The sickened luna’s last chance

Chapter 61

Alexander

Something was wrong with Ella.

And I wasn’t just talking about the hospital visit. No, something was seriously, deeply wrong. Something far more than exhaustion or a bug.

I’d noticed it throughout the evening, not just when she nearly collapsed into me, but all night. She looked drawn and pale, her hands shook, and she thought I didn’t notice, but I saw the way she always reached out to hold onto the wall or a table or something, anything, to keep herself upright.

I blamed myself.

It had only been two days since she’d been discharged from the hospital, and here I was dragging her to a charity auction because it was good for my campaign and because I needed to show off that damn fake mating mark.

What kind of husband did that make me?

The contractual kind, I reminded myself. But even so, I could have been more considerate. I should have let her rest. I didn’t have to love Ella, but I definitely needed to make sure she didn’t die on my watch.

“Alexander?” Liam’s voice pulled me from my thoughts. We were standing in the parlor, and I’d been staring at the fireplace for the past five minutes. “Are you alright?”

“Sorry. I’m fine. Just tired,” I said. “What did you want to discuss?”

“The in–pack evaluation is wrapping up. I’ll probably be moving back to my own place within the week.”

I nodded. It made sense–Liam had been staying with us for over a month now, observing pack dynamics and my leadership style as part of the official assessment process. I was a little relieved that he was leaving.

“I wanted to thank you,” Liam continued. “For your hospitality. I know having me here hasn’t exactly been convenient, especially with everything else going on.”

I blinked, surprised.

“It… wasn’t a problem.”

Liam’s mouth twitched as if he didn’t believe me, but he nodded. “Well, I hope the evaluation goes well for you,” he said. “You’re a good Alpha, Alexander. Your pack is lucky to have you.”

The compliment caught me off guard. We’d been circling each other like rivals for weeks, and yet he was

being kind. Thanking me for my “hospitality“. Complimenting my leadership. Hoping that I would make it through the evaluation phase of the campaign.

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Chapter 61

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Dammit, why was I having such a hard time finding the right words?

pleasure having

who looked surprised. His face broke into a smile, and for

in him: a kind young Alpha who had once been

a drink

“Perhaps.”

parlor, pouring myself a bourbon and settling into one of the leather chairs. The house was quiet except for the ticking of the grandfather clock in

Gabriel said, appearing in the

looked up from my drink. “He’s not that

it’ll be good to have our privacy back. And

shoulders tense, although I couldn’t say

sleeping in mine

the illusion that we were a normal

And yet…

said, taking a sip of

be the loving couple. You’ll be more comfortable

her in your space.”

if she were… What? A stranger? An

lines were blurring. Lately, I didn’t see a

who was

figure out why the thought of

separate rooms for five years before

own space. Used to not lying awake listening to her breathing, or watching the way the moonlight fell across her

Fuck.

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པ་་་ ་་་་་་་

Chapter 61

I started looking forward to the weight of her beside me in bed,

dreamed?

week in the hospital, I’d barely slept. I kept reaching for her in my sleep, only to find empty space where she

the way on the opposite end of the mansion in her old room…

bond, though. That was what I told myself,

easier to blame biology than to accept that it

knocked back the rest of my bourbon and headed upstairs, trying to push the thoughts away. Ella probably wanted her own space back anyway.

But when I glanced at the bed, it was

the bathroom door cracked open, light spilling

knocked. No answer.

pushed the

when I

the cold marble tiles. For a second, I couldn’t move, couldn’t breathe. She looked so

my heart pounded, my