The sickened luna’s last chance

Chapter 11

Ella POV

Alexander’s scent made my head spin this close, and for a brief second, I almost considered telling him whatever he wanted to know. Even with a dormant wolf, the mate bond urged me to reassure him that I wasn’t cheating on him. I had never even slept with a man before I met Alexander.

But I couldn’t tell him that. What if it would change his mind about the contract? What if he would decide not to divorce me in the end after all? I had to play my cards right.

“I met Liam in grade school,” I answered coolly, flipping over so my back was facing him. “We hit it off immediately.”

Technically, it was true. Liam and I had become friends quickly as children, like two old souls connecting with just one look.

Alexander just didn’t know that there was nothing more to it than friendship.

I heard him huff softly as he flopped back down onto his back on the other side of the bed.

“How long have you two been seeing each other?” he asked after another moment.

I bit my lip, hesitating, then gave him another half-truth: “We didn’t see each other for more than a decade. He went away when he was ten.”

“So it’s a recent thing, then. Your relationship.”

“I guess so.” I replied vaguely.

Alexander grunted, and I thought the probing questions would finally stop. But then he asked, “And what do you intend to do when our contract is up? Marry him?”

“Does that matter?” I blurted out. “You and I were never in love. In nine months, we’ll go our separate ways.”

“Just tell me.”

I sighed. “I don’t know. I guess we’ll run off into the sunset together.”

My vague answers didn’t seem to please Alexander. Over the next fifteen minutes, he asked more and more questions, all of which I answered as sparingly as I could.

Eventually, I grew too tired to keep answering. The last thing I heard before I finally drifted off to sleep was Alexander’s deep voice.

“Ella, is Liam planning on making you Luna of his pack?”

arms, his touch gentle as he held me close. His lips

my ear.

soft and sweet and tasting faintly of bourbon and peppermint. My body instantly melted into his, and

sun kissing my skin. A gentle, familiar rhythm pounded

ear: one-two, one-two, one-two.

pulse, not even one I had physically felt before, and yet it was so natural and familiar to me that

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warmth of Alexander’s bare chest. His arms tightened almost imperceptibly around me, and everything felt

open, and someone padded across the room, flinging the heavy curtains

cooed. “Alex, it’s time for

together in bed. I gasped, partially from surprise that

clearly not wanting to see more, instantly fled from the room and slammed the door behind her. I didn’t have a chance to pull away before Alexander was practically shoving me off of him and getting

as he crossed

just laid there, staring

felt so right, like a

always, had been cold and distant. It was a bitter reminder that divorce was the only option to save my

cotton dress, perfect for today’s balmy

shade of red the moment Alexander and I entered the room together, and she quickly looked

out for me-something he had never done before. “I hope you all slept

as I took my seat. “We wanted

myself instead with pouring a cup of coffee. I picked out some ripe strawberries and fresh melon slices, then

handed it to me. Our fingers brushed as I

bang. I jumped and looked over to see that Alexander had hit his knee on the

you alright, Alpha?”

at us now-Liam and I still holding the

the plate, giggled, and said airily, “My husband didn’t sleep well last night.

right amount while also seeming to ease the tension at the table. Liam and

on, reaching over to grasp my free hand, “well, my

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Chapter 1

opposite, if only because our little show of marital bliss seemed to have pleased the Board—and if

that has the perfect soil for growing wheat. This will allow us to grow more grain. Within six months, we’re hoping to roll out a program providing free

stiffened, likely surprised that I even knew about that. Despite what he thought of me, I was a diligent Luna who paid