Chapter 249

Ella POV

Alexander and I spent the day in my family’s packlands with Lexie, a rare moment of peace before the election.

The official statement revealing Lexie’s identity had been carefully crafted—Alexander had asked for privacy for her sake.

The response had been mixed, but most people saw it as a humanizing moment for him, a reminder that he wasn’t just a warrior or a politician, but a man trying to do right by his family.

Still, the media attention had been too strong for Lexie to visit them in the capital. Alexander didn’t want her followed around by people trying to film or question her.

For Lexie, none of that mattered. She was simply happy to have her father with her.

“Come see my room!” she squealed, grabbing Alexander’s hand and pulling him eagerly up the stairs of the packhouse. I followed behind them, smiling as Lexie practically bounced with excitement.

Lexie pushed open the door to what had once been my bedroom, now transformed into something completely new.

The walls were painted a soft lavender, the bed covered in a quilt decorated with flowers and butterflies. Stuffed animals sat neatly along the pillows, and shelves lined with books and small trinkets took up one side of the room.

“This was my room,” I said fondly, stepping inside and looking around. “I used to sit right there,” I pointed to the window seat, “and read for hours.”

Lexie’s eyes lit up. “Then it’s a special room!” she declared. “It’s like we’re sharing it!”

My heart warmed at the thought, but before I could say anything, Lexie turned her attention back to Alexander.

“Look! I have a castle!” She ran over to the corner where a small play castle sat, complete with toy knights and a dragon. “You be the king, and I’ll be the princess!”

Alexander chuckled, lowering himself to the floor without hesitation. “A king? That seems fitting.”

I laughed, shaking my head. I took a step back, watching them play. Seeing Alexander like this—completely relaxed, smiling as he indulged his daughter’s imagination—filled me with a sense of hope.

Lexie suddenly turned to look at me. “You can be the queen!”

I smiled, about to agree, but Lexie paused, tilting her head in thought. “Actually… you’re really pretty,” she said matter-of-factly. “I think I want to play with you more, too.”

I blinked, touched by the sincerity of the little girl’s words. I knelt beside her. “I’d love that.”

Lexie grinned, satisfied, before returning to her game.

After some time, a call from downstairs announced that dinner was ready. The scent of warm, home-cooked food filled the air as we made our way to the dining area, where Sabrina had prepared an impressive meal.

My parents were already seated, waiting for us with warm smiles.

Dinner was lively, filled with laughter and conversation. Sabrina had taken to working in the kitchen at the packhouse, and it was clear she took great pride in it. She accepted compliments on the meal with a pleased smile, looking more comfortable than she had in weeks.

As the plates were cleared, the conversation inevitably turned to the election.

“It’s only a few days away now,” my father said, folding his hands together. “How are you feeling, Alexander?”

Alexander exhaled, setting his drink down. “At this point, all I can do is wait,” he admitted. “We’ve campaigned, we’ve spoken to the people, and we’ve done everything possible to be transparent. Now, it’s up to them.”

My father nodded thoughtfully. “I hope you win. This kingdom needs someone strong, someone who understands what it takes to protect it.”

I felt a pang of guilt. My parents still didn’t know the full truth about Alexander—the depths of his past, the things he had done, the secret he carried. That I carried now, too.

But telling them wasn’t an option. Not yet.

Instead, I reached under the table and placed my hand over Alexander’s, squeezing gently.

He glanced at me, a knowing look passing between us. We would face whatever came next together.

After dinner, Sabrina and Alexander took Lexie up to get ready for bed. She wanted a bedtime story from Alexander and he seemed happy to do it.

Once we were alone in the living room, my mother pulled me to sit beside her on the couch.

“What’s on your mind?” she asked, her sharp eyes fixed on me.

I smiled and shook my head. She always knew more than she let on. I didn’t know why I bothered trying to keep things from her.

“I can’t say,” I replied quietly.

She looked thoughtful for a moment, then glanced at my father.

“Is it about the Ice King?” he asked, a smirk playing at his lips.

My eyes went wide with disbelief as my head snapped towards him. “How–”

Both of my parents laughed. “Do you think we don’t have our own sources of information?” my father asked.

“The king called us in for a meeting,” my mother explained. “He wanted to make sure we knew what you had gotten yourself into.”

I felt myself pale at her words. I swallowed my panic the best I could. “What exactly did he tell you?”

“That Alexander is the Ice King,” she said. “That he’s been acting in the Roguelands to hinder the Northern kings intrusions into our kingdom, but doing so in a way that’s not strictly legal.”

“Apparently he’s been doing this since he was a teenager,” my father added with a tone of disbelief. “Tell me, did you know all along?”

I shook my head. “I didn’t find out until after the wedding,” I admitted. “Alexander offered to grant me a divorce,” I added quickly.

“But you were okay with it?”

I looked a my mother for a long moment, trying to decide how much to say. “You remember when we were kidnapped? Along with Amanda?” I asked.

She frowned, her body language shifting to discomfort. “How could I forget?”

“Didn’t the voice of the man that saved us seem familiar?” I asked, nodding my head towards the staircase.

“That was…”

“Alexander,” my father said, sounding shocked. “He saved you back then, even before you were together.”

“Yes,” I confirmed. “If he hadn’t shown up when he did, those rogues would have given me something to remember them by.” I ran my hand lightly over my cheek, remembering the press of the knife they had threatened me with.

“It seems we owe him more than we knew,” my mother said softly. “But are you sure that you want to stay with someone like that? To support him as he gains even more power?”

I sighed heavily and looked at the stairs. Alexander was up there reading a bedtime story to his little girl, how could they think of him as some dangerous criminal?

Because he was.

It was hard to believe that a man could be both, but it was true. I couldn’t blame them for their hesitation.

“I love Alexander more than I’ve ever loved anyone,” I said honestly. “He’s my mate, the one that I am fated to be with. Even before we knew that I fell in love with him. He treats me like an equal, not a means to an end. I trust him with my life and my kingdom.”

“Alright,” my father said with a tone of finality. “Then this is the last you’ll hear from us about it.”

My mother looked less excited, but she nodded her head in agreement.

They still didn’t know the full truth and I hoped they never would, but for now it was enough that they still supported my decision to stay with him.

I knew that my parents had grown to care for Alexander and I only hoped that this new information didn’t drive a wedge between them. Only time would tell if it did.