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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uh…” Dammit, why was I

pleasure

broke into a smile, and for a moment,

him: a kind young Alpha who

a drink sometime,”

“Perhaps.”

upstairs, I lingered in the parlor, pouring myself a bourbon and settling into one of the leather chairs. The house was quiet except

Liam leaving,” Gabriel said, appearing in

from my

not, but it’ll be good to have our privacy back. And Ella can move back to her own room

say why. Of course Ella would move

started sleeping in mine was because

maintain the illusion that

And yet…

said, taking a sip of bourbon.

be the

her in your space.”

she were… What? A

see a spy or the daughter of the people who had had

was very

and tried to figure out why the thought of Ella moving back to her room made my chest feel too tight to

for five

awake listening to her breathing, or watching the way the

Fuck.

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པ་་་ ་་་་་་་

Chapter 61

had I started looking forward to the weight of her beside me in bed, the way she always slept curled on her side

dreamed?

reaching for her in my sleep, only to find empty space where she should have been. I’d told myself it was just

sleeping alone while Ella was all the way on the opposite end of the mansion in her old room… It felt wrong.

just the mate bond, though. That was what I told myself, at

far easier to blame biology than to accept

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

I entered, and I assumed Ella was already asleep. But when I glanced at the bed, it

the bathroom door cracked open, light spilling out from within. Curious, I walked over

knocked. No answer.

I pushed the

stopped dead when I saw

face pale as death against the cold marble tiles.

reality crashed into me. My wolf howled, my