Chapter 13

Killian

When Elena calmly said that she wouldn’t be cooking for me anymore, my hand tightened around my fork. But I willed myself not to react negatively; by now, it was becoming more clear to me that something was indeed going on with her lately, medically or otherwise, even if she insisted she was fine.

“Elena,” I said slowly, setting down my fork, “can you please tell me what’s going on with you now?”

She didn’t respond. Just continued to stare at me with an impassive expression, as if she too were holding herself back.

I sighed. “If this is about Natalie, then we can both take a step back. But you have to understand that Natalie is already…” My throat bobbed. “...Dead. You’re my only Luna. And I apologize if I haven’t treated you well in the past, but I’ll do my best to be a better husband to you from now on.”

Elena’s eyes flickered with something unreadable, and I saw her fingers curl around the edge of the table, picking at a loose thread on the tablecloth. It seemed I had struck a nerve; was she really jealous of Natalie? Even now? Natalie was long gone.

I felt I had made enough of a compromise to please her, but it seemed she still intended to keep her distance. Fine, then. If distance was what she needed, then I wouldn’t push it. So I returned to eating the food she had made and tried not to stare at her too long.

After a few moments of silence, the room filled only with the sound of my cutlery against the plate and my chewing, she spoke.

“What would you do if she came back?”

“What?”

Elena took a deep breath as if steeling herself. “If Natalie came back to life, what would you do?”

A sharp pang lanced through my chest at the very thought of my first love returning from the grave, but I tried my best to keep my expression as neutral as possible. Slowly, I set my wine glass down and looked at Elena.

“She’s dead, Elena,” I insisted, even if it hurt to say the words out loud. “Gone. Why ask questions like that?”

Her face hardened. “Humor me.”

I didn’t know how to react for a long time. Clearly, Elena wasn’t going to back down from this. Finally, I huffed and said, “I’d be lying if I said I wouldn’t be greatly relieved. But if you’re asking if I would leave you for her, the answer is no. Are you satisfied now?”

But Elena’s eyes simply narrowed as if she didn’t believe me. I threw my hands up in the air. “You’re my fated mate, Elena. My Luna. Even if Natalie came back, that wouldn’t change.”

Elena’s upper lip curled to reveal semi-extended fangs. She was clearly angry, so much so that her wolf was pushing just beneath the surface of her skin. And for what? A hypothetical that would never happen?

Before I could say anything, she abruptly pushed her chair back, causing the legs to scrape loudly against the hardwood floor.

“Liar,” she snarled, and just like that, she stormed out. I heard her footsteps pound up the stairs, and a few moments later, the slam of her bedroom door echoed through the house.

I sat there now, alone, staring at the spot where she’d been sitting just a minute ago. For a moment, I had almost felt as if we could reach a tentative peace; Elena was clearly unhappy in our relationship, and had seemingly been unhappy for some time but had just lacked the confidence to say it.

Maybe I didn’t love her, but she was still my mate. I wanted us both to be happy, and if she had complaints about the way I treated her, then I was willing to work to be a better husband.

But now, I wondered if she was angry with me for things that were out of my control. Natalie was dead, had been dead for two years, and wasn’t coming back.

And yet Elena was acting as if her dead adoptive sister were about to waltz right through the front door and take everything from her.

…

The following morning, I found myself sitting in the stuffy chambers of the Alpha Council. The room was just as old as most of its current inhabitants—creaky wooden floors, an even creakier mahogany table in the shape of a crescent, and the most uncomfortable chairs known to man.

The Council had been agonizing over a new trade agreement between the northern and southern territories for nearly an hour now, as was typical for our meetings. I tried not to look at Jaxon Adler across the table, although my gaze kept travelling in his direction anyway.

Usually, I was fully present at these meetings, even when they felt tedious. But today, I couldn’t get Elena out of my mind. I kept thinking about her strange behavior and Jaxon and everything that had occurred over the past week, and I couldn’t decide if I was frustrated or angry or maybe even attracted to this strange new side of her.

By the time the meeting ended, I was no closer to figuring that out. I made my way to my private office in the Council hall and ran my hand through my hair, relieved to be alone for a minute.

My relief, however, was short-lived.

“Everything alright, Alpha? You seemed distracted at today’s meeting.”

I looked up to see Tiffany Lovelace, my female Beta and Elena’s fill-in, standing in the doorway with her notebook pressed to her chest. Tiffany was tall and proper, with thin-framed glasses perched on the end of her nose and her brunette hair cut into a severe bob. She made a good female Beta, although sometimes I overheard the other Alphas joking that she only had the position because she was sleeping with me.

Truthfully, I had hired Tiffany because Elena had never shown any interest in her Luna duties. Hosting charity events, running household finances, leading any and all party planning work, and more… She didn’t seem interested or, frankly, capable.

What about now, I wondered? Elena had pleasantly surprised me when she hatched the scheme to catch the jewelry thief, subsequently catching the very same person who had dug up Natalie’s grave.

She had also shown initiative at the auction when she had sold her own jewelry—which, I had to admit, did have a positive effect on our reputation already—as well as when she had talked to Jaxon, although I still wasn’t happy about that part.

Would she have an interest in her duties now? Probably not. No one could change that much in the span of a week unless something huge had truly happened as a catalyst, and aside from fainting in her bathroom, I could think of nothing.

I realized Tiffany was staring at me by now, waiting for a response, and I sighed. “Do you think there’s something wrong with Elena?” The words slipped out before I could stop them, but I knew Tiffany well enough to be honest about such things.

Tiffany stepped into the room and tilted her head. “What’s making you say that?”

I shrugged. “She’s just been acting… different.”

“Acting up, you mean,” Tiffany scoffed, setting aside her notebook.

I frowned. At first I had thought Elena was just acting up like a toddler throwing a tantrum, but after last night, I was beginning to think she was really serious. It seemed she had something planned, although I wasn’t sure what. Did she still intend to divorce me?

My silence must have been confirmation, because Tiffany clicked her tongue and moved closer, reaching for my tie. “You mustn’t let her mood swings get in the way of your duties. With the election coming up, you have to be on your best game.”

She adjusted my tie, and I felt a muscle in my jaw tick. She was right, of course.

Just then, the door opened and Elena, who I hadn’t expected to be here today, or ever really, strode in. She froze when she saw the scene—Tiffany with her hand on my chest, the two of us standing close. I instantly took a step back.

“Elena, I can explain—”

“No need.” Elena smoothed down the front of her shirt and pulled her shoulders back, and something about her coolness struck me to my core. Last night, I had been so overcome with jealousy over her talking to Jaxon that I had nearly lost my mind in public.

But Elena had just walked in on another woman putting her hands on me, and she hardly reacted at all. Had she truly fallen out of love with me after all? Was she intending to divorce me?

No. Elena would never leave me.