The sickened luna’s last chance

Chapter 89

Ella & Sophia

Ella

“Alexander, Ella.” Sophia stopped a respectful distance away and bowed her head. “I know this is awkward, but I wanted to explain why I’m here.”

Alexander’s arm stayed firmly around my waist. The tension in his body took me completely by surrse; I knew he’d had a falling out with her and her family after what had happened, but he looked positively thunderous.

“I told you he cares more than you think,” my wolf hummed, which I quickly silenced with a very crude mental gesture.

“My distant cousin is running in the election,” Sophia said quickly. “I’m here to see him.” She looked directly at me, and the remorse in her eyes surprised me even more than Alexander’s fury. “I’m not here to cause trouble. I promise.”

I studied her face, searching for any sign of deception. She certainly looked sincere enough, but that meant nothing when it came to Sophia.

“Ella,” Sophia continued, “I owe you an apology. For everything. Whatever my parents did to you, I know you didn’t deserve it.”

Right. Place the blame on her parents.

Sophia might be standing here playing the innocent little girl who had nothing to do with her parents‘ crimes, but I knew better. She and her family had intentionally orchestrated my kidnapping. They’d tried to kill me. And now she wanted me to believe she was sorry?

Bullshit.

But I wasn’t about to let her see that I knew the truth. Not here, not tonight, with all these people watching and cameras recording our every

“Thank you,” I simply said. I wouldn’t accept the apology.

Sophia’s shoulders sagged, although I wasn’t sure if it was relief or disappointment. Her gaze slid over to Alexander’s, but his eyes remained hard as two

emeralds.

He said nothing.

dismissal, and to her credit, Sophia took the hint. She

bond. “She and her family have been punished,

the disappointment I felt that the punishment hadn’t been more

tilted his

not. Either way, I wasn’t going to let Sophia or anyone else spoil this evening. This was my first night out as an expecting mother, my first chance to play the role of Luna at a major political event. I was going to bask in every damn minute

and advisors and campaign managers. Everyone wanted to congratulate us

smiling and chatting and letting people touch my flat tummy. I told the romantic stories I’d crafted earlier about Alexander’s devotion and I smiled up at

doting wife was starting to drag me down, and constantly seeing Sophia in the background everywhere I looked wasn’t helping any,

the northern territory coalition, I slipped away for a

1/3

Chapter 89

He didn’t seen to

late hour was hitting me harder than I expected. I tried to fight it, but tre comfortable chair and the dim lighting in this corner of the room were working against

knew it, I was nodding

space between sleep and waking, dimly aware of the sounds of the party continuing around

I felt a warm hand slip

Alexander said softly. “You

my eyes slowly. Alexander was crouched beside my chair, still devastatingly handsome even after hours of political schmoozing. His tie was loosened

made my breath catch. Gentle and concerned

big for my body. In my half–asleep state, with my defenses down

just acted on

to hide for months He made a surprised sound against my

rest of the world disappeared. There was only Alexander and me and the electric current of our bond

my tongue and the feeling of taking

Sophia

room as Alex kissed Ella with enough passion to

made her want to

were in love,

been telling herself that their relationship was just for show. That Alexander was only playing his part for the cameras and the voters. That deep down, he still cared about her the way she cared about him, and the punishment he’d doled

that kiss… there was nothing fake