Another Chance for the Luna Queen by Aurora Starling

Chapter 0269

Ella POV

The story unfolding on the stage below was utterly entrancing. I couldn't tear my eyes away as the scene shifted to a beautiful young woman being pursued by her raving mother.

The villain's aria was both mesmerizing and terrifying, her powerful voice weaving between anguish and fury as the daughter begged for forgiveness and mercy. My heart raced.

Alexander leaned closer, his lips brushing the shell of my ear as he explained what was being said. He had been doing this throughout the opera, his whispered words sending a pleasant shiver down my spine each time. His low, steady voice grounded me in the story, even as the intensity of the performance threatened to overwhelm me.

In this scene, the Queen of the Night-the mother was demanding her daughter commit murder. If she refused, she would be disowned. The gravity of the moment weighed heavily on me, and I instinctively leaned into Alexander's steady presence beside me.

By the time the final notes rang out and the audience erupted into applause, I was completely swept up in the drama. Rising to my feet, I cheered with the crowd, my earlier bitterness forgotten.

in attitude. As the applause began to fade, he stood and turned to me, a teasing glint in his eyes. “So, I take it I was

smug," I said, unable to suppress a smile as I looked at him. "But yes, you

It was Alexander himself. His attentiveness throughout the performance checking in with me, holding my hand during tense moments, and explaining the story to keep me engaged-showed me that this evening

genuinely wanted to share this with me. That thought warmed me in a way I wasn't prepared for. The old butterflied he caused in my stomach

race. I found myself savoring the moments he focused entirely on me,

get the best of me earlier-again. It had been happening far too often lately, and I couldn't shake the concern that something deeper was

physician Alexander had arranged for me when I first started seeing doctors from his pack. She was a no-nonsense

I would ask-was my emotional volatility just a passing phase, or was there something more? Could it be related to the poison

evening had been unexpectedly fun, and I wasn't about to ruin it by

widening "Thank you for trusting my judgment and giving it

put off by

of it," he said. "I completely understand why you felt the way you did. It was an oversight on my