Chapter 148

Ella POV

“What do you think the announcement is going to be?” I asked after we were safely in the car, heading back toward the capital.

“I suspect it had something to do with Elizabeth. She and Damien Rose seemed quite close, and the way they danced together all night certainly had people talking,” Alexander said.

“I’m sure it’s got something to do with that,” I replied. “Elizabeth has been keeping things private between them. I’m sure she would have told me already if they planned to go public.”

“I hadn’t considered that,” he said. “What else could it be, though?”

I hesitated. “I wonder if it’s possible he’s decided to retire.”

Alexander’s eyes widened as he stared at me. “Do you think it could really be so soon?”

I nodded. “We knew an election would be coming. That’s the whole point of this deal we’ve made, but it does seem sudden, doesn’t it? I just can’t think of another reason.”

“If that’s the case, we’ve got a lot of work to do to prepare,” Alexander said, exhaling slowly. His mind was already racing, and I could see it in the intensity of his gaze. “We’ll need to plan for every eventuality.”

“We can focus on that tomorrow,” I said gently, reaching out to touch his arm. “Today, I think we just need to recover from the wedding.”

“Is there any other business?” he asked, his tone still thoughtful. “Anything you need to do before you’re fully moved in—besides unpacking?”

“Well, I do need to go back to my pack lands to grab a few more things from my father’s house. I also need to sign some paperwork at the doctor’s office. I asked Dr. Bowman to transfer my records to the doctor you set me up with, but they need an in-person signature for that.”

“That seems a bit strict,” Alexander said, furrowing his brow.

“After what happened with Dr. McIntyre, they’re tightening security around the medical facilities.”

“Ah,” he said softly, understanding. “Well, that makes sense. Would you like to go take care of that now? I can help gather your belongings, and we can eat with your parents before we head back to the capital.”

“That feels like a lot to ask,” I said softly. “But the help would be much appreciated.”

“Of course, it’s not too much to ask,” Alexander replied, his voice warm. “You’re my wife now, remember?”

I couldn’t help but return his smile. “Thank you.”

Alexander tapped on the glass partition separating us from the driver and informed him of the change in plans. Then, we settled into a comfortable silence, the gentle hum of the car soothing after such an eventful night.

I sipped from the bottled water provided, hoping it would help ease the lingering effects of the hangover by the time we reached my father’s house.

When we arrived at the hospital in my territory, the late afternoon sun was casting long shadows over the building. Alexander walked in with me, his presence reassuring as always.

As soon as we stepped through the doors, the woman at the reception desk abruptly bolted upright and hurried to the back without a word.

Alexander raised an eyebrow, giving me a questioning look. I shrugged, equally puzzled.

“That’s… not normal,” I said, my voice low.

A few moments later, Dr. Bowman emerged, his expression tense and concerned as he approached us.

“Congratulations on the wedding,” he began, though his tone was heavy. “And I’m so sorry for everything that’s happened.”

“You’re not to blame for any of it,” I replied firmly. “There’s no need to apologize.”

“I just don’t know how it could have come to this,” Dr. Bowman said, shaking his head. “I can’t apologize enough. If only I’d noticed some sign with Dr. McIntyre, this all could have been avoided.”

“She deceived everyone,” Alexander said, his tone steady and reassuring. “The blame doesn’t lie with you. But we do appreciate your concern, Doctor.”

Dr. Bowman exhaled deeply, a flicker of relief crossing his face. “Thank you, Alpha Black.”

“Of course,” Alexander said smoothly. “I believe there were some forms that required Ella’s signature?”

“Yes, of course,” Dr. Bowman replied. He walked over to the nurse’s desk, opened a drawer, and retrieved a stack of papers. Grabbing a clipboard and pen, he brought them over to me.

“You just need to sign these consent forms to have your files transferred,” he explained, setting them in front of me. “I’ll ensure they’re sent over by the end of business today. It’s a shame to see you go, Ella, but I know you’ll be in good hands.”

“Absolutely,” Alexander said with a reassuring smile. “The best hands. The medical team taking care of Ella is top-notch.”

Dr. Bowman nodded thoughtfully. “And I assume they’ll be working on recovering her wolf?”

I paused, my pen hovering over the clipboard, before continuing to flip through the papers, signing and initialing where indicated.

“Yes,” Alexander confirmed. “Along with a team of personal trainers.”

“And occupational therapy?” Dr. Bowman asked gently.

I hesitated, glancing up at him. “I’m not sure if I’ll continue with that,” I admitted. “After what happened with Dr. McIntyre…”

“That’s understandable,” Dr. Bowman said kindly. “As long as the experience hasn’t made you give up on your wolf.”

“No, not at all,” I said firmly, handing the clipboard back to him.

“Good,” he said, sounding relieved. “After the damage done through the misuse of our office, I would hate to hear that you’d lost hope.”

“We have more answers now,” I said, meeting his eyes. “About what happened. Hopefully, we’ll be able to undo the damage.”

“We will,” Alexander interjected confidently, his hand brushing mine. “We just need to be patient.”

We said our goodbyes and headed out to the car. Exhaustion weighed heavily on me, and I could tell Alexander felt it too, but my mind wouldn’t stop spinning with his words.

As he opened the door for me, I climbed in and waited as he slid in beside me. Without thinking, I grabbed his hand. Alexander looked at me in surprise, his brows lifting slightly.

“Did you really mean that?” I asked, my voice quieter than I intended.

“Mean what?” he asked, turning fully toward me.

“That you’re confident I’ll be able to recover my wolf. I want to believe it’s true, but...”

“Yes,” Alexander said firmly, his gaze unwavering. “I’m confident, and you should be too. You have the absolute best resources available—not just my medical team. You’re strong, Ella. Stronger than you realize. If anyone can overcome this, it’s you.”

I started to release his hand, pulling back slightly, but Alexander reached out, clasping my hand again. He settled into the seat, and I found myself staring down at our intertwined fingers as the car began to move.

The moment in the gym resurfaced in my mind—the time I had growled at Alexander. It had been so minor, so instinctual, that I hadn’t even noticed it at first. But it was a sign. A sign that all of this was working, that I could recover my wolf.

Knowing now that Dr. McIntyre, who had not only been acting as my occupational therapist but also tampering with my medication, was gone gave me hope. It seemed reasonable to believe I might truly recover from this sickness.

The thought made my head spin. It was exactly what I wanted, and excitement bubbled within me. But it also brought uncertainty.

For so long, I had given up on the idea of finding my fated mate. With my wolf’s return, though, it was possible I might sense them someday.

And now, being married to Alexander, it could complicate things if that day ever came.

Still, it felt like a distant possibility—one I couldn’t afford to dwell on. There was no way to know if or when my wolf would fully recover, so there was little sense in fixating on it.

I tightened my grip on Alexander’s hand slightly, and he squeezed back, grounding me in the present moment.