Ella POVIt took a while for August to calm down enough to leave. He wouldn’t give me any more information than he already had, but it did seem like he felt a little better now that he wasn’t the only one aware of the gravity of the situation.I was still standing in the doorway where I had spoken t
She trembled—barely noticeable, but I could feel it, see the way her body stiffened. Diana wasn’t one to show fear, but it was there now. Her eyes widened, though she tried to hide it behind a mask of defiance.She opened her mouth to speak, but her words faltered as she seemed to reconsider. Her ha
Alexander POVI checked my watch for what felt like the hundredth time. It was almost noon, and I had hoped to meet Sabrina and Lexie an hour ago. The plan had been simple: a shopping trip to get everything they would need for their big move to the Rowandwood pack.Lexie was excited about starting s
Alexander POVMy heart was in my throat as I stared at Lexie. Even from several feet away, I could see the way she was shaking, her small body trembling with barely contained fear.Her wide blue eyes darted between the towering figures in the room, desperate for a safe place to land. But there was n
Ella POVI stood frozen, my mind racing with a thousand questions. I could feel the tension in the air, thick and suffocating, wrapping around my chest like a tightening vice.An image of August’s tear-streaked face flashed through my mind. He tried to warn me about this. Now, I understood his fear.
Alexander POVWithout thinking, I stepped forward, placing myself between Ella and Ironfang, my body a shield in front of her.My eyes met Ironfang’s, and I knew that he could see the fear there and that he knew the cause of it.The silence between us was thick with tension, and in that moment, the
“Don’t you dare talk about me like that,” I snarled, my voice low and dangerous.I moved forward quickly, sending a jab into her stomach. She stumbled back on her heels, taking a sharp breath as the blow forced the air from her.“It may have started as a sham, but I am his family. I am the one he ca
Ella POV“When you finally realize the truth, it will be too late.”My chest tightened as Diana’s words sank in. The words rattled around inside me, burrowing deep into my heart, a cruel echo of the self-doubt I had tried so hard to bury.But I wasn’t going to let it affect me. Not now. Not when eve
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