A Warrior's Second Chance (Faye and Alexander) novel Chapter 229

Chapter 229

ALEXANDER

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The night was quiet after the long ceremony. I had shed my suit jacket, sleeves rolled to my elbows, and I leaned against the railing on the balcony, staring out at the territory.

I couldn’t seem to shake it–this unease that had settled in my chest, an irritation that prickled under my skin. Diana. Her presence earlier tonight had done what I thought impossible. I had moved on… I was over her. I had convinced myself that the past, with all its chaos and betrayal, was behind me.

But seeing her in this very pack house, in my territory, with that composure she always carried… it had pulled something loose inside me. Something I thought long buried.

After the ceremony, I had let my curiosity get the better of me. I had wanted to see if she lingered, if she was still around, trying to find some pretext to disrupt the evening. But I was told she had left almost immediately, which would mean that she had actually graced the occasion and departed exactly as she claimed.

And yet, that didn’t make sense to me.

It was strange. Diana didn’t care about tradition enough to attend the ceremony on her own, certainly not without invitation. The only reason I could imagine for her presence was to stir me up, to remind me that she had once been a part of my life in a way no one else had. And she had succeeded. Not in the way she might have intended, not in the way she had ever hoped.

The memories came rushing back, unbidden and sharp–the public humiliation, the betrayal I had endured when she had left me for my father, the shame of the entire pack knowing, the way my father had flaunted her while I had been left to piece myself together. Every glance I had given her tonight, every attempt to maintain composure in front of Faye, had been a battle I didn’t even know I was fighting.

I had kept my composure when she appeared in the crowd earlier, for Faye’s sake. I had nodded, said polite words, all while carefully guarding the whirlwind of emotions that Diana had stirred in me. Seeing her affect me, even slightly, could have been misinterpreted, and I couldn’t afford that.

I closed my eyes briefly, exhaling slowly.

I was supposed to be over her. I had told myself repeatedly that she was a part of the past, a mistake, a chapter that ended badly. I had a mate now. Faye, the Luna, the woman who made my heart beat faster with desire and certainty. The mother of my unborn child. She was here,

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< Chapter 229

she was mine, and everything else should have been irrelevant.

And yet, I was still unsettled… I hated myself for that.

A presence behind me broke through my thoughts.

“Alexander?”

Her voice was soft as always… which meant she was not bothered by the whole thing anymore. Good.

FAYE

I stepped up behind Alexander on the balcony, careful not to startle him. I could feel the tension radiating off him even from this distance. After all the stress of tonight, it was understandable. Still, seeing him like this–relaxed in appearance yet so heavy with thought-

made me want to reach out.

“Alexander,” I said softly, letting my voice carry just enough to break through his

concentration.

After a moment, he turned slightly, acknowledging me with a nod, though his attention was still partly on the city lights below. “Hey,” he replied, his tone calm.

I moved closer, letting my hands rest lightly on the railing beside his. “You’ve been standing here for a while,” I said casually. “Maybe you should freshen up, rest a bit. You’ve had a long night.”

He finally exhaled, almost as if I’d pulled him back from wherever his mind had drifted. “I’m fine,” he said quietly, but there was a subtle tightness in his jaw that betrayed him. “Just… thinking.”

I tilted my head, matching his gaze. “Thinking?” I echoed lightly, trying to ease the tension in the air. “About what?”

He chuckled softly, though it was weak, almost absent. “Nothing new, relax,” he said, his voice carrying that subtle weight that meant he wasn’t entirely fine. But I wasn’t going to push, because a part of me knew Diana’s presence had affected him more than he wanted to admit.

I let a short pause stretch between us, giving him space before I continued. “I was thinking… I might visit your mother tomorrow.”

The moment the words left my lips, I saw his head snap up, eyes wide with concern. “Why?”

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< Chapter 229

he asked immediately. “Is there a problem? Are you sick?”

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I couldn’t stop myself–I laughed. It spilled out uncontrollably, light and sharp, and I had to grip the railing to steady myself. Alexander, of course, didn’t laugh. He just stared at me, utterly bewildered.

“Sick?” I gasped between laughs, shaking my head. “No, Alexander. I’m not sick.”

He looked at me like I had lost my mind, the confusion etched deeply across his features. Why are you laughing?”

I smoothed my hands over my dress, forcing my laughter down into a soft chuckle. “It’s just… you always assume every time I step away from your side, something is wrong. That I’m in trouble or sick. I don’t have to be sick to visit your mother.”

He furrowed his brow further, clearly trying to process what I had just said. “I don’t understand,” he muttered.

I bit the inside of my cheek, smiling faintly. “We only ever reach out to her when we need her spiritual guidance, right?” I said carefully, watching him stiffen slightly at the mention. “But this is different. I want to involve her in some wedding planning. Nothing urgent, nothing

worrying. Just… planning.”

His eyes narrowed as if trying to read past my words, and I could tell he was on alert, mentally scanning for some kind of emergency. I had to be careful not to let him see too

much.

The truth was… I wasn’t going for wedding planning at all. I was going to see Helen because I needed guidance–guidance about my gifts, the ones I still hadn’t fully mastered. Also, my wolf was back, and with the pregnancy, everything inside me was in a delicate balance. I needed her help. But if I told Alexander that, he’d immediately start worrying. I had to protect him from unnecessary concern, so I kept it simple: wedding planning.

He exhaled slowly, relaxing slightly but still frowning. “Wedding preparation?” he asked, clearly still trying to understand.

I nodded, meeting his gaze. “Yes. Helen has impeccable taste. I thought it would be helpful to get her input early, make sure everything is perfect. Even though we have time, it’s always better to start sooner.”

He blinked at me. “I’ll be very busy tomorrow. I won’t be able to take you,” he said finally, a hint of concern and protectiveness in his voice. “Maybe you should wait until the weekend.”

I shook my head softly, trying to ease the tension. “No,” I said. “I’d rather go tomorrow, on my own. That way, I can spend the time there fully without interruptions. We won’t get that if

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