#Chapter 201: More than Fate

Ella POV Alexander ended up working late, which was probably for the best—it gave us both time to clear our heads. I wasn’t sure if we even needed to have a follow-up conversation after his confession, but I wanted to be prepared if it happened. My conversation with James had helped more than I expected. He was right—Alexander was a good man, even if his past was tangled up in crime. I smiled to myself as I pulled a tray of cookies from the oven. It was a silly thought, but an accurate one. I had heard plenty of stories about the Ice King over the years—rumors of illegal smuggling, business fraud, and rivalries with rogue gangs near the northern border. But not once had I heard a single story about him hurting someone who could be considered innocent. Of course, I couldn’t be sure of that. The way my kidnappers had quaked with fear at just the sight of Alexander suggested he was dangerous in ways I might never fully understand. But even if that was true,