Ellie POV


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    "You two are getting pretty close, aren''t you?" I said, looking between Lance and Cassian. We were sitting at the patio table in the courtyard, enjoying the nice weather and some snacks while we yed cards.


    "Don''t try to distract from the game with small talk,” Lance teased. “Just because you''re losing."


    "I''m not losing," I scoffed.


    "You absolutely are," Cassian replied with a slight smirk. "You''re pretty terrible at this, actually."


    "I barely remember the rules! Of course I''m terrible at it,” I replied defensively, though I wasn''t actually upset. Hanging out with the two of them was the onlyfort I''d had in thest few weeks, besides Rae''s visits. But those were a little tense.


    She was insistent that I leave as soon as possible, even offered to sneak me out in the middle of the night, but I refused.


    It wasn''t that I didn''t want to go, I just didn''t want to take any unnecessary risks. Until we had a solid n in ce, leaving on my own wasn''t going to keep my baby safe. Sneaking off into the night without a n or a ce to go would only put us in more danger.


    Rae didn''t see it that way, though. In her mind, the worst possible thing that could happen was Nn finding out the truth. Maybe I shouldn''t have told her about the argument we had when I tried to tell him—it had only strengthened her resolve.


    "You''re spacing out again," Lance said, pulling my attention back to the game. "What''s going on in that head of yours, space cadet?"


    "Just thinking about how pathetic my life has gotten-that you''re the bestpany I can find," I replied.


    Lance put his hand over his heart dramatically. "How cruel. And here I am, going out of my way to be nice to you." Cassian huffed a quietugh and shook his head at us. "You''re both dramatic."


    "Everyone''s ganging up on me today," Lance whined. "All I''m doing is trying to keep you two from brooding in your rooms all day. It''s nice oute get some sun, eat some sweets, y cards. I went out of my way, and here you are mocking me. I don''t know why I put up with you."


    Cassian and I shared an amused look at Lance''sining. We knew he wasn''t serious, he was just ying it up to break the tension.


    But he was right. Cassian hardly ever left the pack house, which was fair, the media wouldn''t leave him alone when he did. And I just didn''t have the will to go out right now, not with everything still fresh in my mind from the doctor, and the pressure of deciding the future weighing on me.


    If it weren''t for Lance, I''d still be shut up in my room right now, missing out on the sunshine and the singing birds.


    "Eat another pastry," Lance said, shoving the tray toward me. "The sugar will improve your mood. Unless you think you''re sweet enough already."


    I rolled my eyes at him and selected a blueberry scone from the tray.


    "Get back to the game," Cassian said, nudging Lance. He looked past me, exchanging a nce with him that I


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    couldn''t interpret, but it made me smile. They seemed to really be bing friends.


    I was happy for them. As stressful and ridiculous as thest few weeks had been, at least it seemed like something good wasing out of it.


    Nn POV


    I could hearughter and voices drifting from the courtyard before I even reached the door. It was bing a regr hangout spot for Ellie and Cassian. The two of them seemed to be spending more and more time together.


    That annoyed me for more reasons than I cared to admit, but right now I was just d she was out of her room.


    When I reached the ss door, I saw Lance with them.


    My irritation spiked immediately. His attitude toward me had only grown more hostile since Felicity left. The way he looked at metely-barely concealed disgust-it was like old times.


    Ellie, though, was different. Ever since our conversation, her reactions hadn''t been anything I expected. When I exined my reasoning for rejecting her, she''d almost seemed... relieved.


    I honestly didn''t know if Ellie even believed in the goddess. I had never bothered to ask. Religion was never really part of our lives beyond the obligations we performed atrge gatherings.


    Now that I thought about it, there was a lot about Ellie I didn''t know. Things I''d never cared to know. She probably wasn''t very invested in goddess worship, seeing as she never insisted on a proper ceremony for our marriage.


    Then again, I hadn''t given her much choice.


    Looking at her now, I realized I was staring at a stranger. A stranger I had spent thest few years of my life with. The feeling was... unsettling.


    I should have left her to her game. They looked like they were having fun. But the moment the thought crossed my mind, Lance leaned over with a broad grin and casually draped an arm around Ellie''s shoulders.


    Her smile widened at the contact.


    The growl that rose in my chest startled even me.


    In an instant, I was out the door, storming toward the patio table. All three of them


    snapped their heads up as the atmosphere shattered.


    I shouldn''t care. Ellie was my wife in name only. But just like every other time I saw


    a man too close to her, my blood boiled.


    "There you are,” I snapped at Lance. "We need to talk. Now."


    The way his eyes darkened only stoked my own fury.


    "Whatever it is, it can wait," Lance shot back.


    "The hell it can," I said coldly. "It''s about your marriage."


    Lance scoffed, rolling his eyes as he stood. His shoulders were stiff, posture aggressive. "Don''t bullshit me. The only reason you stormed out here like that is because you''re jealous."


    “Jealous?” I repeated, incredulous. "What the hell would I have to be jealous of?"


    "The fact that Ellie is actually having a good time with us," Lance said, voice sharp. "When''s thest time she


    smiled at you?"


    "Listen to me, you


    bastard-


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    "No, you listen." He took an aggressive step forward. "You might be used to using that Alpha growl to get your way with everyone else in this house, but it doesn''t work on me-and you know it. If you want to throw a fit because you don''t like what you''re seeing, keep it to yourself. It has nothing to do with us."


    “Everything that happens in this pack is my business,” I replied coldly.


    “Not everything,” Lance said, defiant. “Especially not when ites to Ellie. You forfeited the right to be jealous of her a long time ago." (1


    The tension between us crackled in the air. I could feel Ellie and Cassian watching, waiting for my response. My anger was threatening to spill over, and I didn''t trust myself not to escte it further.


    "We need to discuss your arrangement," I said atst, forcing my voice level.


    Then I turned and walked back inside, leaving the three of them to deal with the wreckage of my interruption.


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