Chapter 122

Ella POV

I stepped out of the car, and the expression on my mother’s face hardened instantly. She looked angry—furious, even—and I couldn’t imagine what I’d done to deserve it. My mind raced as I walked toward her, trying to figure out the reason for her mood.

Then it struck me. My stomach dropped as I realized the truth: I had gone straight from my doctor’s appointment to the capital without saying a word to my parents.

“It’s nice to see that you’re still alive and well,” my mother said sarcastically, crossing her arms. “You didn’t check in. I suppose you had different priorities?”

Guilt hit me like a wave as I considered everything that had happened recently—kidnappings, druggings, endless danger. My mother must have been worried sick when I didn’t come home. Yet... she hadn’t called or texted me?

“I’m sorry I forgot to check in,” I said uncertainly, grasping for an excuse. “Something must be wrong with my phone. None of your calls came through.”

“I didn’t try to call you,” she replied, and a slight smile tugged at her lips.

“What do you mean?” I asked, my confusion deepening.

“I called Alexander,” she explained, her tone oddly amused. “Actually, he called me. He said he invited you to the capital after some unpleasant news had upset you. So, I wasn’t too worried when you didn’t call—I knew you were safe. But I do think we need to have a conversation about this.”

“Okay,” I said uncertainly, following her as she turned and led the way into the house. We went to the living room and took our usual seats, though I felt far from comfortable. My nerves spiked as she examined me closely, her gaze scrutinizing every detail of my expression.

Then, to my surprise, she started laughing.

“I’m very confused,” I admitted. “Am I in trouble or not?”

“Of course you’re not in trouble. You’re an adult, aren’t you?” she replied, a teasing lilt to her voice. “I just wanted to give you a hard time. It was a little inconsiderate not to reach out, considering everything that’s been going on.”

“I know,” I murmured, unable to meet her gaze as guilt weighed on me. “Everything happened so fast—it just slipped my mind.”

“I understand,” she said. “Alexander explained what happened with the message from Amanda and the venue.”

“He did?” I said in shock, unable to picture Alexander having such a casual conversation with my mother. For so long, she had seemed suspicious of him, and yet now she sounded... reassured? If he had gone out of his way to talk to her, perhaps it would go a long way toward winning her over.

I couldn’t help but smile slightly. “He’s really taken care of everything for me today, hasn’t he?”

“Seems that way,” she agreed. “But what I actually wanted to talk to you about is your living arrangements.”

“What?” I asked, caught off guard.

Her expression grew serious again, and she shifted uncomfortably in her chair. “It seems to me that you’re spending a lot of time in the capital, and it’s become a nuisance for you to keep coming home. So, I’m wondering—why do you insist on doing so?”

“Well, it wouldn’t be proper for me to move in with Alexander until after the wedding, would it?”

“Maybe,” she replied, nodding slightly. “Is that your plan, then? To move to Alexander’s pack land after the wedding?”

“No,” I said, shaking my head. “We plan to stay in the capital.”

Her expression softened with what looked like relief. “Well, that’s not too far, is it?” she said, her smile faint. “I understand that everything between the two of you has been happening so quickly, but I’d appreciate it if you made more of an effort to keep your father and me informed. I’m sure you understand.”

"I understand, and I'm sorry," I said.

"Good," my mother replied with a sigh. "I’m trying not to be overprotective, but you know how I worry."

"I know," I said, feeling contrite. "I’ll do better about keeping you in the loop. Today was just hectic. In fact, everything’s been hectic since we returned from visiting Alexander’s family."

"It does seem like you’ve been busy every minute of the day," she said, a hint of sadness in her tone. "We’ve hardly had a chance to talk."

"Oh, that reminds me," I said, seizing the moment. "As long as we have a chance now, I wanted to ask you about dress shopping."

"Oh?" she said, raising an eyebrow. "I wondered if you’d want to make a big deal about that again or if you’d just end up using the dress you chose last time that went unused."

"I had considered it," I admitted. "But I decided against it. It feels like bad luck to wear a dress I’d chosen with David in mind."

"I hadn’t considered it from that angle," she said thoughtfully. "That’s probably a good decision. Well, I’d love to go shopping with you again," she added, her smile kind. "As long as we arrange for our own transportation."

We shared an unsteady laugh, both remembering the chaos of last time. The kidnapping with Amanda still loomed over our memories, a shadow we had yet to fully understand.

"Maybe this will be the redo we need—to erase that bad memory with a pleasant one," I said hopefully.

"I hope so," my mother agreed. "Will it just be the two of us?"

"Well, if it’s okay with you, Alexander’s mother, Diana, has asked to join us. I don’t think you two have ever met, and she expressed a desire to get to know you before the wedding."

"Diana Black," she said thoughtfully. "We’ve never officially met, but I’ve heard a lot about her. It only makes sense that we should meet, since you’ll be marrying her son."

"It’s okay, isn’t it?" I asked hesitantly. I could sense her hesitation and didn’t want to pressure her.

"Of course," she said, her smile reassuring. "I’m only thinking of how quickly things have changed. Let me know when you want to go shopping, and I’ll make sure I’m available."

With that, she stood and walked over to me. I stood, too, and she wrapped me in a tight hug.

"Now, you need to get cleaned up for dinner," she said warmly. "You’re going to the gym in the morning, aren’t you?"

"Yes," I answered.

The rest of the evening was pleasant and quiet. I helped my father with some paperwork on the solar farm proposal before we enjoyed a nice dinner.

Later, I texted with Alexander, who was amused that my mother had teased me about forgetting to check in.

I had the distinct feeling the two of them were starting to get along.

The next morning, I ate a light breakfast and then headed directly to the capital to meet the trainers at the gym. I was making good progress and decided to focus on cardio for the day.

An hour into my workout, Alexander walked in. My heart skipped a beat as I caught sight of him. Memories of the last time we were in the gym together flashed through my mind, and I felt my cheeks grow warm.

He went straight to one of the bench presses, the muscles in his arms flexing with each lift. It was almost too much for me to handle.

This was the first time he’d been at the gym with me since that first day, and I didn’t think it was intentional. He hadn’t even glanced my way.

I felt like a creep staring at him without his knowledge, but I couldn’t help myself. My eyes lingered on him, my thoughts drifting to how effortlessly captivating he always seemed to be.

Then his head turned and our eyes locked. My heart sped up as a slow smirk spread across his face.

I averted my eyes, feeling heat course through me. I had promised myself I wouldn’t go to the gym with him again for exactly this reason, but it seemed that fate had other ideas.

What should I do now? I thought as I glanced back at Alexander who was still staring at me with a sly smile on his face.