Chapter 2

Ella POV

I burst into the spacious office, the scent of old books, mahogany, and leather immediately washing over me. But there were two other scents there, too: bourbon and woodfire smoke, the scent of Alexander, my mate and husband—for now. And something sweeter, floral.

Sophia.

I saw the whip of brunette hair first before I saw her pretty, foxen face. Sophia Oxford, daughter of the Alpha to Moonshine pack, which sat right above Stormhollow and Ashclaw.

Ironic that the three packs formed a triangle, because Sophia was always the other woman throughout my marriage that I couldn’t shake. Or was it the other way around?

She and Alexander had been friends long before I ever came into the picture; being from neighboring packs, they had gone to the same school together, and Sophia and Alexander had apparently been close friends for longer than anyone could remember.

There was even a moment in time when it was speculated that Sophia might be Alexander’s fated mate.

Until I came into the picture and ruined everyone’s dreams. Including Sophia’s.

Even though Alexander and I got married, he always treated Sophia well—inviting her for banquets and balls, buying her birthday gifts, even sharing meals together when he couldn’t be bothered to do the same for me.

For a long time, I put up with his gentleness toward her; I told myself that they were childhood friends, that he had every right to be kind toward her even when she didn’t deserve it. Maybe a small part of myself even believed that if I didn’t complain about it, Alexander might finally soften toward me.

But he never did. Even when I was the perfect, obedient Luna every Alpha would dream of, even when she acted cruelly and unforgivably, he always chose her.

Sophia slowly turned to look at me from the plush armchair where she was perched. She had a tiny teacup and saucer delicately balanced in her manicured hands, and wore what looked like a brand-new dress in the prettiest pink I had ever seen.

I looked past her and at Alexander, who was sitting behind his desk, red hair haloed by the sun behind him. He stared blankly at me as I stopped abruptly in the center of the room, green eyes flicking over me like I was a stray cat that had just wandered in.

“Ella,” he said slowly, not bothering to hide the hint of disdain in his voice. “What are you doing here? I’m in the middle of a meeting.”

The irritation in his tone wasn’t lost on me. Once, it might have made me cower and scurry away with my proverbial tail between my legs. But not anymore. Not now that I was dying and had little time left for such things.

“I have something urgent I need to discuss with you.”

“It will have to wait. I’m busy.”

I scoffed and gestured toward Sophia. “She practically lives here. I’m sure you two can save your tea party for later.”

Sophia gasped. Alexander’s brows shot up. Clearly, neither of them expected me to speak so bluntly—frankly, I hadn’t been expecting it, either. I’d only just discovered I was terminally ill a couple of hours ago and already I was acting like a completely different person.

Sophia said in a light voice, “Ella, darling, what do you need to say that you can’t say in front of me? We’re all friends, after all.”

Friends? Friends? This was the same woman who turned her nose up at me every time I attempted to be friendly toward her. We couldn’t have been further from friends—more like strangers.

I slowly turned my head to look at her. My upper lip curled, although no fangs extended—not without my wolf. But I tried to pour every ounce of distaste I could into that stare.

“Some things, darling, are better discussed between husband and wife. Unless you’re implying that you are a third party in our relationship?”

Sophia gasped again, one delicate hand—she’d always been so fair-skinned and slender and fucking perfect, like a little dove—coming up to clutch at the pearls around her throat. Tears instantly welled up in those big blue eyes of hers, although I was certain they were fake. “Why, I never—”

“She’s gone crazy, Sir,” Beta Gabriel suddenly said from behind me. He’d apparently been standing in the doorway this whole time, although I hadn’t noticed. “Should I escort Luna Ella out?”

I clenched my jaw, refusing to look at anyone but Alexander. He was sitting stock-still, just blinking at me as if in surprise.

Then, those green eyes flicked over me again—but in a different way this time. There was something… assessing about his gaze, as if he were seeing me for the first time.

I wasn’t sure if he had ever looked at me in that way before.

Finally, he said, “Gabriel, please see Sophia out.”

I couldn’t hide my surprise at that. Even Gabriel muttered, “Sir?”

Sophia shot to her feet. “Alex—”

“My… wife needs to speak with me,” Alexander said as his Beta moved toward Sophia. “We’ll resume our discussion later, Sophia.”

Sophia looked displeased, but didn’t argue further as Gabriel gently took her by the elbow. “Right this way, Miss,” he said in a kind voice that he’d never used on me. He led her out, and once the door was close behind them, I let out a breath I hadn’t realized I’d been holding.

But my reprieve was short-lived, because Alexander barked, “No longer pretending to be the gentle Luna today, are you? You know Sophia is like a little sister to me, and I won’t stand for you to speak so harshly to her. Nor will I allow you to make claims about infidelity.”

His tone made me bristle internally, but I kept my expression neutral. I had no intention of explaining my reasons behind the words I’d said to Sophia, and I had no intention of apologizing for them, either. I was tired of apologies, tired of being quiet and sweet and never standing up for myself.

“My wolf has entered dormancy,” I said bluntly, clasping my hands behind my back. “You need to mark me in order for it to return. If you don’t, I will die within a year.”

Alexander scoffed.

“Ah. Another one of your tricks, just like the ‘sweet, gentle Luna’ act. Let me guess—you want to secure your position as my Luna, give birth to my heir, by fabricating some made-up illness that forces me to mark you and be intimate with you.”

Of course. After all my years of hard work, diligence, and perfection, he was so suspicious of me as to accuse me of faking my illness in order to baby-trap him. I hadn’t expected any different.

“There is another way,” I said, lifting my chin. “Divorce me, reject me, and my wolf will return then.”

“No.”

Now that took me by surprise. Alexander hated me—there was no doubt about it. I expected him to jump at the chance to divorce me for any reason. But he had refused immediately.

It had to be because an Alpha couldn’t reject his mate for no reason. It could harm his reputation as an Alpha, make him appear overly emotional and disloyal.

And I hadn’t technically given him a reason to divorce me—I hadn’t cheated or fought with him or done anything other than become ill and mildly infuriating.

“I’ll be the one to publicly announce it,” I said. “I’ll take the blame. It won’t hurt your reputation.”

“No,” he repeated, rising from his chair.

At his full height, he practically towered over me, broad shoulders blocking out the sun streaming through the window behind him. He smoothed down the front of his dark vest, subtly brocaded with gossamer black threads, and narrowed his eyes dangerously.

“We are not getting a divorce.”