“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 “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
“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 POVOur drinks came and went, and then came again, the four of us consuming more than I think we had initially planned. The conversation flowed easily, and once Carlos got over his nerves about Alexander, he proved to be both charming and unexpectedly funny.Alexander participated in the discus
I expected a system notification or a breaking news alert. Instead, it was a text message.The blood drained from my face as I recognized the number. It was the same one that had sent me the strange warning weeks ago.I looked at the body of the message, but it didn’t make sense. There were no words
Ella POVBy the time we returned to the apartment, Alexander was noticeably agitated. Seeing him in such a state did absolutely nothing to calm my own nerves.“It’s David, isn’t it?” I asked as Alexander closed the door behind us.He looked at me, startled for a moment, then shook his head. “No, I d
“I don’t think that,” Alexander replied, his tone unnervingly calm. “But I need to get to work and handle this situation before it escalates. You’re upset, but I don’t have time—”“To what?” I cut him off, my voice rising. “To talk to me? To tell me the truth? Just how much are you hiding, Alexander
Ella POVThe contents of the box were baffling. It was filled with a chaotic assortment of papers: business receipts, handwritten letters from people whose names I didn’t recognize—or who hadn’t signed them at all.From the few lines I skimmed, the letters seemed meaningless, scattered fragments of
Ella POVThe night we had been working towards for so long was finally here. It didn’t seem real, but it was finally happening.It was election night.All day Alexander and I had been answering questions from reporters and making phonecalls to voters, hoping to get as many people as possible to show
He glanced at me, a knowing look passing between us. We would face whatever came next together.After dinner, Sabrina and Alexander took Lexie up to get ready for bed. She wanted a bedtime story from Alexander and he seemed happy to do it.Once we were alone in the living room, my mother pulled me t
Ella POVAlexander and I spent the day in my family’s packlands with Lexie, a rare moment of peace before the election.The official statement revealing Lexie’s identity had been carefully crafted—Alexander had asked for privacy for her sake.The response had been mixed, but most people saw it as a
“It does,” Elizabeth said. “But people also fear what they don’t understand. Alexander has spent years in the shadows. Half of what he’s done is still a secret. People don’t know that he’s…” she hesitated, looking away for a moment. “Now, they’re being asked to trust him with the kingdom.” She sighe
Ella POVI sat across from Elizabeth at a quiet restaurant, a half-empty glass of wine in front of me. The air between us was lighter than it had been in months, but there was still an unspoken tension—a lingering wound that was still healing.Elizabeth had taken the revelations about Alexander, Dav
Ella POVThe news of Ironfang’s arrest tore through the kingdom like wildfire. Fear gripped the people as they learned the horrifying truth—powerful figures within their own government had been working with the North.For years, the enemy had been closer than anyone had realized, pulling strings in
Alexander POVI stood before the King, my body still weak from the poison, but my mind sharp and steady. Ella stood at my side, her presence grounding me, a silent promise that we would face whatever came next together.I could feel the weight of her gaze on me, the quiet strength she offered just b
Ella POVIt took several days before Alexander could stay awake for more than a few minutes at a time.Those days felt like an eternity to me, sitting at his bedside, watching the slow rise and fall of his chest, hoping for any sign of improvement. The doctors assured me that the worst had passed, b
The King’s orders were not something you ignored. And though I had no desire to leave Alexander’s side, I couldn’t risk further angering the King—especially when I had no idea what he would do with the information I had.Still, my resolve weakened as she glanced at Alexander one last time. “He’ll be