#Chapter 113: Confidence

Ella When Alexander and I walked back into the banquet hall together, I braced myself for stares and whispers. But most people were too deep into their champagne to care much about where we’d been. Alexander turned to me as we entered the hall. “If you’d rather go home—” “No. We should stay.” I managed a small smile, still shaken about everything but unwilling to let the night be completely ruined. Especially if my father had truly done everything Alexander was accusing him of, I didn’t want to give him the satisfaction. Alexander hesitated for a moment, but then nodded. For the next half hour, we carefully picked our way through the remaining crowd, stopping occasionally to talk to other Alphas and Lunas and various pack delegates from across the territories. After a while, though, I grew tired of mingling and quietly slipped away to take a breather. I was standing near the dessert table, surveying the remaining petit fours and sweets, when I heard a fami