E POV


    Alexander’s scent made my head spin this close, and for a brief second, I almost considered telling him whatever he wanted to know. Even with a dormant wolf, the mate bond urged me to reassure him that I wasn’t cheating on him. I had never even slept with a man before I met Alexander.


    But I couldn’t tell him that. What if it would change his mind about the contract? What if he would decide not to divorce me in the end after all? I had to y my cards right.


    “I met Liam in grade school,” I answered coolly, flipping over so my back was facing him. “We hit it off immediately.”


    Technically, it was true. Liam and I had be friends quickly as children, like two old souls connecting with just one look.


    Alexander just didn’t know that there was nothing more to it than friendship.


    I heard him huff softly as he flopped back down onto his back on the other side of the bed.


    “How long have you two been seeing each other?” he asked after another moment.


    I bit my lip, hesitating, then gave him another half-truth: “We didn’t see each other for more than a decade. He went away when he was ten.”


    “So it’s a recent thing, then. Your rtionship.”


    “I guess so.” I replied vaguely.


    Alexander grunted, and I thought the probing questions would finally stop. But then he asked, “And what do you intend to do when our contract is up? Marry him?”


    “Does that matter?” I blurted out. “You and I were never in love. In nine months, we’ll go our separate ways.”


    “Just tell me.”


    I sighed. “I don’t know. I guess we’ll run off into the sunset together.”


    My vague answers didn’t seem to please Alexander. Over the next fifteen minutes, he asked more and more questions, all of which I answered as sparingly as I could.


    Eventually, I grew too tired to keep answering. Thest thing I heard before I finally drifted off to sleep was Alexander’s deep voice.


    “E, is Liam nning on making you Luna of his pack?”


    Someone pulled me into his arms, his touch gentle as he held me close. His lips were soft as they brushed across the shell of


    my ear.


    His lips met mine then, soft and sweet and tasting faintly of bourbon and peppermint. My body instantly melted into his, and I clutched at his shirt, eager to taste more.


    Tender warmth surrounded me as I slowly woke, like the sun kissing my skin. A gentle, familiar rhythm pounded against my


    ear: one-two, one-two, one-two.


    It was not my own pulse, not even one I had physically felt before, and yet it was so natural and familiar to me that I instantly knew it belonged to my mate.


    I instinctually nuzzled down into the warmth of Alexander’s bare chest. His arms tightened almost imperceptibly around me, and everything felt peaceful and right.


    Until the door swung open, and someone padded across the room, flinging the heavy curtains open. Sunlight bathed the room, blinding me.


    “Wakey wakey,” a female voice cooed. “Alex, it’s time for bre-”


    Sophia halted abruptly when she saw Alexander and I tangled together in bed. I gasped, partially from surprise that she was here so early but also from the realization that we had moved closer together during the night.


    Sophia, clearly not wanting to see more, instantly fled from the room and mmed the door behind her. I didn’t have a chance to pull away before Alexander was practically shoving me off of him and getting up.


    “We should attend breakfast together,” he said curtly as he crossed to the bathroom. “Wear something nice.”


    And just like that, he was gone. I heard the shower turn on, and for a moment I justid there, staring at the ceiling, my face hot with shame and something else I hardly dared to name.


    Waking up cuddling with my mate felt so right, like a key sliding perfectly into a lock.


    But Alexander, as always, had been cold and distant. It was a bitter reminder that divorce was the only option to save my life. He would never fall in love with me and mark me.


    A little whileter, we headed down to the dining room together. I had picked out a sweet lc cardigan over a simple white cotton dress, perfect for today’s balmy spring weather. Liam and the rest of the Board were already sitting at the table, sipping coffee and eating tes of fruit and omelets.


    Sophia’s face turned an rming shade of red the moment Alexander and I entered the room together, and she quickly looked away.


    “Good morning,” Alexander said smoothly, pulling my chair out for me-something he had never done before. “I hope you all slept well.”


    Liam nodded and shed me a warm smile as I took my seat. “We wanted to thank you both for the amodations. Personally, I slept like a king.”


    Alexander looked pleased. I avoided everyone’s gazes, busying myself instead with pouring a cup of coffee. I picked out some ripe strawberries and fresh melon slices, then reached for the te of toast and butter in the center of the table.


    The te was a little far, and Liam, who was closer, handed it to me. Our fingers brushed as I took it, and I smiled up at my friend. “Thank you.”


    Beside me, I heard a bang. I jumped and looked over to see that Alexander had hit his knee on the underside of the table, causing some of his coffee to slosh out over the rim of his mug.


    “Ouch. Are you alright, Alpha?” Liam asked.


    Alexander merely grunted in response. I noticed that the rest of the Board was staring at us now-Liam and I still holding the same te, Alexander morosely sipping his coffee, and Sophia blushing furiously at the other end of the table.


    Not wanting to raise any eyebrows, I took the te, giggled, and said airily, “My husband didn’t sleep wellst night. He gets so clumsy when he’s tired, don’t you, dear?”


    Alexander straightened somewhat and shot me a sidelong nce. I was d that my tease had annoyed him just the right amount while also seeming to ease the tension at the table. Liam and the rest of the board chuckled, although Sophia just shook her head and began angrily cutting her omelet.


    “Yes,” Alexander went on, reaching over to grasp my free hand, “well, my wife keeps me upte running her mouth.”


    I resisted the urge to point out that it was actually quite the opposite, if only because our little show of marital bliss seemed to have pleased the Board—and if I wanted to gain my freedom sooner, I couldn’t risk upsetting them.


    So instead, I said warmly, addressing the Board now, “We were actually upte discussing pack affairs. Recently, Ashw has been gifted a parcel ofnd from Stormhollow that has the perfect soil for growing wheat. This will allow us to grow more grain. Within six months, we’re hoping to roll out a program providing free bread to every pack member-ensuring everyone, regardless of financial status, gets to eat.”


    Alexander stiffened, likely surprised that I even knew about that. Despite what he thought of me, I was a diligent Luna who paid attention to everything that went on. During the meetings he invited me to just for appearances, I was always taking


    notes.


    “How would that work?” one of the Board members asked.


    “Every bakery in Ashw would receive a certain amount of flour from the grain each month,” I replied. “The bakeries would then give out free loaves made from the flour, and if they met their quota, they would receive a small stipend topensate.”


    The Alphas all looked at each other, nodding and murmuring their praise. Liam grinned. “That’s the E I remember! This is an excellent idea, and I’m sure it will help your people immensely.”


    I smiled, looking at Alexander. He still looked a little shocked, as if he hadn’t expected me to know so much about the program, but nodded encouragingly. Something about the gesture made my chest warm.


    Just then, Sophia cleared her throat.


    “Well, I hate to cut this short, but the Spring Market Celebration is today,” she said, pushing her chair back and standing. “Alex and I usually go together-are you ready to go?”


    I’d almost forgotten that every year, Sophia and Alexander went to the Spring Market Celebration together-the annual celebration of the arrival of spring, held in the neutral forest territory between packs.


    Many packs would set up stalls, selling everything from fresh fruit to handmade wares. At night, there would be a bonfire and dancing on the sacred ground as a show of camaraderie between packs.


    Sophia and Alexander never invited me.


    “Of course,” Alexander said. “We’ll go soon.”


    Liam, always sharp, snapped his gaze to me. “You’re not going, E?”


    I quickly replied, “Oh, I’m not really interested in it. I don’t usually go.”


    Liam blinked. “Well, you shoulde with me. I’ve never been, but it sounds fun.”


    I was just about to reply when Alexander’s hand suddenly shot out, wrapping around mine with such force I almost winced. “I’ll take you, E.” He nced at Liam. “We can meet Liam there.”


    For a moment, Alexander and Liam just stared at each other. Liam seemed to be scrutinizing Alexander, but Alexander just held his gaze calmly, seemingly unbothered despite the tension in the air.


    Just then, the dining room doors opened, and Gabriel entered, looking slightly out of breath as if he had run here.


    “Alpha Alexander,” he said quickly, “a pack of rogues has been spotted at the border.”