Thanks EC Brenway for your review!
Chloe's hiding a "truth"? Oh, dear, what could it be? And how long until we find out? Yay for WolfElly not chomping Chloe's head! Yashvi the Witch? Could well be! You'll have to wait to find out!
The Chemistry In Darkness
Chapter Forty-Five
Saturday 14th December 2024 – The Night Before The Full Moon
Elly bounded up the stairs to Chloe's house very early that evening. Obsessively checking her watch like she'd done all day long, Elly knew she had just over an hour and a half before the sun began to set. It would take her less than an hour to make her way to the Pack to their new home and though she was leaving it to the last minute to leave, she wanted to spend as much of the day with Aster as possible.
Deciding to leave Aster in the capable hands of Bea and Yashvi until Tuesday morning hadn't been a decision Elly made lightly. But she knew bringing Aster with her, whilst would be enjoyable for Aster to spend the days with the family they had grown to love, abandoning the toddler for three full nights when she didn't need to was too much to do to Aster anymore.
Besides, after they'd returned home the previous night from their rowdy engagement party, Elly had overheard Bea and Yashvi talking for ages in their bedroom about wanting to start a family of their own. Elly hadn't wanted to listen into the conversation but it was enough to make her see that minding Aster for three full days could do the couple some good and help them decide when they were ready for children of their own.
Knowing she was going to be away from Chloe for three full days pained Elly but she knew staying away was the only way to keep Chloe safe. Especially after their experience the previous night, where unbeknownst to Chloe, Elly's anger at a drunken moron had caused her to fully transform into her wolfy being without the need of the full moon. She could've hurt Chloe or done something worse. Luckily for both of them, WolfElly hadn't harmed Chloe and Chloe hadn't found out Elly's dark secret.
Elly had yet to mention to Chloe that she was taking off for several days. Chloe's head knock the previous night and clearance from David that she was okay, had allowed Elly to focus on her mate rather than have to think about the upcoming three days.
The hangovers and head knock gave them both a reason not to go on their daily run that they'd been accustomed to over the previous month.
Elly knocked on Chloe's front door, surprised to sense that Pierce wasn't at home. Elly smiled as soon as Chloe opened the front door, then frowned at the look on Chloe's face, "Hey, Chlo! Everything okay?"
Chloe stood there in a leather jacket, her face swollen from tear stains down her cheeks, "I'm fine."
"No, you're not, what happened?" Elly asked, brushing past Chloe to walk inside the house, "Pierce not home?"
Chloe reluctantly closed the door behind Elly then turned to her, "Pierce went out with our personal chef, Rene, to scour for some new ingredients for some meals Pierce is keen to try out. He'll be out most of the night. Him and Rene do this every couple months, scour for food, get it to Rene's for storage, then they go out for a night on the town. Pierce likes his whiskey so he'll stumble home drunk later tonight."
"So, you didn't tell Pierce anything about the guy whom attacked you last night as I assumed if you did, Pierce wouldn't have left your side?" Elly asked.
Chloe nodded towards the couch, leading Elly over to it and sitting down next to her, bending her legs underneath her, "David gave me the all clear about my head injury, you were there with me at David's when he did that. No point worrying Pierce for no reason…and risking my little secret about martial arts training getting out…even though it didn't serve me much use last night. Thanks for texting me this morning to check in."
"Anytime, I was worried about you. I was relieved when you texted back immediately. I do trust David's judgement…I just wished you'd let us take you to hospital just in case," Elly worried.
"I'm fine," Chloe re-iterated, "So, what brings you over here?"
Elly eyed the puffiness of Chloe's eyes but also couldn't help but lust over the way Chloe looked in her leather jacket that she'd seen Chloe wear several times when she went to the fitness center, "I'm headed back to the family I lived with. Going to spend a few days with them. I'll be back Tuesday morning."
"Oh," Chloe was disappointed to hear she would have to spend several days without her best friend.
"I should've told you earlier but I just wanted us to have the best time last night at the engagement party," Elly explained.
"Is Aster going with you?" Chloe asked.
Elly shook her head, "Aster's gonna stay at home here with Bea and Yashvi…and Karl and Suze, of course. I…um…I overheard Bea and Yashvi talking last night…about starting a family. Don't tell them I told you but I thought…looking after a toddler for a couple days would…hopefully not put them off wanting to have kids of their own."
"I'm sure the girls will do fine looking after your lil girl for a couple days. And it's not…a secret to me. Bea's told me before she and Yashvi want kids. They've spoken to one another about it…they are just struggling to work out…how and when to make it happen," Chloe revealed, "I'm sure they want to wait until they get married mid-next year before they look to get pregnant and Yashvi wants to carry their baby first…Bea might go next depending how they get on with the whole…getting pregnant process for them."
"Kinda wished Bea would've told me all this," Elly replied sadly.
"Bea will, give her time to wrap her head around it all. It's kinda huge for her…a handful of years ago, Bea was living on the streets, now she's engaged, planning a wedding and wanting to start a family. All the big life changing things," Chloe reminded Elly.
"I should be there for Bea through it a bit more than I have been and I don't just mean attending all these things in Bea's life with Yashvi. I just mean spending more time with Bea so she learns that she can come to me about these things. If she wants to be a mum, she only has to ask me about it…I mean I don't know about the…process she and Yashvi will need to go through but I should have some motherly instincts to impart of Bea," Elly realized.
"Why don't you stay at home for the rest of the weekend? Go see the family in a few days?" Chloe suggested.
If only it was that simple…I'd need to move the full moon cycle cause I'm too afraid to be around any of you when I turn into a werewolf…last night was a big of a risk as I'll take…
The pair were interrupted by the sound of Elly's watch beeping at her. Elly ignored it, brushing it off, "I…gotta get home to the family no later than 8 o'clock tonight. I set a couple reminders so I know the absolute latest time I can…get on the road."
Thanks to daylight savings time, 8.31pm is sunset…half an hour to prepare myself when I get there…that's plenty of time, I'm not risking anything by being here with Chloe after 6pm when I need to be on the road by 7pm…no later.
"You really have to go see them tonight?" Chloe wondered, her heart aching at being apart from her best friend for several days.
It's just a few days without Elly…why do I feel like this?
"I promised them I'd be there tonight. They're expecting me and making a big reunion dinner. And…uh…Lexa has a cage fight on Monday night…that's why I said I'd stay until Tuesday morning…so I can see her compete then come home," Elly lied.
Chloe nodded slowly, "Guess I can't keep you from your friends. They probably miss you."
"They do and I miss them too," Elly admitted.
"I'll miss you," Chloe whispered.
Elly was heartened by Chloe's words, "I'll miss you, too…and Aster. I wish I didn't have to go away…"
"Maybe one day you can take me to this cabin this family live at and show me where you…spent four years of your life away from here," Chloe nervously suggested.
Yeah, the cabin burnt to the ground a few weeks back when the Pack were hunted down by some humans who didn't know who they were dealing with. The Pack have an entirely new home now…one that I've made sure I know exactly how to get to for sunset even though I've never been there before…
"I'd really like to take you to meet them one day…I'm sure they'd fall in love with you," Elly assured.
Just like I am with you…how can I continue to not say these kind of things to you? I can't keep this to myself much longer, Chlo…if I tell you how I feel then maybe we can be on our way to our life together…
Chloe wiped her own cheek gently, bringing Elly's attention back to the blonde's puffy eyes, "Were you crying before I got here?"
Chloe stared down at the ground, trying to avoid Elly looking at her, "I'm fine. You should go…reunite with your friends."
"No, you're not, Chlo. What's wrong? Why were you crying?" Elly pushed gently, "Is it about last night? What that guy did to you? Did you change your mind about telling Pierce?"
Chloe wrapped her right arm around her own waist, the leather jacket squeaking gently, "No, it's not that at all. I mean, I know I should've fought back against him and…freezing up…I never expected to do that in my years of training. I just…I'm having one of those days, y'know…"
No, could you tell me…?
"You know you can tell me anything," Elly reassured, then when Chloe refused to look at her again, Elly put on a shy smile, "Have I ever told you I love that jacket? I've seen you wear it a few times when we've gone to the fitness center."
Chloe wrapped her left arm around her waist, quietly hugging the jacket she was wearing around her, "Thanks."
Elly eyed the jacket, before her sense of smell caught on to something, "Is it just me or is that jacket…too small for you?"
Chloe nodded, still refusing to look Elly in the eyes, "Don't tell Pierce."
"Don't tell Pierce what, Chlo?" Elly was confused.
"About the jacket, I only wear it when he's not around. He doesn't know that I have it," Chloe whispered.
"Why are you hiding your leather jacket from Pierce?" Elly wondered.
Chloe fiddled with the cuff of the jacket, "It's not my leather jacket."
That explains the smell of the jacket…it smells like another woman… Did Chloe pick it up at a used clothing shop and is ashamed to tell her husband the billionaire that she's wearing a second-hand jacket?
"Second-hand clothing is in now, Chlo, it's always been in! Nothing to be ashamed about even if Pierce would prefer you to wear the latest styles," Elly pointed out.
"It's not second-hand clothing like that…it is but…the leather jacket belonged to a friend of mine. I wear it when Pierce isn't around to remind myself…of her," Chloe admitted quietly.
"Sounds like she meant a lot to you. Do you still see your friend?" Elly asked, curious as to why Chloe seemed so upset.
"I haven't heard from Nicolette in years…almost three years ago to the day…guess that's why I was just having a moment about it to myself before you came by," Chloe refused to look Elly in the eyes.
"Nicolette?" Elly repeated in a whisper, "She was a close friend of yours?"
Chloe finally met Elly's eyes, scared to tell her the truth but feeling like Elly was the one person who wouldn't judge her, "I had an affair with her."
Chloe cheated on Pierce…with someone whom isn't me!? I don't even know this girl and I'm jealous Chloe had an affair with her…. Is Chloe crying because she wants Nicolette back?
Next time - The Pipi affair didn't happen but a Chlic affair did? Chloe cheated on Pierce! Say what! Does this blast from Chloe's past mean that Elly has an unexpected rival for Chloe's affections rather than just Pierce?