Loving His Broken Luna

Chapter 6

Kris

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It’s been a long ass, run around day, Kris groaned to himself while Crystal yammered on about whatever her new problem was. She shouldn’t even be there with him, overpowering what little scent he had left of his mystery girl, but Crystal couldn’t see past herself.

No, no… she let herself right on into his apartment as if they were mated.

Kris scoffed at the thought. Crystal held a place. She kept him company but it rarely felt like an event he was invited to, unless it was, well…

“Are you even listening?” Crystal questioned for— goddess, he lost count how many times.

Kris couldn't even fake that he was. The woman spoke in so many circles it didn’t matter what she was saying sometimes.

“No,” he pushed at her huff. “A lot’s on my mind.”

“And I’m not anywhere in there?”

Kris ignored that. The answer he had wasn’t one to share.

“Wow,” Crystal leaned on the “o” far longer than necessary as if it would change things.

It didn’t. Kris still mulled over the start of his day. Over and over like he’d catch something he missed.

Kris pulled out his phone, looking up yet another possibility, when Crystal snatched the item away from him.

“Excuse you?” Kris barked out, surprised at her audacity.

“There is no excuse for this s**t behavior,” Crystal informed him.

“So you agree.”

Crystal’s brow furrowed, challenging him further. “I’m so good to you,” she hushed him.

Kris hid his reaction from her. At best, they were their worst company.

“The least you can do is…” Crystal frowned, trying to focus on the page he was on. “Top Five Ways to Know She’s Your Mate?”

Crystal scoffed.

“This can’t be what you’re reading,” she spun away from Kris to read off others:

Alphas Tell All: Ditch the Bitch

How to Read Her Body

What She-wolves Really Want From Their Mates

Does Your Designation Say Enough About You?

“Kris? What is all this?” Crystal asked carefully.

“Research,” Kris deflected.

“For what?”

He watched her start to put the pieces together. Crystal was smart, she could handle the elements before her. She’d get it, maybe slap him, storm out. It would be over before he even had to excuse her.

“Wait…” she flipped through his tabs again. “Do you? Are you looking to settle down?”

Oh, that sounded weird to him. Her question was completely missing herself in the mix.

It was an uncharted, dangerous place. Instead of answering, he gestured to his phone for her to give it back.

“I asked you a question,” she replied, concerned.

“I gave you an answer,” he countered.

“It’s not THE answer though. Is it?”

“It’s the one you’re getting,” Kris supplied coolly.

Crystal’s eyes narrowed. They flicked between him and his screen, trying to figure out what was wrong with her territory.

“What happened today?” she changed her tone. “You seem off.”

“Enough happened. It wasn’t an ordinary day, like I told you.”

“Kind of nice to have an adventure, don’t you think?” Crystal replied, syrupy sweet.

Kris frowned at her but deep down agreed. In fact it was getting hard not to wag his tail. All he could think about was his mystery girl.

“Especially after you said you didn’t want to go vacation with me this morning.”

“I’m not doing this with you right now,” Kris huffed, returning to his articles. Kris returned to his second tab, filled with Alphas’ stories, walking the line of bullshit with their non-mate.

“When then?” Crystal interrupted again.

“When what?” he allowed.

“When do I have your time?” she questioned, her tone wavering.

Kris shook his head and sighed.

“I don’t have an answer for you. I’m working on something right now,” Kris tried settling her.

“What is it? This thing you’re consumed with?” she bit out. “A mateship with me or how to ditch me?”

“Crystal,” Kris huffed.

“My name’s not an answer,” she warned.

“The latter if you don’t let me get through this,” Kris shot up from where he sat at his kitchen island. “What are you? Close to your cycle?”

Close to my cycle?” Crystal parroted, shocked.

“Yeah,” Kris huffed. You’re harping on me like I don’t take care of you.”

“I never said…”

“Oh no. Not those exact words but you’re whining about s**t at me all day,” Kris began to pace around, opening and closing cabinets.

He looked for a cup in his own home in every cabinet rather than the one they were in for fvcks sake! That s**t? That right there is frustrating!

“I think you just keep yapping until I can’t function, so you get what you want.”

It’s quiet after that, Kris notices. She stopped.

“I’m right aren’t I?” he asked, surprised at his calmness now. “You want me to block it out and yes you. You want me to lay down my rights and only serve yours.”

Kris turned to finally look at her staring at him.

“Now there’s nothing to say, isn’t there?”

Crystal’s lips pressed together in a firm line. She blinked once more, as if it gave her great focus. Her steps followed, determined with every lunge forward. She stopped abruptly in front of him, unable to take the same true form of his mate, and growled.

“Whatever this is, research, breakup, whatever… know this: you’ll never be pure for her; just used by me.”

“It’s time for you to get on home,” he grumbled.

The thought of being rejected by his soulmate for indulging in s*x beyond rut hit low. Kris knew Crystal would figure him out. His situation, the articles… They were all so forward.

They were what he wasn’t, until he snapped.

Perhaps reading paid off.

With that, Crystal collected her coat and headed for the door.

“Oh hey, Cee,” Kass sounded startled beyond the door. “Could you help me with…”

“So Kass can be here but I have to leave?” Crystal huffed, pulling the bottle of New World Marlot out of Kass’ arm.

“He does live here…” Kris supplied.

Crystal rolled her eyes, then peered at the bottle in hand.

“New World? You know about this?”

“Yeah?” Kass questioned, his pitch high.

“He doesn’t know about this,” Kris corrected immediately, despite how she accentuated the label.

It was all so clear, but Kass didn’t need to be pulled into Crystal’s version of things.

“I know plenty about this. It’s a good brand,” Kass trailed, watching Crystal uncork it with practiced ease. “Come on, Cee. I only bought one.”

“He’ll spot me,” Crystal threw a thumb over her shoulder. “He owes me that at least.”

Kris rolled his eyes, hard. The action forced him to spin away as if he was giving into Crystal just one more time.

“This is the only time I’m doing this,” Kris obliged as Crystal downed a gulp.

“That’s what she said,” Kass chuckled as he closed the door behind him. “That was tamer than I thought she’d be. What happened?”

“I don’t think she knows if she’s mad or not,” Kris eyed the door. “Something tells me she’ll be back too.”

“Does it matter though?”

“I can only see how it would hinder our abilities…” Kris trailed, his train of thought ambushed by pain.

“Kris?!” Kass shouted as Kris doubled over the kitchen island again. “What the hell man?”

Kris shook his head, trying to sort out what overtook him. He rolled his eyes and purposely blinked hard to give himself a chance to refocus when he yelped. It was a goddess awful sound. One that no wolf should have to make.

He fvcking yelped!

It continued to haunt him in every crevice of the room.

All the while a new wave of pain rushed its way into his chest—another quickly crept into his head!

“What the hell is going on?” Kris rushed out.

“I don’t… I don’t know man!” Kass replied, worried. “Can you describe it?”

“Uh… just feels hot,” Kris yipped. “Not… not like fire.”

“Like what?”

“I don’t know man, it doesn’t make sense!”

“Yeah okay but I can’t help you if you can’t identify it.”

“I dunno,” Kris huffed. “It’s like fire but not. Feels like someone threw a furnace at me.”

Kass nodded, “Is there anything else?”

“Like what?” Kris rushed out.

“Like it’s stuck or pooling?”

“What?”

Kass groaned trying to come up with the best way to explain it. He ran his fingers through his short hazel brown hair, only to lift them off of his head when Kass had the answer.

“Like is it still in your veins like lightning burns?”

Kris looked over his body, palming his arms, legs and chest for good measure.

“No, no… I-It’s more. Kinda like a wave of it.”

Kass frowned as he made his way to the kitchen to put down their groceries. He headed for the cabinet where they kept their cups, asking, “Did Cee cross a line before?”

“When doesn’t she?”

Kass giggled.

“I mean as in, did she screw with your Alpha?”

Kris frowned.

“She said some s**t, but left,” Kris informed him.

“Did you snuff this one out?”

“Barely. She’s not sure where I stand now.”

“You might want to eliminate all ties soon,” Kass pointed out.

“Why’s that?” he groaned.

“Lone wolves, alpha or otherwise, go bat s**t crazy when they lose their fvck buddies.”

“I doubt…”

Kass shook his head, “Can you still scent your girl on your shirt?”

“Barely,” Kris nearly whimpered.

“We’ll find her,” Kass promised, handing a cup of water out to Kris.