#Chapter 68: The Rise of a Fallen Star

AVA
It’s been a few months and I can honesty say that things have gotten better. Many of the pack members have pledged their loyalty to me as their true LUNA and in return pledge to Elijah’s pack. There have been other pack members such as Melissa and Dino that have transferred to the mortal realm to start a life there.
Elijah told me that they have been doing okay. No one has heard from Sissy but Grayson has been keeping out for her and the Syndicate. I feel bad that she resorted to betraying Elijah and the pack.
After discussing everything with Elijah he agreed with me to let me take care of Asher, Jacob and Alex’s infant son. I plan to raise him along side his siblings because I could not find it in my hear to abandon him. It brings joy to my wolf to see how well they get along at such as young age.
My career as an actress has moved up despite my hiatus. A lot of my competitors such as Lily have been taking smaller roles. Sarah told me that Lily and her representative were trying to take my cameo spots but no one was budging. I never realized how dirty and horrid some actresses could be in this business especially when it came to lacing drinks and coaxing one into substance abuse.
As I looked over the morning paper I could not help but let out an exasperated sigh.
The headlines read:
STARLET SUMMONED TO TAKE DRUG TEST BEFORE FIRST DAY OF FILMING
This was one of the many tabloids that I saw since coming back from hiatus. It actually pissed me off the lengths people would go to sell a story; true or otherwise. As I kept flipping through the paper I heard Elijah coming down the stairs. I could sense the children still asleep in their rooms.
“Good morning,” he said as he planted a kiss on my forehead. He looked down at my hands and saw the new print. “Honestly Ava I do not know why you entertain them.”
I saw him in the corner of my eyes grabbing an empty mug and making himself a cup of coffee. When I leaned my head back to respond I noticed that he was sitting at the table across from me and had placed a fresh cup of coffee in front of me.
“Thank you,” I said. I took a sip of the bittersweet drink before turning back to the paper. “And I am not entertaining them. I am just getting familiar with what has been going on in my absence.”
News about me spread like wildfire since I had been back in the limelight. Elijah and Grayson had suspected that the syndicate may have had something to do with it.
As I looked down at the titled headed on the next paper I quickly pushed the print towards Elijah.
STARLET LIVING WITH COO OF COMPANY, HOW SHE ROSE TO FAME THROUGH HER OTHER TALENTS
Elijah closed his eyes and set the paper down in front of him.
“We knew that sooner or later that this would happen. Even when you went for the different roles we knew your character would be questioned.”
I was actually surprised to see Elijah this calm given the circumstances. I took the paper back from his hands and read for myself. The article was claiming that not only was I living with Elijah, but my rise to prominence and success was due to being adopted by Elijah.
The fact that I had children out of wedlock did not help my so called image either. Being a single mother without a boyfriend or husband caused an uproar to many in the entertainment industry.
There were even pictures of me as a child actress when I was young. I was grateful that they did not expose my moniker name to the world. I was no longer Little Aviator anymore.
I took a deep breath and began to shred the paper to nothing but bits and pieces.
“So what now,” I said. I looked over at Elijah that had been silent this entire time.
“I will set up a meeting with the media. But you have to take it from there. You cannot make it seem like you are being coached into anything.” He got up from the table and started to make phone calls.
As I sat behind the curtain waiting for the crowd to fill, I could feel anxiety taking over me. I had been pulling on a core attached to the chest area of my dress. I was wearing a red dress that spread into a flora pattern that Sarah and I had matched with beige colored wedges.
I had come up with an idea but I was still a little unsure of everything. Elijah was more than cooperative about everything after I discussed everything I had in mind with him.
Sarah had been there for moral support and to answer any following questions for me after the conference was over. She gestured me to the podium as I face several hundred camera crew, new reporters and paparazzi.
“Good evening,” I began. “I know that all of you are wondering about myself especially since I took a hiatus to spend time with my family.”
There was muttering and murmuring in the crowd but I turned behind me to see Elijah in a pressed black suit that showed his toned body. I could not help but smile at the man I had come to admire and love.
I took a deep breath and continued. “There are some truths to the articles but not a lot. Yes I am a mother of twins as well as a child of my ex that was abandoned just as my children and I were.”
That left a lot of sympathetic crowd goers to make sounds of positive uproar and some to be displeased with my now deceased mate.
“I am also the young child actress that went left the limelight as a child to spend more time with my family and loved ones. I wanted to pursue an education and have a life outside of the cameras. However I found that as I got older I found the I love to act and entertain the masses. And in doing so I found someone that makes me happy and loves me.”
As I uttered those words Elijah stepped out from behind the curtain and made his way to me. He leaned in closer to me and slide his arms around my waist kissing me passionately in front of the crowd and the world to see. It felt as if time had stopped that we were the only two there. Nothing mattered to me except this man and our family.
As we broke from our kiss many of the on-goers swarmed with questions. And within a blink of an eye Sarach was there to cease everything.
“This concludes our press conference. If you have any other questions please feel free to contact myself or the management team of Moon Entertainment Studios. Everyone please enjoy the rest of your day.” She said to the public.
Sarah brightly smiled as she ushered us back onstage and we made our way to the vehicles. Elijah made sure that both our and Sarah’s car were able to leave and not be swarmed by anyone from the meeting.
As he turned the car’s ignition over Elijah grabbed my hand and planted a kiss on my knuckles.
“How do you feel?” He asked. He puled out of the parking lot and turned to get us on the highway.
I smiled at him as leaned closer to him and kissed his cheek. I knew that this would not distract him from driving, but the rumbled growl in his chest told me otherwise.
“I feel better. Thank you for supporting me with all of this.”
“Ava we are mated, whether I am the COO of the company or not I will support your wishes no matter what.”
I sat back in the passenger seat holding on to his hand. I do not remember when I drifted off but in that moment it was peaceful I knew no one could take that away from us.