The sickened luna’s last chance

Chapter 60

Ella

It happened again.

I was walking toward Alexander when my knees suddenly buckled beneath me for a second time. This time, Thad nothing to catch myself on, and I felt myself pitching forward toward the marble floor.

But strong arms caught me before I could hit the ground. Alexander’s hands moved across my waist, gently tugging me up and into his embrace.

“Are you alright?”

I blinked, trying to clear the dark spots that had appeared in my vision. When my sight returned, I saw green eyes staring down at me with concern, and then it hit me–I was pressed firmly against Alexander’s sturdy chest, palms splayed across the firm muscles, the scent of bourbon and woodfire smoke so strong it blotted out all else.

My heart pounded. Stupid, traitorous little thing.

“1-1, um…1’m not feeling so well…” I started to respond, but then, over Alexander’s shoulder, I saw Gabriel watching from across the room. His mouth was set in that familiar disapproving line.

Immediately, I snapped my mouth shut, biting my tongue. Gabriel was waiting for me to show weakness.

Waiting for me to prove that I was the weak, pathetic excuse for a Luna that he thought I was.

Maybe it was juvenile of me, but I wouldn’t give him the satisfaction.

“I’m fine,” I recovered quickly, stepping back. “My shoes are just killing me. These heels are way too high.”

It was a believable excuse. Every woman at this event was wearing ridiculously tall heels, and I’d certainly complained about sore feet before. Alexander’s eyes searched my face for a moment, and it seemed like he

wasn’t entirely convinced, but he didn’t push it.

“Actually,” he said, reaching into his jacket pocket, “I have something that might cheer you up.”

I frowned, watching as he pulled out a small velvet jewelry box. “What’s that?”

“I saw it at one of the auction tables and thought of you.” He opened the box to reveal a delicate silver bracelet with a tiny cherry blossom charm dangling from it. “I know it can’t replace what you lost tonight,

but…”

My breath caught. The bracelet was beautiful–simple and elegant, perfectly feminine and understated while having enough shine to it to catch the eye. The cherry blossom charm was perfectly detailed, each tiny petal etched painstakingly into the silver.

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Chapter 60

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didn’t

fingers. The metal was cool against

stared down at it. Alexander had bought this

after what happened with Lilith’s locket. Maybe he did care about me, at

that thought, a camera flash went off nearby, followed by

back down around me.

genuine gesture. Alexander had spotted the photographers circling us like vultures and decided this would make a perfect photo op. The

replace what was lost. It was exactly the

blank as I looked

Alexander said, and if he noticed the change in my tone,

forced a smile as more cameras flashed, lifting my wrist so the bracelet

it would take for the photos to hit social media, complete with captions

we were.

Alexander asked. “I think they’re about to start the

back toward the main ballroom with

heavier now, less delicate. It was beautiful, but suddenly, I wasn’t

the evening passed in a blur. Alexander and I bid on a few items–nothing too

show that we were participating. I made small talk with other Lunas about charitable causes

pack politics.

more

knees were weak, my back sore, my head always spinning slightly

to stay upright–if only

to the dessert course of the meal portion of the night, I was struggling to

fork felt impossibly heavy as I picked

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11:31 Sat, 23 Aug

Chapter 60

“You look like hell.”

champagne flute in her hand and that familiar smirk on

somewhere.

me?” I

bluntly, taking a seat beside me. “Pale, tired, and honestly…” She leaned in, dropping her voice to a whisper.

tightened around my fork. Was she seriously asking if I was pregnant? As if she hadn’t stirred up enough trouble already tonight by destroying the one thing that meant the most

fine, thanks for asking,” I said, slamming my fork down so hard it rattled the table and made nearby guests jump. “And maybe next time you insult another woman’s appearance, you should look in the mirror. That dress isn’t doing you any

I thought she might throw her champagne at me. But we were surrounded by too many important people for her to cause a scene. Instead, she pushed her chair back with a loud scrape, stood,

and picked up my fork, shoveling a big bite of