The sickened luna’s last chance

Chapter 60

Ella

It happened again.

| was walking toward Alexander when my knees suddenly buckled beneathfor a second time. This time, Thad

nothing to catch myself on, and | felt myself pitching forward toward the marble floor.

But strong arms caughtbefore | could hit the ground. Alexander's hands moved across my waist, gently

tuggingup and into his embrace.

“Are you alright?”

| blinked, trying to clear the dark spots that had appeared in my vision. When my sight returned, | saw green

eyes staring down atwith concern, and then it hit me-I was pressed firmly against Alexander's sturdy chest,

palms splayed across the firm muscles, the scent of bourbon and woodfire smoke so strong it blotted out all else.

My heart pounded. Stupid, traitorous little thing.

“1-1, um...1’'m not feeling so well...” | started to respond, but then, over Alexander's shoulder, | saw Gabriel

watching from across the room. His mouth was set in that familiar disapproving line.

Immediately, | snapped my mouth shut, biting my tongue. Gabriel was waiting forto show weakness.

Waiting forto prove that | was the weak, pathetic excuse for a Luna that he thought | was.

Maybe it was juvenile of me, but | wouldn't give him the satisfaction.

“I'm fine,” | recovered quickly, stepping back. “My shoes are just killing me. These heels are way too high.”

It was a believable excuse. Every woman at this event was wearing ridiculously tall heels, and I'd certainly

complained about sore feet before. Alexander's eyes searched my face for a moment, and it seemed like he

wasn't entirely convinced, but he didn’t push it.

“Actually,” he said, reaching into his jacket pocket, “I have something that might cheer you up.”

| frowned, watching as he pulled out a small velvet jewelry box. “What's that?”

“I saw it at one of the auction tables and thought of you.” He opened the box to reveal a delicate silver bracelet

with a tiny cherry blossom charm dangling from it. “I know it can’t replace what you lost tonight,

but...”

My breath caught. The bracelet was beautiful-simple and elegant, perfectly feminine and understated while

having enough shine to it to catch the eye. The cherry blossom charm was perfectly detailed, each tiny petal

etched painstakingly into the silver.

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“Alexander, you didn’t have to-"

“I wanted to.” He lifted the bracelet from the box and gently took my wrist, fastening the clasp with careful

fingers. The metal was cool against my skin, contrasting sharply with the heat of his hand, and the charm caught

the light from the chandeliers above us.

For a moment, | just stared down at it. Alexander had bought this for me. He'd seen it and thought of me,

thought it might makefeel better after what happened with Lilith’s locket. Maybe he did care about me, at

least a little bit. Maybe-

Before | could finish that thought, a camera flash went off nearby, followed by another, and reality crashed

back down around me.

Of course. Of course this wasn’t a genuine gesture. Alexander had spotted the photographers circling us like

vultures and decided this would make a perfect photo op. The devoted husband comforting his wife after an

unfortunate accident, buying her jewelry to replace what was lost. It was exactly the kind of image his campaign

needed.

| felt my face go blank as | looked up at him. “Thank you. It’s lovely.”

“You're welcome,” Alexander said, and if he noticed the change in my tone, he didn’t mention it.

| forced a smile as more cameras flashed, lifting my wrist so the bracelet was clearly visible. The

photographers ate it up, snapping picture after picture of Alexander's romantic gesture. | wondered how long it

would take for the photos to hit social media, complete with captions about what a perfect couple

we were.

“Should we head back inside?” Alexander asked. “I think they're about to start the live auction.”

| nodded stiffly and let him guideback toward the main ballroom with his hand on my lower back. The

bracelet felt heavier now, less delicate. It was beautiful, but suddenly, | wasn’t sure if | even wanted it.

The rest of the evening passed in a blur. Alexander and | bid on a few items-nothing too expensive, but

enough to show that we were participating. | made small talk with other Lunas about charitable causes and

pack politics.

All the while, the exhaustion grew more and more intense by the minute.

| didn’t collapse again, but | certainly felt like | might. My knees were weak, my back sore, my head always

spinning slightly even when | avoided alcohol.

Somehow, though, | managed to stay upright-if only to spite Gabriel.

By the twe made it to the dessert course of the meal portion of the night, | was struggling to keep my

eyes open. My fork felt impossibly heavy as | picked at the chocolate mousse on my plate.

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Chapter 60

“You look like hell.”

I glanced up to find Sophia standing beside our table with a champagne flute in her hand and that familiar smirk

on her face. Alexander was nowhere to be found-likely rubbing elbows with pack officials

somewhere.

“Excuse me?” | said.

“You look sick,” Sophia said bluntly, taking a seat beside me. “Pale, tired, and honestly...” She leaned in,

dropping her voice to a whisper. “...Bloated. Are you feeling alright? You're not... expecting, are you?”

My fingers tightened around my fork. Was she seriously asking if | was pregnant? As if she hadn't stirred up

enough trouble already tonight by destroying the one thing that meant the most to me?

“I'm perfectly fine, thanks for asking,” | said, slamming my fork down so hard it rattled the table and made

nearby guests jump. “And maybe next tyou insult another woman's appearance, you should look in the

mirror. That dress isn’t doing you any favors.”

The table aroundwent silent. Sophia’s face went red, and for a moment | thought she might throw her

champagne at me. But we were surrounded by too many important people for her to cause a scene. Instead, she

pushed her chair back with a loud scrape, stood, and stalked away without another word.

Ignoring the stares, | grit my teeth and picked up my fork, shoveling a big bite of mousse into my mouth.

The auction finally ended around eleven o'clock, and I'd never been so grateful to see an event conclude. My

feet were screaming in these heels, my head was pounding, and all | wanted was to go hand collapse into

bed.

When we finally pulled into our driveway, | was practically holding my eyes open with toothpicks. But as we

made our way up the grand staircase, Liam stepped out from the parlor.

“Alexander,” he called out. “Can | speak with you for a moment?”

Alexander glanced at me, then back at Liam. “Of course. Ella, you go ahead. I'll be up shortly.”

As if | was going to wait for him.

With a nod, | trudged upstairs to our bedroom, my feet aching with every step. The first thing | did was kick off

those torturous heels, then | scrubbed off the fake mark in the bathroom mirror until my skin was red

and raw again.

The face staring back atindeed looked haggard. | hated to admit it, but Sophia hadn’t been wrong about the

pale, sickly look. I looked like | was wasting away, which | supposed | was.

I sighed, pushing a strand of hair out of my eyes. The cherry blossom bracelet glinted on my wrist as |

moved, and | felt my stupid fucking heart do that thing again.

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Chapter 60

For a moment, just a moment, | wanted to believe that Alexander had purchased the gift forbecause he

cared. Not because he had an outside agenda.

But I quickly slammed that thought out of my mind, because it was bullshit. Alexander would never go that far.

He didn’t truly care about anything except his image and his campaign.

“No,” | hissed, almost scolding myself as | hastily reached for the clasp. “He doesn’t care-"

Before | could unclasp the bracelet, it happened again.

Only this time, there was no one to catch me.

The room tilted sideways, then upside down, then rightside up again. Spinning, spinning, spinning. Nausea roiled

throughlike a riptide, and before | even had a chance to gasp, | was crashing against the floor.

The cold tiles slammed into my head, and in that moment of blinding white pain, the cherry blossom bracelet

glinted past my vision.

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