favorite pancakes."

Ash’s face lit up. "Really? Pancakes? Yes!" He scrambled to his feet, slinging his backpack over one shoulder before darting out of the room.

Once he was gone, I turned my full attention to Leila.

"You’re leaving," I said, not as a question but as a statement.

Leila straightened, brushing her hands on her jeans. "We’re not leaving," she said, though her tone was defensive. "We’re just... relocating. Somewhere quieter, safer."

"Without telling me?" I asked, my voice harder than I intended.

She sighed, crossing her arms over her chest. "I wasn’t trying to sneak off, Chase. I just—"

"Didn’t want me to stop you," I finished for her.

Her silence was answer enough.

I stepped closer, keeping my tone calm but firm. "Leila, we talked about this. I agreed to stay in another city with you. I thought we were working together."

"This isn’t about you, Chase," she snapped, her eyes flashing with a mix of anger and frustration. "This is about Ash. About keeping him safe."

"And you think I can’t keep him safe?"

"It’s not that," she said quickly, her expression softening. "It’s just... vampires, wolves, imprinting—it’s all too much. I want him to have a normal life, away from all this supernatural chaos."

I ran a hand through my hair, trying to keep my emotions in check. "Do you honestly think you can give him a normal life, Leila? He’s a wolf. You can’t change that. And now he has bonds with me and Damond. You can’t just wish those away."

She shook her head, her eyes glistening with unshed tears. "I just want to protect him. Is that so wrong?"

"No," I said softly, stepping closer until I was standing right in front of her. "It’s not wrong. But running away isn’t the answer."

Her jaw tightened, and she looked away. "I’m not running. I’m choosing what’s best for my son."

I reached out, gently tilting her chin so she had to look at me. "You’re not alone in this anymore, Leila. You don’t have to do it all by yourself."

For a moment, I thought I saw a flicker of doubt in her eyes, a crack in the walls she’d built around herself. But then she stepped back, shaking her head.

"This is my decision, Chase. I appreciate everything you’ve done, but—"

"But what?" I cut in, my patience wearing thin. "You’re willing to uproot your entire life again just to avoid me? To avoid what we could have?"

"It’s not about avoiding you!" she shouted, her voice breaking slightly. "It’s about keeping Ash safe and giving him a chance to grow up without being dragged into a war he didn’t ask for!"

Her words hit me like a punch to the gut. I took a deep breath, trying to steady myself. "And you think taking him to another city will fix everything? What happens when whoever’s after you finds you there? Because they will, Leila. This isn’t going to go away just because you change your address."

She didn’t respond, her gaze dropping to the floor.

I stepped closer again, lowering my voice. "Leila, I’m not your enemy. I want the same thing you do—to protect Ash, to keep him safe. But we can’t do that if we’re constantly running."

Her shoulders sagged, and for the first time, she looked truly conflicted.

"I don’t know what to do," she admitted, her voice barely above a whisper.

I placed a hand on her shoulder, my thumb brushing against her collarbone. "Then let me help you. Let us figure it out together."

I stood there, watching her carefully fold Ash’s clothes into the small bag. She moved methodically, her shoulders tense, her expression distant. I didn’t know what else to say to convince her, so I remained silent for a moment, letting the quiet between us settle. Just as I was about to leave the room and give her the space she clearly needed, she surprised me.

"You really want to come with us?" she asked softly, her voice barely audible.

I straightened, unsure if I’d heard her correctly. "Of course I do," I said without hesitation. "Leila, I’ll go wherever you and Ash go. I’ve told you before, I’m not letting you do this alone."

She stopped packing and turned to face me, her arms crossed over her chest. "It’s not going to be easy," she warned. "We’re not staying in a fancy hotel or being guarded by your vampire soldiers. It’s going to be... normal."

I fought the urge to smirk, sensing that she was testing me. "Normal sounds great," I said, keeping my tone light. "I can blend in."

Her lips twitched, almost like she wanted to smile but wouldn’t let herself. "I mean it, Chase. No overprotective hovering. No royal nonsense. Just... living."

I stepped closer, making sure she could see the sincerity in my eyes. "I want what you want, Leila. If that means normal, then I’ll do normal. Whatever it takes to keep you and Ash safe—and happy."

She held my gaze for a long moment, searching for something, though I wasn’t sure what. Finally, she sighed, her shoulders relaxing slightly. "Fine," she said, almost reluctantly. "You can come."

A wave of relief washed over me, though I kept my excitement in check. I didn’t want to push her any further than I already had. "Thank you," I said simply.

"But," she added, raising a finger, "you follow my rules. No surprises, no running off to handle things on your own, and definitely no Damond showing up unannounced."

I chuckled at that last part. "Deal. I’ll even keep Damond on a tight leash if it makes you feel better."

She rolled her eyes but didn’t argue. Instead, she turned back to the bed, picking up Ash’s backpack and handing it to me. "If we’re doing this, we need to leave soon. I don’t want to give anyone a chance to track us."

"Understood," I said, slinging the bag over my shoulder.

Leila looked at me again, her expression softening slightly. "Thank you, Chase. For... everything."

The vulnerability in her voice caught me off guard. I wanted to pull her into my arms and tell her that she didn’t need to thank me, that I’d do anything for her and Ash. But I held back, knowing she wasn’t ready for that yet.

"You don’t have to thank me," I said instead. "I’m just glad you’re letting me be here for you."

Her gaze lingered on mine for a moment before she nodded and turned to finish packing.

As we prepared to leave, Ash came bounding into the room, his face lighting up when he saw me holding his backpack. "Are we going now?" he asked, his excitement infectious.

"Almost," Leila said, ruffling his hair. "We just need to grab a few more things."

"Yay!" Ash cheered, throwing his arms around me. "You’re coming too, right, Uncle Chase?"

I smiled down at him, my chest tightening at the pure joy in his voice. "Of course I am," I said, ruffling his hair in return.

Ash beamed at me, then darted off to grab a few more toys.

Leila watched him with a mix of affection and worry. "He’s so happy," she said softly. "I just hope this move doesn’t take that away from him."

"It won’t," I said firmly. "We’ll make it work. Together."

She looked at me, her eyes searching mine once again. This time, though, she didn’t pull away.

"Together," she repeated quietly.

And for the first time, I felt like we were truly on the same page.