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.

been taken from me all those years ago; he was charming and outgoing, he smiled wide and initiated conversations and no longer wore the little paper plane charm necklace I

was still Liam.

away. Even when Alexander suddenly pulled me back to his side, his grip possessive around my waist,

Head of the

a little too much.

at that, wondering exactly what went on at that camp. But before I could ask, my father cut

Liam replied, holding out his hand. “It’s a pleasure to

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

my reunion with an old friend I thought I’d never see again to get

Liam, hoping my father hadn’t just ruined everything. To my relief, Liam

slightly. My father could only give a dry laugh as a

Liam suddenly said, turning to me once more, “how have you been

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

me”?

mask he wore back to the young, intuitive

“We’re doing well,” he cut in. Again with the we. Like it fucking meant anything. “Ella is just under a lot

felt my pulse spike, heat crawling

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

Or cry. I couldn’t decide

tilted his 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

long moment passed, and the tension was palpable. I thought, for a moment, that I could

even less inclined to listen to

a scene. Only little frustrations for now, just enough to piss him off but not enough to make him lash

fine. Aren’t we, darling?” I turned to him and gave him what I hoped was a loving look, even if it felt like I

a moment as if trying to sense an ulterior motive, but when he

and relaxed somewhat.

particularly convinced. But he didn’t press