The sickened luna’s last chance

Chapter 13

Alexander POV

Last night, out of some strange impulse, I had asked Ella about Liam’s pack-Nightshade.

They were one of Ashclaw’s largest rivals, and one of the suspected packs in my parents’ death.

But Ella had already fallen asleep by the time I asked if Liam came here with the intention of making her his Luna, which was probably for the best. The question had been impulsive, and if Ella was in cahoots with Liam, I couldn’t risk them finding out about my suspicions.

I hadn’t been able to sleep well after that, though. The closeness of our bodies, the scent of her filling the room-she smelled like cherry blossoms and vanilla-was just too much.

And to make matters worse, I had woken up with her in my arms, her slender body pressed firmly against mine, her hair brushing my cheek, her heart beating in tandem with mine.

It felt so perfect.

Too perfect.

It was a good thing Sophia had entered at that moment before anything regrettable could happen. Her entrance had been a reminder of just how glad I was that I had purposely placed Ella’s bedroom on the opposite side of the mansion, as far away as I possibly could.

Because if my mate had been closer to me all these years… I would have fallen for her and it would have ruined everything.

Still, I couldn’t help but be impressed by Ella’s diligence at breakfast. She not only seemed to be taking our new contract seriously, trying to help me rather than frustrate me, but also genuinely seemed knowledgeable about the pack.

Maybe I had underestimated her all these years.

But then again, if Gabriel was right and she was a spy, and I let her sit in on more meetings… who knew what she would do with our private pack information? Pass it on to Liam, perhaps?

No, I couldn’t fall for it. It was too risky to start trusting her now. If anything, I needed to be more guarded.

Suddenly, a snarl erupted from nearby, pulling me from my thoughts. Before I had a chance to react, something slammed into my side. I felt a ripping, searing pain as a claw sliced across my thigh, tearing straight through the leather. The coppery tang of blood filled the air, and for a moment, my ears rang from the force of my head hitting the ground.

The rogue leaped over me and skidded to a halt in the dirt, saliva dripping from its jaws.

I quickly recovered just before it leapt again. I pulled the ruby knife from the sheath on my chest and stabbed upward as the rogue flew over me.

My knife hit its mark. There was a sickening crunch, a whimper, and then I felt warm crimson liquid spill down onto my

face.

The rogue flopped off to the side, gushing blood into the dirt. It shrieked, twitched, then went still.

was catching my breath, on my knees, when Gabriel burst out of the

forward and

had gouged my leg pretty good, but with my Alpha healing, I’d be right as rain by tomorrow. And the adrenaline helped with

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Chapter 3

his lips. “You were thinking about her again, weren’t you?

ticked. “Trust me,

with their tails between their legs-we

Liam guy,” Gabriel sighed, shaking his head. “You’re more jealous about their relationship than you

Liam made my face heat with anger. “I don’t care about them,” I said, but we both

we returned and I saw Ella in Liam’s

Ella POV

of the pack grounds. The sun had begun to rise high in the sky, and the cool

tour. Currently, they were mingling over by a table where Lilith had set up

he has such little faith in me,” I grumbled as I sipped the cool lavender lemonade Lilith had brought me. “It’s like he thinks I just

late. Give him a few months of you not managing every party and household task,

At least he

feel comfortable cutting it that close? What if things don’t go perfectly his way and he pulls out of the contract or betrays you at the very end, leaving you with only three

five years following our marriage contract to

to say anything else, because a sudden gust of wind

it!” she muttered, hurrying away to

about to follow her and help when Liam approached. “Mind if I join

beside me. The grass was cool and soft beneath us, and Liam tilted his head back against the tree, shutting

neither of us speaking. I felt like we were kids

“Do you still

one blue eye

I gave you. The one with the paper

remember, but when he grinned conspiratorially and reached into his shirt, pulling out a familiar silver charm, I almost cried out with glee. “You did keep it,” I breathed, reaching out to touch the little pendant.

new, not even

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Chapter 3

shirt before the others could see.

desperately wanted

me what’s going on

held my stare, that knowing gaze in his eyes.

the past twelve years thinking about your smile. Something is different about it

have comforted me. But all I felt was overwhelmed; if I told him the truth, would he give Ashclaw a bad review? Would Alexander not be able to campaign? Would he find a way to pull out