Then I felt a warm hand slip into mine, fingers intertwining with my own.

    “Hey,” Alexander said softly. “You okay?”

    I opened my eyes slowly. Alexander was crouched beside my chair still devastatingly handsome even after hours of political schmoozing. His tie was loosened slightly, and a few strands of fed hair had fallen across his forehead.

    But it was the look in his green eyes that made my breath catch. Gentle and concerned and something strikingly tender.

    The mate bond surged between us without warning, flooding me with all kinds of dangerous emotions that felt too big for my body. In my half–asleep state, with my defenses down and my heart open, I didn’t think about contracts or politics or fake rtionships.

    I just acted on instinct.

    I reached up and pulled Alexander’s face down to mine, kissing him with all the passion and longing I’d been trying to hide for months. He made a surprised sound against my lips but didn’t pull away. Instead, his free hand came up to `cup my face as he kissed me back just as fiercely.

    For a moment, the rest of the world disappeared. There was only Alexander and me and the electric current of our bond sparking

    between us.

    Only the taste of him on my tongue and the feeling of taking exactly what I wanted in that moment.

    L

    Sophia

    Sophia watched from across the room as Alex kissed E with enough passion to burn the venue down.

    The sight made her want to be fucking sick.

    They really were in love, weren’t they?

    All this time, Sophia had been telling herself that their rtionship was just for show. That Alexander was only ying his part for the cameras and the voters. That deep down, he still cared about her the way she cared about him, and the punishment he’d doled out was just a momentary hup.

    But that kiss… there was nothing fake or temporary about that kiss

    Sophia’s hands clenched into fists at her sides as she watched the disgusting disy. She’d lost him. Really, truly lost him.

    The realization was a p to the face, and for a moment Sophia cold barely breathe. Alexander was nevering back to her. He was going to be Alpha King with E as his Luna Queen, and they were going to have their perfect little family and live happily ever after.

    Unless…

    Sophia’s eyes narrowed as an idea began to form. A dangerous, desperate idea that could either give her everything she wanted or destroy herpletely onest time.

    She scanned the room until she spotted Gabriel near the bar, nursing what looked like his third whiskey of the evening. The Beta looked as miserable as she felt, probably for simr reasons.

    Perfect.

    Sophia straightened her shoulders and made her way across the room, her red dress swishing around her legs. Gabriel looked up as she approached.

    “Sophia.”

    She slid onto the barstool next to him and signaled the bartender for a drink. “Interesting evening, don’t you think?”

    Gabriel’s jaw tightened as he followed her gaze to where Alexande and E were still sitting together in the corner. Fucking lovebirds. “Thrilling.”

    “You don’t sound happy about your Alpha’s sess.”

    “What’s that supposed to mean?”

    Sophia leaned closer, lowering her voice. “It means I think we want the same thing, Gabriel. And I think we might be able to help each other get it. For good this time.”

    Gabriel hesitated for a long moment, and Sophia wondered if he night decline. Perhaps it was too risky for the Beta.

    But to her surprise, he set down his ss and turned to face her. “I’m listening.”

    X