Chapter 144

Third Person POV

"This can't possibly be all there is," David spat angrily, gripping the balcony railing as he glared down at the meager crowd of guests gathered below. The small assembly consisted solely of members of his own pack and Amanda's, and the sight made his blood boil.

"We were supposed to start ten minutes ago," Amanda said, her voice trembling with unease.

"There should be four times as many people here!" David shouted, whirling around to direct his fury at her.

Amanda flinched under his glare, wringing her hands nervously. Once, he’d thought her beautiful in the princess-style lace gown she’d chosen, but now, standing there looking fragile and pathetic, she seemed ridiculous to him, like a child playing dressup.

"What a waste of time and money," he snapped coldly.

“Watch how you speak to my sister.”

The sharp, commanding voice made David stiffen. He bit the inside of his cheek as he turned to see Archer, Amanda’s oldest brother, striding toward them.

“I’m the one who paid for this wedding,” Archer said, his tone hard as steel. “So the money shouldn’t concern you. And it’s not too late to cancel this whole charade.”

David scoffed but swallowed the biting retort that sprang to mind. Archer was not a man to provoke, especially when David was already in his debt. Angering him now would only invite more trouble.

“Have they caught that bitch yet?” David asked, shifting the topic.

Archer shook his head, his expression grim. “Dr. McIntyre is still on the run. She could be in the north by now, for all we know.”

“I thought you said you could control her,” David snapped.

“And I thought you would have a better plan than poisoning the guests at Black’s wedding,” Archer retorted sharply. “What good does that do us? You were supposed to have her plant a believable scandal—something people would actually want to distance themselves from—so they’d come here instead.”

“I suggested every scandal I could think of!” David shot back defensively. “She disobeyed orders!”

"That doesn't matter now," Archer said evenly, his tone sharp. "What matters is that we find her and kill her before the King's men get any information out of her. This whole thing has gotten far messier than it ever should have been."

"That’s not my fault," David shot back defensively, his jaw tightening.

"It doesn’t matter whose fault it is," Archer snapped. "What matters is making the best of the situation we’re in. So quit pouting and get your ass down there. Let’s watch my beautiful sister walk down the aisle."

“Fine,” David muttered through clenched teeth. He stormed past Archer and Amanda, his footsteps heavy with frustration. Before disappearing down the hall, he threw over his shoulder, “But this isn’t over. I’m not done with Black—not by a long shot.”

Amanda let out a quiet sigh, glancing up at her brother with a strained smile. Despite her misery, she managed to say sincerely, “Thank you for everything.”

“Don’t mention it,” Archer replied. His voice softened, though the edge of warning remained. “Just remember what I said about David. If he doesn’t get his act together, you’re not going to have a husband for long.”

Amanda swallowed hard and nodded. “I know.”

Archer’s words worried her, but a small, secret part of her was glad someone else had the courage to call David out for his harshness. She’d felt it, the sting of his anger, more times than she cared to admit.

Still, it wouldn’t come to that. Things were going to work out. They had to.

Ella would pay, Amanda told herself, her nails digging into her palms. One way or another,

Amanda was going to get the ending she deserved.

It was only a matter of time.

Alexander POV

The relief and joy radiating from Ella was impossible to ignore—and utterly infectious. I found myself smiling easily, even laughing, as we made our rounds through the reception, greeting guests and making introductions for one another.

Everyone seemed to be having an incredibly good time, which was all I could have hoped for. I wanted this to be a night to remember, one that would leave people thinking fondly of Ella, of myself, and of our bond.

Positive memories like these would be invaluable in countering the wave of negative publicity that had surrounded us in recent weeks.

For my part, I knew I’d remember this night for the rest of my life, and I felt confident our guests would feel the same.

As we chatted and mingled, it was almost time for our first dance, though we were still making introductions and exchanging pleasantries. The sheer number of attendees was overwhelming in the best way—far more than I had expected.

In fact, I couldn’t imagine many people showing up at David’s wedding considering how many were here tonight.

But thoughts of David Lake were not worth entertaining at the moment. Dwelling on him would only sour my good mood.

"Alex!" an excited female voice called out. I turned, already knowing who it was. Only one person still called me that.

Fiona.

I opened my arms for a hug, and she rushed forward, clasping me tightly and laughing.

“I can’t believe it!” she exclaimed, pulling away to smack my shoulder playfully. “You’re married before I am! I can’t believe it.”

“Maybe if you didn’t treat men so roughly, you’d be married by now,” I teased, rubbing my shoulder with an exaggerated wince.

“Ella,” I said, turning to her and sliding an arm around her waist, “this is my childhood friend, Fiona. I don’t think you’ve had the chance to meet her yet.”

“No, I don’t believe so,” Ella said with a warm smile. “It’s good to know I’m not the only woman who doesn’t let Alexander get away with anything.”

Fiona grinned mischievously. “Oh, I can already tell we’re going to get along just fine. Downright criminal you haven’t introduced us before now!” she scolded, turning to glare at me with mock anger.

I raised my hands in mock surrender. “Hey, that’s not my fault! You’re the one who’s been out of the capital for weeks at a time.”

“I’ve been working,” she shot back, narrowing her eyes, “and you made no effort to coordinate with me.”

“I’ve been busy,” I replied with a shrug.

“Busy falling in love and planning a wedding,” she retorted, turning her attention back to Ella. “Congratulations! You look absolutely stunning.”

“Thank you,” Ella replied sweetly.

“Lovebirds,” Elizabeth’s voice cut through the conversation as she strolled up behind us, her tone light but teasing. “It’s time for your first dance. This is where you two get so lost in each other’s eyes, you barely notice the rest of the room.”

Ella laughed, a soft blush stealing over her cheeks. I couldn’t help myself—I bent down and kissed her lightly. Without another word, I took her hand and led her to the dance floor.

She continued to giggle, the sound like music of its own, as the crowd gathered in a wide circle around us. I placed one hand on her waist, holding the other firmly but gently.

The room gradually fell into a hush, the kind of reverent silence that felt almost sacred. Then the music began.

Ella’s laughter faded, her focus shifting entirely to me as I pulled her close. We hadn’t practiced this dance, yet somehow it felt as though we had. Our movements were effortless, in perfect harmony, as we swayed across the floor.

The intensity of Ella’s gaze locked me in place, even as we spun and turned. In that moment, I knew her eyes—soft yet piercing, brimming with joy—would be burned into my memory forever. Still, I couldn’t look away.

This wasn’t just a dance. It was a promise, we would both get everything we wanted. And I wanted to capture every detail, hold onto it tightly, and never let it go.