A Warrior's Second Chance (Faye and Alexander) novel Chapter 135

Chapter 135

FAYE

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I sat curled on the far end of Alexander’s leather couch, knees pulled up, dressed in nothing but a pair of worn shorts and a t–shirt. The fabric clung in some places, loose in others, the way clothes do when you’ve thrown them on without thinking. He hadn’t commented on my appearance, but then, Alexander rarely did.

For a long while, the only sound in the office was the faint ticking of the wall clock and the steady rhythm of his typing. His focus was absolute… eyes locked on the laptop, hands moving with ease. He had this way of shutting out the world when he worked, like nothing else existed. I should have been used to it by now, but tonight it felt oddly familiar, almost nostalgic.

It reminded me of high school, of sitting in the principal’s office when I’d gotten myself into trouble defending Sage. The same uncomfortable quiet, the same awareness that the authority figure behind the desk held the power to decide what happened next.

Back then, I’d fidget in my seat, trying to act nonchalant while my heart hammered in my chest. Tonight, the circumstances were different, but the feeling wasn’t. I was waiting for Alexander, waiting for him to finally turn his attention to me.

He did, eventually. With a quiet sigh, he snapped the laptop shut and stood. The subtle stretch of his shoulders, the way he rolled the tension from his neck… he’d been at it for hours, I could tell. His shirt clung to the lines of his body, sleeves pushed up to his forearms, as if he’d been too focused to bother rolling them back down. When he finally crossed the

room and sat beside me.

“Sorry,” he said, voice softer now, like he meant it. “I had to get that work out of the way.”

I waved it off quickly. “It’s fine.” Then I drew in a breath.

“All right then. So… where were we?” he asked, even though I could bet he knew exactly where we were.

“Actually, we were talking about going to Silver Hollow. About the summit,” I said.

His eyes narrowed a little, but he stayed quiet, waiting for me to continue.

“I don’t think I need a special reason to say I don’t want to go,” I said. “I just… don’t want to. That should be enough.”

Alexander leaned back against the couch, studying me with that plain expression of his. The

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kind that made me feel as though I’d already lost the argument before it even began.

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“You need a reason,” he said finally. “And not just any reason–a good one. One that holds weight.”

I pressed my lips together. “Why?”

“Because,” he said, his tone patient. “The invitation was addressed to both of us. You and me. And even if it hadn’t been, even if it was only for me, I’d still expect you to come. You’re my Luna, Faye. Your place is at my side. Especially at something like this.”

I looked down at my bare knees, suddenly wishing I’d dressed differently. Maybe if I’d been in something sharp, something that screamed authority, I wouldn’t feel so small under the weight of his words.

“It shouldn’t be this difficult,” I muttered.

“It is,” he countered. “Because it’s not just about what you want or don’t want. It’s about responsibility. It’s about perception.”

I sighed and leaned back, staring at the ceiling. “You make everything sound so… serious, so heavy. Maybe I just don’t want to sit through another summit, listening to men with too much power argue about whose border is whose.”

His jaw tightened. “And maybe you’re forgetting that Silver Hollow isn’t just another pack. It’s your home.”

The word landed like a strike. Home.

“You should be the one most eager to go,” he continued. “It’s your people. How do you think it would look to them if you didn’t bother to show up? What do you think Alpha Jason would

think?”

At the mention of that name, something twisted inside me. My chest clenched, my throat went dry. Jason.

I almost flinched, almost gave myself away. My lips moved before my brain could stop them. “I don’t care what Jason-” I caught myself and corrected quickly, “-what Alpha Jason

thinks.”

The correction sounded awkward in my ears, forced, too deliberate. I knew it. And for a split second, I thought Alexander caught it too. His gaze lingered on me, sharp and searching, and my heart kicked against my ribs. If he asked me why I slipped, if he pressed even a little, I didn’t know how I’d answer.

But then, to my relief… and maybe a little to my disappointment… he let it pass.

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“Maybe you don’t care,” he said evenly. “But I do. Because It’s not about what he thinks of you, Faye. It’s about what Silver Hollow thinks of Blood Crescent. If you don’t go, it weakens my position. It raises questions I don’t need raised. Questions about unity, questions about loyalty. Do you understand that?”

I looked at him then, really looked at him. The Alpha in him was speaking–the strategist, the protector, the man who carried the weight of more than just himself. And yet, all I could feel was the dread clawing up my spine. Because I did understand. And understanding made me feel trapped.

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