The sickened luna’s last chance

Chapter 253

“Whatever you want to think.” I turned away from her and walked back to my chair. “Applications open in two weeks. You can submit yours with everyone else’s.”

The truth was, I didn’t want to host the trial at all. The whole thing had been forced on me by my Alpha King advisors. They’d cornered me three days after Ella’s funeral and laid it out in terms I couldn’t ignore.

An Alpha King without a Luna was vulnerable. Other Alphas could challenge my position if they thought I was weakened by my loss. The packs needed stability, and stability meant a mated Alpha with a strong Luna by his side.

I’d argued with them for hours, but they wouldn’t budge. Host a Luna Trial or risk losing everything I’d worked for.

The irony wasn’t lost on me, of course. I’d spent years treating Ella like she didn’t matter, and now that she was gone, her absence was threatening to destroy everything.

I never wanted to marry again, truthfully.

best for himself. Furthermore, I needed to secure Lucien’s future, and I couldn’t do

I’d never be intimate with whoever became my new Luna. Lucien would be my one and only heir, and I would never produce another child with

I

Sophia

was on cloud

He’d practically invited her to compete for his hand in

different, Sophia might have smiled. But for now, she had to hide her smile–had to play the part of an understanding friend

was it. Finally, after all

Ella in every way possible.

to Ella anymore–at least not for much longer. Soon, her grave would grow cold and he would have no choice but to move on. He needed a

to fruition. All the careful timing, being in the

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