It was supposed to be given during the wedding night.


    For an Alpha to not mark his mate… it was a scandal of the highest order.


    This would destroy Alexander’s campaign. His reputation. Everything we’d been working for.


    “I’d like to be discharged today,” I said, handing her phone back. “I need to go home.”


    Dr. Evelyn frowned. “Are you sure? After what happened yesterday—”


    “I’m fine,” I insisted. “My vitals are stable, right? And I feel much better.”


    It was a lie. Despite the surge of energy I’d feltst night, I was exhausted and in pain. But I couldn’t stay here, not with the paparazzi breaking in. It was better to go home.


    After some debate, Dr. Evelyn reluctantly agreed to discharge me early, but only after running a final round of tests to ensure I wasn’t in the danger zone.


    By early afternoon, I was ready to leave, dressed in the clothes Lilith had brought for my discharge. I slipped Alexander’s sweatshirt on, but only to appease the paparazzi that I knew were waiting outside. At least, that was what I told myself as his faint scent washed over me.


    Lilith and I exited through the back of the hospital to avoid the paparazzi, although they had surrounded the entire ce. Thankfully, Liam was waiting right by the door with his car, engine running.


    Alexander wasn’t with him. Of course. I didn’t expect him toe for me today, even if I had turned my feet raw and bloody from running after himst night.


    “Quick,” Liam said, opening the passenger door for me. “Get in before they realize you’re here.”


    I slid into the seat, ducking low as Liam hurried around to the driver’s side. As we pulled away from the hospital, I caught sight of a group of photographers rushing toward us, cameras shing. Thankfully, we were already elerating down the street.


    “How bad is it?” I asked, finally sitting up once we were safely away.


    Liam grimaced. “Bad. It’s all anyone’s talking about. I don’t know who leaked it, but they did a thorough job.”


    I leaned my head against the window, watching the town blur past. Would this impact Alexander’s campaign? Most importantly, would it impact our contract? If he didn’t make it through the election, would he refuse to divorce me? I might as well die now if that were the


    case.


    When we finally pulled up to the mansion, I expected chaos. Shouting matches between Alexander and Gabriel. Frantic phone calls to PR teams. General panic.


    What I didn’t expect was to find Alexander calmly sipping coffee in the kitchen, reading a newspaper as if it were any other day.


    He looked up as I entered. “Wee home.”


    I dropped my bag on the floor and stared at him, bewildered. “That’s it? ‘Wee home’? Have you seen the news?”


    “Of course I have.” He carefully folded the newspaper and set it aside. “I’ve been dealing with it all morning.”


    “Dealing with it? How? Our marriage is a sham, Alexander. Everyone knows it now. Your campaign is over.”


    Alexander’s lips twitched, almost forming a smile. “Don’t be so dramatic. This is a minor setback, nothing more.”


    I couldn’t believe what I was hearing. “Everyone knows you haven’t marked your mate! There’s nothing ‘minor’ about that!”


    “I have marked you,” Alexander said calmly. “And we’re going to prove it.”


    I folded my arms across my chest. “Now you’re just not making any sense. You haven’t marked me.”


    Alexander stood. “No, I haven’t. But they don’t know that; which is why we’re going to give you a fake mark and go out tonight to show it off”