His curvy Luna

4

Chapter 4

___ Ava's POV___

I tossed and turned all night, leaving me feeling like a zombie today. While I adore my job, I'm not exactly looking forward to work. Dealing with those nosy colleagues bombarding me with questions—questions I genuinely want answers to myself. I wonder if he mentioned me or had me on his mind, perhaps even inquired about me.

No, no, no! Ava, why would he spare you a second thought? I mean, he's easily a 12, breaking the charts with that well-defined body of his. Why would someone like him be thinking about someone like you, who's maybe a 5 or a 6 on a good day?

I do acknowledge that I'm not ugly. I have a wonderful personality and a good heart, taught to treat people with respect and find the positive in any situation. But when it comes to looks, I'm pale with red cheeks, natural golden blonde hair, small to medium-sized breasts, a thick waist with love handles, and a charming belly pouch. Alright, I have large, shapely calves, sexy ankles, and beautiful eyes, but that's about it. I prefer comfort over style, not a fan of makeup, and embrace who I am.

As I said, I'm not ugly, but I'm certainly not in his league. Stay in your lane, Ava!

When I walked into the salon, as expected, Genevieve was on the warpath. Everyone else seemed eager to corner me, wanting to chat about my client from yesterday. They all wore funny expressions, smirks on their faces as if they knew something I didn't.

"So, when's the wedding?" Pat, short for Patricia, one of the older stylists, asked. She's a sweetheart, a real mother hen to all of us.

"Don't be silly, Pat. I have no idea what you're talking about."

"Oh, come on, little Ava, keep telling yourself that. I've never seen a man's haircut take that long. The way you were checking and rechecking, you know what I mean. Don't worry, my dear, he was enjoying every second of it. I could see the way you both were looking at each other. You were practically slipping and sliding around him."

She explained, wearing a huge smile and wiggling her eyebrows at me. I blushed but maintained a doubtful look.

"Uh, no. I don't know what you were watching, but I was just checking my work. After all, he's the brother of one of my most loyal clients, and if his hair isn't perfect, I might lose her. And by the way, you know as well as I do that he's way out of my league."

She smirked and reminded me of something I often say to them. "What happened to 'don't judge a book by its cover' and your favorite 'you can't love others if you don't love yourself'? What happened to self-love, Ava? You're worth more than you give yourself credit for, maybe even out of his league." She winked at me, and for a moment, I considered her words. Who's to say I'm not worthy? Damn it, I am worthy. He'd be lucky to have someone as amazing as me. After hugging Pat and whispering a thank you, I went about my work for the day.

Not long after I chatted with Pat, I received a message from Brittney that had me worried and sweating bullets.

Brittney: Hi Ava, you sure did a number on my brother.

Ava: Hi Brittney, what do you mean? Is he unhappy with my work? I double-checked his haircut before styling. He can come in, and I can fix whatever he is not happy with.

Brittney: No, he won't be coming back for that, but you might see him around.

Ava: I'm sorry he's disappointed in my work. I hope he'll give me a chance to rectify my mistakes. I also hope this won't affect your and my relationship.

Sending my apologies to Brittney, my heart sank. This was exactly what I feared. I felt so disappointed in myself for messing up so badly and misreading the situation between us, thinking he was happy with me and my work. Why didn't he say anything yesterday? He doesn't strike me as someone who'd keep quiet when unhappy. Anyway, I genuinely hope he'll allow me to make things right.

I was in a somber mood after messaging Brittney. For some reason, the thought of having disappointed him made me feel uneasy, almost as if his disappointment caused my heartache. But I couldn't pinpoint why.

.

___ Benjamin's POV___

When I finally calmed down enough to have breakfast, we engaged in comfortable small talk at the table. I was about to leave for work when I noticed the mischievous look and soft giggle on my little sister's face. "What are you up to?" That look usually spelled trouble, and I was afraid that trouble might involve me.

"Who, me? Oh, nothing. Why do you ask?" "That look on your face usually means trouble, and I'm afraid I might be dragged into it."

"But big bro, don't you want to have coffee, lunch, or even supper with Ava? You seemed quite interested in her earlier."

She smirked, emphasizing the word "supper," then pouted her bottom lip. Damn it, I didn't just want coffee, lunch, or supper with Ava. I wanted everything with her. Just thinking about her had me having to readjust myself again. But I wasn't sure if I was ready to tell my sister that Ava was my mate. Ava was human, and I needed to court her on human terms before explaining our situation and introducing her to my wolf, not to mention the marking and mating process. I knew one thing for sure; as wonderful as Brittney was, she was impatient and impulsive. If she knew Ava was my mate, the whole pack would find out within an hour, and she'd overwhelm my dear Ava.

"Why? What have you done?" "Just tell me, coffee, lunch, or dinner?"

"But she hardly knows me," I said, confused. I couldn't just take someone out on a date without even having her number, especially not a human. Humans operated at a much slower pace compared to werewolves, especially newly discovered mates. If she were a she-wolf, we'd both be flaunting our silver marking and mating marks by now. But damn it, I wanted to. Smiling like a cat that had just gotten the cream, she said, "My plan is already in motion; I'm just waiting for your answer to my question so I can finalize it. Oh, and where would you like to take her? For my plan, it might be best if she can meet you there. So, what and where will it be, big bro?"

"What do you mean by that?" "I may have subtly given her the impression that you weren't pleased with your haircut, and she's eager to apologize for it."

I didn't let her finish; I was angry again. What the heck was she thinking? "You did what to her?" I seethed through clenched teeth, standing over her with anger coursing through my veins. She raised her hands in surrender.

"Alpha, please just listen. I didn't say anything directly. I also didn't say anything negative. You

can read our conversation for yourself. I just didn't correct her when she made the assumption, and I know you like her. I'm not sure why yet, but I know you, and I believe you two would make a fantastic couple. I also know you don't play games in relationships. So, as I was saying, if you tell me when and where I'll have her meet you there. You can explain that it was a misunderstanding, and if you like her, you can maybe ask her out again. Get to know her for yourself."

What she said made sense, but I was still furious that my angel might be out there feeling sad or disappointed because of me. It made my heart ache.

"Private room at our place in the mall where her salon is for lunch!" I barked before storming off to my office. I hoped I could focus on work until lunch.