The sickened luna’s last chance

Chapter 39

Ella & Alexander

Ella

“Oh! Alpha Alexander!” My father quickly yanked his hand away, the tips of his ears reddening despite the warm smile that spread across his face. “I didn’t know you were coming tonight.”

Alexander tilted his head. “Were you just about to hit my wife?”

“Oh, that? I was just messing around,” my father laughed. “We were having a discussion, that’s all.”

Alexander’s eyes had gone cold. “Didn’t seem like ‘messing around‘ to me.” He glanced at me. “Ella, were you joking?”

I quickly shook my head. Alexander turned back to my father and took a step closer. My father, despite being a large man, backed up against the wall in

fear.

“Ella knows I would never-”

“Maybe you don’t understand,” Alexander cut my father off, “but if anyone–and I do mean anyone–lays a finger on my Luna, they’ll find themselves missing more than just a hand.”

My breath caught. My father’s face paled. “N–Now, Alpha Alexander, there’s no need for threats. This is a simple misunderstanding between a father and daughter.”

Alexander finally took a step back, only to slide his arm possessively around my waist. The sudden contact made me jump, but I quickly relaxed into his touch. His warmth seeped through my dress, instantly soothing me more than I expected.

“Now, I think I’d like a moment alone with my mate,” Alexander said before guiding me away.

I let him lead me through the crowd, grateful for the escape. My pulse was still racing from the confrontation with my father, although Alexander’s sudden and unexpected arrival–combined with the way he jumped to my defense–made it spike even further.

We ended up in a small room off the main hallway. Alexander closed the door behind us, muffling the sounds of the party.

“Are you alright?”

I nodded, trying to push down the strange flutter in my chest at his concern. “I’m fine. This isn’t exactly new behavior from my father.”

Alexander frowned. “What do you mean?”

a shrug. “When I didn’t meet his expectations, which was often, he would… lash out. It’s not a big deal. Even if he had slapped me, I would hardly

father would have struck -before

“No father should ever hit his

looked away, as if that would do anything to hide the blush that suddenly rose to my face. “What are you doing here anyway? I thought you weren’t

sighed, and the sound took me by surprise–there was something in it that sounded almost like exhaustion. “There was an emergency with the Oxfords. Sophia was…” He shook his head. “It doesn’t

coming after all,” I said quietly. “Your timing

Chapter 39

for a long moment, and there was a tenderness in his gaze that made my stupid heart do that little flip agam had to

then, the door opened, and my father appeared with Margaret in tow. They were both grinning as if nothing

worried you’d left.” My father stepped into the room. “Alexander, fin

eagerly. “Yes, and thank goodness you arrived before Ella could ruin the

I opened my mouth to respond, but

nearly ruined the party.” He looked pointedly at

glance, clearly thrown off by Alexander coming to my defense once again. I had to resist the urge to smile triumphantly. Or faint. Perhaps

should get back to our guests,”

another word, they

Alexander

moment I’d seen Richard’s hand raised to strike Ella, something inside of me had

treated her, I couldn’t help but wonder if I had spent five

father had struck her before, and spoke about it as if it were so routine that she was used to it by now. And then her father and stepmother had

it also made me wonder… If her father thought so little of her, would he really trust her to spy on

loyal to a man who treated her

have been by her side tonight. Perhaps this wouldn’t have happened if he had

by the bar. Mute.

shot up.

shrugged. “He was being a prick, so I told him to

find out that she’d punished Gabriel with it for being a snarky asshole didn’t make me as frustrated as

her father, had silenced Gabriel with her Luna Voice, and was now calmly straightening her

This was someone with a spine of steel beneath that

found myself…

probably head back to the party,” Ella said calmly. “Before people start

slight hesitation. But as we made our way through the hallway toward the main

2/3