The Sickened Luna's Last Chance novel Chapter 63

Chapter 63

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Chapter 63

For a long moment, we just stared at each other, neither willing to back down. Finally, Alexander sighed.

“Fine,” he muttered. “Get the dress.’

I tried not to let my surprise show on my face. Had I actually won this argument? I had expected more of a fight. But Alexander just turned away and pulled out his wallet without looking at me.

“I’ll go pay for it,” he said, standing and storming off.

As he walked to the counter, I caught a glimpse of my reflection in the mirror. I hardly recognized myself-flushed cheeks, bright eyes, standing tall and confident in a dress I would never have dared to wear just a few months ago.

It was a small victory, really. Nothing more than an article of clothing. And I knew I could have very well backed down and chosen one of the other lovely dresses here. It would have been easier. It would have made more sense given my circumstances.

But it wasn’t really about the dress. It was about standing my ground for once in my short life. It was about choosing what I wanted rather than what others expected. It was about embracing my femininity, my confidence, my sexuality without letting anyone else trample on it.

And for the first time since our marriage, I had stood my ground and gotten exactly what I wanted.

Maybe the next nine months wouldn’t be so bad after all, if only I held onto the little things. I could help Alexander with his campaign, but that didn’t mean I needed to be his meek little wife again.

I could still be me.

The next day, I found myself actually looking forward to the party. Despite my… complicated relationship with my father and stepmother, I was excited to return to Stormhollow after five

years away.

As I carefully applied my makeup, I couldn’t help but remember the sunny rooms of my childhood home, the sprawling gardens where I used to play, the forest paths I knew like the back of my hand. My bedroom had been spacious and bright, with windows that overlooked the rose garden and let in the morning sun.

It had been so different from the life I’d had here at Ashclaw, where I was confined to a tiny guest room for years, isolated and ignored, only to now be forced to share a room with a man who couldn’t stand me and I couldn’t stand him.

I wondered if my old room was still the same, or if my stepmother had converted it into

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Chapter 63

something else the moment I left. Knowing her, probably the latter.

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Still, I was looking forward to showing Alexander where I’d grown up. Despite everything, a tiny part of me hoped he might understand me better if he saw the place that had shaped me. Maybe, during the party, I could even sneak away and show him my room…

No, I thought bitterly. I wouldn’t go that far. That was the sort of thing that real couples did. That wasn’t us. It never had been, it never would be, and I would never let myself be so naive again as to fantasize about such things.

A little while before it was time to go, I slipped into the black dress, then a pair of strappy silver heels. I then piled my hair into a somewhat messy updo with a few face-framing curls, focusing on what felt good for me rather than how sleek or elegant I had to be.

It looked good. A little wild, but I was starting to enjoy that sort of look lately. It felt right. As if it made up for the fact that the real wildness inside of me, my wolf, was laying dormant.

Then, after putting on some bright red lipstick and a long diamond necklace that trailed down that plunging neckline, I was ready to go.

I took one last look in the mirror, adjusting a stray curl, before heading for the stairs. Alexander had said he’d meet me in the foyer at seven.

As I descended the staircase, I held my breath, half-expecting to see that same stunned expression on Alexander’s face that I’d seen in the store.

But it wasn’t Alexander waiting for me at the bottom of the stairs.

It was Gabriel and that fucking sneer on his face.

“Where’s Alexander?” I asked, coming to a stop a few steps from the bottom.

Gabriel’s eyes flicked over my outfit with disdain, his upper lip twitching slightly as if holding back a snarl.

“I’m afraid Alpha Alexander won’t be attending the party with you.”

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