<b>Chapter </b><b>84 </b>


    <b>E </b>


    “Alexander, that’s incredible!”


    I leapt to my feet, so overjoyed by the news that I couldn’t help myself. Before I knew what I was doing, my arms were around my neck, lips pressing <b>a </b>kiss against the stubble of his cheek.


    Alexander froze, arms slightly spread out to the sides, and it was only then that I realized what I’d done.


    The mate bond. My mental shields had briefly fallen, and without meaning to, I had flooded every ounce of my joy into Alexander’s own mind.


    For a long, breathless moment, neither of us moved. Alexander’s face waspletely unreadable, arms still syed, and somehow, that was even worse than if he had simply shoved me away and gagged at the contact.


    But then I felt it—that thrum of happiness that wasn’t my own. That pulse that belonged only to my mate as his own walls came down just a sliver. And beneath that joy was something else.


    Something that made my wolf purr with satisfaction.


    Slowly, Alexander’s hands came up to rest on my waist. The bond hummed to life between us, sharing our emotions back and forth in a loop. Spark tenderness. His happiness fed mine, which fed his, which fed mine, until I couldn’t figure out where his began and mine ended.


    For a heartbeat, we just stood there like that, caught in the electric current of our connection. His gaze dropped to my lips, and I found myself lesang closer without even meaning to.


    Maybe this time would be different. Maybe-


    “Alpha, we need to discuss the uing election requirements.”


    Gabriel’s t voice cut through the moment, and Alexander’s walls mmed back into ce, nearly making me copse with the sudden loss of them.)


    jerked back from Alexander, my face burning as the Beta stepped into the room with a folder clutched in his hands.


    Alexander released me and smoothed down his shirt. “Perfect timing.”


    I couldn’t sense any sarcasm in his voice, which indicated that he probably was d that the Beta had interrupted before the bond took overpletely. Just another not–so–pleasant reminder that despite being marked, Alexander would never want me like that.


    Gabriel nced at me, hesitating for a moment as if waiting for me to leave. But when I made no move to go anywhere, he reluctantly opened his folder. “The Alpha Council has scheduled a formal banquet for all the candidates advancing to the final phase. It’s in three days, ck–tie required. All the major pack leaders will be attending, along with the media.”


    “Alright. I’ll need a briefing on the other candidates,<i>” </i>Alexander said. “And a seating chart if they have one finalized.”


    “Already prepared.” Gabriel handed him a thick packet. “There’s one other thing, though. Given Luna E’s… condition… Perhaps it would be wise for her to sit this one out. Pregnant females should be resting, not subjecting themselves to the stress of high–profile political events.”


    The suggestion made meugh out loud.


    “I’m pregnant, not dying, Gabriel.”


    Gabriel’s jaw tightened. “Luna, with all due respect, the stress could be harmful to the pregnancy. These events can be quite intense, and since <b>you </b><b>only </b>just recovered from your previous condition-


    “I’m going,” I cut him off, “I’m perfectly healthy, my pregnancy is progressing normally, and I’m more than capable of attending <b>a </b>dinner party.”


    “But the cameras, the pressure–”


    <b>1/3 </b>


    13:27 <b>Mon, </b>25 Aug QD Q


    <b>“</b><b>Gabriel</b>.” Alexander’s voice cut through the Beta’s protests with quiet authority. “My mate will be attending the banquet. End of <b>discussion </b>


    Gabriel’s mouth snapped shut, although the quick ze of fury in his eyes wasn’t lost on me. I held my ground and folded my arms across my chan


    Alexander pulled out his wallet and extracted a ck credit card. “You’ll need something appropriate for the asion,” he said, holding it out to me “Get whatever you want. Don’t worry about the cost.”


    <b>I </b>stared at the card for a moment, surprised. Alexander had never just the past, he would just have pack stylists pick something out for me.


    me


    money


    before, especially not for frivolous purchases like dresses. In


    <b>“</b>Thank you,” I said, taking the card.


    “Gabriel.” Alexander immediately turned to the Beta. “You’ll be driving


    Luna


    E


    today. Wherever she wants to go.”


    Gabriel’s face went through several interesting expressions before settling


    on


    “Alpha, I had nned to review the candidate files and


    o And make sure you stop by the jeweler. Pick up that thing


    “That can be done tonight. Today, you’re a driver.” Alexander’s slight smile was razo we talked about.”


    Jeweler? That thing they talked about? I couldn’t help but wonder what the errand was, and why it made Gabriel’s jaw tighten further, but before I could ask, Alexander was already on his way out.


    Twenty minutester, I was sitting in the back seat of Gabriel’s car with Lilith beside me, watching the Beta’s increasingly sour expression in the reare mirror as I directed him to the shopping district.


    “The boutique district first,” I told him cheerfully. “I want to see what they have at Evangeline’s.”


    Gabriel’s knuckles were white on the steering wheel. “That’s the most expensive shop in the territory.”


    “I know.” I smiled sweetly at his reflection. “Alexander said not to worry about cost.”


    Lilith was trying not tough, I could tell. She’d been delighted when I’d asked her toe along, especially after I’d exined Gabriel’s new role for the day. There was nothing Lilith enjoyed more than watching someone get theireuppance, particrly when that someone had spent months treating me like an inconvenience.


    We spent the next two hours hitting every high–end boutique in the district. I tried on dozens of dresses, rejecting most of them for various reasons–too tight, too loose, wrong color, unttering cut. Gabriel trailed behind us sullenly the entire time, clearly hoping I’d just pick something and be done with <ol><li>it. </li></ol>


    But I was enjoying myself too much to rush. Every time Gabriel made a snidement about price or suggested we move along, I found another dress to consider. When he pointed out that I’d already looked at “perfectly adequate options,” I reminded him that Alexander had specifically told me to get something 1 really liked.


    We were walking past the window of a small, exclusive boutique called Seraphina’s when I stopped dead in my tracks.


    The dress in the window was stunning. Midnight blue silk that seemed to shimmer between navy and ck depending on how the light hit it. The neckline was an elegant sweetheart shape, the thin off–shoulder straps delicately beaded with pearls.


    It was the exact kind of dress I wanted.


    “Oh my,” Lilith breathed beside me. “E, that’s gorgeous.”


    “It’s perfect,” I said, and I meant it. Just looking at it made me feel more confident.


    “The price tag probably has more zeros than your phone number,” Gabriel muttered behind us.


    I ignored him and headed for the door. “Let’s go try it on.”


    Within minutes, I was standing in a fitting room, sliding into the most beautiful dress I’d ever worn. The silk felt like liquid against <b>my </b><b>skin</b><b>, </b><b>and </b><b>when </b><b>i </b>


    13:27 Mon<b>, </b>25 <b>Aug </b>


    Mon, 25 AUDI


    looked in the miner, let out an audible gasp.


    I looked… regal. Powerful. Like someone who belonged on the arm of a future Alpha King


    And the mark on my neck… It was on full disy. As if the dress had simply been made to show it off.


    immediately decided to purchase the dress, and when I went up to the counter to pay, the number on the receipt made Gabriel’s eye funtch. But ignored him and swiped Alexander’s car without hesitation.


    “One more stop,” I announced as we loaded the garment bag into the car. “The jeweler.”


    Gabriel went very still. “That’s not necessary. I can handle that errandter.”


    “Alexander asked you to stop there today.” I slid into the back seat.


    “I’m perfectly capable of running a simple errand without supervision-”


    “I’m sure you are. But since we’re out anyway, we might as well take care of it now.”


    Gabriel nched. “But-”


    –


    “Goddess, Gabriel, it’s just an errand.” My nostrils red, and without even meaning to, a shimmer of authority slipped into my voice you’re supposed to pick up.”


    The Beta’s shoulders tensed, eyes widening into saucers as my Luna Voice washed over him. The authority had be second nature to me my wolf had returned, and even the smallest ounce of power was irresistible to Gabriel.


    Finally, he sighed, head drooping. “It was your locket. The <i>one </i>that got broken at the auction.”


    A


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