The sickened luna’s last chance

Chapter 182

Alexander

Watching Ella sneak pastwith our team’s flag clutched in her jaws had been one hell of a sight. I'd given

chase out of obligation more than anything else, but seeing her silver-gray form streaking through the woods

with that competitive fire blazing in her eyes had stirred something in my chest that | wasn’t prepared for.

She'd always been beautiful. | could never deny that, even during the days of our marriage that | had been

completely hell bent on keeping my distance from her.

But seeing this spirited side of her was something else entirely.

This was my mate.

My wolf purred with pride as | watched her team celebrate their victory. She belonged to us, and she was strong.

Every part ofwanted to claim that strength, to show her what I really thought of her, just as | had almost

done that night in the kitchen.

But then Thomas Black’s words echoed in my head, and the warmth in my chest turned cold.

Her parents were using her to get closer to me.

I'd been trying not to think about the investigation. But it was getting harder and harder to ignore the evidence,

especially when moments like this maderealize just how much I'd started to care about her.

When had that happened? When had my hatred for Ella turned into something that felt suspiciously like...

No. I didn’t even want to think about that four-letter word. Not until I knew for certain just who she really

was.

| needed Thomas to find something concrete, and | needed it soon. Because much more of this and | was going

to do something monumentally stupid.

After dealing with a minor event crisis, just a mix-up between vendors, | scanned the crowd, looking for Ella. She

wasn't standing where I'd left her, and | couldn't resist the urge to sigh exasperatedly. Of course she wouldn't sit

down and rest.

The sound of lively music caught my attention next, and I followed the sound, weaving between families and

campaign volunteers, until | spotted the source. A small group of women had formed an impromptu dance circle

on the grass, their skirts swirling as they moved to the rhythm. And right in the center of it all was Ella.

| stopped dead in my tracks.

1

I'd never seen her like this. In five years of marriage, through dozens of formal events and campaign

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functions, I'd seen Ella dance very few times. Always careful, controlled ballroom dancing. Not... this.

This was something else entirely.

Her blue dress billowed around her legs as she spun, arms raised above her head, face tilted toward the setting

sun. Her hair had cloose from its style, and the golden light caught the strands as they flew around her

shoulders. But it was her smile that stoppedcold-radiant and uninhibited and utterly fucking beautiful.

She looked free. Truly, completely free, and the sight of it felt like someone had just punchedsquare in the

gut.

Because | knew, deep down, that | was a big reason as to why she’d never looked like this before. My

coldness, my distance, my cruelty at times... All of it had slowly drained the light from her eyes over the

years.

Watching her now, seeing glimpses of who she must have been before her family’s schemes destroyed

any chance of a real relationship between us, made something crack open in my chest.

She deserved this. She deserved to laugh and dance and feel the sun on her face without worrying about

campaign appearances or Luna duties or pleasing a husband who'd spent five years treating her like an

unwelcobligation.

For a few minutes, | just wanted to let her have this moment. | didn’t want to interrupt or remind her of all the

complicated shit hanging between us. | wanted to watch her be happy, even if | couldn't be the cause

of it.

But then she spottedstanding there like an idiot at the edge of the circle, and her face lit up.

“Alexander!” She broke away from the other women and rushed toward me, grabbing my hands before | could

back away. “Cdance with us!”

“Ella, I don’t think-"

“Con,” she laughed, already pullinginto the circle. “It’s just dancing.”

Just dancing. Right.

The problem was, | had no fucking clue how to do this kind of dancing. Formal waltzes at state dinners were one

thing, but this was something else entirely.

And being this close to Ella, with Thomas Black’s accusations still ringing in my ears and the memory of that

kitchen kiss burning between us, felt dangerous as hell.

But her hands were warm in mine, and her smile was so bright it made my chest ache, and my wolf was

practically howling with joy at being close to our mate again.

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The fiddle music swept over us, and Ella started moving, trying to guidethrough steps that seemed to

involve a lot more improvisation than | was comfortable with. | felt stiff and awkward, hyperaware of every brush

of her fingers against mine, every tthe movement brought us closer together.

“Relax,” Ella said, laughing at whatever expression was on my face. “You look like you're about to face a firing

squad.”

“I might prefer the firing squad.”

“Very funny.” She spun under my arm, the movement making her dress flare out around her legs. “Just move

with the music. There are no wrong steps.”

Something about the way she looked at me, her eyes glimmering in the light of the setting sun, started to loosen

something in my chest. The music seemed to seep into my bones, and gradually | found myself moving with her

instead of against her.

My wolf stirred, responding to her proximity and the joy radiating from her through our mate bond. The political

calculations and campaign strategies that usually occupied my thoughts faded into background

noise.

For the first tin longer than | could remember, | was just... present. In this moment, with this woman, letting

myself feel the simple pleasure of moving together.

| might have even smiled a little.

Ella must have noticed, because her own smile got even brighter, and she spun closer to me, close enough that |

could smell the sweet scent of her hair and feel the warmth radiating from her skin.

The mate bond hummed between us, that electric current that I'd been trying so hard to ignore. But here, with

the setting sun turning everything golden and the music wrapping around us, it was impossible to

shut out.

We moved together like we'd been doing this for years instead of minutes, and for a wild moment | let myself

imagine what it would be like if this was real. If we were really just a happy couple, expecting our first child,

celebrating with our pack without a million other things hanging over our heads.

The fantasy was so vivid | could almost taste it.

Without breaking our rhythm, Ella then took my hand and pressed it against the curve of her belly, her eyes

shining as she looked up at me. | felt a flutter beneath my palm that made my breath catch.

“Baby's kicking,” she whispered.

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