Another Chance for the Luna Queen

Ella POV

Alexander ended up working late, which was probably for the best-it gave us both time to clear our heads. I wasn't sure if we even needed to have a follow-up conversation after his confession, but I wanted to be prepared if it happened.

My conversation with James had helped more than I expected. He was right- Alexander was a good man, even if his past was tangled up in crime.

I smiled to myself as I pulled a tray of cookies from the over. It was a silly thought, but an accurate one.

I had heard plenty of stories about the Ice King over the years-rumors of illegal smuggling, business fraud, and rivalries with rogue gangs near the northern border. But no once had I heard a single story about him hurting someone who could be considered innocent.

Of course, I couldn't be sure of that. The way my kidnappers had quaked with fear at just the sight of Alexander suggested he was dangerous in ways I might never fully understand.

But even if that was true, I wasn't sure it would have made a difference to me at this point.

I loved him. And I wasn't going anywhere.

So, I baked a tray of the same cookies I had made for him the night he met my parents, hoping that small gesture would be enough to show how grateful I was. Because I didn't have the words to express what it meant to me that he had finally opened up about something so important.

Just as I was setting the cookies on the rack to cool, I heard the sound of the door opening. When Alexander told me he was working late, I assumed he wouldn't be home until early morning. But it was only about an hour after his usual return time.

A moment later, he appeared in the kitchen doorway. His gaze flicked to the tray

of cookies before settling on me, curiosity softening his features.

"Did I forget some special occasion?" he asked.

I shook my head, a small smile tugging at my lips. "I just felt like making something for you."

"Thank you," he said softly, the warmth in his voice sending a shiver down my spine. "They smell amazing. You weren't waiting up for me, were you?"

"No," I shook my head, though my cheeks warmed. "But I'm glad you got home before I went to sleep." "Why's that?" His voice lowered slightly, almost cautious, like he wasn't sure what I was about to say.

Suddenly feeling embarrassed, I shrugged. "I just wanted to talk before bed, that's all."

Alexander leaned against the counter, arms crossed. "What did you want to talk about?"

I shrugged again, my thoughts scattering the second our eyes met. My wolf stirred at the back of my mind, her excitement bubbling up with a whimper that made it difficult to focus. Of course, I was thrilled to have him back, but sometimes her need to be close made it impossible to think straight.

"Are you okay?" Alexander's brow furrowed with obvious concern.

"Just-"I waved my hand vaguely around my head.

Understanding lit his eyes. "It happens to me too."

"Really?" I asked, genuinely curious. "How do you get anything done?"

He laughed, the sound low and warm. "I'm just a little more used to it than you

are, that's all. Trust me, it's just as distracting for me sometimes."noveldrama

"I'm glad to have her back, of course," I admitted, "but I didn't realize it would feel like this."

"You'll adjust," he said reassuringly. "Eventually, her voice will blend with yours. Sometimes, I can't even tell where I end and my wolf begins."

"That sounds... a little scary."

He shook his head. "I can see why you'd think that, but it's actually comforting. Your wolf's voice becomes part of your instincts, part of your gut-you stop needing to separate her out from yourself because she isn't separate anymore."

I hesitated, then whispered, "All she wants is to be near you." My face burned at the admission.

Alexander's expression softened. "Is there any reason why you can't always be near me?"

I stared at him, realizing what he was truly asking-whether I had made up my mind after his confession. Slowly, I shook my head.

"No," I said. "There's no reason we can't stay together."

Relief washed over him like a wave. His whole body seemed to relax, as if he'd been holding his breath all day and could finally breathe again. A pang of guilt tugged at me; I hadn't realized how much my decision weighed on him.

Then again, I remembered how I had felt when I'd laid my own secrets bare, waiting for him to decide if he could still accept me.

But now, none of that mattered. The only thing that mattered was us.

Without thinking, I surged onto my tiptoes and kissed him. His hands were instantly at my waist, pulling me closer, deepening the kiss until everything else faded away.

"What I feel for you isn't just her," I whispered against his lips. "I don't know how to describe it but what's between us is more than fate."

"I know," Alexander said softly, before pulling me closer and kissing me again, deeper this time. I pressed against him until he lost his balance and we both fell against the counter.

I giggled with embarrassment, but Alexander just lifted me easily and carried me to the bedroom.

He pressed me into the mattress and climbed on top of me. My heart raced with anticipation as his hands moved over me, hungry and possessive, as if he'd been holding back for a long time and had finally stopped resisting.

The urgency of his movements field my own. I arched against him, letting my nails dig into his back and drag over his shirt. Alexander shivered and sat up, pulling his shirt off and tossing it aside.

I repeated the action against his bare skin, careful not to hurt him. He buried his face in the crook of my neck and bit down lightly. The feeling made me moan and a wave of desire washed over me.

We hadn't done a marking ceremony. We weren't supposed to be together, but the press of his teeth into the tender flesh of my neck felt so right.

Before I could think on it any further, Alexander gripped the hem of my pants and began to pull them down.

The passion that filled us both was more than physical. This was everything we had been holding back for so long.

We were in love. We never meant to be, but it happened naturally.

It happened long before we felt the pull, I could admit that now. As Alexander and

I moved together, the pleasure that rose in me wasn't because of physical

attraction or fate, although I knew those things were a factor.

It was so much more. We had fought for one another and we had won. We had

chosen to be together and to accept each other with all of our flaws and secrets.

I knew that Alexander and I would face more difficulties together, but I was confident we would make it through.

I pulled him into a kiss as I began to shake beneath him and the fire of his kiss told me he felt the same.

Whatever happened from here on out, we would handle it together.