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.

took the hint. She nodded to both of us and melted back into the

bond. “She and her family have been punished, I assure

trying to hide the disappointment I felt that the punishment hadn’t

tilted his

else spoil this evening. This was my first night out as an expecting mother, my first chance to

rest of the night passed without incident. Alexander introduced me to candidate after candidate, their wives and advisors and campaign managers. Everyone wanted to congratulate us on

my part perfectly, smiling and chatting and letting people touch my flat tummy. I told the romantic stories I’d crafted earlier about Alexander’s

of a doting wife was starting to drag me

with a group of Alphas from the northern territory coalition, I

1/3

Chapter 89

to sit at. He didn’t seen to notice

I tried to fight it, but tre comfortable chair and the dim lighting in

I knew it, I was

space between sleep and waking, dimly aware of the sounds of the party continuing around me. Voices and laughter, the clink of glasses, the soft music from

felt a warm hand slip into

Alexander said softly.

was crouched beside my chair, still devastatingly handsome even after hours of political schmoozing. His tie was loosened slightly, and a few strands of red hair had fallen across

it was the look in his green eyes that made my breath catch. Gentle and concerned and something

felt too big for my body. In my half–asleep state, with my defenses down and my heart open,

just acted on

been trying to hide for months He made a surprised sound against my lips

Alexander and me and the electric current of our bond

and the feeling of taking exactly what I wanted in

Sophia

from across the room as Alex kissed Ella with enough

made her want to be fucking

in love,

the cameras and the voters. That deep

was nothing