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.

going public because it was the most logical course of action.

and shoved down the hollow feeling in my chest, not just for myself, but so he couldn’t sense it

here in two

ready–hair curled and pinned

I looked in the mirror, I barely recognized myself. The sickness had stolen so much from me over the past months. My color, my strength, my confidence. But now, with my wolf back and the mark fresh on

was deeply in

it were

arrived before I knew it, and soon we were being swept out into the gardens, where she had already set up her various cameras and equipment. She ushered me over to the bench beneath the cherry tree, although the pink petals were all gone now, green with the

side. He’d changed into a charcoal gray suit that emphasized his broad shoulders, although I

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13:27 Mon, 25 Aug

Chapter 83

how delicious it had felt to

an arch look. “Can you tone it back a little?

slammed up my mental defenses, cutting off the bond so quickly that it made my wolf whine in protest. “Sorry Still

“You want

thankful for. I quickly nodded and shoved my

around my shoulders, both of us looking directly at the camera. Professional. Composed. A little close for comfort, but I was

photographer started asking for

hand on Luna Ella’s stomach? We want to

tried to ignore the

just playing his part. Nothing

snapping away. “Now, Luna, lean

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

my back as he tugged me closer, one hand coming up to

I

the photographer snapped

Almost.

an image of a loving couple with an heir on the way. Before I knew it, the entire pack was buzzing with the news, and the incident in the hospital waiting room was explained

everything the