The sickened luna’s last chance

Chapter 3

Ella POV

His reaction, the anger in his voice, surprisedeven more. He wasn’t laughing or mocking me, nor did he

seem upset. Just... mad. Frustrated.

“I don’t understand,” | blurted out. “You hate me, Alexander. If I'm the one to take the blame, thus protecting

your reputation from harm, then why wouldn't you jump at the opportunity?”

There was a long moment of silence. Alexander stared at me, green eyes unreadable. | held his gaze, even

though it wasn’t something | was used to.

Then, finally: “Our contract clearly states that only | can initiate a mutual rejection.” He pulled a drawer open

from his desk and reached in, pulling out a leather bound folder that I knew all too well. He flipped to a certain

page and extended it to me. “Page three, clause B.”

| sighed exasperatedly but took the contract. Indeed, the clause he’d pointed to stated that only Alexander could

end our “relationship”. | faintly recalled reading it at the tof signing, but had been under so much pressure

and the naive hope that Alexander might eventually grow to lovethat | hadn't paid much attention.

“The only reason | married you,” he went on, rounding his desk and crossing over to the small bar in the corner,

“was to give the public a good impression—an Alpha who marries his fated mate is a better candidate for Alpha

King, after all. And now, with the election coming up, | can't risk losing favor.”

Right. So this was all about the upcoming Alpha King election. Alexander had always wanted the position, and

now that the current Alpha King’s ten-year term was coming to its end, new candidates would be campaigning

soon.

Alexander was one of them.

“Furthermore,” Alexander turned his back toand poured himself a glass of bourbon, “your father is still

benefiting from Ashclaw’s support. Unless you're planning to leave him high and dry with a debt he can’t repay.”

| bit the inside of my cheek. He was pouring himself a fucking drink, his back turned to me, and speaking in a

tone as if we were simply discussing business.

And | supposed, in a way, this was business. Maybe it hadn't always been that way for me, because | had once

stupidly held onto the hope that my fated mate would fall for me, but it had always been

a transaction to him.

“I'll speak to my father. We'll pay you back the money you gave him and we'll be even.”

“Go ahead. You've wasted enough of my ttoday. But don’t ccrying toand pretending to be all

innocent again when he turns you down.”

| rolled my eyes and abruptly left without another word.

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Chapter

A few minutes later, | found myself in one of the sprawling gardens out behind the mansion. This particular

garden, with a gnarled old flowering cherry tree in the center and high hedges, was one of the few places in the

mansion where | truly felt at peace.

Here, surrounded by the sickly sweet scent of fallen cherry blossoms, | felt like | could breathe. Hardly anyone

butever chere-the gardeners rarely tended to it, allowing little flowers and shoots of grass to cup

between the pebbled walkways.

It was the one place here that felt like mine.

Not for long, though. Because soon, | would be leaving.

| dialed my father’s number and sat on the stone bench beneath the cherry tree.

“Ella,” my father’s voice answered after the third ring. “I was wondering when you might call. With the upcoming

election, | was considering offering Alexander my public endorsement in exchange for more-"

“Dad, | want to divorce Alexander.”

“What? Why?”

“Because my wolf has gone dormant, and I'll die in a year if he doesn’t markor reject me.”

“What are you talking about? I've never heard of an illness like that before.”

“Well, it’s true. If you want your daughter to live, you have to helpget out of this marriage. Because

Alexander is definitely not going to mark me.”

My father sighed. “Ella... You know how important this union is. Whatever is going on between you two, you need

to take the high road and remain diligent. | understand marriage is not easy sometimes-"

“We're not just fighting, Dad. He hates me.”

“I know it feels that way sometimes, but you have to push through. Stormhollow needs Ashclaw’s support. Don’t

cause any trouble that could impact our pack. Think of your mother’s legacy.”

My throat tightened at the mention of my late mother. She had died when | was just a baby, so | had never met

her-but Stormhollow had been her pack. She was the only heir to Stormhollow, but when she had married my

father, he had taken on the title of Alpha.

Such was the way of things in our world. Men were Alphas. Women were Lunas, props to hold up their male

counterparts.

And right now... my life was less important than what two men wanted.

“Besides,” my father went on, “I just purchased a new diamond ring for Margaret for our wedding anniversary. |

can’t lose our biggest stream of incnow. Surely you understand...”

I almost laughed out loud at that. Margaret, my stepmother and mother to my half-brother, Brian...

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Chapter

She always loved lavish things. My father would gladly spend all of our family’s savings on gifts for

her.

Not me. Never me.

| was just the daughter to be used up, even if it killed me.

When it killed me.

“You really don’t care about me, do you?” | bit out, hurt and angry. “I'm telling you that I'm going to die, and you

just care about the money.”

“You're not going to die, sweetheart. You're just being tic-"

Too frustrated to hear more, | abruptly hung up before he could finish. | hung my head in my hands and breathed

deeply through my nose, trying not to cry.

There had to be something | could do. Anything.

Suddenly, | felt a warm hand touch my shoulder. | didn’t need to look up to know it was Lilith, and | leaned into

her, letting her wrap her arms around me.

“I don’t want to die,” | whispered, my voice strained from the effort of holding back tears. “I want to live.”

Lilith sniffled, and when | looked up, her eyes were red and puffy. The sight madewant to cry even more. “Is

there anything | can do?” she asked.

“I don’t know. Alexander won't markor divorce me, and | was stupid enough to sign a contract that disallows