The sickened luna’s last chance

Chapter 8

Ella POV

The new boy in class was strange, or so the other kids said.

They said that he was too quiet, that he stared for too long, that his interest in paper airplanes was too obsessive. They said that he didn’t play with them on the playground because he would always ruin their games with his weirdness.

And then the teacher seated him next to me, and I saw those big blue eyes and the way his face lit up when he saw me folding a paper airplane underneath my desk, and I knew we were supposed to be good friends.

“It’s okay. They think I’m weird, too,” I said as we sat together in the big flower field out behind the school, making daisy crowns. “The other kids don’t like me because of what happened to my mom. They think I’m bad luck.”

Liam tilted his head, a few soft golden curls falling into his eyes. “What happened to your mom?”

I shrugged. “I dunno. She died when I was a baby. But that was a long time ago, and I’m a lot bigger now, so it doesn’t bother me.”

He reached out and took my hand. “It’s okay if it does bother you.”

“Why?”

“Because we’re best friends now, and friends are supposed to be there for each other when they’re feeling sad. That way, you can still feel sad but it’s not so lonely because we’ve got each other.”

Liam was right-we were best friends. Inseparable, even. We were practically attached at the hip all through second, third, and fourth grade.

Until his father, the Head Alpha of the Alpha Council Supervisory Board, sent him away.

I didn’t even get to say goodbye; Liam just stopped showing up to school, and when I asked our teacher where he went, she said he went off to some kind of special camp for ‘kids like him. And he wasn’t coming back.

I didn’t know what that meant until years later, when it finally hit me: his father, ashamed of Liam’s shy nature and too- inquisitive mind, sent him to the type of place where they hammer special kids into an ordinary mold.

His father wanted him to become the Head Alpha of the Board.

And now he was.

years ago; he was charming and outgoing, he smiled wide and initiated conversations and no

still Liam. My

in my life slip away. Even when Alexander suddenly pulled me back to his side, his grip possessive around my waist, I couldn’t help but

you’re the Head of the Board,” I said. “How

a little too much. “My father is

at that camp. But

holding out his hand. “It’s a pleasure to see you

1/3

out the fact that the last time he had seen Liam, Liam had hardly been able to say hello to him. He then gestured to Alexander. “You know, Liam, given your history with Ella, we’d be very grateful if you gave Alpha Alexander

never see again to get what he wanted. And

at Liam, hoping my father hadn’t just ruined everything. To my relief, Liam simply nodded. “I

only give a dry

me once more, “how have you

but I’m dying”? Or perhaps “The very man you’re evaluating to run for Alpha King is

me”?

eyes briefly shift from the new perfect mask he wore back to the young, intuitive boy I had once known. Even after all these years, he could read me like

he cut in. Again with the we. Like it fucking meant anything. “Ella is just under a lot of stress because we’re under a lot of pressure

my pulse spike, heat crawling up

shoulder. “And that’s exactly why you’re perfect for my daughter,” he said. “Despite the stress, you remain by her side and offer her all the

laugh. Or cry. I couldn’t

head in that familiar way. “Do you want to talk about it?” His voice was soft, and he wasn’t looking at my father or my husband. He was

palpable. I thought, for a moment, that I could ruin Alexander

was too simple, wasn’t it? Alexander might be even less inclined to listen to my wishes if I

was better to not make so much of a scene. Only little frustrations for now, just enough to piss him

said, quickly recovering. “But we’re fine. Aren’t we, darling?” I turned to him and gave him what I hoped was a loving look, even if

me for a moment as if trying to sense

and relaxed somewhat.

didn’t seem particularly convinced. But