Another Chance for the Luna Queen by Aurora Starling

Chapter 0004

Ella POV

I woke early the next morning, having decided to attend the opening of a new shopping center in the capital. I knew Alexander would be making an appearance there, and I hoped for a chance to speak with him.

As I stood before my closet, preparing to get ready, I felt a headache forming. Everything was so brightly colored and attention–grabbing.

I had to remind myself that I was 20 again. At this point in my life, I had focused on having fun and was eager to express my personality. I wanted to seem edgy, but now I feared I only came across as naive.

That wasn’t the impression I wanted to leave today. I needed to be taken seriously, especially by Alexander. Other than the proposal, this would be my first public appearance since coming of age, and I wanted to project confidence and maturity. 1

After spending some time going through my closet, I found a pale yellow dress that wasn’t frilly or covered in gemstones. I put it on and examined myself in the mirror. With the right styling, it could work.

I continued to dig through my clothes and found a dark gray half–jacket, a pair of gray shoes that matched, and a belt that complemented the look.

1 kept my jewelry simple, wearing stud earrings and a pendant. It wasn’t my best outfit, but I looked mature and put–together.

Once I was ready, I went downstairs for breakfast. I could tell right away that my pack members were taken aback by my appearance.

“You look nice,” I heard someone say. “What’s the occasion?”

“You look so much more mature,” someone else chimed in.

I smiled. “I wanted to go to the opening ceremony for the shopping center today, and I thought I should try to look nice.”

My father smiled at me. “Are you sure?” he asked. “There will be Alphas, Betas, and Gammas there. Normally, you hate interacting with other high–ranking wolves.”

I smiled back at him. It was true–when I was that innocent Alpha daughter, I hated attending formal events where I felt like I was being stared at and put on the spot. It was hard for me to know how to behave, and I was always afraid I’d embarrass myself.

This time, however, I was ready.

“Well, I think it’s a good idea for me to start meeting with others and forming stronger relationships. After all, it will be beneficial for the pack’s business in the future if I’m on good terms with the others.”

the others were staring at me in surprise, but my father just continued to

of breakfast was uneventful, as was the hour–long drive to the

back here. The Capitol, where the Alpha King resided, was a bustling metropolitan area where many Alphas had their businesses, so I’d

became king, the

those thoughts aside as we arrived at the shopping center. It had been built by Alexander’s pack, and

1/3

+25 BONUS

Chapter 0004

realized it was a luxurious

a large crowd expected, we didn’t want to get stuck in any long lines, so we arrived ahead of time. There weren’t too many people here yet. A podium

approached one of the workers who was unwinding wires and setting up microphones. “Excuse me,” I asked. “Do you know where Alpha Alexander is?”

on his face. “He’s in his office, resting up for his speech. He’s very

chance

the restroom, and then I headed toward a nearby building, which

toward the restroom, and, once I was certain no one was paying attention to me, I hurried down the hallway. Luckily, I found my way to his office easily. It seemed my timing was good because Alexander and his Beta were walking down the hallway as I approached. 1

he said, looking at me with a forced smile. “The Alpha is very busy

roll my eyes at his arrogance. “I’m not a fan,” I said pointedly. “My name is Ella. I am the daughter of the Rowanwood Alpha. I’m here to discuss a

as he turned his attention to Alexander. “This is David’s fiancée,” he said, referring to me.

“What kind of collaboration

amused by my boldness, but I ignored it as I rose on my toes to whisper in his ear. “I want your

you’ll have to deal with it on your own. And if you’re trying to lure

David and his betrayal came rushing back, twisting in

unforgivable actions from David that I cannot disclose,”

flowing back, sadness and hatred of being killed by my dear husband

about my pack, my

I could tell he somehow

King,” I continued.

a little closer, and his eyes moved over me slowly. “My pack is powerful enough