Chapter 79

Ella was just finishing the final brushstroke on her painting when her phone buzzed with a new message. “Hey, Luna Ella.” The message came from an unfamiliar number. “I’m Nancy Torres. Thought maybe we could chat… Okay, honestly, I really wanted to talk to you.” She had no idea how Nancy got her number. She figured they wouldn’t ever cross paths again, even though the Maple and Claw Packs traded goods regularly. Ella hesitated for a moment, staring at the screen. Then she typed back, “Sure. You can reach out, but I might not respond right away—I’m working on a piece.” Almost instantly, her phone lit up with an incoming call. Nancy wasn’t wasting any time. “Hi! Can I just call you Ella?” came Nancy’s cheerful voice. “I was thinking… maybe we could try being friends? Just putting it out there. Totally fine if you’re not into the idea.” “That’s fine,” Ella replied, curiosity creeping into her voice. “But how did you even get my number?” Nancy’s tone dropped to a whisper. “I kinda begged O