"Don’t thank me yet," Alexander said, a teasing edge softening the seriousness in his voice. "Like you said, you’re going to owe me for this one." "Whatever you want," I replied, my voice steadier. "It's worth it to keep my father safe." "We’ll see if you still feel that way when I decide what I
My father laughed when I asked him to make a doctor’s appointment. I wasn’t quite prepared for that reaction, but his expression softened when he noticed the worry in my eyes. “If it means that much to you, Ella, then I’ll do it,” he said gently. “But I promise you, I’m perfectly healthy. There’s
We arrived at the concert later than I had expected, but I had never experienced VIP access before and wasn’t quite sure what to anticipate. Instead of waiting in the long line that snaked around the building, we entered through a side door. Once inside, we ascended a set of stairs that led us to a
At one point, I noticed people in the crowd shouting and waving their arms up at us. I waved back, which drew cheers from them. It was the positive reaction we had wanted, so this date was a success. Alexander didn’t join in, despite my attempts to coax him into dancing, but he watched me with a l
Alexander held me close against his side as we fought our way through the crowd. Neither of us spoke a single word to the reporters, and to shield my reaction from the relentless camera flashes, he pulled his jacket around me, effectively hiding my face. We finally reached his car, and the driver
Ella POV The days between discovering David’s engagement and attending his event stretched out painfully slowly, a strange stillness settling over everything. My parents watched me closely, waiting for signs of heartbreak or distress. They expected me to be hurt, maybe even devastated, by the ne
Ella POV I sat across from Alexander in the car, watching him as he focused intently on his phone. He was likely catching up on emails or checking in on one of his businesses—he rarely wasted a moment, even while traveling. Dressed in a perfectly tailored three-piece suit with gleaming gold cuff
I returned her squeeze, letting her know I was not to be intimidated. “If you make a scene, I’ll have you arrested,” David muttered, glaring as I withdrew my hand from Amanda’s grasp. “You can’t prove anything. You’ll only embarrass yourself.” Feigning innocence, I shrugged. “I have no idea what
Ella POVThe rest of the tasting passed in quiet tension, though I didn’t think Alexander was mad at me. We eventually agreed on a red and a white wine. Alexander filled out the form and handed it to the employee as we made our way out.When we reached the car, he opened the door for me, placing a g
A young, bubbly woman greeted us with an enthusiastic smile. “Hello, Alpha Black. Hello, soon-to-be Mrs. Black,” she said with a giggle. “We’re so pleased to have you here today. We’ve arranged a private tasting as requested, with some snacks available as well.”“Perfect,” Alexander replied with a p
Ella POVI slipped into a flattering dress and shawl, carefully styled my hair, and applied my makeup with a steady hand, though my thoughts were anything but calm with my dream still lingering.By the time I made it downstairs, Alexander was already there, standing near the front door. He was deep
Ella POV“You did the right thing by calling me,” Alexander said, his voice steady, reassuring. “I’ll look into the number. We’ve already got heavy security for the wedding, so I don’t think there’s anything to worry about. This doesn’t really qualify as a threat—more of a warning.”“It’s just... it
As Alexander’s voice grew more tense, my unease deepened. “A meeting?” I repeated, the faint background chatter growing louder in my mind. I knew that second voice, but I couldn’t place it. Something about it made me uneasy.“Yes,” he said firmly, a trace of irritation slipping through his usually c
Ella POVI answered the phone as I walked through the upper levels of the shopping center. Alexander's warm voice greeted me, and my mind drifted for a moment to the first day we officially met. It had been in his office building, on the day this very shopping center opened.Back then, Alexander had
Ella POV“It’s a beautiful gown,” Antonio Kingsman said, scrolling through the pictures on my phone. “But is it stunning enough for a bride being married at a castle?”“What do you mean?” I asked, a flicker of defensiveness creeping into my tone. “Are you saying the dress isn’t glamorous enough?”“I
Alexander POVWedding planning was far more complicated than I’d ever imagined. How anyone managed to do this on their own was beyond me.Ella had mentioned, after I asked, that David had been no help at all with planning her first wedding. I wasn’t surprised to hear it, but I was annoyed nonetheles
The Briar Rose Pack was well-respected and prominent, and there was no reason for the Alpha King to disapprove of Damian’s interest in Elizabeth. But politics had a way of complicating even the simplest matters of the heart, and Elizabeth’s world was nothing if not political.Love, unfortunately, wa