Free Web NovelChapter 81: Chapter 81 Unanswered Questions
Christina’s POV
I woke up feeling weirdly empty. The bed was exactly the same size as always, but something was missing.
Hudson hadn’t come to my room last night.
After that hot make-out session in his car, I’d waited like an idiot.Spent twenty minutes primping in the bathroom before sliding into bed wearing my sexiest nightgown.
And then... nothing.
"God, I’m pathetic," I muttered to the ceiling.
Akira stirred inside me. "You’re the one who kept getting up to check if there were footsteps in the hallway. Just admit you wanted him to come in."
"I did not," I lied, throwing the covers off,"I appreciate that he’s respecting our agreement."
"Sure," Akira scoffed. "And I’m actually a poodle. You’re just disappointed he turned out to be a gentleman when you wanted him to be anything but."
"Whatever," I grumbled, but she was right.
My body still tingled with frustration from our unfinished heated lovemaking.
After a quick shower, I headed downstairs, unsure how to face Hudson. Would he mention our car sex or pretend nothing happened?
He sat at the dining table looking annoyingly perfect in his dark suit, reading something on his tablet while sipping coffee. Those strong hands holding the cup made me remember where they’d been last night.
"Morning," he said without looking up.
"Morning," I replied, sliding into my chair.
The housekeeper brought my usual breakfast. I poked at my avocado toast, trying to ignore the awkward silence filling the room.
The quiet between us felt like a ticking bomb. I stabbed my egg and watched yellow yolk flood my plate.
"Can I ask you something?" I finally blurted out.
Hudson looked up, his intense gaze focusing completely on me. "Of course."
"I went to LGH that day, and Dominic said you were out with Octavia Grey. But she told me last night you two are just friends." I paused, feeling stupid but unable to stop myself. "So who was this mystery woman you were really seeing?" freewёbnoνel.com
Hudson choked on his coffee, coughing violently before composing himself.
"There was no date with any actress," he said firmly, wiping his mouth. "Dominic was talking nonsense."
"Right," I replied, unconvinced. Something felt off. Dominic seemed too uptight to invent celebrity hookups for fun.
A curious thought struck me.
Wait, is it someone forbidden? Did he fall for someone else’s mate? Or something more taboo?I heard he have a stepmother...
Akira immediately jumped in. "Since you love making up stories so much, maybe you should become a screenwriter. You could write some steamy Alpha/stepmom content for pornhub. Or better yet, start an OnlyFans with Hudson and act it all out."
"Shut up. When did you learn about dirty content online?" I mentally snapped back at her.
Seriously, what kind of wolf did I end up with?
I’d heard that a wolf’s personality reflected their human’s to some degree.
My personality must be worse than I thought.
"What are you thinking about?" Hudson asked suddenly,watching me zone out. "Having some private conversation with your wolf that I’m not allowed to hear?"
My face burned. If he knew I was mentally creating porn scenarios starring him...
"Just work stuff," I lied smoothly. "Thinking about Octavia’s necklace design."
"Speaking of which," Hudson said, thankfully changing subjects, "did you send those sketches to her? Was she happy with them?"
"Yeah, sent them last night. She loved them." I set down my fork. "I need to finalize some details today so we can start sampling tomorrow. Only..."
I trailed off, reality hitting me. I couldn’t exactly waltz back into Nyx Collective to use their equipment. Not with Violet lurking around every corner.
Hudson studied my face. "Problem?"
"I need equipment. Casting machine, wax injector, laser welder. Can’t exactly make jewelry with just pretty drawings."
"I have a solution," he offered immediately. "A friend owns a small jewelry studio. Not as fancy as Nyx, but it’ll work for what you need."
My mood instantly brightened. "That would be perfect. Thanks."
It wasn’t just Violet I wanted to avoid. If Savannah discovered I was designing red carpet jewelry for Octavia Grey, I’d be labeled a traitor faster than you could say "backstabbing bitch." My contract clearly stated I was a freelancer, but Violet would twist it into something nasty.
After breakfast, I headed to the studio Hudson recommended. Moss & Flame was hidden behind a bakery in a neighborhood where parking tickets multiplied like rabbits.
The owner, a thin redhead in her fifties named Lorna, greeted me like a long-lost relative.
"You must be Christina! Hudson called ahead. Come in, come in!" She waved enthusiastically, leading me inside.
She toured me through the compact but well-equipped space, pointing out tools and materials with obvious pride.
"If you need anything at all, just holler," she insisted twice.
I thanked her, though I noticed her expression change weirdly when I mentioned my connection to Hudson. She smiled knowingly, making me wonder about their history.
The studio had everything I needed. They’d even cleared out a small office space with a worn leather chair and coffee machine.
I lost myself in work all morning. Started with CAD adjustments to refine the angles, then ran a 3D print in wax. The resin came out a bit rough but good enough for molding.
For the complex pieces like the lattice settings and that hinged clasp Octavia wanted, I cast a brass prototype to test functionality. Used a micromotor to clean the edges, then soldered a sample setting to see how the curves held under heat.
Not perfect, but definitely taking shape.
My stomach growled, reminding me it was past lunchtime. The studio was too far from Hudson’s place, so I went to a nearby mall food court and ordered jerk chicken with rice and plantains.
Just as I sat down, fork in hand, I looked up and nearly choked.
Serenna Oakley.
We hadn’t seen each other since The Sabreridge pack gathering. You know, the one where I’d punched her in the face.
I stared intently at my food, hoping she hadn’t noticed me.
No such luck.
Stilettos clicked across tile. A shadow fell over my table. Her overpowering perfume hit my nose seconds before her voice reached my ears.
"Well," Serenna purred, "what are you doing so far from Nyx Collective?"
