Chapter 138

Ella POV

Just as I was beginning to lose myself in the kiss, the front door burst open. My mother’s surprised gasp cut through the moment, and I quickly pulled away from Alexander, heat rushing to my face in mortified embarrassment.

Alexander laughed under his breath—a soft, warm sound—and when I looked up, I found him smiling fondly at me, completely unbothered.

“My goodness,” my mother said, a teasing lilt in her voice. “I see the wedding is coming just in time—you two can hardly control yourselves.”

“Mother!” I exclaimed, my cheeks burning even hotter.

“My apologies, Mrs. Rowan,” Alexander said smoothly, his usual charming smile firmly in place.

“No need to apologize,” she replied, clearly amused. “I assume from your goodbye kiss that you won’t be joining us for dinner?”

Alexander shook his head. “Unfortunately, I have too much work to do. After all, we’re almost out of time.”

“True enough,” my mother said. “Does that mean things went well today?”

“Yes,” Alexander replied. “We’ve chosen the wine, and it will be delivered here tonight—if that’s still all right with you?”

“Of course,” my mother said. “We have plenty of space to store it.”

“In that case, I’d better stop procrastinating,” Alexander said, turning back to me with a soft smile. He leaned in and kissed me lightly on the cheek. “Have a good night,” he murmured, his voice low and intimate. “We’ll talk soon.”

“Good night,” I managed to say, my face burning all over again. He gave me a knowing look before turning and heading back to the car, leaving me flustered on the doorstep.

I went inside with my mother, feeling the weight of her amused expression.

“Don’t laugh at me,” I said, my embarrassment still fresh.

“I’m not laughing at you,” she replied gently. “I’m happy for you. Alexander truly seems to make you happy.”

“He does,” I admitted, the warmth in my chest softening the sting of embarrassment.

“Good,” my mother said with a nod. “Now, why don’t you get some rest? You look exhausted.”

“I feel it,” I agreed, letting out a long sigh.

The rest of the evening passed without much incident. Alexander and I exchanged a few texts confirming some final details for the wedding, but most of the work was done.

All that was left now was to wait for the big day.

Strangely, the waiting made me anxious, despite this not being my first wedding. Still, I managed to quiet my nerves as the night wore on, and by the time I crawled into bed, I felt more at ease.

That is, until I was awakened by strange sounds in the night.

I sat bolt upright, my heart pounding. The muffled shouts of our guards outside reached my ears, and fear gripped me like a vice. Throwing on my robe, I rushed downstairs, clutching it tightly around me.

My parents were already there. My mother immediately wrapped her arms around me, holding me close as though she feared I might run headfirst into the unknown danger outside.

I clung to my mother, my mind racing as fear coiled tightly in my chest. Whatever was happening outside, it was enough to rattle even our well-trained security. And that terrified me most of all.

“What is it?” I asked, panic thick in my voice. “What’s going on?”

“An intruder,” my father said firmly. “You stay here.”

“But what if it’s David?” I asked, my heart racing.

“All the more reason to stay here,” he replied sharply, his tone leaving no room for argument. “I’ll be back in just a moment.”

I watched helplessly as he rushed outside, fear gripping my heart. My mother held me tightly, her presence the only thing grounding me as we both stood in tense silence, trying not to let our minds wander to the worst-case scenario.

The shouting outside eventually died down, but the tension only grew as my father returned to the house. His expression was grim, his shoulders taut with unspoken anger.

“What was it?” my mother asked, her voice steady, though the tightness in her tone betrayed her concern.

“Sabotage,” my father said, his voice low. “The wine was stored in the guest house out back. Someone broke in and tampered with it.”

“The wine for the wedding?” I asked in disbelief, my voice trembling. “But… why? Why would anyone do that?”

“We’ll soon find out,” he said. “I’ve already ordered it to be tested and examined carefully to ensure it’s still safe.”

“Who did it?” my mother pressed, her composure razor-sharp.

My father hesitated, his eyes flicking to me for a brief moment before returning to my mother. “We’re confirming the identity, but we believe it was Dr. Brianna McIntyre.”

For a moment, my mind refused to process the name. Then it hit me. Dr. McIntyre—the substitute occupational therapist I’d been working with for the past few weeks.

The same woman I’d overheard on the phone the other day, complaining bitterly about the “spoiled children of Alphas.”

“Why would she do such a thing?” I asked, confusion twisting in my chest.

“I don’t know,” my father said grimly. “But when we catch her, I’ll make sure we find out.”

“She got away?” my mother asked, her voice betraying a rare flicker of surprise.

“Yes,” my father said, frustration lacing his words. “She was too quick for the guards.”

A sudden thought struck me, and I blurted it out before I could overthink it. “The note in my bedroom—the one from David. Could she have been the one who snuck into the house?”

My father’s sharp gaze snapped to me, his attention fully captured. “It’s possible,” he said, his voice thoughtful. “She certainly knows the grounds well and the guards likely wouldn’t have questioned her presence.”

My mind was spinning, pieces of the puzzle falling into place faster than I could process.

I took a steadying breath before speaking again. “What about my pills?” I asked. “The ones that were tampered with—the ones meant to cure my wolf. She’s a doctor; she would have had access to them. Could she have been David’s spy all along?”

The weight of my words settled over the room like a fog. My parents exchanged a tense, knowing look, and the silence between us suddenly felt heavier than ever.

“Why would she do it?” I asked again, my voice barely a whisper, desperation clawing at me for answers.

My father’s expression hardened, his jaw tightening as if bracing for a storm. “That’s what we’re going to find out.”

My father placed his hands gently on my shoulders, his gaze steady as he looked me in the eye. “Ella,” he said softly, “these are all very good questions, and I promise you we will find the answers. But not tonight. I need you to go up to your room and try to rest. I’ve increased the security for tonight—nothing more will happen. I promise.”

I wanted to argue, to insist that I could do something, but I knew it would do no good. If Dr. McIntyre was truly behind all of this, she wouldn’t stop running until she’d left our packlands.

She’d know she had been compromised and could never return. There wouldn’t be an opportunity to question her—not anytime soon.

“I know this is a lot,” my mother said, her voice calm but firm. I turned to look at her, and there it was again—that serious, stern expression she always wore in dangerous or upsetting situations.

“You’re right,” I said with a sigh. “There’s nothing to be done about it tonight. I’ll head up to my room.”

“You’re safe,” my father assured me, his tone filled with conviction. “You can trust in that.”

“I know,” I replied, forcing a small smile for his sake, though it felt far from natural.

When I returned to my room, a fresh wave of emotions crashed over me. The fact that someone had tried to tamper with the wine was a clear indication they were working with David. Who else would have such motivation to sabotage the wedding?

But the implications were even more unsettling.

Whoever was behind this had not only accessed the house but seemed to have an intimate understanding of my routines. They knew about my comings and goings. Was it possible Dr. McIntyre wasn’t acting alone?

The thought sent a renewed shiver of fear through me.

There had to be more to this—a deeper plan, a larger threat. My mind raced, piecing together every detail I could remember, but it only made the fear more powerful.

I stared out the window, the moonlight casting long shadows across my room, and I knew one thing for certain: I wouldn’t be getting back to sleep tonight.