Alexander & Sophia


    Alexander


    I adjusted my tie onest time, checking my reflection in the mirror. The ck suit I’d chosen for the evening was impable, tailored to perfection because it had to be.


    After all, this wasn’t just any party. This was our first time visiting Stormhollow as a couple since the wedding. I needed to look my best, especially with all the rumors flying around.


    And with E in that dress… I tried not to think about it. Tried not to think about how I’d have to keep my arm around her all night to prevent other males from looking.


    Tried not to think about how my wolf bristled with excitement at the very thought of spending the entire evening glued to my mate’s side.


    Just then, my phone rang, interrupting my thoughts. I pulled it from my pocket, frowning when I saw John Oxford’s name on the screen.


    “John,” I answered. “This isn’t a good time. I’m about to-


    “Alexander, thank the Goddess!” John’s voice was frantic, bordering on hysterical. I’d never heard him like that before. “It’s Sophia. She’s gonepletely off the rails!”


    My stomach dropped. “What do you mean?”


    “She’s locked herself in the bathroom. She’s threatening to… Please, Alexander, she’s not listening to reason. She’ll only talk to you.”


    “John, I’m about to leave for an important event with E. Can’t you-”


    “She’s saying she’ll slit her wrists if you don’te right now.” John’s voice cracked. “Please, Alexander. I know we’ve had our differencestely, but this is Sophia we’re talking about. Your oldest friend.”


    Fuck. This was thest thing I needed tonight. But if Sophia was truly threatening to harm herself…


    “I’ll be there in ten minutes,” I said, already moving toward the door., “Try to keep her calm until then.”


    I hung up and grabbed my car keys from the dresser. There wasn’t time to exin everything to E; Gabriel would have to take her to the party, and I’d meet them there once 1 dealt with Sophia.


    John was waiting outside the sprawling Oxford manor when I pulled up, pacing frantically on the front steps. He practically yanked me from the car before I even had a chance to pull the key out of the ignition.


    “Thank the Goddess you’re here, Alex,” he said, pulling me toward the house. “She’s upstairs. Helen’s been trying to talk her down, but she’s not having any of it.”


    I followed him through the familiar halls of the Oxford home and up the grand staircase to Sophia’s wing–yes, she had a whole wing to herself <b>that </b><b>was </b>practically a separate home in its own right. Helen was standing outside the bathroom door with tears streaming down her face.


    “Sophia, darling, please<i>,</i><i>” </i>she was saying over the sound of rushing water within. “Alex is here now. Pleasee out.”


    I approached the door, motioning for Helen to step aside. “Sophia,” I called out. “It’s me. Open the door.”


    There was a moment of silence, then the click of a lock. The door flew open, and Sophiaunched herself into my arms, soaking <b>wet </b><b>and </b><b>sobbing</b>. <b>She </b>mmed into me so hard that I stumbled backward, catching myself on the doorframe.


    “Alex!” she cried, burying her face in my chest. “You came. You actually came.”


    <b>08:38 </b>Tue, <b>19 </b>Aug


    CGAT


    Sighing, I wrapped my arms around her. But as I held her, something fell off. I couldn’t exin it maybe it was the perfectly overflowing bathtub in <b>the </b>background, or the sheer white nightgown that was clinging to her skin, of the pristine ck streaks of mascara on her face as if <b>she’d </b><b>put </b>them <b>there</b>, But I knew…


    She was acting, wasn’t she?


    I disentangled myself from Sophia’s embrace and held her at arm’s length.


    “Sophia, we need to talk. Alone.”


    She sniffled, wiping at her eyes. “Yes, of course. Mommy, Daddy, could you give us a minute?”


    John and Helen exchanged a nce before nodding and retreating down the hall. Once they were gone, I fixed Sophia with a hard stare..


    “What the hell do you think you’re doing?”


    Her eyes widened. “What do you mean? I was just-”


    “Cut the bullshit,” I snapped. “You’re not suicidal. You’re fishing <i>for </i>attention like a teenager with a crush, and you even terrorized your poor parents just to get me toe here.”


    Sophia’s face crumpled. “How can you say that? I’ve been so distraught since you used me of all those horrible things<b>. </b>You’ve been avoiding me<b>, </b>pushing me away-”


    “Because you tried to hurt my mate,” I growled. The word ‘mate‘ slipped out before I could stop it. “Because you fucking endangered innocent people at that bonfire for a ‘prank‘, which, for the record, I don’t think was a prank at all.”


    “I would never-


    “Enough.” I held up a hand, silencing her. “I don’t want to hear it. I came here tonight because, despite everything, you’re still my friend and I didn’t want to see <i>you </i>hurt. But this stops now.”


    Sophia’s lower lip trembled. “What do you mean?”


    “I mean that I won’t take this anymore. Either you get your emotions in check and start behaving like the adult you’re supposed to be, or we’re no longer friends.”


    She gasped. “You don’t mean that.”


    “I do.” I checked my watch. If I left now, I might still make it <i>to </i>the party in time to join E. Hopefully my suit would dry on the way there. “And if you ever pull a stunt like this again, I’ll have you institutionalized for your own safety. Understood?”


    Sophia stared at me in shock. For once, she seemed to have <i>no </i>words. Maybe that was for the best.


    “I’m leaving now,” I said, turning on my heel. “I have an event to attend with my wife.”


    I didn’t wait for her response, nor did I pause to think about how satisfying it felt to refer to E as my mate and wife in the same breath.


    Sophia


    Sophia could hear the front door mming, then the sound of Alex’s car starting up outside.


    He was leaving. Actually leaving. To <b>go </b>to that party with her.


    This wasn’t how it was supposed to go. Alex was supposed to stay, tofort her, to realize how much she needed him. Instead, he’d seen right through her act and threatened to end their friendship.


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


    Friendship. As if that was all she wanted from him.


    The bedroom door opened a momentter, and her parents slipped inside. There was a moment of silence. Sophia sank down onto <b>the </b>edge of her bed and dragged her hands through her damp hair..


    “He’s gone,” John said with a grunt of disapproval. “That ungrateful pup…”


    Sophia looked up at her parents. “What do we do now? If that didn’t work, what else will?”


    Hér parents exchanged a look. Finally, Helen stepped forward and took a seat beside Sophia. Sophia rested her head on her mother’s shoulder <b>as </b><b>her </b>mother rubbed soothing circles on her back.


    “We’re concerned,” Helen said slowly, “that Alexander might be developing… feelings for this girl.”


    “No.” Sophia shook her head violently. “No, that’s not possible. She’s just <b>a </b>contract to him. A mate that he never really wanted.”


    “Perhaps,” John sighed. “But the way he rushed out of here to get to her certainly suggests otherwise<b>, </b>doesn’t <b>it</b>?”


    Sophia felt sick. The thought of Alex actually falling for that Stormhollow bitch was unbearable. After everything Sophia had done to get rid of her, E was still there, still a thorn in her side.


    But no matter how much it hurt, Sophia knew her parents were right. Even if Alex never really loved E, she was still his mate, andtely, he had <b>been </b>forced to spend more time with her because of the media storm–a storm that should have broken them up already, but for some reason<b>, </b><b>they </b>insisted on holding onto each other.


    Mates could rarely deny their biological pull toward one another, especially when they were spending so much time together, acting like the perfect, loving couple in public. It was only a matter of time before Alex and E became too close to be separated.


    No, Sophia and <i>her </i>parents would have to figure something else out. But what?


    “I think,” Helen said carefully, as if reading her daughter’s mind, “that we’ve had enough of messing around. These small attempts at breaking them up clearly aren’t working.”


    John nodded. “We need something bigger. Something that will drive a permanent wedge between them.”


    Sophia looked between her parents. “What do you have in mind?”


    “<i>Don’t </i>worry about that now,” her father said, standing and moving to the window to watch Alex’s car disappear down the driveway. “We’ll contact the media right away with an even bigger story than before. One that they won’t be able to smooth over with fake kisses and movie dates.”


    “By the time we’re done,” Helen added, a cold smile ying at her lips, “that girl will be so thoroughly disgraced that Alexander wouldn’t dare keep her as his tuna, campaign or no campaign.”


    Sophia couldn’t help but smile. Her parents had always taken care of her, had always given her everything she wanted.


    And what she wanted more than anything was Alex.


    She crossed the room to join her father at the window, watching the taillights of Alex’s car fade into the distance. Then she turned and kissed her father’s cheek.


    “Thank you, Daddy.”


    John Oxford smiled and put his arm around her shoulders. “Anything for my little girl.”


    <b>Chapter 38 </b>


    E