The Sickened Luna's Last Chance novel Chapter 25

Chapter 25

+25 BCNUS

Chapter 25

My silence must have been all the confirmation Liam needed, because he suddenly leaned forward and grasped my hands in his. His eyes never left mine as he said, “You need someone better, Ella. A man who will truly love you.”

At that moment, I felt as though I would prefer no man instead. At least for a good, long while. But I didn’t say that to Liam.

“Marriage is complicated,” I finally said, staring down at our joined hands. “Politics are complicated.”

I could feel Liam’s gaze boring into me, searching for a lie. But this time, I wasn’t lying. Not really. It was an incredibly complex situation, one that sometimes felt like it had no “right” solution.

“You can leave, you know,” he said after a moment. “If he’s cruel to you, or hurting you-”

“He’s not hurting me.” I met my friend’s gaze steadily.

“But you look weak, Ella. Tired. Something must be going on that you’re not telling me.

“I’m fine.”

Liam sighed softly. “Ella…”

“I’m just tired, okay?” I let out a bitter laugh, because it was true. I was fucking exhausted.” It’s tiring, always bending over backwards for someone who doesn’t love you.”

“Why don’t you leave him, then?” Liam asked.

I didn’t tell him about my wolf or the contracts or any of it. He wouldn’t understand, and besides… With Alexander’s election coming up, I couldn’t risk anything. If Liam knew the truth, he might get mad and refuse to give Ashclaw a good review.

And if Alexander didn’t get what he wanted, then maybe he would pull out of the contract and refuse to divorce me.

I doubted Alexander would go against our contract, but it wasn’t a risk I was willing to take.

“It’s not that simple,” I said. “With his election coming up, I don’t want to cause any trouble.”

Liam’s eyes narrowed. “So he’s using you to win the election. Meanwhile, you’re miserable.”

“It’s not like that…”

“Isn’t it?”

I hesitated for a long moment before I dared to look at him again. When I did, his face was pale and drawn with worry.

1/2

Chapter 25

+25 BONUS

Without a word, he pulled me into an embrace. “ll help you, Ella,” he said gently, his voice muffled by my hair. “We’ll get you out of that marriage, even if we need to resort to dirty tactics-”

“No.” I pulled back, wiping at my eyes. “It’s too complicated, Liam.”

Liam stared at me for a long second, that intense dark expression crossing his face again. It was almost difficult to recognize the man sitting before me-scheming and determined, not at all like the kind-hearted, simple young boy I had known years ago. The boy who might have told me to keep my chin up and everything would be okay.

Dirty tactics… That wasn’t like Liam at all.

But I supposed I had changed, too. We all had. Perhaps for the worse.

“There must be something I can do,” he said firmly.

“Give Ashclaw a good review.” I stood, ignoring the way my legs shook. “It’s the best thing you can do for me right now.”

Liam

Liam watched Ella shakily scoop up the bundles of clothes and stumble out of the legs hardly holding her upright beneath the weight.

She was becoming weak. Fatigued. Had she not been eating?

room, her

The thought turned Liam’s heart to stone. She was clearly trapped like a prisoner, not just in this marriage, but in her own body. Her own husband refused to treat her properly, and she was starving herself.

Bastard.

Liam made a decision then: if he could gather enough evidence on his own, then he could get Ella out of this unhappy marriage.

She might have said she didn’t want Liam’s help, but he would give it to her anyway. He had to. She was a mental prisoner, clearly. She wouldn’t leave Alexander on her own because deep down, she still loved him even though he didn’t love her.

But Liam could save her. He would save her.

Even if he had to drag her kicking and screaming out of that marriage, she was sure to thank him for it in the end.

2/2