The sickened luna’s last chance

Chapter 34

Ella

“What's that?” Alexander stepped forward to peer over my shoulder at the invitation.

| shrugged and held it out to him. “Just a party at Stormhollow hosted by my father and stepmother. | assume

you won't want to go.”

Alexander took the invitation and was silent for a moment as his eyes scanned it. Neither of us had attended an

event in Stormhollow since the wedding, but not for lack of invitations; Alexander never wanted to go, and as his

Luna, it wasn’t a good look forto go alone.

If I didn’t go, then he wouldn't go. So | never returned to the hthat | lived in throughout my entire childhood.

This time, though, | decided it would be different. If | only had a year to live-assuming nothing worked out the

way | hoped and my wolf never returned from dormancy-then | wanted to visit my old hjust in case.

Just one last time.

Alexander glanced up at me. “Are you going?”

I nodded. “I think I will.” | lifted my chin, silently challenging him to tellI couldn't go since he had no

intention of attending.

But to my surprise, he simply said, “Very well. I'll go with you.”

My mouth fell open. “You... what?”

“I'll accompany you,” he repeated, tossing the invitation onto the foyer table. “It would look strange if you went

alone. People are already talking.”

So this was about appearances again. The happy couple act for the sake of his campaign. At least | wasn’t naive

enough to expect anything else this time.

Yet despite knowing this, | couldn't quite squash the flutter of happiness in my stomach at the thought of

Alexander accompanyingto my parents’ house. It would be the first twe'd ever visited them together as

a couple.

Later that night, as Alexander was showering, | found myself staring at the open closet, contemplating what to

wear to the party.

Nothing felt right. Most of my clothes were conservative, elegant pieces befitting a perfect Luna. High necklines,

modest hems, subdued colors. The only formal dress | had that | really Shed was the red one I'd worn to the

banquet, and I didn’t want to wear the sthing again. The rest were clothes chosen to makelook proper

and respectable, not to express who | actually was.

But who was I, really? The scared teenage girl who'd been married off to a man who didn’t love her? The perfect,

obedient Luna who never complained? Or the woman | was becoming now, the one who stood up for herself and

kissed her husband in front of a crowd of journalists?

| pulled out dress after dress, holding each one against my body before tossing it aside. Nothing seemed to

reflect the person | wanted to be now. It all belonged to a version of| was trying to leave behind.

“What are you doing?” Alexander's voice madejump, and | turned to find him standing behind me, dressed

in his pajamas. Thankfully, he wasn't shirtless tonight.

“Just trying to figure out what to wear to my parents’ party,” | said, turning back to face the mirror. | held up a

burnt orange dress with a high neckline and long sleeves, then shook my head and tossed it aside before

reaching for another on the rack.

Alexander’s gaze shifted to the pile of discarded dresses on the floor, then back to me. “None of those work?”

“They're all... | don’t know. They don’t feel likeanymore.”

To my surprise, Alexander didn’t scoff or tell| was being ridiculous. Instead, he said, “I could take you

shopping tomorrow. For a new dress. To make

at the movie theater.”

08:38 Tue, 19 Aug 110

Chapter 34

tblinked. “You want to takeshopping?”

“Gabriel ruined your dress. It’s only fair that | help you replace it. It'll cout of his paycheck, of course.” He

paused, then added, “Besides, is would look good for us to be seen out together again. Especially after what

happened tonight.”

And there it was. The real reason. Not because he actually cared about my feelings or my ruined dress, but

because it would benefit his campaign.

A small, dangerous part ofhad softened at his offer, but I quickly hardened it again. | couldn't keep doing this

to myself this constant cycle of hope and disappointment. Alexander wasn’t going to change. He wasn’t

suddenly going to fall in love with me.

| needed to stay focused on the plan: help him get through the election without any issues, get divorced, awaken

ray wolf, and then live my life on my own terms. No more fantasies about a happily ever after with my fated

mate.

The next day, Alexander drove us to an upscale boutique in the center of town. The moment we stepped inside,

the saleswoman recognized us and practically tripped over herself to assist us.

“Luna Ella! Alpha Alexander! What an honor to have you both in our store today.”

| smiled politely while Alexander stepped away to wait on one of the plush armchairs by the fitting rooms. “I'm

looking for a dress for a party.“1 explained. “It needs to be a cocktail dress that’s suitable around family.”

“Of course, of course! | have several options that would look absolutely stunning on you, Luna. If you'll just follow

me...

The saleswoman ledthrough the store, pulling various dresses off the racks while chattering excitedly about

fabrics and colors. Alexander remained seated, and whenever | glanced at him, he was just looking at his phone.

Bastard, | thought bitterly. He could at least try to appear interested.

“Your mate has such exquisite taste,” the saleswoman told me, pullingfrom my thoughts as she held up a

blush-prink taffeta cocktail dress. “I'm sure he’ll love seeing you in any of these.”

| nearly laughed at that. Alexander didn’t care what | wore as long as it didn’t embarrass him in public. But | just

smiled and nodded, not wanting to make

a scene.

After selecting several options, the saleswoman usheredtoward the fitting rooms. Alexander didn’t look up

as we passed.

The saleswoman’s smile dimmed slightly as she noticed his apparent disinterest. “Perhaps Alpha Alexander

would like to give his opinion on the dresses?” she suggested.

Alexander glanced up from his phone. “Oh, I'm sure whatever Ell& chooses will be fine.”

| caught the flash of disappointment in the saleswoman’s eyes. She had probably been expecting us to be the

loving couple from the press photos, not

like... this.

| forced a smile. “He’s busy today, but he still made tto bringhere, even if he has to answer emails on

his phone all day.”

The saleswoman nodded, although she didn’t seem terribly convinced. “Of course. Well, here's your fitting room.

| put the dresses you picked out on the

rack.”

Inside the fitting room, | tried on dress after dress. Swere pretty but too conservative. Others were stylish

but not quite right for a formal party at my parents’ house.

And most of all, none of them felt like me.

As | was preparing to try on the last dress-a dark green, floor-length gown with a modest neckline-I noticed

something hanging at the back of the rack. A flash of black fabric caught my eye.

Curious, | pulled it out and gasped. It was a dress unlike anything I'd ever worn before-a slinky, jet-black number

with a plunging neckline and an almost completely open back. The kind of dress that would turn heads and drop

jaws. The kind of dress the old Ella would never have dared to wear.

2/3

08:38 Tue, 19 Aug

Chapter 341

Was this just a leftover from someone else using this fitting room? Or had the saleswoman slipped it into the pile

withoutnoticing?

My first instinct was to put it back. It was too sexy, too bold for a Luna who needed to support her Alpha’s

campaign, especially for a family party | could already imagine the looks on everyone's faces if | showed up to

the event in something like this.

But as | held it against my body and looked in the mirror, | couldn't seem to let it go. | remembered my vow to

myself when | realized | might only have year left to live: to be true to myself, to stop living for others’ approval.

| was sick of being the perfect, obedient Luna who dressed to please everyone but herself. | was sick of dimming

my light. | was sick of pretending to be someone | wasn’t.

Before | could talk myself out of it, | slipped out of the green dress and into the black one, just out of curiosity.

The fabric hugged my curves perfectly. The back dipped so low | couldn't wear a bra with it, and the front

revealed more cleavage than | had ever shown in public.

But looking at my reflection, | didn’t see the shy, insecure girl who'd been married off against her will.

| saw a woman-strong, confident, unafraid. For the first tin years, | felt... beautiful.

This was the woman | wanted to be. The woman | would be, for whatever t| had left.

| took a deep breath and stepped out of the fitting room. Alexander was still looking at his phone and didn’t look

up as | walked up to him.

Stopping a few paces away, | cleared my throat and clenched my fists.

Alexander slowly lifted his gaze, and his phone slipped from his fingers.

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