She lowered her gaze. "I just don’t want my friend to get hurt," she admitted. "I'm trying to figure out who's targeting Ella so I can stop them."Dr. McIntyre scoffed. "By killing them?"Elizabeth met her eyes without flinching."If that's what it takes."There was a long silence as the two women s
Ella POVElizabeth and I sat across from each other at a small table in our favorite restaurant at the shopping center. An untouched appetizer sat between us, the ice in our drinks melting slowly.I didn’t want to push her. Whatever she had to tell me, she was clearly struggling with. But I also nee
Alexander POVThe office door burst open, and Ella rushed in, barreling straight into me and collapsing into my arms. I wrapped my arms tightly around her, still seated in my chair.“What the hell is going on?” I asked, my voice a mix of concern and confusion.August, who had been sitting across fro
“Alexander,” Ella interrupted, her voice suddenly sharp, “You know him.”I froze, her grip on my arm anchoring me in place. The room seemed to close in as my mind raced.“Yes,” I said quietly, meeting her gaze. “I know him.”Ella POVMy mind was spinning, almost dizzy with the overwhelming thoughts.
Ella POVSomething about Diana was off.Every time I had interacted with her before, she had maintained a pretense of politeness, a faint affection, as if she at least wanted me to believe she liked me—that she had my best interests at heart.But now, as she looked at me, that facade was gone. She w
“Does that mean he’s announced David’s arrest, too?” I asked.“Yes,” Alexander said, irritation flashing across his face. It was obvious—once again, the king had made a major decision without giving us a heads-up.I turned to Diana, suspicion creeping into my expression. She had been advising the ki
Ella POVWhen Alexander and I entered the lobby on our way to the parking garage, August was already waiting for us, his expression tight with concern.“Diana just stormed out,” he informed us.“Follow her,” Alexander instructed without hesitation. “Keep your distance, make sure she doesn’t see you—
Alexander masked his irritation well, but I could tell he was growing weary of the King’s manic energy. Still, he didn’t protest. Instead, he placed a steadying hand on my lower back as we followed the King to the door.The King poked his head out, calling to the guards. “Escort Luna Black to the pr
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