Chapter 0098 Alexander POV I gasped in surprise as Ella put her arms around me .
I hadnt expected it .
I thought shed call my bluff , put her hands out and push me away , or pull back in some way .
But instead , her big , dark eyes had closed with anticipation The soft press of her lips against mine , the warmth of her arms wrapping around me , pulling me closer it was too much .
A mistake .
Gently , and with more reluctance than I cared to admit , I pulled away from the kiss .
Ellas hazy eyes blinked open , staring at me with a mix of confusion and something else something softer .
I stepped out of her embrace , bending to retrieve the ridiculous plush bunny that had fallen to the ground .
I brushed off the dirt carefully before handing it back to her .
She took it with both arms , crushing it against her chest , her expression full of embarrassment and confusion .
What was that ? she asked , her voice quiet but firm .
Acting , I replied , though my voice sounded strange , even to me .
Were in public , after all .
This is supposed to a romantic moment between us , and even though no ones close enough to hear our conversation , we should assume were always being watched .
Ellas eyes narrowed slightly , and though she didnt argue , could tell she wasnt entirely convinced by my explanation .
It was only natural that she would be skeptical because I wasnt confident in my explanation either .
The truth was , I had meant to tease her , but my true motivation had been the growing affection I felt for Ella an affection that was becoming far too strong for the arrangement we had struck .
Something about her tested my resolve without her even trying .
She didnt play games , didnt manipulate , and yet , she got under my skin in a way I couldnt understand .
It wasnt a Ella was doing intentionally , this was my problem and one I needed to handle .
I couldnt afford to mess this up .
I wanted to become king , and Ella had the skills and information necessary to help me get there .
She was my partner in this , and we both had our secrets .
I wasnt going to ask her who her sources were , just as she wouldnt ask about mine .
Our deal was a transaction , nothing more .
I couldnt let my feelings derail everything .
I had to maintain control or risk losing everything Id worked for .
Ella POV The rest of the evening with Alexander was pleasant , but there was an unspoken tension between us , something heavy that lingered in the air .

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I knew that kiss had been more than just acting , but I wasnt about to challenge his explanation .
I understood why Alexander didnt want to escalate things between us he had his reasons , valid ones .
I didnt want to either .
We needed to stay focused on what mattered : protecting the kingdom from an unworthy king by making sure David never rose to power .
Our partnership was built on that , and it was crucial that we didnt lose sight of it .
While it was nice to enjoy each others company , I needed to keep my perspective clear .
This wasnt about emotions ; it was about protecting my family and my pack .
Nothing more .
1/3 +25 BONUS Chapter 0090 We made our way to a nearby hill , where other couples had gathered to watch the fireworks .
Sitting together on the grass , I leaned my head against his shoulder and hugged the plushie he had won for me .
Neither of us spoke , both lost in our own thoughts .
Yet , there was a warmth and comfort in simply being near him that I allowed myself to indulge in , if only for a little while Alexanders arm wrapped around me as the fireworks started .
I kept my eyes fixed on the bright lights as they exploded above us , by my thoughts were entirely on how good it felt to be held by him .
By the time the fireworks ended and we had woven through the crowd toward the parking lot , it was already very late .
Alexander , still holding my hand , opened the back door of the car for me .
Thank you for coming with me today , he said softly .
Of course .
I had a lot of fun , I replied , smiling .
He hesitated for a moment , then stepped back to allow me into the car .
His driver would take me back to my parents house since it was too late for Alexander to drive me himself , as he usually did .
He needed to get home to prepare for work tomorrow , and although I could tell he wouldve preferred to drive me personally , it simply wasnt possible tonight .
There was something in his hesitation that tugged at my heart , and before I got into the car , I stood up on my and kissed him lightly on the cheek Have a good night , I said quickly before slipping into the car .
Stay safe , Ella , he said softly , closing the door behind me toes I watched him through the tinted window as he stepped back , and then the car began to pull away from the curb , leaving a bittersweet feeling lingering in the pit of my stomach .
I dozed off during the long drive home , the plush bunny white with pink inside its ears and on the tip of its nose -firmly tucked in my arms .
It was a little childish , but I couldnt help thinking how sweet it was of Alexander to win it for me .
Hed teased me , saying it reminded him of my cute pajamas , which had made me a little embarrassed but also touched that he remembered such a small detail .
Thoughts of Alexander lingered in my mind for the duration of the drive .
By the time I finally got out of the car and let myself into the house , I was exhausted .
I wanted nothing more than to collapse into bed .
The house was dark and silent , everyone already asleep , so I quietly made my way upstairs to my bedroom .
I set the bunny on my bed and began changing into my pajamas .
Just as I was about to turn off the light , something on my desk caught my eye .
I walked over curiously and picked up an envelope .
A cold chill ran down my spine as I recognized Davids handwriting .
Another letter .
It had been a while since his last attempt to contact me , and I had foolishly hoped that all the publicity about my relationship with Alexander might have made him give up .
But clearly , that was only wishful thinking .
I sat down at my desk , grabbed a pen , and began to scrawl Return to Sender across the front of the envelope when I froze .
I stared at it , my mind racing , trying to process what I wasnt seeing .
There was no stamp .
Chapter 0098 No postmark This had been hand delivered .
My heart pounded as the realization sunk in .
David had somehow managed to get this letter into my packlands , bypassing all of our security .
Goosebumps broke out over my skin as I stared blankly at the envelope .
This wasnt just a letter it was a warning .
A threat .
David was letting me know that he could reach me , even where I thought I was safest .
Had he delivered it himself ? Or had one of his spies brought it to me ? It didnt matter .
The message was clear : 1 wasnt safe from him , and I never would be .