The One

Full Moon Part 3

 The entire day, she struggled through her work, a simmering desire to flip the table as the endless discussions wore on, leaving her with a vexed expression etched on her features. Jess, her ever-observant assistant, noted her shift in mood and efficiently dismissed the meeting with a simple, "Take ten everyone."

As colleagues filed out of the conference room, eager for a reprieve, she rose from her seat, stretching her legs by the window as she mumbled to herself, "Thank you, Jess."

"Most welcome, ma'am. Do you need anything?" Jess inquired, concern lacing her words.

"Just some dark chocolate, please, and a watermelon fruit juice," she replied, her voice weary.

As the sun dipped below the horizon, casting an ethereal glow in the dimming sky, a sense of heaviness filled her heart. An undercurrent of anxiety thrummed through her, intensifying with every minute she spent away from both her son and mate.

'Gosh, I miss them both dearly. What are they doing right now?'

Ten minutes ticked by, and precisely on the dot, the meeting room door swung open as everyone filed in, their faces brightened with a hint of refreshment and energy. Her smile flickered across her lips as she scanned the room, taking in their weary yet cheerful expressions one by one.

"Let's order take out first before we continue, shall we?"

Her sudden shift in tone caught everyone by surprise, except for Jess, who was already poised with her laptop at the ready.

A collective 'Huh' reverberated through the room, underscored by unspoken questions that danced in their eyes. The bewildered look on their faces sent her into fits of laughter, and soon the others joined in, their worries momentarily forgotten.

"Let's not resume until we've placed our food order, shall we? So, what shall we feast upon?"

She surveyed the room expectantly, her gaze engaging the team until one of the ladies piped up, "What do you want to eat, Boss?"

"I don't know. What do you all feel like?"

"We'll just follow your lead, ma'am," another chimed in.

"Don't call me that! Just call me Karol like everyone else. 'Ma'am' and 'Boss' make me feel like I'm running an illegal enterprise!"

Her playful quip elicited a fresh wave of laughter.

"Aright, Ma—I mean Karol," someone teased.

"Let's get our order sorted, shall we? I'm starving."

Jess, having already connected her laptop to the screen, announced, "I've ordered Mediterranean food for us."

"Jeez, you're quick!" she joked, yet Jess replied with a businesslike seriousness, "I know your taste and overheard the others discussing their cravings, so I figured the Mediterranean would hit the spot."

Karol, feigning seriousness, crossed her arms and fixed Jess with a mock-furrowed brow. "What about you? Did you order something you like too?"

"Don't fret; I included my preferences. The food will be here in thirty minutes, so let's carry on."

"Fine, fine. Let's continue before Jess adds us to her hit list," she quipped, turning back to face the screen, her lips forming a teasing pout.

They resumed their meeting, entering a rhythm that culminated in their presentation finishing just as the food arrived. After a delightful dinner, they all departed, each heading home under the cloak of night.

By the time Karol reached Randale's house at 11:15 pm, she quickly slipped inside and collided with her father, who was diligently shutting off the last of the lights.

"Oh, hi, baby girl! Just finished work?" he asked, glancing up with warm eyes.

"Yes, Daddy. Is Luka asleep?"

"Yes, he is—deeply and soundly," he replied with a gentle smile.

"Thanks for taking care of him, Daddy," she said, wrapping her arms around him in gratefulness. He returned the hug, planting a kiss on her head as he said, "Don't thank me; thank Christian. He's the one who stayed with Luka until he fell asleep without any assistance."

She detached herself, scepticism creeping into her voice and expression. "Are you sure none of you helped him?"

"I'm sure! Christian insisted on doing it all by himself. He's really changed. Anyway, good night, baby girl. Sleep tight."

"Night, Daddy," she called out softly.

As she meandered toward her room, she murmured to herself, 'Should I thank him personally now or wait until morning?'

'If I go now, won't I disturb him?'

'But if I wait until tomorrow, won't I seem like a self-centred cad?'

'Gah! This is so perplexing. You know what? I'll take a shower first and decide later. A warm shower will help me sort this out.'

She gazed at her reflection in the mirror, pointing at herself as if to reassure, before making her way to the en-suite bathroom connected to Luka's room.

After her warm shower, she resolved against visiting Christian, noting the clock's hands pointing to 11:45 pm. Surely, he must be asleep, so she decided to retire early.

Just five minutes later, tossing and turning in bed, she finally sat up and opened her window, yearning to gaze at the beautiful sky to calm her racing thoughts.

'Why is the moon so full and bright tonight? It seems to have swelled in size.'

After a few minutes of mesmerising moon-gazing, an unexpected burning sensation flared on her neck, wrist, and ankles. She gasped, "What the fuck!"

"What is wrong with me?"

Cursing under her breath, she leapt from her bed, leaving the window wide open and flipping on her lights to inspect her hands and ankles. Just then, an eerie chorus of howls pierced the night air, surrounding her, but one howl resonated through the chaos—a plaintive cry steeped in agony.

Her heart twisted painfully, embroiled in a maelstrom of emotions as she honed in on that singular sound, desperately pleading for help and solace.