Chapter 52
Chapter 52
Astrid’s POV
The last of the guests had finally departed, leaving a comfortable silence in their wake. The remnants of the party, scattered decorations and lingering scents of grilled food, served as a testament to the warm welcome I had received.
Throughout the evening, I couldn’t help but notice how everyone had gone out of their way to make me feel included. Each conversation, each gesture, was imbued with a genuine desire to make me feel like I belonged. It was a stark contrast to my experiences in the Moonshade pack, where I had always felt like an outsider, a stranger in a foreign land.
Even Shadow, who had helped me escape from the Moonshade pack, had approached me at some point, albeit with a sulky expression. It was still surreal to think that this was the same "woman" who had expertly navigated me through the Moonshade compound, his disguise so convincing that I hadn’t suspected a thing until we were safely on the plane.
"Welcome to the pack," he had mumbled, his eyes avoiding mine.
"Thank you," I had replied, a smile tugging at my lips. "Is everything alright? You seem a bit... grumpy."
Before Shadow could answer, Rebecca had burst into laughter, her eyes sparkling with mischief. "Oh, he’s just upset because he lost the bet," she had said, her voice teasing.
"Bet?" I had asked, my brow furrowing in confusion.
Rebecca had then proceeded to explain the ridiculous prank that Shadow had orchestrated with the other pack members, a competition to see who would be the first person to meet me. He had never anticipated that Rebecca, or anyone else for that matter, would join the fray, and his carefully laid plans had been hilariously foiled.
"He thought he had it in the bag," Rebecca had said, her voice dripping with amusement. "He never expected that I would get involved, especially since he was the one who helped you escape."