The Sickened Luna's Last Chance novel Chapter 324

Ella’s POV

“Alpha,” I said, turning. “I wasn’t expecting to see you there.”

“Sorry to sneak up on you. I just noticed you were shivering, so I wanted to help.”

The kindness in the gesture took me by surprise. I didn’t know what to say, so I just stood there, staring up at him with what was likely a stupid expression.

Finally, Alexander cleared his throat. “Your kettle is whistling,” he pointed out.

My face flushed. “Right!” I blurted out, realizing that the kettle had been screaming at me for a solid thirty seconds and I’d completely forgotten about it. I quickly removed it from the heat, then poured the boiling water into a teapot with some peppermint leaves. “Would you like some?”

“I’ll prepare it. You take a seat.” Alexander guided me over to the table, much to my surprise, then prepared a tray of tea and some of Lilith’s cookies. I pulled the blanket tighter around my shoulders as I watched him, savoring the warmth. The blanket smelled faintly of his cologne, indicating that he’d probably been using it when he found me.

Alexander set the tray down, then took a seat opposite me. I took a cup and sipped from it immediately. It burned my tongue because I was being too awkward to remember to give it a chance to cool.

As we sat there, Alexander glanced at the window. The rain and wind were beating against the glass in equal

measure.

“What were you doing out in this weather?” he asked. “You’re absolutely drenched.”

“I went out earlier and got caught by the rain,” I said, which was true. “It got worse faster than I expected.”

Alexander wrapped his hands around his mug and studied me over the rim. “What had you out today? Somewhere important?”

I took a sip of the hot tea, buying myself time to think. I couldn’t tell him the truth about searching for information on the curse, but I needed to say something. “Just doing some research for a personal project.”

“Research?”

“At the Stormhollow library,” I added before I could think twice. I immediately winced as I realized I’d accidentally said too much.

Alexander’s eyebrows lifted. “Stormhollow? That’s quite a drive just for library research.”

I scrambled for an explanation that wouldn’t reveal too much. “Their book collection is more extensive in the field I’m researching. Better archives.”

“I’ve noticed you’ve been spending a lot of time in our library here too,” Alexander said, taking a sip of his tea. “ If you don’t mind me asking, what exactly are you researching that requires visiting multiple libraries?”

Of course I minded him asking. Because if I told him what I was really researching, he’d die.

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“It’s… just a personal interest,” I said vaguely. “Nothing important.”

“Come on, Stella. You’re being evasive.” His green eyes searched my face. “What’s so fascinating that you’re driving to other territories for research materials? I must know.”

I set my mug down with shaking hands. I’d said too much already, given him too many details that he could use to piece things together. But he wasn’t letting this go, and I needed to give him something or he’d keep pressing.

“Ancient magic,” I blurted out. Goddess, I really couldn’t have thought of something else, could I? Something less incriminating?

Alexander blinked. “Ancient magic?”

“It’s… complicated. Just something I’ve been curious about.” I stood abruptly and grabbed my cup. “Well, 1 should get changed out of these wet clothes before I catch cold. Goodnight, Alexander. And thank you for the blanket. And the tea.”

I fled the kitchen before he could ask any more questions.

Alexander’s POV

I sat in the empty kitchen for a long time after Stella left, staring into my cooling tea and trying to make sense of what had just happened.

Ancient magic? That was what she was researching?

The whole conversation had been strange. Stella was normally direct, sometimes brutally honest, but tonight she’d been evasive and nervous like a teenage girl hiding a cruch. And that explanation about the Stormhollow library having better archives… it felt like a lie.

Why would the nanny be researching ancient magic? What possible reason could she have for that kind of research?

I thought back to all those nights I’d seen her in our library, hunched over old books with an almost desperate look in her eyes. She’d been so focused that she never saw me walk by.

At the time, I’d assumed she was just someone who enjoyed reading, but now I wondered what she’d actually been looking for, especially if she was looking in the Stormhollow library, of all places, for information.