Chapter 198
Ellie's POV
I woke up early the next morning with one goal in mind: to leave before anyone noticed.
It was becoming something of a routine now. Wake up, avoid Dominic, avoid the house, avoid anything that made me feel like I was slipping back into the life I was desperately trying to escape.
For the third day in a row, I quietly opened my bedroom door before sunrise, expecting the hallway to be empty.
It wasn't.
The moment I stepped onto the stairs, I froze.
Dominic was already there.
He stood near the front entrance with his arms crossed over his chest, his expression unreadable. The faint morning light spilled through the windows behind him, outlining his figure like some kind of obstacle I couldn't simply walk around.
For several seconds, neither of us said anything.
My fingers tightened around the railing.
Of course he noticed.
Dominic always noticed.
Taking a slow breath, I lifted my chin and continued down the stairs. I refused to let him see hesitation. Refused to let him know how much his presence still affected me.
When I reached the bottom, I stopped in front of him.
"Excuse me," I said.
One of his brows lifted.
"Going somewhere?"
"I was planning on it, yes."
His gaze moved over me, taking in my bag, my clothes, the obvious fact that I was ready to leave.
"Ellie, you can't leave today."
I almost laughed.
"I can actually do whatever I want to do. Thanks for the concern."
A muscle in his jaw twitched.
"Sure. You can." His voice remained calm, but there was a firmness beneath it. "But this comes first."
Before I could ask what he meant, he pulled a stack of papers from behind his back.
The contract.
My stomach tightened.
"You made a promise when you signed this," he said. "You agreed to act as Luna. Attend meetings. Fulfill your responsibilities."
His eyes narrowed slightly.
"And since the wedding, you haven't done any of that."
I folded my arms.
"Well, Vivian seems perfectly happy to fill in for me, so..."
I moved to step around him.
He blocked my path instantly.
I stopped just before walking into his chest.
Annoyance flashed through me.
"Move."
Instead, his arm wrapped around my waist before I could take another step.
My breath caught as he pulled me back.
"Ellie."
"Let me go."
His grip wasn't painful. It wasn't even forceful.
That almost made it worse.
Because some traitorous part of me remembered what it felt like to be held by him before everything fell apart.
"Ellie."
His voice echoed through the bond.
The sensation sent a shiver down my spine, like invisible fingers brushing against my thoughts. My body reacted before my mind could stop it, instinctively leaning toward the warmth of him.
I hated that.
I hated that my own body betrayed me.
I looked up at him.
His expression was still serious, still determined.
But his eyes...
Those damn eyes.
They looked at me the way they used to.
Softly.
Like I mattered.
Like I was someone worth protecting.
And I hated myself for still wanting to believe it.
"I have studying to do," I said quietly.
"I know."
His voice softened.
"But you've spent the last two days at the academy from sunrise until sunset. You're exhausting yourself."
"I'm fine."
He studied me for a moment before sighing.
Then his hand lifted.
I should have moved away.
I should have stopped him.
But I didn't.
His palm rested against my cheek, warm and familiar. His thumb brushed gently beneath my eye.
"You have dark circles," he murmured.
My heart betrayed me with a painful little flutter.
"Please stay home today, Ellie."
For a moment, I almost gave in.
It would have been so easy.
To lean into him.
To let myself believe that maybe everything could still be fixed.
The bond between us pulled at me. The memories pulled harder.
But I couldn't forget.
I couldn't forget the contract.
The vow.
The fear.
The knife.
Slowly, I stepped away from him.
"I need to go."
Something hardened in his expression.
He moved in front of the door again.
"I won't let you."
I stared at him.
"What?"
"We have an important meeting today," he said. "Several Alphas are coming to discuss trade agreements."
His gaze held mine.
"I need you there."
My jaw tightened.
"It'll look bad for the pack if your sister is sitting in your place."
There it was.
The reminder.
Vivian.
My teeth clenched.
I hated that he was right.
I hated even more that I couldn't walk away without making myself look exactly like the unstable Luna everyone probably thought I was.
Fine.
I would stay.
But I wasn't going to make this easy for him.
By noon, the visiting Alphas had arrived.
I waited until the last possible moment before leaving my room.
Then I walked downstairs.
The moment Dominic saw me, I knew I had succeeded.
His expression changed instantly.
The other Alphas were dressed in perfectly tailored suits. Their companions wore elegant dresses and professional attire.
And then there was me.
A pink tracksuit.
Comfortable.
Casual.
Completely inappropriate for a formal political meeting.
Exactly the point.
Dominic stared at me.
I smiled sweetly.
"What?" I asked.
His jaw tightened.
I could practically see the frustration building.
Good.
If he wanted a Luna today, he was going to get one.
Just not the kind he expected.