LUNA, LIES AND AWKWARD HOWLS

Chapter 7: Cat VS Werewolf

Liam stared at his laptop screen like it held the secrets of the universe. The article "12 Ways to Charm Modern Women" mocked him from the glowing screen, each tip more confusing than the last.

Be yourself.

Don't be too obvious about your interest.

Show clear signs of attraction.

"Seriously?" he muttered to his empty room. "How the hell am I supposed to be myself while hiding the fact that I turn into a giant wolf every full moon?"

He clicked on another article: "Signs She's Into You." His eyes scanned every word like his life depended on it.

Intense, lingering eye contact. Check.

Laughing at jokes that aren't even funny. Nope.

'Accidental' touches on the arm or shoulder. Maybe once?

Liam's frown deepened. Ava barely laughed at anything he said—probably because he wasn't funny, or because he was too nervous to even try being funny. Eye contact? Sure, but that was just normal conversation, right? And that one touch at the bookstore had been completely accidental.

He let out a frustrated breath. Years of being an Alpha werewolf, and he was being defeated by dating advice articles. This was pathetic.

His phone buzzed. Noah's name flashed on the screen.

"What?" Liam answered, not bothering to hide his irritation.

"Well, hello to you too, sunshine," Noah's voice was way too cheerful. "Still googling 'how to talk to women without scaring them away'?"

"I'm doing research," Liam said stiffly.

"Right. Anyway, I've got intel that might actually help your hopeless romantic situation."

Liam straightened up immediately. "About Ava?"

"Bingo! Maya spilled some tea. Apparently, Ava is obsessed with cats. Like, completely head-over-heels in love with them. She's always wanted one but couldn't have pets in her old apartment."

"Cats?" Liam repeated the word like Noah had just said 'nuclear weapons.'

"Yes, cats. You know, those small fluffy things that go meow?"

"I know what cats are, Noah," Liam growled under his breath. "But what does that have to do with me?"

"Oh my God, you're hopeless." Noah sighed dramatically. "Women love guys who are good with animals, especially animals they adore. If Ava finds out you're a cat person too, boom—instant connection points."

Liam went silent. Did Noah seriously forget that werewolves and cats were natural enemies? That cat fur made werewolves break out in hives? That the smell of cats made their predator instincts go completely haywire?

"Noah, you know I can't—"

"You can," Noah cut him off. "You're an Alpha, for crying out loud. If you can't handle one tiny cat for your potential mate, what's the point of all that Alpha strength?"

Liam gritted his teeth. Noah had a point, as annoying as it was. He'd fought vampire rogues, werewolf hunters, and other supernatural nightmares. Surely one small house cat couldn't be his downfall?

"Fine," he said finally. "I'll... figure it out."

"That's the spirit! Oh, and one more thing—"

"One near-death experience per day, little brother." Liam hung up before Noah could add another impossible task to his list.

He leaned back in his chair and closed his eyes, trying to imagine himself petting a cat. Even in his imagination, his nose started itching.

"The things I do for you, Ava Winters," he muttered.

---

Meanwhile, Ava was walking home from the grocery store, bags in both hands, enjoying the warm afternoon sun. Yesterday's group hangout—she refused to call it a date—had gone better than expected.

Liam Cross wasn't the cold, intimidating guy she'd first thought. Underneath that stoic exterior, there was something gentle and vulnerable that made her curious. His stories about Oakwood's history were fascinating, even if she suspected he was leaving out some major details.

Her thoughts were interrupted by a soft whimpering sound coming from the bushes near the sidewalk. Ava stopped, set down her groceries, and followed the sound.

"Oh my God!" she gasped when she found the source—a tiny black kitten with huge green eyes, shivering and looking absolutely terrified. "Hey there, little one. Are you okay?"

The kitten looked at her with such pitiful eyes that Ava's heart melted on the spot. She held out her hand slowly, and after a few hesitant seconds, the kitten crept forward and sniffed her fingers.

"You're all alone, aren't you?" Ava whispered softly, carefully picking up the little furball. No collar, no tags. The kitten's fur was dirty and matted, and it felt way too light. "Either you're lost, or someone abandoned you."

She looked around for any signs of a frantic owner searching for their pet. Nothing. The decision was instant—she was taking this kitten home, at least until she could find its owner. And if no one claimed it... well, her new house in Oakwood did feel pretty lonely.

"Alright, sweetheart," she murmured to the purring bundle in her arms. "You're coming home with me."

---

The next morning, Liam was on his usual jog through the neighborhood when he caught a familiar scent—Ava. Without thinking, he slowed down as he approached her house. Maybe he could casually drop by, make it seem like a coincidence. That wouldn't be too obvious, right?

But as he got closer, his nose picked up another scent that made his entire body tense up.

Cat.

Not just any cat scent, but one that was very close to Ava—inside her house.

Oh, hell no.

As if the universe was playing some cruel joke on him, Ava's front door opened and she stepped out, holding a small black kitten in her arms.

"Liam!" Ava called out, her face lighting up with surprise and genuine happiness. "Good morning! Out for your run?"

Liam froze about fifteen feet away from Ava and the furry little demon in her hands. His nose immediately started itching.

"Yeah," he managed, trying to breathe through his mouth to avoid inhaling cat particles. "I like running in the mornings."

"Are you okay? You look kind of... tense," Ava said, taking a step closer.

Liam automatically stepped back, then caught himself and forced his feet to stay put. You're an Alpha, he reminded himself. You can handle this.

"I'm fine," he said, attempting what he hoped was a normal smile. "You've got a... new roommate?"

Ava's entire face lit up. "Yes! This is Luna. I found her yesterday, all scared and alone. Isn't she the most adorable thing you've ever seen?"

"Luna?" Liam repeated, caught off guard by the name.

"I know, right?" Ava beamed. "Her black fur shimmers like the night sky, and her eyes are so round and bright like the moon. Perfect name, don't you think?"

The universe definitely has a sick sense of humor, Liam thought.

"Very... appropriate," he said finally. "She looks... comfortable with you."

"Want to hold her?" Ava offered, extending the kitten toward him.

Every alarm bell in Liam's head started screaming, but outwardly he just smiled and very carefully reached out to pet the cat's head with one finger.

The kitten purred contentedly, then—in a move that made Liam's heart stop—jumped straight from Ava's hands onto his shoulder.

"Oh wow!" Ava exclaimed, looking delighted and shocked. "She really likes you!"

Liam stood perfectly still while the kitten named Luna casually walked across his shoulder, sniffing his ear and then starting to rub her head against his neck affectionately.

Why? Liam panicked internally. Why isn't she running away screaming? She should be able to sense that I'm a predator!

"I've never seen her this friendly with a stranger," Ava said, looking amazed. "Maya came by this morning to meet her, and Luna practically attacked her with claws and hissing."

"Maybe she has really bad survival instincts," Liam mumbled, his nose starting to itch like crazy.

And then it happened—the first sneeze.

"ACHOO!"

The sneeze was so violent that the kitten on his shoulder jumped in surprise, but instead of running away terrified, she landed on Liam's chest and dug her tiny claws into his shirt to hang on.

"ACHOO! ACHOO!" Two more sneezes hit him in rapid succession.

"Oh no," Ava rushed forward to rescue Luna from Liam's chest. "You're allergic to cats, aren't you?"

"Just a little," Liam lied, as his eyes started watering and his nose turned red. "It's not... ACHOO!... a big deal."

"Of course it's a big deal!" Ava looked worried. "Come inside, I'll get you some allergy medicine and water."

Before Liam could protest, Ava was pulling him toward her house—which was now completely saturated with fresh cat smell.

This is my personal version of hell, Liam thought as another sneeze hit him.

---

Fifteen minutes and one antihistamine later, Liam was sitting on Ava's couch with a red nose and watery eyes. Luna had apparently decided that Liam's lap was the most comfortable spot in the entire world and was now sleeping peacefully there, purring like a tiny motor.

"I'm so sorry," Ava said for probably the tenth time, handing him a cup of tea. "I had no idea you were allergic. And it's so weird—Luna seems completely obsessed with you."

"It's... okay," Liam tried to smile while awkwardly petting the sleeping cat. At least the medicine was working and he'd stopped sneezing. "She's... she's actually pretty sweet."

Ava was watching him with this soft expression that made his heart race.

"You don't have to pretend to like her just because you're allergic, you know," Ava said gently. "It's really sweet of you, but I don't want you to be miserable."

Liam looked confused. "What do you mean?"

"Liam," Ava laughed softly, sitting down next to him on the couch. "You're clearly suffering, sneezing like you're dying, but you're still trying to be nice to my cat. That's... really thoughtful."

"Oh." Liam blinked. "I just... I didn't want to... I mean..."

"You know," Ava continued, her voice getting softer, "you don't have to do stuff you hate just to impress me."

Busted, Liam thought, feeling heat creep up his neck. She was right—he'd only been trying to seem like someone who liked the things she liked.

"I wasn't trying to—"

"People who try too hard to be what they think others want usually lose what actually makes them interesting in the first place," Ava said, her hand unconsciously landing on his arm. "And you're already pretty interesting just as you are, Liam Cross."

Liam stared at her in shock. "You think I'm... interesting?"

Ava shrugged with a shy smile. "Well, yeah. You're this mysterious writer guy living alone by the forest, you know all this cool local history, and you have this whole... I don't know, controlled dangerous vibe going on. Of course you're interesting."

"Controlled dangerous," Liam repeated quietly, feeling the irony hit him like a truck. "That's... one way to put it."

"But you don't need to add 'cat person' to your resume," Ava laughed, pointing at Luna who was still dead asleep in his lap. "Although Luna clearly doesn't care about your opinion on the matter."

"Yeah, she's pretty stubborn," Liam said, staring down at the tiny cat in bewilderment. "Reminds me of... someone else I know."

"Did you just compare me to a cat?" Ava raised an eyebrow, pretending to be offended.

"Maybe," Liam answered with a small smile, surprised that he was actually managing to flirt in this situation. "You're both beautiful, and you both seem to enjoy making me nervous."

The words slipped out before Liam could stop them, and he immediately froze. *Stupid! Way too direct!*

But instead of looking uncomfortable, Ava's cheeks turned pink. "Oh," was all she managed to say, looking surprised but not upset.

The silence that followed felt different—not awkward, but charged with something more intense, more intimate.

"I made it weird, didn't I?" Liam finally asked, his voice low.

"No," Ava shook her head, smiling softly. "Just... unexpected. You're usually so... in control."

"Maybe I'm getting tired of trying to be so controlled around you," Liam said honestly.

Their eyes met, and for a moment, Liam could swear he saw the same thing reflected back at him—attraction, curiosity, and maybe a little fear of whatever was building between them.

The moment was shattered when Luna suddenly woke up, stretched dramatically, and decided this was the perfect time to sharpen her claws on Liam's jeans.

"Luna!" Ava gasped, jumping up to grab the cat. "I'm so sorry, she's still learning house rules—"

"It's fine," Liam said, though he clearly winced. "She's just... expressing herself."

Ava burst out laughing, and the sound was so beautiful that Liam decided a few claw marks—and even severe allergies—were totally worth this moment.

"You're full of surprises, Liam Cross," Ava said softly. "Who would've thought the mysterious guy from down the street had a soft spot for cats, even when they make him sneeze his brains out."

"And who would've thought the tough book editor had a heart big enough to rescue random stray cats," Liam shot back.

"Maybe we both have more layers than we show people," Ava said, her gaze getting softer.

*You have no idea,* Liam thought. But for the first time, he started to think that maybe—just maybe—if Ava knew about his really wild side, she might not run away screaming.

"ACHOO!" Another sneeze broke the romantic tension.

"Okay, I think you've suffered enough for one day," Ava laughed, scooping Luna up and holding her away from Liam. "You should probably go home and shower off all the cat allergens. And maybe... we could hang out again later? Without Luna's supervision?"

"I'd really like that," Liam said with a genuine smile, standing up from the couch. "Thanks for the tea, and for... understanding."

As Liam headed toward the door with Ava and Luna following behind, the kitten suddenly squirmed out of Ava's arms and leaped—landing perfectly on Liam's shoulder again.

"Luna!" Ava exclaimed, half shocked and half amused. "She really doesn't want you to leave!"

Liam stood frozen while Luna started rubbing her head against his neck with pure affection, purring so loudly it sounded like a motorcycle.

"This is so weird," Ava said, shaking her head. "Cats are usually super picky about people. I've never seen a cat fall in love with someone instantly like this, especially someone who's allergic!"

Liam could just imagine Noah laughing his ass off if he could see this—the big bad Alpha who struck fear into supernatural monsters, being completely owned by a kitten that weighed maybe two pounds.

"Maybe she just has weird taste," Liam said dryly, carefully lifting Luna off his shoulder and handing her back to Ava. "Or maybe..."

"Maybe what?" Ava asked, curious.

Liam looked into her eyes, finding courage from somewhere deep inside. "Maybe she just knows what she wants and isn't afraid to go for it."

Ava's cheeks flushed again. "Oh," was all she could say, but the little smile on her lips said way more than words ever could.

"See you soon, Ava," Liam said softly, his finger briefly brushing against her cheek before he turned and walked away.

"See you soon, Liam," Ava whispered back, still standing in the doorway with Luna in her arms.

Liam walked home with an itchy nose, watery eyes, and several claw marks decorating his jeans—but also with a smile he couldn't wipe off his face.

Meanwhile, Ava closed the door and looked down at Luna, who was still staring longingly toward where Liam had disappeared.

"Looks like we both have it bad for that mysterious guy, huh, Luna?" she whispered to the little cat. "But honestly... I don't think that's such a bad problem to have."

Deep in the forest behind the houses, a dark figure watched from the shadows between the trees. Its yellow eyes glowed as it observed Liam leaving Ava's place. The figure let out a low growl before melting back into the darkness, leaving behind the sense that the peace in Oakwood might not last much longer.

But for now, on this bright afternoon, both Liam and Ava felt something like hope stirring—the beginning of something that might lead them into adventures wilder than either of them could possibly imagine.