Another Chance for the Luna Queen

Ella POV

The next morning, Alexander still hadn't returned to the apartment. Needing a distraction, I decided to head to the gym.

I'd been training more and more with Trevor ever since my wolf awakened. He was an expert in weight training- his broad shoulders were proof enough-and he'd explained that strengthening my frame would make the transition between my human and wolf forms smoother. At least, that's what he claimed.

I arrived early, just as the gym opened. Trevor was already there, his usual focused energy buzzing beneath the surface. We chatted briefly about my workout plan for the day before he left me to warm up on my own.

Cardio first-then, when I was ready to move to weights, Trevor would come back to spot me. The last thing I needed was to drop a barbell on myself because my mind was too tangled with thoughts of Alexander.

I tried not to let the worry gnaw at me. This wasn't the first time Alexander had stayed out past morning, but now I knew where he was-acting as the Ice King, dealing with rogues and criminals. The weight of that knowledge sat heavily on me. I had no idea what kind of danger he might be facing.noveldrama

I forced myself to focus, pushing harder on the treadmill, driving my legs faster than usual. Maybe if I burned through enough energy, I could drown out the anxiety clawing at my thoughts.

By the time I stepped off the machine, my body was slick with sweat, my breath ragged, but instead of frustration, I felt a flicker of pride. I was getting stronger.

I had to be. If I was going to stay by Alexander's side-if I was going to be the Luna he deserved-I couldn't afford weakness.

The gym had filled by then, pulsing with the beat of a rhythmic song from the speakers. The televisions mounted high on the walls were streaming the news. Out of habit, my eyes drifted to a screen-and then my blood turned to ice.

Amanda's face filled the screen.

Below her photo, one word burned into my vision: WANTED.

I scanned the captions as they crawled across the bottom of the screen.

"Amanda Gray is wanted for questioning in connection to suspected rogue activity. If seen, please rep

King's Guard."

to the

I stared, stunned. Up until now, the king had kept the arrests of David and Archer quiet. But this-this public manhunt-was something else entirely.

Seeing Amanda's face, my former best friend's, plastered across the screen like that was a bitter pill to swallow. I should have felt relief. I should have been glad she was finally facing the consequences of her betrayal.

But all Tfelt was a hollow sadness.

I tore my attention away from the screen. No one around me seemed to notice the broadcast; they were all too focused on their own workouts. I forced myself to do the same. Grabbing my water bottle, I took a long drink before going to find Trevor.

He was waiting near the front desk and grinned broadly when he saw me approach.

"Ready to get to work?" he asked.

I nodded, forcing a smile onto my face. "Ready when you are."

From the corner of my eye, a flash of pale yellow hair caught my attention. My heart lurched. I turned, and for the briefest moment, I caught a glimpse of a face I had only ever seen in memories and old photographs.

Sabrina.

I blinked rapidly, my pulse pounding in my ears. She couldn't be here. It was impossible. And yet... when I looked again, she was gone.

That looked like Sabrina, I thought, the hairs on the back of my neck prickling. But what would she be doing in the capital? Hadn't Alexander said she married someone in the Northern Kingdom?

"Well, let's hit it," Trevor said, rounding the counter and clapping a large, friendly hand on my shoulder. His voice snapped me out of my spiraling thoughts.

"Right," I murmured, following him toward the weight machines.

I cast one last glance around the gym, but she was nowhere to be found.