Chapter 47

Elara

Alaric immediately snatched the earring away from Ella, the silver catching the dim light and

glinting between his fingers. His face was unreadable, but it felt like the calm before a storm.

Something was wrong.

“Your wife,” I murmured, shaking my head. “I thought she was—”

“It’s nothing,” he said a bit too quickly, cutting me off. He turned to Ella. “Sweetheart, there are

plenty of earrings like this one. It couldn’t have belonged to your mother.”

Ella just nodded up at him and didn’t say a word—although I could sense that she didn’t fully

believe him. I wasn’t sure if I believed him, either.

Still, Alaric slipped the earring into his pocket with a deliberate motion. My stomach twisted as I

watched him tuck it away, his jaw tight, his eyes clouded. If it was ‘nothing’, then why was he

saving the earring?

He turned back toward the hallway without another glance, his shoulders rigid.

I hesitated, glancing down at Ella, who was still clutching my hand tightly. Her face was pale,

her lips pressed into a thin line as though she were holding back tears. I gave her a soft

squeeze, trying to reassure her even though I felt anything but reassured myself.

My mind flitted back to the strange red powder on the ring. It could have been anything, but I

couldn’t help but wonder what it was. I recalled the moment the man had injected me with the

aphrodisiac—a red liquid in a syringe.

Were they connected?

I shook my head as if to dispel the thoughts. At least the girls were safe. That was all that

mattered. The rest could wait.

“Come on,” Alaric said over his shoulder. “We’re leaving.”

The walk back to the car was silent, save for the occasional sniffle from Zoe. Ella hadn’t said a

word since handing over the earring, and even Alaric’s usual authoritative demeanor felt muted,

like he was retreating into himself. I wanted to say something—to break the suffocating quiet—

but the words stayed lodged in my throat.

When we reached the car, Alaric opened the back door for the girls and me, helping us climb

inside before shutting it firmly. I watched cautiously as he circled the car and climbed in, sitting

on the other side of the girls while James and the driver took the front seats.

Alaric didn’t say a word, but I could feel his steady heartbeat pulsing through our newfound

mate bond, and it made me shiver.

As we pulled out of the parking lot, I leaned my head against the window, my fingers

unconsciously drifting to my neck. The mating mark was still tender, the skin warm beneath my

touch.

Every time I thought about it—about what had happened in the bathroom, about the way Alaric

had looked at me, touched me, filled me for the briefest of moments—my chest tightened.

We had been so close. Too close. And though I had come back to my senses before we

crossed that final line, and was glad that we had because it gave us time us to find the girls, a

small part of me couldn’t help but wish we had never stopped.

If the circumstances had been different, if we weren’t wrapped up in this mess… would he have

let go of me? Would I have let go of him?

I stole a furtive glance at him, my eyes tracing the sharp line of his jaw as he stared out the

window, the amber streetlines casting moving shadows across his face.

His profile was like a sculpture, every angle sharp and beautiful, but it wasn’t just his looks that

had my attention. It was the way he made me feel—the way he always seemed to be teetering

just on the edge of control, as if one wrong move would unravel him completely.

Maybe I wanted to see him unravel, just as he had in that cold shower.

I couldn’t deny it anymore. I had feelings for Alaric, feelings I never thought I could have for any

man after Mason, let alone him.

But what did it matter? This was supposed to be fake.

A temporary arrangement to protect the girls and keep the council convinced.

And yet… the mark on my neck said otherwise, and no matter how much I tried to convince

myself it was just an accident, the truth lingered in the pit of my stomach.

When he had marked me, it had felt… right. Natural. Like I had been waiting my whole life for

that moment.

I didn’t want to unmark each other. Hell, I wanted him to mark me again and again and again

and never stop.

By the time we reached home, the girls were fast asleep. Neither of us spoke as we carried the

girls inside.

We carried them upstairs, taking them to Ella’s room to spend the night together. I figured it was

for the best if they woke up together, not feeling alone or afraid. But as I smoothed Zoe’s hair

back and pressed a gentle kiss against her forehead, I couldn’t help but glance over at Alaric

again.

He was gently tucking Ella in with the utmost care, as if she were the most precious thing in the

world. And the sight made my chest tighten.

Ella wasn’t his biological daughter. She was mine, and Zoe his. And yet… I couldn’t picture

either of them being apart, nor could I picture the girls being separated from one another at this

point.

But I also couldn’t imagine being without either of them. Or Alaric, for that matter.

I should tell him, I thought. I didn’t know if it would change anything, if my confession would

make him want to turn this fake relationship into a real one. But I had to try. Maybe this would

finally be our chance to be a happy, whole, family.

And maybe, just maybe, things wouldn’t have to be so complicated anymore.

When we left the girls’ room, I lingered in the hallway, my fingers twisting the hem of my

sweater. I tried to say something, anything, but the words wouldn’t come out properly.

“Alaric, I…”

He paused, glancing back at me over his shoulder. His dark eyes met mine, and for a moment,

the air between us felt charged again, like it had in the bathroom. “Did you say something?” he

muttered.

Suddenly, I lost my nerve. I swallowed hard, my cheeks flushing. “Nothing,” I mumbled, shaking

my head.

He hesitated, his gaze lingering on me for just a moment before he nodded and turned away,

disappearing down the hall. I stood there for a moment, feeling a pang of frustration at myself

for not speaking my mind.

Tomorrow. I’d talk to him tomorrow, when we weren’t so exhausted and on edge.

But when I woke the next morning, his side of the bed was still made. I sat up slowly, staring at

the pristine sheets and the undisturbed pillow. He hadn’t come to bed last night.

A knot formed in my chest as I slid out of bed and threw on a robe. My bare feet padded down

the hallway and stairs, the faint sound of voices drawing me toward the parlor. I hesitated in the

doorway, peeking inside.

Grace was sitting on one of the armchairs, her legs crossed elegantly and a smug smile on her

lips. Across from her was another woman, a stunningly beautiful one, one I didn’t recognize.

She was poised and polished, her hair a sleek curtain of dark waves and her dress impeccable.

Something about the sight of her made my stomach twist, although I wasn’t sure why.

Holding my breath, I moved to slip away, still wearing my robe and not feeling up to chatting

with guests after everything that had happened. But as I began to move, a creak in the

floorboards betrayed me. Grace’s sharp eyes immediately snapped up and caught mine.

Her smirk deepened.

“Ah, Elara,” she said, gesturing for me to enter. “You should meet Emily.”