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.

outgoing, he

still

was bad in my life slip away. Even when Alexander suddenly pulled

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

little

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

out his hand. “It’s a pleasure

1/3

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

old friend I thought I’d never see again to get what he wanted. And of course Alexander wouldn’t stop him, because he was

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

only give a dry laugh

turning to me once more, “how have you been

words could come. What was I supposed to tell him? “Nice to see you again, but I’m dying”? Or perhaps “The very man you’re evaluating to

me”?

see his eyes briefly shift from the new perfect mask he wore back to the young, intuitive boy I had once known.

fucking meant anything. “Ella is just under a lot

my pulse spike, heat crawling

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

to laugh. Or

talk about it?” His voice was soft, and he wasn’t looking at my father

the tension was palpable. I thought, for a moment, that I could ruin Alexander right here

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

to piss him off but not enough

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

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

and relaxed somewhat.

didn’t seem particularly convinced. But he didn’t press the matter