Chapter 188

Alexander POV

Standing in front of the cameras again, it was easy to snap back into my public persona. By now, it was second nature to me. After all, I had been Alpha of my own pack since I was relatively young.

Even before then, my father had made me join him for press conferences to get me used to the spotlight. At the time, I hated it, but in hindsight, it had been beneficial.

Sometimes, I wondered if he had known I would have to take over the pack early. But the accident that killed him had been so bizarre, so sudden. Unless he’d had some kind of premonition, he couldn’t have seen it coming.

Then again, after the conversation I just had with Ella, maybe premonitions weren’t such a ridiculous thought. Stranger things had certainly happened.

Alpha Roman took the lead in answering questions. After all, he was the one who had put in the real work. A project like this could have easily taken twice as long without his constant dedication.

"When do you think the project will be operational?" one of the reporters asked.

"We plan to break ground in a week," Alpha Roman answered. "It will take some time to construct, but we're hoping that by the middle of next year, we’ll be providing power to both the Lake Pack and Rowanwood."

"How much electricity do you expect the solar farm to generate?" another reporter shouted.

"We’re attempting to keep our early expectations conservative," he responded. "But if things go well, we can expand and provide electricity to other packs in the area."

"Alpha Black," a reporter called out. "What’s your involvement in this project?"

I stepped forward, fixing a practiced smile onto my face as I looked into the cameras.

"I'm an early investor," I answered. "I've provided assistance in the planning and research process. After all, the original idea was Ella’s, and I’m happy to support my wife in any way."

"Alpha Lake," another reporter shouted, "isn’t it true that the land this farm will be built on was forfeited to the Rowanwood Pack because of your son David’s actions?"

Derrick glanced at Roman and me before stepping up to the microphone.

"The land was part of a pre-wedding agreement between our packs," he answered. "It would have felt disrespectful to attempt to keep it after things between Ella and David fell through."

A murmur rippled through the crowd, and reporters immediately began shouting more questions—none of which had anything to do with the solar farm and everything to do with Ella.

A bolt of anger shot through me, and I clenched the podium with white-knuckled fists.

"You can direct any questions about my wife to me," I said, my voice sharp with warning.

I knew better than to lose my composure. I always tried to be careful. But in that moment, I couldn’t help myself. The crowd of reporters fell silent for several long seconds.

Then Ella’s father stepped forward.

"If there are no more questions about the solar farm," he said, his tone firm, "I’d like to thank you for your time. You can contact our press offices for any further information."

A few more reporters attempted to shout questions, but we ignored them as the three of us stepped away from the stage, knowing that our security would block anyone from trying to follow.

I was furious. I clenched and unclenched my fists, trying to work out my frustration in a way that wouldn’t be noticeable.

Roman stepped away to speak with his beta, leaving only Derrick and me standing awkwardly backstage. The small building was in Lake Pack territory, making the situation even more uncomfortable.

I knew David’s arrest had been ordered, but I had no idea whether the news had reached Derrick or if he had any inkling of what was happening with his son. From what I understood, David’s mother, Lily, had been more involved in his underhanded actions.

Derrick, on the other hand, had no problem aligning himself with their schemes when they benefited him, but he did care about the reputation of his pack. That was why he was here—trying to save face.

I understood Roman’s reasoning for allowing Derrick to be involved, but it still didn’t sit well with me after everything the Lake Pack had put my wife through—

I hesitated. When had I started thinking of Ella that way? It was meant to be a false title, yet now it carried so much weight. My emotions were only heightened by the recent revelation of our mate bond, that was all. I needed to stay in control, to let logic override feeling.

"Alexander."

I looked up as Derrick addressed me, his posture rigid, shoulders back, and head held high. But I could tell he was nervous.

"Yes?" I asked.

"I wanted to speak to you about my wife," he said.

I raised an eyebrow, genuinely surprised. Lily had been an old friend of my mother’s, which was why I had felt confident confronting her when she had been upsetting Ella.

I had remained appropriately polite when I warned her that if she kept staring at Ella, I’d give the rest of the restaurant a reason to stare at her. She had taken the hint and excused herself.

Since then, our only contact had been her awkward apology to Ella, and honestly, I had nothing more to say about the woman.

"What about her?" I asked.

Derrick hesitated. "She’s worried about your mother," he answered. "They had an argument recently. Look, I don’t put much stock in women’s gossip, but Lily was very shaken up and insisted that I let you know."

"Let me know what exactly?" I asked, irritation creeping into my tone. "Say what you need to say."

Derrick exhaled. "Diana’s behavior has been… strange lately. She made a comment to Lily that implied either you or Ella was ill. It was odd, and maybe Lily just misunderstood, but she wanted me to check and make sure that everything is okay."

I shook my head and smiled slightly. "My mother is dramatic," I said. "Please assure Lily that everything is fine. There’s absolutely nothing to be concerned about."

"I’m relieved to hear that," Derrick said.

"You handled yourself well today," I told him. "Reporters can be vultures."

He blinked, looking genuinely surprised by my praise. "Thank you," he said. "And I could say the same to you. Some will claim that showing emotion is a sign of weakness. But I’ve always found that if you don’t stand your ground on what matters, you set yourself up for trouble down the line."

"I appreciate the advice," I said sincerely.

"That went well," Roman said as he approached us. "People are excited about the project."

"As they should be," Derrick replied. "This is going to be huge for our packs—a real step in the right direction, cutting our dependence on outside energy sources."

"You’re certainly a dedicated spokesperson for the project," Roman said, patting Derrick’s shoulder in a friendly gesture.

"Sir," Derrick’s beta interrupted, drawing his attention. Derrick made a polite excuse and stepped away. I caught the serious expression on his beta’s face and couldn’t help but wonder if he was about to receive news about David.

I forced myself to look away, turning my attention back to Alpha Roman.

"I liked seeing you defend my daughter," he said. "I know Ella is safe in your hands."

"I do my best," I replied, feeling slightly unworthy of the praise, considering all the danger I had put her in recently.

"How is she doing?" he asked. "It’s been a little while since we’ve seen her."

"Actually," I said, seizing the opportunity, "I wanted to ask you about Ella."

His expression shifted to one of concern. “Is anything wrong?”

"It’s just… I’ve noticed moments when her behavior is strange, distant," I admitted. "And I wondered if you had any idea why."

Roman exhaled, a knowing smile tugging at his lips. "I wish I could help. For the past year or so, Ella’s had spells like that. She insists she’s fine, and nothing seems physically wrong. She seems happy, so I try not to question it too much."

I nodded. So it was true—Ella hadn’t confided in her father at all. A flicker of pride stirred in me. She had trusted me with something no one else knew about her.

That was all the more reason I had to help her through this lonely fight she had been engaged in. She had given me her trust—I had to prove myself worthy of it.

But that was easier said than done. I had my own secrets. And revealing them could put Ella in even greater danger.

The last thing I wanted was to bring more trouble into her life.