#Chapter 444- Into You Ella
“Ella,” Clavin says, his voice thick with emotion. His hand continues its path, reaching for me, his fingers brushing the velvet sleeve of my gown before I can pull away.
“What,” I whisper, taking a few steps back, wanting space between us. “What was that?”
“I don’t – ”
Before he can finish though, we both turn towards the darkened doorway to the balcony. I instantly recognize the silhouette I see there as my mate’s and breathe out a breath of relief.
I mean it’s not that I think that Calvin or I did anything wrong, or that Calvin was going to hurt me, but whatever passed between us? It was strange.
And suddenly as I remember the pulse that happened last night, when Calvin touched my hand – I want my mate here, now, at my side.
“Is everything all right out here?” Sinclair growls, his voice low and full of the threat that his words don’t carry.
He takes a step forward into the darkness as Calvin takes a step away from me and bows to him, both a formality shown to a king and a display of deference to an Alpha who thinks he might sense a threat to his mate.
“Everything is fine, Dominic,” I say, holding out a hand to him, doing my best to keep my voice light though I suspect I’m failing a little bit. “Prince Calvin was just telling me about his children. Did you know that he has a son just older than Rafe? And his daughter is three.”
“I did not know,” Sinclair says, prowling to my side, his eyes fixed on the Atalaxian prince. “Your family keeps such information close to their chest, do they not?”
“We do,” Calvin confirms, his voice formal and quiet now. “Though, we do share it with our closest friends. And I very much hope that after this trip that I will be able to tell my children about my new friends in Moon Valley.”
“I hope so as well,” I say, hoping my words assure Calvin that I’m on his side, and to persuade Sinclair that no matter what he sensed, Calvin has not done or meant me any harm.
“I don’t know if this is going to be possible,” Sinclair says quietly, his voice grumbling and stern as he stands close at my side, pressing his hands into his pockets and looking Calvin up and down. “Especially after the stunts your delegation has been pulling with Xander. He upset Ella very much tonight. Were you aware of this?”
Calvin sighs and looks at me, his face genuinely pained. “I was not, What did he do?”
Briefly, Sinclair informs Clavin of Xander’s approach, his refusal to look me in the eye. Calvin sighs deeply as he listens, lifting a hand to rub at his eyes in frustration and I think embarrassment.
“I’m sorry,” Calvin says, dropping his hand and looking first at me and then at Sinclair. “It is…please, I beg you you to consider that there was and is dissent within our nation. While I’m sure that some of our delegation encouraged Xander and support his disgusting ideas, some of us want better.”
“Well,” Sinclair says slowly. “Then I’d look forward to speaking further with those persons.”
“If you’ll allow me to set it up,” the prince says quietly, “I will do so.”
“Please,” Sinclair says. And then he shuts his mouth, clear that that’s his final word on the subject this evening.
Calvin bows again, to each of us, and then says he’ll put the wheels in motion before stepping towards the door. When he reaches it, he clasps Conner on the shoulder and bids him a good night as well, a move that adds another tick in his favor as far as I’m concerned. I quite like it when persons of power make a point to acknowledge people in positions of service.
But, knowing that’s less important at this particular moment, I look up at Sinclair. “Is everything all right?”
“I thought I’d ask you the same,” he says, looming over me a bit, clearly displeased.
“What?” I ask, frowning, confused. ” What did I do?”
“What are you doing out here, Ella?” Sinclair says, shaking his head at me a little. “Having private conversations with a member of our enemies’ royal family?”
“You heard him, Dominic!” I say, waving a hand towards the door. “He wants to make a change!”
“Or he’s just telling you he wants a change,” Sinclair growls, “to get you on his side. He knows you’re soft hearted! He told you about his children who we don’t even know exist – in order to soften you up!”
“Hey,” I snap, pointing a finger up into his face. “I may be soft-hearted, Dominic, but that’s something you value about me. You can’t have it both ways – you can’t love that about me and then use it as a reason to discredit me when it’s convenient for you.”
Sinclair sighs and then nods his head. “All right, that’s fair,” he murmurs. ” But Ella, we agreed that you’d let me take the lead on these things – that you would allow me to take care of you, to set our path.”
“I still agree to that,” I say gently, stepping close to him now and dropping my hand, looking up at him with wide and loving eyes. “Dominic, if you tell me never to see him again, I won’t. But last night you told me to trust my instincts, and they’re telling me to trust him. Prince Calvin – he speaks to me and if this is an in with the Atalaxians? A way to create an alliance, to avoid war, to perhaps even help some of the women within that nation? Wouldn’t we want to accept that?”
“He speaks to you,” Sinclair growls, ” because he’s into you.”
I burst out laughing at this and Sinclair’s growl deepens, which – I mean, it’s probably not good – but honestly it just makes me laugh harder.
“Dominic!” I say, giving him a little shove on the shoulder. “He is not-he has a Luna! And two children! There’s absolutely nothing to suggest that his interest in me is anything but friendly and political.”
“You don’t see the way he looks at you, Ella,” my mate growls, jealousy in every thrum of his voice. “I’m used to watching Alphas approach a she-wolf they desire – it is distinct -”
“Dominic,” I sigh, raising a hand to press to his cheek. “Just because you’re into me doesn’t mean that everyone is. Some men just want to be friends.”
Sinclair laughs at me then, roughly, shaking his head. “Ella, my love, every man that meets you wants you. I think that you’re just so used to being looked at with desire that you fail to see the signs.”
“Well,” I murmur, stepping even closer now, letting my body press against his as I look up at him between my lashes. “I don’t miss it when you look at me that way.”
My mate pauses for a moment, his breath hitching, and then he growls anew, grabbing me into his arms and pressing me close, though he is of course careful not to smush the baby. ” That’s not fair, Ella,” he murmurs. ” You can’t end every argument by seducing me.”
“Says who,” I whisper, my voice throaty and low.
He laughs, then, dipping his head and kissing me like he can’t help it. Which, considering how much I want that kiss, if he feels anything like I do right now perhaps he can’t.
“Come on,” he murmurs as he pulls away. “Let’s get back inside. We still have guests to greet – it’s going to be a long night.”
“I know,” I say, lifting the baby a little higher as I allow my mate to direct me back towards the ballroom. “And then, tomorrow, another big day.”
“A wedding,” he confirms, looking down at me. “A big day, and a happy one.”
“I know,” I say, grinning up at him. ” I’m so excited for Cora and Roger. It’s going to be lots of fun.”
