NovelOnlineapter 256
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Chapter 256
Ella & Alexander
Ella
| blinked at the paper in Alexander's hand. That was my fake nwritten across the top, that was for certain,
but I had never signed up to enter the Luna Trial. | had already made the decision that would never lower myself
like that again.
“I didn’t sign up for anything,” | said quickly. “There must have been a mistake.”
Alexander frowned. “If you didn’t sign up, then who did?”
Who did indeed? My mind raced for a moment in search of an answer, and suddenly, | realized that it must have
been Anya; she probably thought she was helpingby signing up for me, thinking that | was too shy or
something to do it myself, even though | had made it abundantly clear that | had no intention of entering.
Poor, sweet girl. Little did she know that the last fucking thing | wanted in the entire world was to be Alexander's
Luna again.
“It doesn’t matter. Just take my noff the list,” | finally said, composing myself.
Alexander stared atlike | had just spontaneously sprouted a second head. “You really want your ntaken
out of the running?”
| wasn’t sure why it was so inconceivable to him, but | nodded and said, “Yes.”
“If you don’t mindasking... Why?” He lowered the application and furrowed his brow. “The signups are open
to anyone regardless of social status or background. You're unmarked from the looks of things, you're the right
age, and you're already good with Lucien. This is your chance to move up in the world.”
| almost laughed at the irony of that statement. Move up in the world. If only he knew that | was actually moving
in the opposite direction and kind of liking it.
“I told you, I'm not interested.”
“But you were a rogue. You had nothing. No pack, no status, no security. Now you have a chance to becLuna
Follow on NovᴇlEnglish.nᴇtof Ashclaw. Luna Queen, technically, since I'm the Alpha King. Why wouldnt you want that?”
Because I'd already been Luna. Because I'd already lived that life and knew exactly how miserable it could be.
Because I'd spent years trying to please a man who thought | was a spy, and in the end, he couldn't even grieve
| tilted my head. “Why do you even care?” | asked, briefly letting my bitterness get the best of me. “I don’t mean
to be disrespectful, but no one of my status would stand a chance against the higher-class ladies who would
enter.”
A muscle feathered in Alexander's jaw, but he nodded. “Fair point. I'm just surprised, that’s all. Most Omegas
would jump at an opportunity like this.”
That was when | did laugh. | couldn’t help it. The sound bubbled out ofbefore | could stop it. “You think
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every woman dreams of being your Luna,” | blurted out, “but | much prefer being invisible. Unlike how | was
before, always the center of attention. | prefer this quiet life.”
Alexander’s brows shot up and he studied my face. “Unlike how you were before? Is there something you didn’t
tellabout your old life?”
my
Suddenly, what I'd just said hitlike a slap in the face, and | snapped my mouth shut so hard it made teeth
clack. Fuck. I'd almost revealed information about my curse. | needed to deflect quickly before he started asking
more questions.
“I just meant...” | cleared my throat. “I was noticed too much as a rogue. People staring, whispering about the
homeless girl with no pack. Now | have a quiet, simple life taking care of Lucien. | don’t want anything more than
that.”
It wasn’t entirely a lie. | did enjoy the simplicity of my current role. | hadn't realized how much I'd despised
politics and social maneuvering until | suddenly wasn’t forced to do it anymore, even if going from being a Luna
to an Omega servant cwith its own set of hurdles to overcome
“Besides,” | added, “I'm sure you have plenty of qualified candidates already. You don’t need an Omega
cluttering up your trial.”
Alexander was still staring atwith that confused expression, but | didn’t give him a chance to say anything
else.
“Just... take my noff the list,” | said, turning to leave. “Thank you for considering me, though.”
With that, | hurried away. Alexander didn’t call after me, and | didn’t look back to see if he was still staring.
Alexander
| felt strangely frozen in place as | watched Stella walk away. Something about the conversation we'd just had
leftfeeling unsettled.
Most Omegas would jump at the chance to becLuna. Hell, most women of any rank would. A Luna Trial was
an opportunity that caround maybe once in a generation, if that. And this rogue turned Omega was saying
that she didn’t want to participate.
Strange...
Her reasoning didn’t make complete sense either. She'd said she preferred being invisible, that she'd been the
center of attention “before” and didn’t want that again. But when I'd asked her to clarify, she'd quickly changed
her story to being about her tas a rogue.
It felt like she'd almost said something else. Something she’d had to cover up.
And the way she’d laughed when | suggested she should want to move up in the world... There had been
something bitter about it. Like the idea of becoming Luna was amusing to her rather than appealing.
Most rogues I'd encountered were desperate for stability and a place to belong. They'd do almost anything to
improve their station. But Stella seemed content with her role as a nanny. More than content-she seemed to
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actively prefer it.
It was strange. Everything about her was strange.
The way she carried herself, like she was used to being in charge. The way she spoke towithout the
deference most Omegas showed to an Alpha King. The way she handled Lucien with such natural confidence,
like she was caring for her own child.
And then there was the way she looked. But | didn’t want to think about that.
Ella was dead. Dead and gone. And she wasn’t fucking coming back, no matter how many nights | laid awake
wishing she would or how often | saw her ghost in the face of a woman | barely knew.
With a sigh, | walked back into my office and set the application on the pile of paperwork covering my desk. I'd
deal with removing Stella's nfrom the running tomorrow, along with all the other trial-related tasks that
were piling up.
For now, | needed to sleep. Badly. The weeks of hardly any sleep were beginning to catch up to me, and last
night's hangover wasn’t helping any, either. Choosing to save work for tomorrow, | trudged up to my room,
showered, and prepared to bed.
If only | could sleep properly. But that night, | kept waking with a start every tI drifted off; and whenever I did
manage to sleep, all | dreamt of was her.
Ella. Ella with auburn hair and silver eyes and freckles that she never had before.
Her nwas Stella now, and there was something she wasn’t telling me.
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