Chapter 22

Third Person POV

Alpha Roman was sitting beside his wife at the breakfast table. Luna Rebecca looked exhausted, as she hadn’t slept much the night before.

The kidnapping had been frightening for her, but not because of the danger to her own life. She was terrified by what had nearly happened to her only child, Ella.

“I’m going to get to the bottom of who did this,” Roman said.

Rebecca nodded her head. She was holding a cup of hot tea in her hands, but she didn’t drink it. “I know that you will,” she said. “In the meantime, we have to be more careful.”

“We can’t keep her locked in her room,” he pointed out. “She’s an adult.”

“I know that you won’t want to hear this, but I’m worried about Ella’s judgment.”

“I don’t understand why she wants to go forward with her marriage to David after the way he betrayed her,” the alpha agreed.

“That’s not what I mean,” Rebecca said with a sigh. “I’m talking about Amanda. Her behavior during the kidnapping was strange enough, but even before that, she was acting strangely. She insulted Ella openly with each gown that she tried on. And it’s odd to me that she had David’s credit card. Don’t you think that’s unusual?”

“She’s always been critical of Ella’s fashion,” Roman pointed out. “That’s just part of being a girl, isn’t it?”

“When you’re a young teenager,” Rebecca answered. “They’re adults now. Her rude comments seem jealous to me. It’s obvious she’s still very close to David and doesn’t plan to back off. Yet, Ella seems unbothered by it.”

Alpha Roman looked at his wife thoughtfully. She was always a very good judge of character, and he trusted that she was right about this. Still, Ella seemed happy in her friendship with Amanda, and he didn’t want to upset his little girl.

“What should we do?” he asked.

“I don’t know,” she confessed. “I just don’t want to give them the opportunity to hurt Ella.”

He nodded in agreement. “I’ll talk to her,” he promised.

Ella POV

If it wasn't for my father's constant presence, I don't know that I would have been able to recover from the kidnapping so quickly.

He made it clear that no one with ill intent was going to get near me as long as he had anything to say about it. I knew I was safe here in my own packlands. The problem was, I wasn't sure if I could feel safe in the capital anymore.

I knew that David and Amanda were likely behind the kidnapping, although I couldn't do anything to prove it. I just felt that it had to be them. Who else would want to hurt or frighten me like that?

They clearly wanted to put me in my place—make me afraid, make me feel dependent on David again.

My father and his men had been looking into the people who took us, trying to get to the bottom of who they were and what they wanted. He also didn’t believe that it was only about a ransom.

I wasn’t sure what the best step to take was, so I was lying low at home. I wasn’t sure if news about what had happened was out or not. I knew that my father was doing his best to keep it contained.

In the meantime, I decided to focus my attention on further investigating our pack. David had to have allies on the inside. He seemed to have many allies that I never knew anything about; how else could he have arranged to kidnap not only myself but my mother?

I wasn’t sure if the people behind our abduction were truly rogues that he had hired or if they were only pretending to be. Either way, it seems that David had very dangerous people on his side. I had to be far more careful.

There was a knock on my door, and I heard my father's voice call my name. When he came in, I could see a very concerned expression on his face. He sat on the edge of my bed and put his arm around my shoulders.

“How are you feeling?” he asked.

“A little better,” I responded, “although I’m still freaked out.” I hadn’t left my room all day, so I wasn’t surprised that he was worried. He must have thought that I was just afraid.

In reality, I had been using the time to make lists of every high-ranking member of the pack and everything that I knew about them. It was driving me mad that I couldn’t figure out who was helping David. Maybe I wasn’t looking in the right places?

“That’s understandable,” my father said. “You’ve been through a very difficult experience.”

I nodded in agreement. “Has your investigation uncovered anything?” I asked hopefully.

“No much,” he admitted. “We’re going to keep looking. I won’t allow anyone to harm my family and get away with it.”

"I know you won't," I said, leaning into his side. "I know you'll always keep Mom and me safe."

"I'll do whatever it takes," he said, and I could hear how frustrated he was.

I couldn't imagine what it felt like for him to realize what had happened—that we had been in immediate danger and that David's failure to act had put us all at risk. The fact that my father had contained his anger and allowed David to walk away was impressive.

He always showed such self-control and intelligence, even in the face of an emergency. I didn’t have that kind of self-control, but I knew I would have to try to learn it. I couldn’t act like a spoiled little girl any longer.

"Is there anything I can do for you?" he asked.

"No, I'm okay," I said, smiling in a way I hoped would reassure him. "I'll be down for dinner tonight."

He looked relieved to hear me say that, but I could tell something was still bothering him.

"What's on your mind?" I asked. He took a deep breath, then turned to look me in the face.

"Are you sure that you still want to marry David?" he asked.

I was taken off guard by his question. For a moment, I wished I could tell him the truth about everything—that I didn’t want to marry David, that David was plotting against us, that the only thing he wanted from me was our family’s land and reputation to gain power for himself.

But I knew I couldn’t tell him all of that. Even if he did believe me, it would only complicate things further. He wouldn’t be able to act on such a crazy story, and it would only put him in a more difficult situation.

"I know that he didn’t handle the situation well," I said, choosing my words carefully. "But it would be a rash decision to pull out of the engagement."

"I’m not worried about the money," he said firmly. "I’m worried about my little girl’s happiness. If you want out of this marriage, you need only say the word, and I will make sure it happens."

I felt tears well in my eyes, and I threw my arms around him, hugging him tightly. He rubbed my back soothingly.

"You only need to tell me what you want, Ella."

What I wanted was for David to pay for everything he had done in the past, and everything he was planning to do to us now.

I wanted him to pay for taking my father away from me.

"It makes me feel so much better to know that I have your support," I said. "It is a difficult choice, but I need you to trust that I know what I'm doing."

He pulled back from the hug so he could look me in the face.

"Ella, I have always trusted your judgment," he said sincerely. "Your mother and I have raised you to be an intelligent and capable young woman. I know you will do what you believe is right, and I trust you’ll ask for help if you ever realize you’ve made a mistake."

"I will," I promised him.

I knew I could trust my father. He had always given me everything I could ever ask for, and if I went to him and explained that I’d made a terrible mistake, he would do everything in his power to help me. I could turn to him in the middle of the marriage ceremony and tell him I’d changed my mind, and I knew he would still be on my side.

That was all the more reason I had to see this through. I had to make sure my father wouldn’t be punished for my poor choices.

It was too late to prevent myself from getting involved with David, but it wasn’t too late to stop him from enacting his horrible plans.

"I have it all under control," I said.