The sickened luna’s last chance

Chapter 19

Sophia & Liam

Sophia

Sophia stumbled, gasping, into the forest. Hot tears of pure rage streamed down her cheeks as she leaned against a tree, pressing her palms so hard against the trunk that the bark bit into her skin.

Humiliated. That was what she was now.

She had spent the better part of the evening scouring the glade, searching for a stray rogue. When she finally lured the beast back to the festival, she thought everything would go as planned.

The rogue had Ella’s scent-Sophia had made sure of that when she had stolen one of Ella’s gloves from the house and waved it in the rogue’s face. He should have attacked her, only her, and for a moment, it had seemed like it might work.

But then Ella had leapt onto the beast like some kind of warrior princess, distracting it until her two knights in shining armor could come save her.

And all Sophia had gotten out of it was a burnt dress-from having been knocked too close to the bonfire by the surging crowd.

In the distance, Sophia could hear the sounds of the party continuing. People cheered, toasted their beautiful, perfect Luna.

Sophia clenched her jaw so hard she thought her teeth might crack. She yanked that stupid, bloody shawl from around her waist and stomped it into the ground, savoring the sound of it squelching into the mud.

Stupid. This was all fucking stupid.

Just then, Sophia’s wolf perked up. A sound came from the nearby forest-twigs snapping underfoot.

Sophia quickly hid behind a nearby tree, carefully peering around it to see a male form stride past and stop a few feet away. She recognized him immediately. Liam.

For a moment she just watched him as he paced the small clearing, dragging his hand through his hair over and over again. He was muttering something under his breath, and when he turned, the moonlight casting a pale silver glow upon his face, Sophia could see his mouth twisted into a grimace.

He was angry.

Sophia tilted her head, considering him for a moment. She knew Liam and Ella had some kind of history together; perhaps one even romantic in nature, although it was probably one-sided.

what had happened in the past, though, one thing

she struck up a bargain, they could work together. Sophia knew that Ella and Alex’s marriage was a contract. Perhaps, if Sophia revealed this to Liam, he would expose everything to get what

Ella.

could just watch from the sidelines, waiting for the moment that

could finally be

expecting her to be there, whirled around. In the dim light, his blue eyes took on the ethereal glow of his wolf

1/3

“You led that rogue here, didn’t you? Just as you pushed Ella this morning. Chaos follows you around like

said, “We want the same

combine our

want me to do your dirty work? I’m not

tried to kill

minded if you did, though.”

stalk away, but she knew she hadn’t sunk her claws in just yet.

smile.

their marriage. No one needs to get hurt. And we’ll both get what we want-you

there frozen, his shoulders tense and his

he turned to look

Liam

marriage was a contract

his suspicions, but Sophia had confirmed them last night. She told him that Ella and Alexander had signed a contract just before their wedding, stipulating that

that Ella couldn’t be the one to

was so adamant about staying in that loveless marriage. She couldn’t leave. That brute wouldn’t let

went straight to Alexander’s office. His Beta, Gabriel, was standing

asked coolly, stepping in the

chin. “I spoke to Alpha Alexander last night. Told him we need to have a discussion. He should

the office. The Beta

entered. He snapped

Please take a seat. What

find out that he was forcing her to live here under duress… Liam wouldn’t stand