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 were soft as they brushed

my ear.

of bourbon and peppermint. My body instantly melted into his, and I clutched at his shirt, eager to

woke, like the sun kissing my skin. A gentle, familiar

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

felt before, and yet it was so natural

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warmth of Alexander’s bare chest. His arms tightened almost imperceptibly

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

wakey,” a female voice cooed. “Alex, it’s time for

I gasped, partially from surprise that she was here so early but also from the

I didn’t have a chance to pull away before Alexander was practically shoving me off

as

just like that, he was gone. I heard the shower turn on, and for a moment I just laid there, staring at the ceiling, my face hot with shame and

with my mate felt so right, like a key sliding perfectly

bitter reminder that divorce was the only option to save my life. He would never

a sweet lilac cardigan over a simple white cotton dress, perfect for today’s balmy spring weather. Liam and the rest of the Board were already sitting at the table, sipping coffee and

the moment Alexander and I entered the room together,

Alexander said smoothly, pulling my chair out for me-something he had

“We wanted to thank you both for the accommodations. Personally,

out some ripe strawberries and fresh melon

was closer, handed it to me. Our fingers brushed as I took it, and I smiled up at my

me, I heard a bang. I jumped and looked over to see that Alexander had hit his knee on the underside of the table, causing some of his

you alright,

merely grunted in response. I noticed that the rest of the Board was staring at us now-Liam and I still holding

raise any eyebrows, I took the plate, giggled, and said airily, “My husband didn’t sleep well last night. He gets so

and shot me a sidelong glance. I was glad that my tease had annoyed him just the right amount while also seeming to ease the tension at the table. Liam and the rest of the board chuckled, although

hand, “well, my wife keeps me up late running

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Chapter 1

urge to point out that it was actually quite the opposite, if only because our little show of marital bliss seemed to have pleased the Board—and if I wanted to gain

has been gifted a parcel of land from Stormhollow that has the perfect soil for growing wheat. This will

that I even knew about that. Despite what he thought of me, I was a diligent Luna who paid attention to everything