The sickened luna’s last chance

Chapter 55

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Illa

Iran through the forest, the leaves and trees blurring past as I raced toward my mate, I felt no fatigue, no pain. My heart pounded, not from fear or exertion, but rather excitement.

My mate ran beside me, also in wolf form, chestnut fur catching the light of the full moon. We locked gazes for a moment, and I could practically see his smile. I looked down, and saw not two feet but four, not pale skin but instead gleaming, silky fur

My wolf had returned.

We came to a stop beside a babbling brook and shifted, laughing. We fell back onto the soft grass, arms outstretched, the moon hovering above us like a disk in the sky.

Warm fingers intertwined with mine. When I looked over, Alexander’s skin was bare, and so was mine. Still smiling that same handsome, ethereal smile I’d seen in the hospital, he rolled over me, positioned himself between my legs, and…

“Ella…”

“Ella!”

I jolted awake to the sound of shouting, and commotion and someone calling my name, I blinked, confused, Was I still dreaming? Was I back in the forest with Alexander, making love beneath the moonlight?

But no. The smell of cleaning solution and the sound of beeping monitors quickly reminded me that I was still in the hospital. The shouting, however, was real.

“You can’t be in here! This is a private room!”

“Just one photo! The public has a right to know!”

I sat up, blinking the sleep from my eyes just as a man with a camera burst through my door, followed closely by two more. The flash went off, momentarily blinding me so that I had to lift my arm to shield my face.

་་ད་

“Luna Ella! Is it true you’re not marked? Has Alpha Alexander rejected you?”

What the fuck? “Get out!” I yanked the blanket up to my chin. “What the hell do you think you’re doing?”

More flashes. More questions being hurled at me. The room seemed to shrink as the photographers surged around me.

you been lying to the pack all

marriage

respond, hospital security rushed in, physically removing the photographers despite their protests. De Evelyn followed, face beet red with

said, shutting the door firmly behind the last security guard. “They somehow snuck past the

desk”

the blanket “What was that about? Why were they asking about my

news, then” She hesitated,

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Chapter 55

on the screen. “I’m afraid someone

with shaking hands. The headline on the screen made

he didn’t truly accept me as his mate. There were quotes from supposed “close friends” of the pack saying that

me.

with the gossip surrounding our last scandal, had created the perfect

whispered, scrolling through the article with growing horror. There were even side–by–side photos of me in various outfits over the years, all carefully chosen to show that my neck had

there anything I can do?” Dr. Evelyn asked

my head. “No. It’s… it’s

werewolf society, an unmarked mate was practically unheard of, especially after this

just a physical symbol of the bond between mates, but it quite literally locked in the mate bond. Marked mates could speak via Mindlink, could

to be given during the wedding

mate… it was a scandal of the highest

Alexander’s campaign. His

to be discharged today,” I said, handing

frowned. “Are you

fine,” I insisted. “My vitals are

I was exhausted and in pain. But I couldn’t stay here, not with the paparazzi breaking in. It was better to

me early, but only after running a final round of tests to ensure 1 wasn’t

for my discharge. I slipped Alexander’s sweatshirt on, but only to appease the

hospital to avoid the paparazzi, although they had surrounded the entire place. Thankfully, Liam was waiting right by the door with his car, engine

him. Of course. I didn’t expect him to come for me today, even if I had turned my

the passenger door for me. “Get in before they realize

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