Chapter 124

Ella POV

Alexander knew exactly what he was doing to me—the closeness of his body, the heat radiating from his workout, and the effortless way he carried himself. There was no way my reaction was unexpected, and I refused to let him see just how much he was affecting me.

Without overthinking, I placed both of my hands against his chest. The contact drew a startled sound from him, and for a moment, a heated look flickered in his eyes.

My pulse raced, but before I could give in to the pull between us, I shoved hard, sending him splashing backward into the water.

What I didn’t anticipate was his lightning-fast reflexes. His hands shot out, grabbing my waist as he fell, and I let out a yelp of surprise as we both plunged into the pool.

When I resurfaced, water streaming down my face, I couldn’t stop the helpless giggles that bubbled up.

Alexander didn’t let me enjoy the moment for long. He reached for my leg and tugged, sending me crashing back under the water with a startled squeal.

I emerged again, spluttering and pushing my hair out of my face, only to see him grinning victoriously, his laughter rich and unapologetic.

"This is a side of you I haven’t seen," I commented, trying to sound composed despite the flush spreading across my cheeks.

He smirked, his voice low and amused. "I could say the same to you. I don’t think I’ve ever seen you be playful before."

"I suppose we really are getting to know each other," I said, offering a small smile. "It’s only natural after so long."

"I suppose that’s true," Alexander replied, though his expression turned slightly guarded.

Sensing the shift, I decided to steer the conversation away from anything that might become awkward. "So, tomorrow morning, we’re going to the castle?"

"That’s right," he confirmed. "I’ve spoken to Topher, and everything’s ready for the visit. He seemed quite excited about showing you around."

"That’s kind of him."

Alexander’s expression soured slightly. "I suppose so."

"You told me that you and Christopher used to be friends. Did something happen between the two of you? Did you have a fight or something? You don’t seem all that thrilled to have his help."

"It’s nothing quite so dramatic," Alexander said, his tone measured. "Topher and I were friends when we were young, but… there are areas where I feel he hasn’t matured since then. I don’t know if you’ve noticed—or if you’ve chosen to ignore it—but he’s been quite flirtatious with you. And I want to warn you, that’s likely going to continue."

I blinked, caught off guard. "Why would he be flirting with your fiancée?"

"To get under my skin," Alexander answered, his tone tinged with irritation, as if it were obvious. "He enjoys bothering me. He finds it amusing to get a rise out of people."

"I see." I nodded thoughtfully. "Well, thank you for the warning. I’ll make sure to stay on guard around him tomorrow. I wouldn’t want him getting the wrong idea."

Alexander’s expression softened, and he looked almost relieved. "It shouldn’t take too long, which is good, because we’ve got plenty of other things to sort out for the wedding. I can’t believe it’s coming up so soon."

"You’re the one who wanted an early winter date," I reminded him with a playful raise of my brow.

"Even so, it still feels like it’s snuck up on me," he admitted. "After you texted me last night, I called my mother. She’s excited about the dress shopping trip. I’ve made all the arrangements for you to go on Monday."

"That’s quite soon," I murmured, though I wasn’t entirely surprised. Alexander was right, we were running out of time.

"It won’t take too long, I’m sure," Alexander said, offering me a reassuring smile. "You’ve already been through this once. I imagine you have some idea of what you want."

"I’m sure it’ll be pleasant," I replied, though my tone lacked conviction. "There’s no need to worry about that."

I still didn’t feel right telling him about what Diana had said to me. It wasn’t my place to interfere in his relationship with his mother. But deep down, I knew that if she crossed a line again, I’d have no choice but to tell him the truth.

Whether or not he believed me, I wouldn’t be able to keep it to myself. The anxiety I felt at the prospect of spending time with Diana wasn’t entirely tied to her attitude toward Alexander—or at least, that was all I could be certain of. There was no other reason I should feel uneasy around her… was there?

"So, are you done with your workout?" Alexander’s question pulled me from my spiraling thoughts.

"Yes," I confirmed, shaking off the lingering tension. "I need to head home soon. I have an occupational therapy appointment today, and I don’t want to be late."

"How is that going?" he asked, his curiosity genuine. "Do you feel it’s helping?"

"I think it is," I said thoughtfully. "But I can’t be certain until there’s some undeniable sign of progress."

"You’ll get your wolf back," he said, his voice steady and sure. "And if there’s anything more I can do to help, all you need to do is ask."

"You’ve already done so much," I said softly, smiling at him.

"I’ll speak to you again soon," Alexander said, his expression warm but serious. "Have a good day, Ella. And keep your guard up."

"I will," I replied, though a shiver ran down my spine at his parting words.

I couldn’t quite shake the unease as I showered, dressed, and got in the car to head back to my home territory. Thoughts of danger lurking around every corner lingered in my mind, following me all the way to the therapist’s office.

By the time I arrived, I was a little late. The receptionist wasn’t at her desk, so I left a brief note to announce my arrival and made my way toward the therapist’s office. As I approached the door, hushed voices drifted out, stopping me in my tracks.

I hesitated, not wanting to interrupt if she was with another client. Standing there, debating whether to knock or retreat, I started to pick up on the words filtering through the door.

"Royals are always spoiled," my therapist’s voice said, her tone clipped and cold. "Regardless of their age. But she’s a grown woman and still behaves this way? Shameful."

I frowned, startled by the harshness of her words. Who could she be talking about?

No other voice responded, and I wondered if she was on the phone. My pulse quickened, the unease from earlier sharpening into something more personal. Finally, I worked up the nerve to step forward and knocked lightly on the doorframe.

"Miss Rowan," she said, her voice suddenly louder and more polished, as if catching herself. "You made it after all. I was beginning to wonder." Into her phone, she added, "We’ll talk soon," before ending the call and slipping it into her pocket.

"Is everything all right?" she asked briskly, her eyes scanning me. "What was the holdup?"

"I had an appointment in the capital first thing this morning, and it ran a little late," I replied, forcing a polite tone.

"I see," she said, her expression neutral but her shoulders tense. "Well, I’d appreciate it if you could call next time to let me know you still plan on coming."

"Of course," I said quickly. "It was inconsiderate of me not to. I just didn’t realize the time until I was already here."

She nodded curtly, opening her laptop and pulling up my file. I couldn’t help but notice the tightness in her movements, as though she were still annoyed.

The words I had overheard echoed in my mind. Was she talking about me? I tried not to take it personally.

Perhaps she was simply irritated by my tardiness, and her comments were a momentary venting of frustration. She wasn’t wrong—there were plenty of children of Alphas who fit the description she’d given, spoiled and entitled.

Still, “shameful” seemed harsh if it was just about being late. Or maybe I was being oversensitive. For all I knew, she hadn’t been talking about me at all.

I decided it was best to pretend I hadn’t heard anything and continue as normal. But a faint unease remained, curling at the edges of my thoughts.