Page 37 of Moon's Call

“Just be careful. Call if you need anything.”

The moment Lorelei stepped into her apartment, tension melted from her shoulders. Everything was exactly as she’d left it - her drafting table by the window, architecture magazines scattered across the coffee table, her favorite throw blanket draped over the couch. The familiarity wrapped around her like a warm hug.

She kicked off her shoes and pulled out her phone, dialing her office.

“Jaime? Hi, it’s Lorelei. I’m back home and planning to work remotely today to catch up on everything I missed.”

“Thank god! The Davidson project needs your input desperately. I’ll email you the latest revisions.”

“Perfect.” She settled at her drafting table, spreading out her tools with practiced precision. “Send everything over.”

For the next few hours, Lorelei lost herself in the clean lines and precise measurements of her designs. This was her element - where everything made sense, where problems had clear solutions. No complicated pack politics or mysterious powers, just the elegant simplicity of architecture.

But as the morning wore on, an odd heaviness settled in her chest. Her hands felt clumsy, her concentration wavering. She caught herself touching the spot where Draken usually rested his hand on her lower back when teaching her to channel her powers.

The ache intensified like a physical pull urging her back to the castle. Back to him. She rubbed her sternum, trying to ease the strange hollow sensation.

“It’s just nerves,” she muttered, forcing her attention back to the blueprints. But deep down, she knew it was more than that. Every fiber in her body seemed to protest the distance between them, growing with each passing hour.

Still, she pushed the feeling aside. This was what she needed - time to process, to find her footing. Even if her heart disagreed.

Later that night, Lorelei sank into the plush booth at Velvet, their favorite cocktail bar. She was grateful for the familiar comfort of meeting her friends. The warm lighting and soft jazz music helped ease the strange hollow feeling that had plagued her all day.

Helena slid a cosmopolitan across the table. “Spill. Where have you been? We’ve been worried sick!”

“Yeah, especially after that construction site collapse,” Thea added, stirring her martini. “Thank god you weren’t hurt.”

Lorelei took a long sip of her drink, buying time to carefully word her response. “Actually, I met someone. The guy who helped me after the incident - Draken.”

“Ooh, details!” Helena leaned forward, her eyes sparkling. “Is he hot?”

“Incredibly.” Lorelei couldn’t help but smile, thinking about his muscular build and intense presence. “He insisted I stay at his place while I recovered. He’s very... protective.”

“Like, controlling protective or sweet protective?” Thea asked.

“Both?” Lorelei laughed softly. “He’s definitely alpha male - used to being in charge. But also genuinely caring.”

Helena raised her eyebrows. “And you stayed at his place for days? Something must have happened.”

Heat crept up Lorelei’s neck as she remembered their passionate encounters. “Maybe.”

“Girl, your face says everything!” Thea giggled. “So are you seeing him again?”

The ache in Lorelei’s chest intensified. “It’s complicated.”

“Ah, the classic commitment-phobe male,” Helena nodded sagely.

“Actually, he’s the one pushing for commitment,” Lorelei corrected, thinking of his desire to mark her. “I’m the one who needs space.”

“A hot guy who actually wants commitment? Keep him!” Thea declared.

Lorelei swirled her drink, watching the pink liquid catch the light. “I just need time to figure out if I can handle all the... changes that would come with being with him.”

“Changes like what?” Helena asked.

“His lifestyle is very different from mine,” Lorelei hedged. “It would mean adjusting to a whole new world.”

“Sometimes the scariest changes bring the best rewards,” Thea said softly.

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