Chapter 219

Ella POV

Something about Diana was off.

Every time I had interacted with her before, she had maintained a pretense of politeness, a faint affection, as if she at least wanted me to believe she liked me—that she had my best interests at heart.

But now, as she looked at me, that facade was gone. She wasn’t even pretending anymore.

I wouldn’t call it hatred that I saw in her eyes. It was something colder, more dismissive. She was looking at me the way one might look at an insect—something insignificant, beneath her, an annoyance she was tired of dealing with.

I was no longer an obstacle to be carefully stepped around. I was simply in her way.

“You know, Ella,” she said thoughtfully, tilting her head, “from the moment I found out you and Alexander had started dating, I had the strangest feeling that it was wrong.”

I crossed my arms. “What do you mean?” I asked skeptically.

She let out a soft sigh, as if she were truly lamenting the situation. “I often wondered what kind of woman Alexander might be fated to, and you just don’t fit the bill. He’s intelligent, charming, and strong. You’re… well…”

She trailed off deliberately, giving me a pitying look, as if waiting for me to fill in the insult myself.

I didn’t.

Instead, I watched as a fake, sorrowful expression crossed her face.

“I just always thought he’d end up with a woman worthy of him,” she continued, shaking her head. “I suppose this kind of thing can happen when a couple chooses to marry for love rather than wait for the right person.”

I held her gaze, unflinching. “We are fated,” I corrected her.

Her expression froze for a split second before her eyes narrowed. “What?”

“We are fated,” I repeated, more firmly this time. “We didn’t know when we got married, that’s true. But I’ve recovered my wolf now.”

Diana stared at me in stunned silence, her eyes going wide, her mouth opening slightly as if she wanted to speak but couldn’t find the words.

I smiled.

I wasn’t sure if she was more shocked that I had my wolf or that Alexander and I were fated, but either way—her reaction was priceless.

“That’s not possible,” Diana said in a low, tense voice.

“It’s true,” I replied. “I know it seems unbelievable. When we realized, we were ecstatic. We had felt something drawing us together all along, of course, but having it confirmed was incredibly reassuring.”

Diana’s expression darkened. “How could you recover your wolf?” she demanded.

“I’ve been in treatment for years,” I said. The sudden anger flashing in her eyes made me instinctively take a step back. “It was only a matter of time before I got better.”

“That’s—” She caught herself, her fury vanishing in an instant, replaced by a smooth, unreadable expression. “That’s incredible.”

I nodded but didn’t dare take my eyes off her.

I had struggled to believe that Diana could be working with Amanda, but the way she was acting now—it was clear she was capable of far worse.

The soft chime of the elevator behind me brought a rush of relief, and I stiffened as Alexander’s hurried footsteps approached.

“What are you doing here?” he asked, his voice sharp.

Diana scoffed. “What kind of greeting is that for your mother?”

“I don’t have time for a visit,” he replied, slipping an arm around my shoulders. His voice lowered as he leaned in. “We need to talk—something’s just happened.”

“What now?” I asked, unable to hide my frustration.

“There’s a live press conference happening right now,” Alexander said, his gaze flicking briefly to Diana. “The king is making a statement.”

“About what?” Diana asked. “Not more bad news.”

“Amanda Gray has been arrested,” Alexander replied.

“What?” Diana said breathlessly.

I stared at him, wide-eyed. “I don’t understand,” I said. “I thought they didn’t have enough evidence.”

“They didn’t have enough to hold Archer,” Alexander corrected. “But Amanda was David’s accomplice and apparently he finally broke down and admitted to everything. ”

“Does that mean he’s announced David’s arrest, too?” I asked.

“Yes,” Alexander said, irritation flashing across his face. It was obvious—once again, the king had made a major decision without giving us a heads-up.

I turned to Diana, suspicion creeping into my expression. She had been advising the king. She was pretending to be surprised now, but she must have known.

And yet… something didn’t add up. Amanda was her accomplice. Why would she advise the king to arrest her?

“We have to go,” Alexander said, this time addressing Diana. He tightened his hold on me and we turned and started to walk, Alexander steering me toward the elevator.

Behind us, Diana exhaled sharply, the click of her heels echoing as she followed.

“This is ridiculous,” she snapped. “First, you bring Michael here without my permission, and now you won’t even take the time to speak with me. What is the meaning of this disrespect?”

“Michael surprised us with a visit,” Alexander replied coolly. “He’s an adult. He’s allowed to visit friends.”

“Friends,” she muttered bitterly under her breath.

Alexander came to an abrupt halt.

Releasing his hold on me, he turned sharply to face her. In an instant, he was standing too close, forcing Diana to tilt her head to look up at him, shock—and something close to fear—flickering in her eyes.

“I—”

“Enough,” Alexander commanded, his voice like steel. “I have more pressing matters to deal with than your pride or your disrespect.”

“That is no way to speak to your mother,” she shot back, her voice low and firm.

“And this is no way for a grown woman to behave,” he retorted.

Diana glared at Alexander steadily, unyielding. I could feel his anger rising, his patience—normally so vast—reaching its limit. But she had no idea just how dangerous he was when pushed too far.

I stepped forward and lightly grabbed his arm.

Alexander turned to me, his jaw clenched so tightly I could see the tension in every muscle. He was barely holding himself together. I gave his arm a gentle pull. For a moment, he resisted, then—exhaling sharply—he took a step back.

I turned my attention to Diana. The anger I felt toward her was different from Alexander’s. There was no personal betrayal, no heat to it. Just cold, unwavering resolve.

I stepped into the space Alexander had just vacated and met Diana’s glare head-on.

“Alexander is being polite,” I said icily. “But I won’t be. You weren’t invited here. You’re not welcome. And you don’t get to insert yourself into our lives whenever you feel like it. Your tantrums won’t get you your way.” My voice lowered, each word laced with finality. “We are leaving. You can walk out on your own, or security can escort you. That’s your decision to make.”

Her expression twisted with fury. “How dare you,” she spat. “Just who the hell do you think you are?”

“I’m your Luna,” I snapped, my voice edged with a growl. “And you will treat me like it.”

Rage flickered in her eyes, but she swallowed whatever words she wanted to hurl at me. With a sharp inhale, she shoved past me and stormed toward the staircase, heels clicking furiously against the floor. I watched her go, feeling an odd sort of numbness settle over me.

She had conspired with Amanda to kill me—and she failed. Now, she had to live with the fact that I stood above her, stronger, untouchable. And one way or another, Diana would answer for what she’d done.

Alexander’s warm fingers slid into mine, drawing my focus back to him.

A slow smile spread across his lips as he pulled me against him, bending to kiss me deeply.

I melted into him, savoring the brief contact.

“I like seeing you confident,” he murmured against my lips.

I smiled. “I’m glad. But we really don’t have time to celebrate right now.”

“A shame,” he muttered. “But you’re right. Let’s go have a little chat with the king—see if we can’t figure out just what the hell he’s thinking.”