Chapter 255: Chapter 256

Chapter 0256 Chapter 0256 Ella POV I sat at the kitchen island beside Alexander, absentmindedly poking at the food he’d placed before me. It smelled and looked delicious, but my appetite was nowhere to be found a ridiculous reaction, really.

Alexander allowed me to stew in silence for a while before finally breaking the tension.

“What’s bothering you?” he asked, his tone calm but direct “And don’t tell me it’s nothing. I’m not so dense that I can’t tell when you’re pissed off.”

His bluntness caught me off guard, and I stared at him for moment, struggling to gather my thoughts. He was right–I couldn’t just sulk all day without explaining myself.

“Like I said earlier, I ran into Fiona at the gym,” I began with a slight shrug.

“And for some reason, that pissed you off?” he asked, his brow furrowing in genuine confusion.

“No, not exactly,” I replied quickly. “I’m not angry that I ran into her. It’s just...” I hesitated, searching for the right words. “The two of you are very close, aren’t you?”

“We are,” he confirmed without hesitation. “She’s one of my closest friends.”

“Why did you never mention her to me before?” I pressed, my tone quieter now.

“It hadn’t come up,” he said with a shrug. “It’s not like we’ve sat down and compared lists of our friends. It wasn’t relevant until you met her.”

I chewed at the inside of my cheek, mulling over his response. He had a point. Alexander wasn’t the type to volunteer personal details unless he thought they were necessary. He hadn’t mentioned his brother until we were heading to his pack lands, and he hadn’t brought up Christopher Slater until he was introducing us. This was just how he operated.

“Did something happen with Fiona today?” he asked, his brow creasing as he studied me. “Did she say something that upset you?”

I shook my head quickly. “It’s silly,” I admitted. “But I just got the impression that the two of you were... closer than I realized.” I chose my words carefully, not wanting to sound irrational.

“Closer?” Alexander repeated, and I saw the moment my implication clicked. His eyes widened slightly, and then an amused smile spread across his face.

“Fiona’s a childhood friend,” he said, his tone light. “Probably the closest thing to a sister I’ll ever have. She can be annoying, but if she said anything to give you an impression there was more between us, it was a mistake.”

I nodded, though I still couldn’t shake the unease in my chest.

Alexander chuckled softly, shaking his head in disbelief. “Fiona,” he muttered under his breath. “Do you seriously think I’d be interested in a woman like her?”

“Why wouldn’t you be?” I asked, genuinely curious. Fiona was beautiful, successful, and they clearly got along well. It wasn’t an unreasonable thought–or so I told myself.

“We’re too similar,” Alexander said simply. “What would be the point in pursuing anything with a woman like that? Someone as focused on her work as I am on mine. Our paths rarely cross anymore, and I’m not interested in attempting a long–distance relationship. Besides,” he added, his tone softening, “I’ve told you before—I’m not looking to be with anyone permanently.”

1/2 +25 BONUS Chapter 0255 “I see.” I said quietly, turning my attention back to the food in front of me. “I apologize if my behavior earlier was childish.”

“Not childish exactly,” he replied thoughtfully. “But it’s surprising. I’

that.”

not sure I’ve ever seen you irritated like “Well, we’re living together now,” I said with a small shrug. “I suppose it’s bound to happen at some point.”

“Do you have plans for the rest of the day?” he asked, smoothly changing the subject.

I shook my head. “Nothing definitive. What about you?”

“I’ll be preparing for the Alpha Council meeting tomorrow he answered. “But that shouldn’t take too long... I think.”