Chapter 80

Ella POV

The drive back to my family home was awkward, to say the least. I couldn’t seem to shake the blush from my cheeks as I thought about facing my parents after everything that had just happened—not just David’s attack, but also the way I’d spent the night with Alexander, while they’d likely been up all night worrying about me.

The memory left me with a strange sense of guilt.

Physically, I was feeling much better, especially since Alexander had insisted I eat before we left his place. I’d argued, embarrassed and anxious, with little appetite to speak of, but he was persistent. I ended up having some fresh fruit and yogurt, which was, of course, delicious and did wonders to restore my strength.

By the time we pulled up to my parents’ house, the lingering effects of the drug David had given me were gone.

Alexander parked the car, shut off the engine, and looked over at me with a questioning expression. He didn’t say a word, but I understood exactly what he wanted to ask.

“I want you to come in with me,” I assured him. “Last night doesn’t change anything about our arrangement, and my parents want to speak with you. They’d think it was strange if you didn’t come in, and that might complicate things.”

He studied me for a moment. “You seem uncomfortable,” he noted, his voice gentle. “I just want to be sure that it’s not because of me.”

I smiled slightly and shook my head. “You don’t make me uncomfortable,” I said softly.

It might have been my imagination, but Alexander seemed relieved by my words. Without further argument, he got out of the car, walked around to open my door, and offered me his hand. I took it, letting him help me out, and without releasing my hand, we made our way into the house together.

My parents were seated in the living room, waiting for us. It wasn’t until my mother stood and approached to shake Alexander’s hand that I realized this was the first time my parents had actually seen him since our engagement.

This moment should have been a happy one, but, thanks to David, it was overshadowed.

Alexander shook my mother’s hand and then my father’s. “It’s good to see you both,” he said. “I only wish it were under better circumstances.”

“As do we,” my father replied. “Please, have a seat.”

Alexander let me lead the way to the couch, where we sat close together. My mother took the seat on my other side, while my father settled into a chair across from us so he could look directly at Alexander.

“Thank you for protecting my daughter,” my father said seriously.

Alexander shook his head slightly. “There’s no need to thank me. It never should have gone as far as it did.”

“David’s actions were… unhinged,” my father replied, his voice tight. “It’s clear that he’s willing to go to lengths that normal men wouldn’t even consider.”

I felt Alexander’s shoulders tense ever so slightly, the change so subtle that I noticed only because we were sitting so close.

“I trust the medical team’s conclusions, of course,” my mother said, her gaze shifting to me, “but I just want to make sure that you’re truly all right. You’re feeling better now, aren’t you?”

“Yes, I’m fine,” I replied. “The drug is out of my system.”

My father’s face darkened. “Do you know what drug was used?”

I looked to Alexander, unsure of how to respond. To my surprise, he hesitated, his mouth slightly open, before clearing his throat and averting his eyes from my father’s.

In a calm, professional tone, he said, “The drug was designed to induce Ella’s wolf into heat.”

I watched my parents' faces as they absorbed Alexander’s words, understanding the implications. Considering what the drug was designed to do, there were only a few ways I could have avoided experiencing its full effects.

Desperate to redirect their thoughts, I blurted, “David… he said something about my wolf.” I took a breath, trying to steady my voice. “He said that he’d poisoned me, that my wolf was gone because of him.”

My mother’s face twisted with restrained anger. “That rotten little…” She cut herself off, her lips pressed together in frustration.

“To think I welcomed that man into our home while he was secretly harming my child,” my father said, fury blazing in his eyes. “But if he admitted this, and after what happened yesterday, it’s clear you need to see our pack doctor.”

I nodded, not hesitating. “Okay.”

I knew it was the only way to ease their minds, and in truth, I wanted answers just as much. I missed my wolf, who had been silent for so long. If there was any chance of undoing what David had done and bringing her back, I needed to find out.

“In the meantime, we need to decide what to do about David,” my father said, his voice laced with determination.

“I’ve already initiated an investigation,” Alexander replied, his expression hardening. “The police are involved, of course, but I also have a private investigator on the case. It’s not that I don’t trust the officials, but I believe David may be more cunning than they realize.”

“I agree,” my father said.

“I want to ensure he doesn’t slip through the cracks. I spoke to my investigator early this morning, as well as with police representatives. Unfortunately, despite the abundance of evidence, there’s nothing at the scene that ties David directly to the attack.”

“What do you mean?” my mother asked, frowning.

“The phone he left was a prepaid burner with no evidence linking it to him,” Alexander explained. “The camera was brand new, straight out of the box, with no previous footage to trace back to him. And he was careful with his fingerprints—the only real evidence left is the blood from the injuries I inflicted on him. While testing could confirm it’s his, my investigator thinks it won’t be enough to charge him.”

“Why?” my mother pressed.

“Given Ella’s history with David, my investigator believes that if we accuse him based on blood evidence alone, he’ll claim we staged it to frame him. It’s exactly the sort of tactic David would use to deflect suspicion.”

“So what can we do?” she asked, clearly frustrated.

“For now, we gather eyewitness accounts,” Alexander replied. “There had to be people who saw David with Ella, or at least noticed him fleeing. We’ll also check CCTV footage and build from there. David’s too recognizable for someone not to have noticed him.”

“He was wearing a disguise,” I recalled, thinking of the dark sunglasses and hat. “It wasn’t a great disguise, but unless people were paying close attention, they wouldn’t have realized it was him.”

“Not after he fled,” Alexander added. “During the struggle, his disguise was left behind.”

“So there’s a chance he was seen,” my father said, sounding hopeful.

“A slim chance,” Alexander agreed, his tone tempered. “We should be prepared for him to deny everything. As infuriating as it is, even that may not be enough to bring him down.”

Silence fell over the room as we all took in Alexander’s words. He was right, and it made my heart ache. No matter what hell David put me through, it seemed that nothing was ever enough to take him down. It felt almost hopeless.

But I couldn’t let myself feel that way. There was too much on the line. I had to keep fighting until David was held accountable for his actions. I had to make sure he was exposed for the monster he is.