<b>Chapter </b><b>34 </b>


    E


    “What’s that?” Alexander stepped forward to peer over my shoulder at the invitation.


    I shrugged and held it out to him. “Just a party at Stormhollow hosted by my father and stepmother. I assume you won’t want to <b>go</b>.”


    Alexander took the invitation and was silent for a moment as his eyes scanned it. Neither of us had attended an event in Stormhollow <b>since </b><b>the </b>wedding, but not forck of invitations; Alexander never wanted to go, and as his Luna, it wasn’t a good look for me to go alone.


    If I didn’t go, then he wouldn’t go. So I never returned to the home that I lived in throughout my entire childhood.


    This time, though, I decided it would be different. If I only had a year to live–assuming nothing worked out the way I hoped and my wolf never returned from dormancy–then I wanted to visit my old home just in case.


    Just onest time.


    Alexander nced up at me. “Are you going?”


    I nodded. “I think I will.” I lifted my chin, silently challenging him to tell me I couldn’t go since he had no intention of attending.


    But to my surprise, he simply said, “Very well. I’ll go with you.”


    <i>My </i>mouth fell open. “You… what?”


    “I’ll apany you,” he repeated, tossing the invitation onto the foyer table. “It would look strange if you went alone. People are already talking.”


    So this was about appearances again. The happy couple act for the sake of his campaign. At least I wasn’t naive enough to expect anything else this time.


    Yet despite knowing this, I couldn’t quite squash the flutter of happiness in my stomach at the thought of Alexander apanying me to my parents‘ house. It would be the first time we’d ever visited them together as a couple.


    Later that night, as Alexander was showering, I found myself staring at the open closet, contemting what to wear to the party.


    Nothing felt right. Most of my clothes were conservative, elegant pieces befitting a perfect Luna. High necklines, modest hems, subdued colors. The only formal dress I had that I really Shed was the red one I’d worn to the banquet, and I didn’t want to wear the same thing again. The rest were clothes chosen to make me look proper and respectable, not to express who I actually was.


    But who was I, really? The scared teenage girl who’d been married off to a man who didn’t love her? The perfect, obedient Luna who neverined? Or the woman I was bing now, the one who stood up for herself and kissed her husband in front of a crowd of journalists?


    I pulled out dress after dress, holding each one against my body before tossing it aside. Nothing seemed to reflect the person I wanted to be now. It all belonged to <b>a </b>version of me I was trying to leave behind.


    “What are you doing?” Alexander’s voice made me jump, and I turned to find him standing behind me, dressed in his pajamas. Thankfully, he wasn’t shirtless tonight.


    “Just trying to figure out what to wear to my parents‘ party,” I said, turning back to face the mirror. I held up a burnt orange dress with a high neckline and long sleeves, then shook my head and tossed it aside before reaching for another on the rack.


    Alexander’s gaze shifted to the pile of discarded dresses on the floor, then back to me. “None of those work<i>?</i><i>” </i>


    “They’re all… I don’t know. They don’t feel like me anymore.”


    To my surprise, Alexander didn’t scoff or tell me I was being ridiculous. Instead, he said, “I could take you shopping tomorrow. For a new dress. To make


    at the movie theater.”


    <b>08:38 </b><b>Tue</b>, <b>19 </b><b>Aug </b>110


    tblinked. “You want to take me shopping?”


    “Gabriel ruined your dress. It’s only fair that I help you rece it. It’lle out of his paycheck, of course.” He paused, then added, “Besides, is would look good for us to be seen out together again. Especially after what happened tonight.”


    And there it was. The real reason. Not because he actually cared about my feelings or my ruined dress, but because it would benefit his <b>campaign</b>.


    A small, dangerous part of me had softened at his offer, but I quickly hardened it again. I couldn’t keep doing this to myself this constant cycle of hope and disappointment. Alexander wasn’t going to change. He wasn’t suddenly going to fall in love with me.


    I needed to stay focused on the n: help him get through the election without any issues, get divorced, awaken ray wolf, and then live my life on my own terms. No more fantasies about a happily ever after with my fated mate.


    The next day, Alexander drove us to an upscale boutique in the center of town. The moment we stepped inside, the saleswoman recognized us and practically tripped over herself to assist us.


    “Luna E! Alpha Alexander! What an honor to have you both in our store today.”


    I smiled politely while Alexander stepped away to wait on one of the plush armchairs by the fitting rooms. “I’m looking for a dress for a party.“<b>1 </b>exined. “It needs to be a cocktail dress that’s suitable around family.”


    “Of course, of course! I have several options that would look absolutely stunning on you, Luna. If you’ll just follow me…


    The saleswoman led me through the store, pulling various dresses off the racks while chattering excitedly about fabrics and colors. Alexander remained seated, and whenever I nced at him, he was just looking at his phone.


    Bastard, I thought bitterly. He could at least try to appear interested.


    “Your mate has such exquisite taste,” the saleswoman told me, pulling me from my thoughts as she held up a blush–prink taffeta cocktail dress. “I’m sure he’ll love seeing you in any of these.”


    I nearlyughed at that. Alexander didn’t care what I wore as long as it didn’t embarrass him in public. But I just smiled and nodded, not wanting to make


    a scene.


    After selecting several options, the saleswoman ushered me toward the fitting rooms. Alexander didn’t look up as we passed.


    The saleswoman’s smile dimmed slightly as she noticed his apparent disinterest. “Perhaps Alpha Alexander would like to give his opinion on the dresses?” she suggested.


    Alexander nced up from his phone. “Oh, I’m sure whatever Ellá chooses will be fine.”


    I caught the sh of disappointment in the saleswoman’s eyes. She had probably been expecting us to be the loving couple from the press photos, not


    like… this.


    I forced a smile. “He’s busy today, but he still made time to bring me here, even if he has to answer emails on his phone all day.”


    The saleswoman nodded, although she didn’t seem terribly convinced. “Of course. Well, here’s your fitting room. I put the dresses you picked out on the


    rack.”


    Inside the fitting room, I tried on dress after dress. Some were pretty but too conservative. Others were stylish but not quite right <b>for </b><b>a </b><b>formal </b><b>party </b>at my parents‘ house.


    And most of all, none of them felt like me.


    As I was preparing to try on thest dress–a dark green<b>, </b>floor–length gown with a modest neckline–I noticed something hanging at the back <b>of </b><b>the </b><b>rack</b>. A sh of ck fabric caught my eye.


    Curious, I pulled it out and gasped. It was a dress unlike anything I’d ever worn before–a slinky, jet–ck number with a plunging neckline and an almostpletely open back. The kind of dress that would turn heads and drop jaws. The kind of dress the old E would never have <b>dared </b><b>to </b><b>wear</b>.


    <b>08:38 </b>Tue<b>, </b><b>19 </b><b>Aug </b>


    Was this just a leftover <b>from </b>someone else using this fitting room? Or had the saleswoman slipped it <b>into </b><b>the </b>pile without <b>me </b><b>noticing</b><b>? </b>


    My first instinct was to put it back. It was too sexy, too bold for a Luna who needed to support her Alpha’s campaign<b>, </b>especially for a <b>family </b><b>party </b>I could already imagine the looks on everyone’s faces if I showed up to the event in something like this.


    But as I held it against my body and looked in the mirror, I couldn’t seem to let it go. I remembered my vow to myself when I realized I might only have year left to live: to be true to myself, to stop living for others‘ approval.


    I was sick of being the perfect, obedient Luna who dressed to please everyone but herself. I was sick of dimming my light. <b>I </b>was sick of pretending <b>to </b><b>be </b>someone I wasn’t.


    Before I could talk myself out of it, I slipped out of the green dress and into the ck <i>one</i>, just <i>out </i>of curiosity. The fabric hugged my curves perfectly. <b>The </b>back dipped so low I couldn’t wear a bra with it, and the front revealed more cleavage than I had ever shown in public.


    But looking at my reflection, I didn’t see the shy, insecure girl who’d been married off against her will.


    I saw a woman–strong, confident, unafraid. For the first time in years, I felt… beautiful.


    This was the woman I wanted to be. The woman I would be, for whatever time I had left.


    I took a deep breath and stepped out of the fitting room. Alexander was still looking at his phone and didn’t look up as I walked up to him.


    Stopping a few paces away, I cleared my throat and clenched my fists.


    Alexander slowly lifted his gaze, and his phone slipped from his fingers.