Chapter 207

Ella’s POV

The following morning was much the same as the one before. I slipped out of bed with Alexander before the sun rose and the house had woken up, quickly padding down the halls like Alexander’s dirty little secret.

This time, though, I couldn’t seem to keep the stupid grin off my face. It really was sordid and “forbidden”, but I had to admit—it made all of this exciting in ways that I never expected.

After showering and dressing, I spent the morning taking care of Lucien, making last-minute wedding plans with Anya, and pretty much anything else that could keep my mind off of the glaring issue of the curse.

I was just passing by Alexander’s office a little before lunchtime with Lucien in my arms when I heard it.

Coughing. Coming from Alexander’s office.

The sound of it normally wouldn’t have pricked my ears, but the wet, raspy sound made me freeze in my tracks. It definitely sounded like Alexander, and immediately, my mind went to all of the worst possibilities.

Namely: that fucking curse.

I tightened my hold on Lucien, heart racing ten times the pace it was before. Without hesitating, I strode over and pushed open the door to Alexander’s office and stepped into the room.

“Are you sick?” I blurted out.

Alexander had his back turned to me, facing the window and looking out over the estate grounds. His shoulders seemed to tense for a split second when he heard my voice, and he shoved something into his pocket before he turned to me.

But there was a smile on his face. Warm and comforting and… healthy. He didn’t look sick at all, but that didn’t necessarily mean anything, did it?

He crossed the room, closing the distance between us in about three long strides, and pressed a kiss to my forehead, then to Lucien’s, and I felt some of the tension ease from my spine. But not entirely.

“I feel as healthy as an ox,” he said, grinning.

I looked up at him in disbelief. “If you’re lying, I’ll kill you myself before the curse does.”

Some of the light guttered in Alexander’s green eyes at my threat, but whatever that look was, it was gone before I truly had a chance to process it.

“Have you eaten lunch yet?” Alexander asked, blatantly changing the subject.

I blinked. “No, but—”

“Go get your jacket and get Lucien prepared to go out,” he cut me off. “We’re going out for lunch.”

Well, that was unexpected. The thought made my heart flutter, but I also frowned. “Alexander, you know we can’t be seen alone together—”

“I know.” Alexander placed a warm hand on my shoulder. “Anya’s coming, too. All four of us are going out. She asked to do some holiday shopping for her family before they arrive.”

I couldn’t argue with that logic, then. Going out for a bit sounded nice, too—the air was cold and crisp that day, the sky overcast and gray. But it wasn’t a depressing sort of gray; it was cozy and bittersweet, the last vestige of autumn before the inevitable winter.

A little while later, I found myself walking down the main street of Ashclaw pack with Anya, Alexander, and Lucien bundled up in a cute little sweater and hat. The shopping district was busy, everyone apparently having the same idea we did—to go out for some early holiday gift-buying, pumpkin spice lattes and fresh donuts from the local bakery in hand.

After stopping at the bakery in question for our own treats—a latte with whipped cream and a sandwich for me (I let Lucien lick a little bit of the whipper cream, of course, much to his delight), a pastry for Anya, and one of those donuts for Alexander—we meandered down the shopping strip, perusing shop windows and chatting.

It was… nice to go out like this. It felt normal, even, to be out like this.

If I ignored the fact that everyone was complimenting Anya and Alexander, of course.

“You’re such a lovely couple!” old women would croon as they pinched Lucien’s cheeks and offered congratulations on the upcoming wedding. “I hope your wedding is blessed by the Moon Goddess herself!”

Of course, it wasn’t their fault. Or anyone’s, really. I tried not to feel bitter about it, tried to hold onto hope that Alexander and I would break the curse and be able to reveal everything before it was too late, but…

It was getting harder by the day.

My ever-present love for Alexander felt like a ticking time bomb. With each day that passed, my anxiety only grew. Every time I looked at him, I saw a man on the brink of death. Every sneeze felt like a nail in the proverbial coffin. Every bump in the night felt like an accident waiting to happen.

I was spiraling in one such way around two o’clock while Anya and Alexander perused a local antique shop. Anya was chattering off in the distance to the shop owner about an ornate pocket watch that she wanted to buy for her father, who collected them, while Alexander was nowhere to be found.

I wandered through the shelves, bouncing Lucien in my arms and looking at the various knick-knacks as if they could keep my mind off of everything. Normally, in my past life, a nice day out shopping would soothe my nerves.

Now, it just felt like another useless distraction.

That was, until I rounded the corner to a small, private alcove and felt something cool and metallic settle around my neck.

I gasped, eyes flicking up to a nearby mirror. Alexander was standing behind me, clasping a dainty silver necklace around my throat.

“Alexander—”

“Shh,” he whispered, clasping the necklace then turning me to face him. He brushed his thumb across my cheek, his other hand resting tenderly on our son’s head. “Don’t want anyone to see us. Do you like it?”

I looked down at the necklace and couldn’t help but smile. It was simple but beautiful, with a small heart-shaped pendant hanging from the delicate chain.

“Of course I do. But why did you buy this for me?”

Alexander’s eyes grew soft. He dipped his head toward me and whispered, “Until I can put a ring on your finger, we’ll have to make do with other trinkets.”

Before I could answer, he was pressing a kiss to my lips that was both tender and fervent. With Lucien sandwiched between us, he backed us further into the corner, deepening the kiss.

I shuddered into his mouth, feeling that familiar warmth spread through me at the contact of his mouth on mine. If we hadn’t been in public, if Lucien hadn’t been here, I might have thrown my arms and legs around him and let him take me then and there.

But reality wasn’t going anywhere. And before the kiss could last for so much as five seconds, the sound of creaking floorboards nearby made us both jerk apart.

It was just Anya who rounded the corner, her purchase in hand and a smile on her face, but her presence was a reminder of our sordid little secret.

Until everything changed, we couldn’t risk anyone discovering us—and that had been too close.