E POV


    “I should go.” Alexander said, standing abruptly. “Apologies, Alphas, but duty calls.”


    The Alphas looked around at each other. “I’ll give them a tour of the pack grounds while you’re gone,” I said quickly, not wanting them to sit around while we waited for Alexander to return.


    The Board murmured in agreement. Liam especially looked pleased, and said, pping his hands together, “That sounds wonderful! We were hoping to have a chance to see the pack grounds today.”


    I stood and looked at Alexander, who hesitated for a moment but finally nodded. Smiling. I walked over to him and ced my hands on his shoulders. Before he could react, I swallowed my pride and leaned up on my tiptoes, nting a kiss on his


    cheek.


    “I want to see you off,” I said gently, just loud enough for the others to hear.


    Alexander stared at me for a moment, clearly surprised by my efforts. Neither of us seemed to expect me to go so far as to kiss him, but it seemed to hit its mark-because I heard the Board murmuring amongst themselves in the background, a few words of praise going around.


    Finally, Alexander nodded and looped his arm through mine. “Very well.” He turned to look at the Board. “Let’s all head to the barracks. You can start your tour there once I leave.”


    As the Board stood and followed us out of the dining room. I caught Sophia’s gaze onest time. She still stood at the far end of the table, her fingers curled so tightly around the edge that I could see her nails digging into the wood.


    The hateful look in her eyes was almost startling in its intensity.


    A few minutester, we all stood in the center of the pack barracks.


    It was a small but impressive fortress at the very end of the cast wing of the mansion. All of Ashw’s guards and warriors trained and lived here. The air smelled like leather and sweat, and as the Board looked around at the various racks of weapons and armor, I followed Alexander to the corner, where he was preparing to leave.


    The leather armor squeaked as it stretched across his broad shoulders. Each joint and rivet seemed to only emphasize his perfect physique, right down to his impressive leg muscles. Various straps and holsters adorned his chest, arms, and legs, housing differently shaped knives.


    One knife in particr caught my eye as he slipped it into a holster on his chest. It had an ornate silver handle iid with a dark ruby the color of fresh blood, and when Alexander moved, it caught the light.


    “Are you certain you can handle giving them a tour?” Alexander suddenly asked, low enough so only I could hear. “We can save it for when I return instead.”


    I snapped out of my reverie and shook my head. “I’m not an invalid, you know. I can handle giving the Board a simple tour.”


    Alexander grunted, but didn’t argue. “That was impressive earlier at breakfast. You speak well.”


    I didn’t bother to hide the way I rolled my eyes. “You have so much faith in me.”


    For the briefest moment, I thought I saw a look of shame cross Alexander’s green eyes, but it was quickly masked with his usual coldness once more. He turned back toward the full-length mirror he was standing in front of and adjusted his leathers onest time.


    Without thinking. I moved forward to fix a loose strap along his shoulder. He didn’t pull away as I tightened it, but I could feel his muscles tense beneath my fingers.


    Briefly, I recalled ourpromising position from this morning-the warmth of his arms around me, the steady thrum of his heartbeat beneath my ear, the way his red hair briefly caught the morning sunlight like a me when Sophia had thrown. open the curtains.


    Five years. Five years we had been married, and we had only woken up together once. Five years, and this morning was the very first time I had ever had the chance to have my husband’s face be the first thing I saw when I woke.


    I hated to think about all of the missed moments, all of the wasted nights we could have spent together like a normal couple. Or all of the days just like this one, when I could have seen him off to battle with a kiss.


    When I could have waited for him until he returned, and we could have greeted each other with our arms thrown around one another.


    How sweet those moments could have been, if only he hadn’t been so bitter toward me. Everything could have been so much… simpler. Happier.


    My hands lingered on his arm for a moment longer than necessary as I considered all of this.


    I looked up at Alexander, meeting his gaze in the mirror. I couldn’t stop myself from murmuring, “Be safe out there, okay?”


    Alexander huffed and turned around. “I’ll be fine,” he said gruffly.


    He brushed past me, lightly bumping my shoulder, and stormed off. I stood there for a long moment, my brief moment of tenderness immediately reced with frustration and resentment. What else did I expect?


    “Prick,” I whispered..


    Sophia POV


    Sophia watched with a bitter feeling in her heart as E adjusted Alex’s armor. The way her fingers lingered on his arm, the way she looked at him… The way she had found them this morning, tangled together in bed in a way they had never done before…


    It frustrated Sophia beyond all belief.


    For a long time, Sophia could handle the political marriage between E and Alex. She knew Alex didn’t love E, that they were never intimate and were only married because they had to be, and it wasforting for Sophia. It made her believe she had a chance.


    But things seemed… different between themtely.


    Sophia noticed the stolen nces, the way Alex was so possessive of E, the sudden affection between the two.


    And after this morning, Sophia began to wonder: were they sleeping together now? How long would it be before Alex gave in to the mate bond and fell for E? How long until they had an heir?


    Sophia had to do something about it. She couldn’t bear to watch her one true love fall for this imposter. Alex was meant to be with her, not E.


    When Alex would return today, he would take E to the Spring Market Celebration-but it was their tradition. He always went with Sophia. Always.


    She couldn’t give that up. She had to find a way to keep E from going.


    As E and the Board gathered outside the barracks, Sophia followed. “Can Ie on the tour?” she asked sweetly, managing a smile.


    E nced at her for a few moments, but Sophia maintained her smile. Finally, E nodded. “Of course. We’ll start in the packhouse.” She gestured around as she began the tour. “Our packhouse is where many of our pack members live. Each apartmentes with at least one bedroom depending on family size, and there’s amunal kitchen and bathroom…”


    Sophia trailed behind the group as the tour continued, not really listening while E spoke to the Board. She was too busy thinking about how to keep her from going to the Spring Market Celebration.


    Suddenly, as they left the long and narrow building out behind the mansion that housed the majority of the pack members Sophia noticed something she rarely paid attention to the barn behind the packhouse where the livestock was kept.


    There was a second floor to the barn with arge door on the side where hay would be dropped into the pasture. There was no railing or ledge. It likely wasn’t high enough to kill anyone, but Sophia wasn’t trying to kill E.


    She just wanted to incapacitate her.