hapter 0320
Chapter 0320
Alexander POV
I sat in my office with an untouched cup of coffee in front of me, steam curling from the mug in lazy spirals. My laptop sat open but dark, its blank screen reflecting my hollow expression. I had work to do. There was always
work to do.
But I couldn’t focus.
What I had just done was reckless. Foolish.
God, August was going to kill me when he found out.
He was the only one in my life who knew about my persona as the Ice King. I was always careful to keep that part of myself separate from my role as Alpha of the Black Rock Pack.
I knew how dangerous my double life was–how many lives were at risk if I were ever exposed. It would devastate the pack. But more than that, it would cause mass panic.
My identity as the biological child of the Northern Alpha King was kept secret for a reason. If people knew the power the Northern King held over the border packs… If my truth came to light, it could ignite a war.
That wasn’t a risk I was willing to take, so I did everything in my power to keep my secrets safe, no matter the strain it put on my personal life.
I left in the middle of the night for my meetings in the Rogue Lands. I went alone or with August, lying to everyone else.
I let people believe I was doing all kinds of terrible things let them think I was unfaithful, manipulative, and cold. It was better than them knowing the truth.
It was easier to be hated than to risk them digging deeper.
This was exactly what August had worried about when Ella came into the picture. Somehow, he’d known she would get under my skin. And she had. Yet, even now, knowing all my darkest secrets, she was still here.
Could she really love a criminal like me?
The thought tore at me, unraveling every defense I’d built to protect myself–and to protect her.
When the door to my office opened, I already knew who it was. I’d canceled every meeting today except for one.
August stepped in with a grim look on his face, closing the door behind him before locking it. He crossed the room and took the seat opposite me, his eyes never leaving mine. For a long moment, he just stared, his expression unreadable.
“What happened?” he asked at last. “I haven’t heard your voice sound so distressed in a long time. And your secretary told me you weren’t to be disturbed.”
“I asked you to look into Ella,” I said, my voice flat. “What did you find?”
August hesitated, his gaze flickering. “Nothing,” he finally answered. “No history of mental illness. No odd behavior. No illnesses in her family tree that would raise any red flags. I dug deep, Alexander. There’s nothing to report.”
I nodded slowly. That’s what I expected. I believed Ella’s story. I just needed to be sure.
“Alex… what’s going on?” August’s voice softened as he leaned forward, his eyes sharp with concern.
+25 BONUS
Chapter 0320
I exhaled slowly, feeling the weight of the truth pressing down on me. He hadn’t called me Alex since we were kids. It told me exactly how serious he considered this situation to be. I had to be honest with him.
“Ella knows,” I said simply.
Anger flashed across his face, sharp and sudden, before it was replaced by worry, then a flicker of sadness. Finally, his expression settled into a carefully neutral mask.
“I told her everything.”
August drew in a deep breath, his shoulders rigid as he leaned back in his chair. His hands clasped together so tightly his knuckles turned white. He stayed that way for a moment, fighting for control.
“Why?” he asked, his voice low, rough around the edges.
“I had to,” I said, my voice steady despite the turmoil inside me. “This latest kidnapping was impossible to explain away. Ella recognized my voice from the last time I had to intervene as my other self. If I didn’t tell her, she would’ve started looking into things on her own, and that would’ve raised even more suspicion.”
