The sickened luna’s last chance

Chapter 83

Chapter 83

Eila

49%

The media storm began within hours.

Apparently, someone in the hospital waiting room had recorded Alexander marking me on their phone. By the time we got home, the footage was already all over social media.

Thankfully, Alexander marking me wasn’t discovered his body had conveniently blocked the view of what had really happened. That was a relief, at

least.

But people wanted to know why I had come running out of the exam room in nothing but a hospital gown. And more than that, they wanted to know why I had collapsed and been rushed away by the nurses.

And knowing how relentless the internet could be, I knew it would only be a matter of time before people found out the truth.

I was sitting in the living room the morning after the incident, scrolling through the comments on one such particular post speculating on my condition, when Alexander practically came barreling into the room with his phone clutched in his hand.

“I’ve got a plan,” he said.

Of course he had a plan. Everything was always about strategy with him.

“We’re going to announce the pregnancy. I just hired a photographer to come and do a photoshoot, and we’ll do a press release first thing tomorrow morning.”

My heart jumped, phone slipping from my fingers, forgotten. “We’re going public with the baby?”

“It’s the only way to control the narrative.”

Controlling the narrative. Right. I supposed, in a naive way, I had hoped that marking me might change everything. That maybe Alexander had feelings for me after all, and we could just announce the pregnancy as a real, loving couple.

was silly of me; he only marked me to save the child, and he was only going public because it was the most logical course of action. Not because he was excited

for myself, but so he couldn’t

be here

flattering. I spent an hour getting ready–hair curled and pinned in an elegant updo, makeup applied to perfection, dressed in a flowing cream–colored dress

past months. My color, my strength, my confidence. But now, with my

was deeply in love with

it

equipment. She ushered me over to the bench beneath the

changed into a charcoal gray suit that emphasized his broad shoulders, although I tried

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13:27 Mon, 25 Aug

Chapter 83

to think about how delicious it had felt to have

apparently, were futile. Alexander shot me an arch look. “Can you tone it back a little? It feels like the mate bond is

so quickly that it made my wolf whine in protest. “Sorry Still getting

mel” my wolf chuffed. “You want him just as much

cut through the awkwardness, which I was thankful for. I quickly nodded and shoved my wolf down, all the while ensuring that

simple enough: Alexander and I sitting together on the stone bench, his arm around my shoulders, both of us looking directly at the camera. Professional. Composed. A little close for comfort, but I was still

the photographer started asking for more

could you place your hand on Luna Ella’s stomach? We want to emphasize

settled over my belly, his fingers splaying wide in a gesture that was both protective and possessive. I tried to ignore the flutter in my chest at his touch, the way my

playing his part.

photographer murmured, snapping away. “Now, Luna, lean back against him slightly. Like

violently, but I did as she asked and cautiously let my head rest against Alexander’s shoulder. I must have looked like a

as he tugged me

like I was

little lie we had built. Because for those moments, as the photographer snapped pictures of us in increasingly romantic poses, I could almost

Almost.

couple with an heir on the way. Before I knew it, the entire pack was buzzing with the

everything the