E POV


    The new boy in ss was strange, or so the other kids said.


    They said that he was too quiet, that he stared for too long, that his interest in paper airnes was too obsessive. They said that he didn’t y with them on the yground because he would always ruin their games with his weirdness.


    And then the teacher seated him next to me, and I saw those big blue eyes and the way his face lit up when he saw me folding a paper airne underneath my desk, and I knew we were supposed to be good friends.


    “It’s okay. They think I’m weird, too,” I said as we sat together in the big flower field out behind the school, making daisy crowns. “The other kids don’t like me because of what happened to my mom. They think I’m bad luck.”


    Liam tilted his head, a few soft golden curls falling into his eyes. “What happened to your mom?”


    I shrugged. “I dunno. She died when I was a baby. But that was a long time ago, and I’m a lot bigger now, so it doesn’t bother me.”


    He reached out and took my hand. “It’s okay if it does bother you.”


    “Why?”


    “Because we’re best friends now, and friends are supposed to be there for each other when they’re feeling sad. That way, you can still feel sad but it’s not so lonely because we’ve got each other.”


    Liam was right-we were best friends. Inseparable, even. We were practically attached at the hip all through second, third, and fourth grade.


    Until his father, the Head Alpha of the Alpha Council Supervisory Board, sent him away.


    I didn’t even get to say goodbye; Liam just stopped showing up to school, and when I asked our teacher where he went, she said he went off to some kind of special camp for ‘kids like him. And he wasn’ting back.


    I didn’t know what that meant until yearster, when it finally hit me: his father, ashamed of Liam’s shy nature and too- inquisitive mind, sent him to the type of ce where they hammer special kids into an ordinary mold.


    His father wanted him to be the Head Alpha of the Board.


    And now he was.


    Liam looked nothing like the young boy who had been taken from me all those years ago; he was charming and outgoing, he smiled wide and initiated conversations and no longer wore the little paper ne charm ne I gave him when we were young.


    But he was still Liam. My Liam.


    And somehow, seeing him again made everything that was bad in my life slip away. Even when Alexander suddenly pulled me back to his side, his grip possessive around my waist, I couldn’t help but smile.


    “So now you’re the Head of the Board,” I said. “How does it feel?”


    Liam’s smile widened slightly. Maybe just a little too much. “My father is very proud.”


    I blinked at that, wondering exactly what went on at that camp. But before I could ask, my father cut in, “Is that little Liam?”


    “In the flesh,” Liam replied, holding out his hand. “It’s a pleasure to see you again, Richard.”


    “Why, I never…” My father shook his hand, tactfully leaving out the fact that thest time he had seen Liam, Liam had hardly been able to say hello to him. He then gestured to Alexander. “You know, Liam, given your history with E, we’d be very grateful if you gave Alpha Alexander a good review for the uing election.”


    My throat bobbed. Of course my father would try to use my reunion with an old friend I thought I’d never see again to get what he wanted. And of course Alexander wouldn’t stop him, because he was just as selfish.


    I nced at Liam, hoping my father hadn’t just ruined everything. To my relief, Liam simply nodded. “I assure you, I’ll give Alpha Alexander an honest evaluation.”


    Alexander tensed slightly. My father could only give a dryugh as a response.


    “E,” Liam suddenly said, turning to me once more, “how have you been all these years? I’d like to catch up.”


    I opened my mouth to respond, but no words coulde. What was I supposed to tell him? “Nice to see you again, but I’m dying”? Or perhaps “The very man you’re evaluating to run for Alpha King is refusing to mark or divorce me, even if it kills


    me”?


    When I remained silent, just staring at Liam, I could see his eyes briefly shift from the new perfect mask he wore back to the young, intuitive boy I had once known. Even after all these years, he could read me like a book.


    Alexander tightened his grip on me. “We’re doing well,” he cut in. Again with the we. Like it fucking meant anything. “E is just under a lot of stress because we’re under a lot of pressure to have an heir.”


    I felt my pulse spike, heat crawling up my neck.


    My father leaned in and pped Alexander on the shoulder. “And that’s exactly why you’re perfect for my daughter,” he said. “Despite the stress, you remain by her side and offer her all the support she could possibly need.”


    I wanted tough. Or cry. I couldn’t decide which.


    Liam tilted his head in that familiar way. “Do you want to talk about it?” His voice was soft, and he wasn’t looking at my father or my husband. He was looking at me.


    A long moment passed, and the tension was palpable. I thought, for a moment, that I could ruin Alexander right here and now-and potentially resolve my issue immediately.


    But that was too simple, wasn’t it? Alexander might be even less inclined to listen to my wishes if I blurted everything out and caused his downfall.


    No, it was better to not make so much of a scene. Only little frustrations for now, just enough to piss him off but not enough to make himsh out in the opposite way I was hoping for.


    “Alexander is right,” I said, quickly recovering. “But we’re fine. Aren’t we, darling?” I turned to him and gave him what I hoped was a loving look, even if it felt like I was wearing the same mask Liam had been wearing all night.


    Alexander stared at me for a moment as if trying to sense an ulterior motive, but when he found none for now, he nodded


    and rxed somewhat.


    Liam, however, didn’t seem particrly convinced. But he didn’t press the matter any further.


    Thankfully, the rest of the banquet went by without a hitch. Since the Board was here, Alexander kept me by his side all night, his arm never leaving my waist. His possessiveness made me feel uneasy.


    Everywhere he touched me, my skin felt hot and tingling.


    And all the while, Sophia pouted in the corner with her arms folded. She never got her opportunity to hang off of him.


    By the time the banquet came to an end and the guests had left, it was only the Board left. Alexander apparently arranged


    Chapter


    for them all to stay in the mansion for a while, and had set them up with their own individual rooms in the west wing.


    Not far from my room, actually.


    As they were leaving, Liam stopped and offered me a small smile-that knowing look still in his eyes.


    “Since I’m staying here for a while, we should catch up,” he said.


    I nodded. “I’d like that.” And I meant it.


    But when Liam left and I turned to look at Alexander, his face had darkened.


    “Alex!” Sophia suddenly came scurrying over and grabbed his arm, grinning like a fool. Now that everyone was gone, he was no longer attached to me, so she had her chance. “The night is still young. Let’s go have a drink and chat!”


    I rolled my eyes and turned to leave, genuinely not caring if they stayed up all night together. I just wanted to take a hot shower and go to bed.


    However, I froze when I heard Alexander’s dismissive tone.


    “No, Sophia. Not tonight.” I turned to see him staring directly at me. “E and I need to talk.”


    Chapter