The sickened luna’s last chance

Chapter 18

Ella

My father’s and Margaret’s faces both reddened at the same time.

“You didn’t tell me he was off eating when he should be socializing,” he whispered, turning toward my stepmother. Her mouth just worked uselessly. The damage had been done.

My father took Margaret by the arm, muttering some excuse or another, and the two of them hurried away. I watched them go with a satisfied feeling curling in my chest.

Socializing at events like this was paramount for people of our status; it was an opportunity to network, to get to know other Alphas and Lunas, and in the case of someone like my younger half-brother, who would one day inherit Stormhollow-it was a chance to him to build his name and maybe even meet his future Luna.

But Margaret, believing Brian could do no wrong, had let him run around doing whatever he wanted. If she had any real authority over me, she would have forced me to talk to each and every socialite in attendance, remember every name, even prepare greeting cards. But Brian…

“Liam,” Kristoff suddenly said, turning, “I didn’t expect to see you here today, either. Have you ever attended the Spring Market Celebration before?”

Liam shook his head. “No, I haven’t.”

Maria giggled. “That’s because your father is quite the workaholic. I assume he rubbed off on you in that regard.”

A muscle in Liam’s jaw jumped at the mention of his father, but he nodded. “It’s true.” He gestured to me with a smile. “That’s why I have wonderful friends like Ella. If it weren’t for her, I wouldn’t be here at all.”

“How did you two meet?” Maria asked.

“In grade school,” Liam replied.

“Aww,” Maria cooed, beaming. “Childhood friendships are precious indeed. You two should hold onto each other—always cherish your connection.”

Alexander, prompted by something that felt an awful lot like jealousy, suddenly moved closer to me and wrapped his arm around my waist, pulling me flush against his side. The gesture was all too similar to the way he’d acted at the banquet, and although I expected it this time, it still took my breath away.

“Yes,” Alexander said, turning his gaze on Liam, “childhood friends. How sweet.”

Liam’s eyes guttered, but only for a moment. The tension was swiftly diffused as another Alpha and Luna duo approached and began commenting on Alexander’s and my relationship. To everyone else, we seemed like the sweet, loving couple who could do no wrong.

And Liam? Liam was just the childhood friend, the adorable third wheel in our relationship.

As the others were talking, I suddenly felt the hairs on the back of my neck rise. I flinched slightly, lifting my hand to run it across the nape of my neck, and turned slowly.

was when I saw

Sophia.

course,” I

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Chapter 8

and growled at the sight of her.

home wasn’t much of a

cold glare, the way her upper lip curled faintly

It left me unsettled.

inwardly, wondering if I should go and talk to her. But just as I was about to, she turned away and

golden flecks disappearing into the midnight blue night sky. Bodies twirled and

the dancers. The cup of warm wine in

as he talked to his

intact, I would someday be one of the women dancing with a male around the bonfire. I was still

I would make time for them. I would live life to its fullest, every

warmth against my cool skin. I swayed slightly to the sounds, shutting my

nice. Lively but peaceful. The sort of night where I could be surrounded by life

then I

A scream.

“ROGUE!”

forgotten on the ground, bodies slamming into one another. I was jostled so hard I nearly collapsed, each wave of frightened people pushing me closer and closer to

throng, I saw a wolf leap from the treeline. A rogue,

around me, I knew I had to act

my footing just before someone jostled me into the fire, the heat from the flames nearly singeing my face, and shoved my way back through the crowd. My heart stuttered as I saw the rogue stalking toward a little girl who was crying, standing frozen, her ice cream cone melting

I shouted, waving my

locking onto

widened my feet, lowering my stance, and

wolf anymore. But I had been trained as a female warrior in

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Chapter 8

and stepmother wanted me to be. It was my first

on their missions, learning how to not only fight as a wolf, but also in human form-hand-to-hand combat was my favorite,

father essentially sold