The sickened luna’s last chance

Chapter 58

Ella

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Alexander's green eyes darkened as he knelt beside the bathtub. The spot where his hand met my shoulder

was like a thousand tiny matches being struck at once, igniting the warmth that had begun to spread

through my body.

His nostrils flared, and | knew he had scented it again.

My arousal.

This was exactly like the alley behind The Howling Moon all over again-that smagnetic pull, that same

desperation. The way Alexander looked atnow, like he was starving and | was the only thing that could

fill his belly, madewant to forget everything else. Madewant to pull him into the tub withand

finish what we'd started that night.

Without thinking, I shifted slightly, water sloshing aroundas | leaned toward him. Alexander's pupils dilated,

and his free hand cup to brace against the edge of the tub, bringing his face closer to mine. |

could smell the bourbon on his breath, could see the way that one pesky muscle in his jaw jumped.

For a moment, the air between us crackled like a grassy field before a storm.

But then reality ccrashing back.

This wasn’t love. This was lust, pure and simple. Biology and the fated mate bond working against my better

judgment. Alexander had made it perfectly clear that our contract didn’t include sex or feelings, and I'd made

the decision to stop wanting his mark.

| wouldn't let myself be fooled again by my body’s reactions to him.

“What the hell are you doing?” | snapped, jerking away from his touch so quickly that more water slopped over

the edge of the tub. | folded my arms over my chest in a futile attempt to cover my bare breasts. “Get

out!”

Alexander blinked, returning to his senses. He stood. “You were unconscious in the bathtub. | was making sure

you didn’t drown.”

“Well, I'm fine, so you can leave. You have no right to be in here.”

Something flickered across Alexander's face, but it was gone before | could be sure what | saw. He wiped his wet

hand on his pants and looked down atwith that scold expression he'd worn for years.

“Now we're even,” he said simply.

I frowned. “What?”

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“The forest. You sawnaked, now I've seen you naked. We're even.”

Heat flooded my cheeks as | remembered Alexander standing in the moonlight after his careless shift, every inch

of his perfect body on display. I'd been so worried about him being hurt that I'd barely processed what | was

seeing until it was too late, but the memory had haunted my dreams ever since.

“That's completely different,” | sputtered. “You were the one who shifted carelessly and tore your clothes-"

“And you were the one who fell asleep in a bathtub,” Alexander cutoff. “Accidents happen, | suppose.”

Before | could respond, he turned and walked out of the bathroom.

| stared at the closed door for a long moment, my heart still racing from our encounter. | couldn't help but replay

the way he'd looked at me, the way his hand felt on me. For just a few seconds, I'd felt desired. Wanted. Like |

was something worth having instead of just a burden he had to endure.

But that was exactly the problem, wasn’t it? Alexander didn’t want my heart; he only wanted my body, and even

that was debatable. It was probably just his wolf pulling him towardand nothing more.

Shaking my head, | climbed out of the lukewarm tub and wrapped myself in a towel, shivering in the cool

bathroom air.

As | dried my hair, | reached deep within myself, searching for any sign that my wolf might be stirring. After what

had happened in the forest, Dr. Evelyn had suggested that strong emotions might be the key to bringing my wolf

back. And what I'd just felt with Alexander had certainly been strong.

But there was nothing. Just the shollow emptiness I'd been carrying around for months. My wolf was

still dormant.

The next morning brought news that made my already sour mood even worse.

“A charity auction?” | asked, staring at the invitation Gabriel had delivered along with our breakfast. “Tomorrow

night?”

“It's been on the calendar for months,” Alexander said without looking up from his coffee. “I assumed you

knew.”

| scanned the invitation with a sigh. The annual Ashclaw Children’s Hospital Charity Auction-quite the mouthful-

was one of the biggest social events of the year. Everyone who was anyone would be there, which meant more

cameras, and most of all...

More pretending to be the perfect mated couple.

Which meant more fucking makeup to create my fake mark.

Dammit, | had only been hfrom the hospital for two days, and already | was exhausted. But Alexander and |

needed to go to that event, especially with the recent media attention. It was a good opportunity to

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Chapter 58

donate to charity, and it was also a chance to quell smore of the rumors.

The rest of the day passed quickly. | had to sit through another session with Lilith carefully applying the fake

mark, each brush stroke a reminder of everything | didn’t have.

By evening, | was ready. The fake mark looked perfect, my dress was stunning, and my smile was utterly

bulletproof. | looked every inch the devoted Luna, complete with my mate’s mark proudly displayed on my

throat.

also felt like a complete and utter fraud.

“You look beautiful, dear,” Lilith said softly as she put the finishing touches on my hair. “But you seem

troubled.”

| met Lilith’s eyes in the mirror. “I’m just tired of all this pretending.”

Lilith was quiet for a moment as she arranged a few loose curls around my face. Then she stepped back and

reached into her pocket, pulling out a small jewelry box.

“I have something for you,” she said, holding out the box with a smile. “Something that might lift your

spirits.”

Curious, | opened the box. Inside was a delicate silver locket, clearly old but beautifully maintained. The surface

was engraved with intricate swirls and what looked like tiny flowers.

“It's gorgeous,” | breathed, lifting it carefully from the box. “Where did you get it?”

Lilith beamed. “It’s been in my family for generations. My grandmother gave it to my mother, my mother gave it

to me. | always planned to give it to my daughter someday.”

My eyes widened as | met her gaze again in the mirror. “Lilith, | can’t-"

“You can,” Lilith said firmly, taking the locket from my hands. “You are like a daughter to me, Ella. | told you that

at the hospital, and | meant it. This locket belongs with someone who will treasure it, and | know you

will.”

Tears pricked at my eyes as Lilith fastened the chain around my neck. The locket settled just below my

collarbone, the silver color popping against my pale skin like it was made for me.

“Thank you,” | whispered, touching the locket gently. “This means more tothan you know.”

Lilith squeezed my shoulders. “You deserve to have beautiful things, dear one. You deserve to be cherished.”

The simple words nearly broke me. When was the last tsomeone had told| deserved to be cherished?

When was the last tsomeone had givena gift simply because they loved me, not because they wanted

something from me?

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“I love you,” | said softly, and | meant it. Lilith had becthe mother I'd never had, the one person in my life

who truly cared about my happiness. Her eyes shimmered with tears at my words, and she reached out and

brushed her thumb across my cheek.

“Oh, my dear girl...”

As if on cue, a knock at the door interrupted the moment. “Ella?” Alexander's voice called from the hallway.

“We need to leave.”

| sighed and pulled away, turning toward the mirror one last time. The sight of Lilith’s locket on my throat

seemed to lift sof the weight of the fake mating mark right next to it.

With a nod, | grabbed my clutch and headed out.

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