Chapter 882 The One Who Stayed


    Tessa let her grandfather know she was stepping away, then headed upstairs to take the call.


    "Why are you calling me now? I just saw you in the live broadcast," she said, kicking off her shoes and lying back on the bed with the phone in hand.


    "I''m done with my speech. Nothing else to do for now. I missed you-couldn''t help it. What are you up to?"


    He wished he could see her right now, but in just a bit, he''d have to lead the Nightshade Pack in their offering to the Moon Goddess.


    It was his duty as alpha.


    "Watching the Star and Moon Night broadcast with Grandpa. It''s Christmas Eve- everyone''s home, and he''s really happy."


    "Are you happy?"


    "I guess. If Grandpa''s happy, then I''m happy."


    At that moment, someone knocked on Landon''s door.


    "Uncle, Grandpa says it''s time to prepare for the ritual."


    Tessa heard Luyao''s voice in the background and said, "Alright, go do your thing. I should head back down too-Avery''s here at our ce."


    It was Avery''s first time visiting. Leaving him alone downstairs didn''t feel right. "What? Avery''s at your house?" Landon frowned.


    "Yeah."


    "Tessa, aren''t you being a little biased? You didn''t even invite me to spend


    Christmas Eve at your house," Landon said, clearly jealous.


    Christmas Eve was a sacred night for both ns and families.


    Avery spending it at the Sinir home meant he was considered part of the family, didn''t it?


    Landon wasn''t having it. Even he hadn''t been given that kind of wee-so why Avery?


    Picking up on his tone, Tessa rolled her eyes. "Mr. Landon, don''t overthink it. Avery didn''t go home. He was all alone in that big vi, so I just invited him over for dinner. That''s it."


    "Fine."


    But Landon still didn''t sound convinced.


    Only when Luyao knocked again did he finally hang up, silently vowing that the moment Christmas was over, he was going to find Tessa.


    Tessa returned downstairs to join her grandfather.


    Ved 128 MY GUN


    Chapter 382 The One Who Stayed


    As the night went on, only Tessa and Avery stayed to watch the live broadcast with the old man. One by one, the rest of the family slipped away, each with some excuse or another.


    The old man sighed.


    People like Yardley were full of promises about being dutiful and spending time with him-but in the end, only Tessa and her friend actually stayed.


    In the Sinir family, it seemed like the only one who truly


    Close to midnight, Avery stood up to leave.


    red for him was his Tessa.


    "Avery, it''s sote already. Why don''t you just stay here tonight?" the old man suggested.


    "No need, Grandpa. I should head back," Avery said, not wanting to impose.


    "It''s really no trouble. We''ve got plenty of rooms. And you''ll just be alone if you go back. Why not stay till after Christmas?" Tessa added.


    Avery did find himself reluctant to leave. He wanted to enjoy more time with Tessa and the old man.


    After a moment of hesitation, he agreed to stay.


    The next morning, the family gathered around the Christmas tree to open gifts.


    The old man was the first to bring out the presents he had prepared, handing them out one by one- Winona received a bracelet iid with moonstone, Cedric got a newly engraved n badge.


    When it was Tessa''s turn, the old man held out a long wooden box. He utched the bronze sp to reveal a pair of drumsticks-crafted from cedar wood, engraved with a snow-moon wolf head biting a silver bell. The base was embedded with a gleaming sapphire, and the wood grain bore a celestial map of the stars on the night she was born.


    Compared to Winona''s mass-produced bracelet and Cedric''s standard badge, this pair of drumsticks had clearly been made with extraordinary care and thought.


    Winona couldn''t help but whisper to Cedric, "Did you see that? Grandpa''s totally ying favorites again. I saw him have someone swap out her giftst night."


    1.9K