Ella POVIt had been a week since the attempted attack in the capital, and David had constantly sent flowers, balloons, fruit arrangements, and letters to the house. I had rejected all of them.I knew that he must be getting frustrated, because I was as well. I just wanted him to leave me alone. Had
Elizabeth laughed. "Not all of the publicity around this has been negative," she explained. "There are many people who take your side in this and find David's continued pursuit of you shameful.""I'm happy to hear that," I said. "I would hate to think that my family's reputation would be harmed by t
Ella POV"The fact that you aren’t playing his game only helps you," Elizabeth assured me.“I’m glad you think so, but I find it hard to believe,” I said.Elizabeth took a sip of her drink.The waiter had cleared our plates when we finished our food. Now, we were just sharing a few drinks as we talk
Ella POV"I'm sorry, I have to take this," I said, motioning to my ringing phone. “It’s my father.”"No problem," Elizabeth answered. "Go ahead, I don't mind."I smiled appreciatively at her and put the phone to my ear. "Hello?""David is here," my father said, his tone laced with obvious irritation
Ella POV“How does a creep like David Lake get two beautiful Alpha's daughters to fall for him and screw it up with both of them?” Posted today at 9:15 AM.“Ella Rowan deserves so much better.” Posted today at 9:23 AM.“Has anyone heard from Amanda, or did she just drop off the face of the planet?”
"Don’t I?" His voice dropped, his usual playfulness replaced by something more serious. "Well, it’s the truth. David’s erratic behavior isn’t just troubling—it’s dangerous."I sighed, sinking back into my seat. "Yeah, I’ve just been looking at his latest posts. He’s doing everything he can to make t
Ella POV"David cannot be allowed to continue making these slanderous statements," my father said angrily."I agree," my mother added, "but we have to handle this carefully.""I'm beginning to think we've handled it too carefully," my father replied, his anger evident.I felt a pang of guilt. By ope
"Okay," I said. "Right, we focus on the future.""Exactly," my mother agreed.Suddenly, the image on the television screen changed. I looked up, shocked, as I recognized Alexander. His photo was being shown on the screen."What is this?" I said in surprise. Both of my parents turned to face the scre
“Michael’s far more mature than you are,” Alexander shot back. “As if he had a choice,” Fiona quipped. “What does that mean?” I asked, curiosity piqued. “With a mother like Diana, it’s not like he had the luxury of a normal childhood,” Fiona said casually, her tone light but her words weighted.
Ella POV “How did Fiona trick you into coming out with her tonight?” Alexander asked, a teasing smirk tugging at his lips as we settled into a dimly lit booth at the warm cocktail bar up the street. Fiona kicked him under the table. Alexander winced and hissed in pain. I laughed, unable to help m
“Fiona!” I called out. She turned, her emerald-green dress shimmering under the chandelier light. The long bell sleeves and silver jewelry made her look effortlessly elegant. She smiled warmly as she approached us, a tall, broad-shouldered man with light brown hair at her side. “I didn’t expect to
Ella POV The story unfolding on the stage below was utterly entrancing. I couldn’t tear my eyes away as the scene shifted to a beautiful young woman being pursued by her raving mother. The villain’s aria was both mesmerizing and terrifying, her powerful voice weaving between anguish and fury as t
Ella POV The rest of the week was a whirlwind. News outlets hounded Alexander for comments about the king's rumored retirement, speculating wildly about his next move. Meanwhile, the hunt for Dr. McIntyre weighed heavily on my mind, especially since there seemed to be no progress. Alexander’s late
I laughed softly at my father’s teasing. “I can work hard too, you know. I just prefer balance.” “As you should,” he replied with a small smile. August smiled slightly as well, then stood and stepped away from the desk. “I’m going to give Alexander a call. He wanted an update as soon as possible.”
Ella POV The next evening, I found myself back in my home pack’s territory, sitting in my father’s office. It felt strange being here after so long, especially given the change in circumstances, but there was something comforting about it. Alexander had been unable to attend the meeting due to an
Ella POV “You’re back,” Alexander said as I walked into the apartment, his voice warm but tinged with curiosity. “Yes, sorry I’m late for lunch,” I replied, setting my bag down. “My coffee outing ran long. I ran into Fiona at the café, and we got to talking.” “That’s good,” Alexander said, watchi
A small, irrational part of me wanted to turn around and walk out, but that would be ridiculous. Instead, I stepped up to the counter and focused on placing my order: the usual drinks for James and me. I’d hoped Fiona wouldn’t notice me. No such luck. “Ella!” she called out, her voice bright with