The sickened luna’s last chance

Chapter 31

Ella

Over the next few days, the cameras continued to follow us everywhere, documenting our every move. So Alexander and I continued our charade, playing the happy couple whenever we stepped outside the mansion.

I mostly just accompanied Alexander during his Alpha duties, smiling at his side during meetings, playing the role of a doting and loyal wife everywhere we went. To the outside world, we were the perfect Alpha and Luna duo, completely in love and utterly devoted to each other.

But the moment we would step inside the house, the act would drop. Within the walls of that mansion, we would always go right back to our usual pattern–distant and cold, sharing a bedroom only out of necessity.

One evening, after a particularly exhausting day of playing the doting wife, I found myself sitting alone at the dining table, picking at a plate of roast chicken and vegetables. Alexander had disappeared into his office the moment we’d returned home without even bothering to say goodbye.

“Dining alone again?”

I looked up to find Liam standing in the doorway with his hands in his pockets.

I stabbed a piece of broccoli with my fork. “As usual.” There was no point in lying anymore. Liam knew that our marriage was loveless. He didn’t know everything, but he knew enough. He had extended his stay and had seen plenty of tense moments to know that there was no real romance between us.

“Does he ever dine with you?” Liam asked.

I hesitated, then shrugged. “No. Not really.”

Something dark flashed across Liam’s face, although he quickly smoothed it away. Without asking permission, he pulled out the chair across from me and sat down. I watched as he reached for an empty plate from the stack at the center of the table and helped himself to some food from the serving

dishes.

“No one should eat alone,” he said simply.

A lump formed in my throat at that. How pathetic was I, getting emotional over someone merely sitting with me during a meal? But after five years of dining alone night after night, the company felt like a gift.

“Thank you,” I whispered.

Liam smiled warmly. “So, how was your day?”

I snorted and popped a piece of chicken into my mouth. “Oh, you know. Just another day in paradise.”

“I saw the pictures from your lunch date the other day. Very convincing.”

“Well, that’s the point, isn’t it?” I sighed, setting down my fork and reaching for my wine. “To be convincing.”

We fell into easy conversation after that, reminiscing about our childhood, sharing stories from the years we’d been apart. It felt good to laugh, to talk. without thinking about every word, to simply exist.

I was so engrossed in our conversation that I didn’t notice Alexander’s arrival until Liam’s eyes flicked to the doorway and his smile faded.

1 I turned to find Alexander standing there with a blank expression. But for a brief moment, something flashed in his eyes. If la would have thought it was jealousy.

now any better, I

Before I could speak, Alexander pulled out the chair at the head of the table and sat down, serving himself from the dishes.

The atmosphere instantly shifted. I froze as Alexander picked up his fork and began to eat. Liam’s fingers tightened almost imperceptibly around his wine glass.

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Chapter 31

other day, which wasn’t a terribly

every night.

he seemed to forget one thing:

sat there. And

silence became almost unbearable. I pushed my food around my plate, my appetite

said, clearing his throat, “this is nice.

Alexander grunted in response.

play a game,” Liam suddenly suggested.

an eyebrow. “A game? What kind of game?”

of a person, and the others have to guess who it is. And,” he added, reaching for the

childish,” Alexander

already pouring wine into his

jaw clenched.

“Then prove it.”

fascination. It was clear that neither man wanted to back down, their Alpha instincts kicking in at the same time like two switches being

us made me wonder

Alexander was an Alpha at the end of the day, and I was his mate. It was likely just biology. I repeated that thought in my head and forcefully shoved

leaning back

grin widened as he filled our glasses with wine. “Excellent. The rules are simple: think of the first person who comes to

back in

it a man or

“A woman.”

she younger than thirty?”

for a moment.

but took a

she from Stormhollow?”

“Yes.”

this mystery woman from Stormhollow. As we narrowed it down, I began to suspect

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Chapter 31

it might be.

began to hit me. “Is it Mrs. Melbourne? Our old first

beamed. “The

gave me lunch detention and made me spell out my name three hundred times because I forgot to put my last

the only Ella in the entire school. It’s

away with my napkin, I glanced at Alexander who was merely swirling his

finally said. “How could I have known it was her

slightly. “You’re right. I’ll drink to make up

his wine for a moment

man or a woman?”

“A woman.”

from Ashclaw?” Liam

Liam grunted and took another

than you?” I

replied, and