Chapter 461
Judy sucked in a sharp breath.
“They just left, and nobody knew where they had gone?” She asked, tears filling her eyes.
I nodded.
“Yeah,” I murmured. “We searched everywhere, but they were gone. There was a note saying not to look for them and that they didn’t need us anymore. I knew she was going to relapse again, and I certainly did not trust him… I worried for Matt.”
“I would too,” Judy whispered.
“I didn’t stop looking for him; that was my nephew…” I said softly. “I searched for over a year and eventually I found them in a rundown little apartment in a human territory. The entire place reeked, and Matthew was sobbing on the ground. Bruises all over his body… it was clear he was also drugged… only one year old,” I whispered as the memory became too much to bear.
She gasped.
“What?” She asked, her eyes wide with fear and pain.
“Yeah… there was no sign of him anywhere, but I knew he was the reason for the bruises on my sister and nephew. She was drugged up completely and nearly overdosed. I wasn’t sure how long they had been like that… but Matt was extremely malnourished and dehydrated on top of being drugged and beaten. I brought them both back to the pack. They both spent a long time in the hospital recovering and once Matthew was ready to be released, I took him home with me. She remained in the hospital for a while. Eventually, we moved her to the inpatient detox center; which doubles as a psych ward… she’s been there very since. I convinced her to sign over. her rights as Matthew’s mother and then I adopted him.”
“And what about his father? That rogue? Is he still out there?”
He shook his head.
“A killed him a few years ago. He was spotted sniffing around. I wasn’t sure what he was after… whether it was her or their son… I didn’t care to find out. I killed him without question.”
Judy let out a breath.
“I had no idea any of that happened…” she whispered. “Now I understand why you don’t want her to have anything to do with Matthew…”
I nodded.
“Yeah,” I agreed. We remained silent for a while before she cleared her throat and took off her seatbelt. “Thanks for tonight… standing up for me, it was nice of you,” she said softly. “I’ll see you tomorrow.”
She goes to leave but I grab her and pull her back to me. I kiss her deeply on the lips; she sighs against my mouth as she kisses me back. After a minute, I pull back.
“Good night,” I say to her.
Her cheeks are flushed, and her eyes are hooded with lust, but she nods and leaves the car.
I wait until she’s inside before I drive off.
I don’t drive home though; I continue driving until I’m outside of a familiar building. I turn off the engine and
Chapter 461
head inside. The bell chimes as I walk through the front door and over to the front receptionist’s desk.
Catherine, the night receptionist, smiles at me.
“Good evening, Alpha. I’m surprised to see you here so late” she said thoughtfully.
I took a deep breath, stealing my nerves.
“This couldn’t wait,” I told her. “I’m here to see my sister.
Gavin’s POV
I can’t remember the last time I actually came to visit my sister. Usually, I would send one of my men to come and get a report on her condition. Part of me wanted to turn around and go home; I shouldn’t have let my mother get under my skin like this, but knowing Cassandra wanted to see Matthew was driving me insane. There was no way in hell I was ever letting her know him again, not after what she did to him when he was only a baby. She lost every right she had to him the second she took off with him and that monster.
Catherine peeked up at me through her glasses and nodded as she typed something on her computer. She kept log of all patients in her database and whether or not they could accept visitors at specific times. Some visitors misbehave and have their visitor rights revoked for a certain period of time. I wasn’t surprised that my sister would end up needing to be checked.
After a moment, Catherine finally nodded and stood from her seat.
“I’ll go grab her. You can head into the visitor lounge,” she told me. “Do you need security in the room with you?”
“No, I can handle my own sister,” I murmured as I walked towards the door that was labeled ‘Visitor Lounge.‘ She nodded as she headed towards the inpatient center.
“They will be posted outside the door. Cassandra Landry is quite unpredictable,” she murmured as she disappeared through the doors.
She didn’t have to tell me twice; she had always been unpredictable.
Sighing, I walked into the visitor lounge. It was a comfortable room that they set up like a living room, minus the television. There were a few nice couches, a few chairs, a large bookshelf, a water bubbler in the corner, a mini fridge with a microwave on top of it, and a large window that overlooked the facility garden. The window had long flowing curtains that touched the ground, and it matched the overall soft color theme of the room.
I wiped my sweat–soaked hands on my pants, unsure of why I was suddenly so nervous. I never got nervous over anything, and yet here I was, sweating uncontrollably. This was ridiculous; I was here for one reason and one reason only. To tell Cassandra she couldn’t meet with Matt
I sat down on the couch, willing myself to stop pacing like a lunatic.
I waited for what felt like an eternity; of course, there was a chance she was sleeping. It was kind of late.
After a long while, the door finally opened, and Cassandra walked in with a guard behind her. He said something to her that made her eyes roll, but I wasn’t paying attention to that. My eyes were immediately scanning her face and her body; she looked healthy, just as my mother had said. But that didn’t mean I trusted her; I still wanted her to stay away from Matthew, despite whether she was clean or not. She wore casual clothing, and her hair was tied in a neatly brushed–out ponytail.
The guard shut the door behind her, leaving her alone in the room with me. Her eyes flickered to me as if she was just noticing me for the first time, and I saw the surprise in her eyes. Clearly, they didn’t tell her who they were meeting with tonight.
“Gavin?” She asked, her tone coming out as a whisper. “You came…”
I stood to my feet, already feeling my blood boil.
“Yes,” I replied, my tone coming out rougher than intended. “I thought it was time that we talked.”
She nodded and then glanced around for a moment; I saw disappointment crossing her face as her eyes found
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mine again.
“Is Matthew here as well?” She asked, a bit of hope lingering in her tone.
“No, he’s not,” he said, unable to hide the irritation in my one. “That’s what I wanted to talk to you about.”
I saw her expression fall for a moment before she picked herself back up and nodded.
“Okay,” she breathed. “Then, let’s sit down.”
She tentatively walked over to one of the chairs and lowered herself into it. I sat down on the couch I was originally sitting on.
“I’m assuming you spoke to Mom,” she said, her eyes finding mine.
I nodded.
“Yes, I just had dinner with her,” I murmured. “She never changes.‘
Cassie snorted.
11
“That’s an understatement. She’s such a meddler. But I’m glad she spoke to you. I’ve been wanting to reach out myself… but I’ve been so afraid you’d just reject my calls.”
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It wasn’t irrational for her to fear that, because that’s exactly what I would have done. Talking to Cassie was the last thing I wanted to do, even now. But it was necessary, so she knew she had no chance of ever seeing her son again.
“I want to see my son…” she finally said, her voice coming out soft.
“After what you did… what makes you think you have any right to see your son?” I asked through my teeth, my tone coming out harsh and making her flinch.
“It was a long time ago, Gavin. I have changed…”
“A shower and decent clothes don’t mean shit, Cassie,” I said, my eyes narrowed. “You nearly killed that boy when he was barely a year old; you think I’ll let you anywhere near him?”
Tears welled up in her eyes.
“He’s my son…
>>
“He stopped being your son the minute you signed away your parental rights,” I hissed. “You have no right to him. He is my son, and I will always be there to protect him from people like you. I didn’t come here to grant your wish; I came here to tell you to stay away from him.”
peor ede
I stood up; I was done with this conversation. I came here to say what I needed to say, and now I was leaving.
She stood as well, desperation in her eyes.
“Please,” she begged. “I just want to see how he is…”
“He’s great,” I said, my eyes never leaving hers. “He’s getting good grades, he has friends, he’s healthy, and he has a family that loves him. He wants for nothing and has everything he could ever possibly need and then some. I’m providing him with a good life, Cassie. A life that you could never provide for him.”
She sucked in a sharp intake of breath from my harsh words; I knew they were a reality check for her because she looked as though she had no argument left.
“What happened to him when he was a baby… it wasn’t my fault. It was Macus’s, and you know that. He was the one who put those bruises on us both… he was the one who injected us with those drugs, took everything I had, and left. I was a victim too.”
I growled at her, my wolf surging forward at the audacity.
“You stopped being a victim the second you took off with him,” I said through my teeth. “You knew the kind of man he was… the kind of rogue he’d always be. And yet you still took Mathew, and you left the protection of our pack to be with him. You disappeared for over a year, Cassie. The state I found him in… the state I found you in… it was your fault. You might not have put those bruises on him, but you did shit at protecting him.”
I spat those last words at her, making her wince.
“I know I fucked up, Gavin. But I just want to talk to him. I want to see what he looks like and get to know my son. Does he even know about me? Or does he think you’re his real father?”
“He knows about you,” I murmur. “He knows his mom is in a hospital and that she isn’t good for him. He knows he’s being taken care of by a family that loves him and that you will not be a part of his life. Leave him alone, Cassie. He has a good life, and he doesn’t need it to be disturbed.”
I knew my words were harsh; she was my sister, and I should have sympathy for her, but I couldn’t. Not after what she put Matthew through. She got no sympathy from me, and I refused to give in to her wishes, regardless of how
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many crocodile tears she cried.
I turned away, ready to leave and not return here unless it was necessary. As I reached the door, her words had stopped me.
“But what about what Matt wants, huh?” She asked suddenly. “What if he wants to get to know his mother? What if he wants to know who I am? Did you ever stop and ask him what he wanted, or did you decide his future for him like you decided everyone else’s? You’re not innocent in all of this, Gavin. You are the reason he doesn’t have a mother.”
Chapter 464
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Third Person POV
Irene had never seen her father so angry at her before. For a second, she feared that he might actually banish her. She was surprised when he didn’t. She nearly got Matt killed and then tried to frame one person while unintentionally framing another. Or at least caused someone to get fired, banished, and potentially killed.
She had been sitting with the guilt for weeks after it had happened, but now she felt even more guilty after her father found out the truth and spent hours reprimanding her for her careless actions. She had been avoiding Matt since it happened, but she knew she couldn’t keep walking around like nothing had happened.
After spending most of the day and night in her room, she left and walked down the hallway the next morning. It was late morning; Irene went straight to Matt’s room. There was a chance he was still sleeping. She knocked on his door.
After a minute, the door opened, and Matt stood before her with curious eyes. It wasn’t often that Irene came to his room for no reason.
“Hey,” she said a bit awkwardly. “Can we talk for a minute?”
He stepped aside for her to enter.
“Sure,” he replied, motioning for one of his chairs.
She sat down and fiddled with her fingers while he climbed onto his bed. Once he was settled, he looked at her, waiting for her to speak. For a long while, she wasn’t sure what to say. How could she possibly tell him that she nearly got him killed and tried to blame Judy for it? He was never going to forgive her once he learned the truth, but he had to know. It would be a lot worse if he found out from someone else.
A tight knot formed in her belly as she nibbled her lower lip
“You’re making me nervous,” Matt confessed, his brows furrowed as he stared up at the girl he’d known as his sister for his entire life. His eyes were trusting, and Irene felt a ping of worry that the trust in his eyes would soon fade.
“Okay, so here’s the thing. I have to tell you something, and you aren’t going to like it,” Irene blurted, her fixed on her fingers as she fidgeted.
Matt nodded, waiting for her to continue.
eyes
“So…” she started and then paused to gather her thoughts, trying to figure out the best way to say this without sounding awful. “Do you remember when you had that allergic reaction last month?”
Matt nodded.
“It’s hard to forget,” he admitted. “I almost died.”
Irene nodded, swallowing the lump in her throat.
“It was my fault,” she said, her voice dropping to nothing but a whisper.
Matt furrowed his brows at her.
“What do you mean?”
“I was the one who slipped the peanut butter into your sandwich, Matt… I was the one who poisoned you,” she whispered, tears filling her eyes as the guilt consumed her,
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“Y… you poisoned me?” Matt asked, his little face falling as realization hit him. Irene was the one who hurt him… it was never Judy or the maid. It was his
sister.
“Yes,” Irene said, tears slipping down her cheeks. “But Mat, you have to understand… I never wanted to hurt you
}}
“What did you think was going to happen? You know I’m allergic to peanuts…” Matt said, standing to his feet.
“I know, but we have Epi–pens everywhere in this villa and I thought I could get to one quickly… I had one in my pocket and-”
“You weren’t the one who used the Epi–Pen, though. You stood there frozen. It was Dad who saved me. He came home on time and grabbed the pen from the living room. You had one in your pocket the whole time, and you just watched me suffer?”
Irene’s bottom lip quivered, and she bit onto it to keep it steady, though the tears kept falling
“I was so scared…I didn’t think it was going to be that bad. I thought…” her voice trailed off; truth be told… she wasn’t sure what she thought. She’s only seen him have an allergic reaction once, and she was a little girl. Her father took care of it quickly that time, and Irene had long forgotten about it. “I don’t know… I’m so sorry, Matt.”
“You told Dad that it was Judy who put the peanut butter in the sandwich. You framed her! Why??”
Irene stared back down at her fidgeting fingers.
“It’s complicated…”
“Tell me the truth, Irene,” Matt nearly shouted. “Why would you do that to her? What did she do to deserve that? You nearly got her banished… You got a maid banished!
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Irene nodded.
“I know what I did was wrong… I’m so sorry…”
“Why did you do it? Why did you try to kill me?”
“I wasn’t trying to kill you,” Irene nearly shouted as she stood to her feet. “I promise, Matt. My intention wasn’t to kill you. It was to get rid of Judy. I wanted to frame her because I was jealous of her. I thought she was after Ethan-”
“This was because of Ethan?” Matt asked, shaking his head with disbelief written all over his face. “You hurt me because of a guy?”
Irene let out a sob; she knew this conversation was going to be hard, but she felt utterly gutted.
“I know…” she said with desperation in her tone. “I know what I did was awful. I wasn’t thinking rationally. I had gone mad… I know it. But I Matt, you’re my brother. I love you and-”
“You don’t love me… You tried to kill me!” he shouted, his face red with rage. He looked just like Gavin when he was angry, and it hurt Irene’s heart knowing that Matt’s anger was directed towards her. “Get out of my room!” Matt yelled, his eyes glowing.
Irene’s eyes grew wide… it was impossible. The glowing eyes signified that his wolf was close… possibly even surging forward. But Matt was only almost 8 years old… he wasn’t due to have his wolf for another 10 years. Nobody got their wolves this early in life… he wasn’t ready for his wolf…
Irene took a step away from him as his face started to twist, and a growl escaped his throat. The anger on Matt’s face soon turned into pure agony as the sounds of cracking bones filled the silence that stretched across the room
“Holy shit…” Irene gasped before she let out a horrified scream.
Judy’s POV
It was mid–morning when I got to the Landry Villa. It was Saturday, so I was planning on getting a morning training session with Matthew to make up for being AWOL this past week. As I walked in through the doors, Gavin was walking down the steps with his hair a mess from sleep and his pajama bottoms hanging low on his waist. He wore no shirt, so his abs were clear as day, and my jaw nearly hit the ground from the sight of him.
He paused when he saw me, and he tilted his head.
“Wasn’t expecting you this morning,” he said, though he didn’t sound displeased. “If you were planning on coming here this morning, you could have just spent the night.”
“I wanted to get some training in with Matt today,” I explained, proud that I didn’t stammer like a fool.
The corner of his lips twitched in a sly smile as he walked towards me.
“Sure you weren’t trying to catch me with my shirt off?” He teased, his tone low and sultry.
I opened my mouth to give him a sly reply in return, but then we heard Irene screaming and the sound of a growl coming from upstairs.
Gavin’s face turned from flirty to alert in seconds. Without wasting another second, we were both running up the stairs, taking two steps at a time. We followed the sounds of the growling and Irene’s panicked screaming.
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It was coming from Matt’s room.
Gavin didn’t hesitate to burst through the door, only to freeze at the sight before him.
Irene ran out of the room, her face pale and filled with Pane.
“Hey, what happened?” I asked her, trying to get her to calm down. But she was only sobbing and pointing a shaky finger at Matt’s bedroom, her entire body quivering in fear.
I knew I wasn’t going to get any answers from her, so I followed after Gavin and into Matt’s room, freezing beside him as I stared down at Matt, who was growling and screaming out in agony.
“Holy fuck,” I gasped. “How is that possible?”
Gavin snapped out of his stupor for a moment and knelt to the ground beside Matt, touching his dislocated shoulder.
“Matthew breathed… It’s going to be okay. We are going to get you through this,” Gavin reassured him, though I knew he had no idea what to say or what to do. This situation had never been known to anyone before… It’s never happened.
Gavin looked up at me with almost pleading eyes, and I too snapped out of my stupor, kneeling on the ground. “Just relax, Matt. Let it happen,” I told him, remembering the words my father had once said to me. “You are shifting into your wolf… You need to let your wolf take over. Just breathe.”
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Judy’s POV
“We have to get him outside,” Gavin said, his face twisted with concern as he stared down at Matt.
Matt was about to shift into his wolf for the first time, and he wasn’t even 8 years old yet. No wolf had ever surfaced before the age of 18, so this was something neither of us expected to ever happen… especially not to Matt. He was screaming and growling as his bones broke and snapped into a new place. The pain that was evident on his small face was heartbreaking to see.
I nodded in agreement to Gavin’s words, but moving him wasn’t going to be easy.
The first shift was always the most painful; seeing it happen to someone so young was gut–wrenching.
I helped Gavin lift Matt into his arms; Matt squirmed and screamed in agony as his snapping bones sounded in the room. As we hurried out of the room, Irene was still sobbing and covering her mouth with her hands. Something weird was happening, and I couldn’t help the nasty feeling was getting in the pit of my stomach. But I pushed it aside for right now and focused my attention on Matt.
Irene followed after us as we made our way down the stairs and towards the back door. As we reached the outside, Gavin placed Matt on the ground and stepped back. I could see the turmoil and worry on his face, his eyes never leaving Matt’s face.
“It’s going to be okay,” I said softly. “He’ll be okay…”
Gavin nodded, swallowing hard. I watched his Adam’s apple bob as he did so. Matt’s howl brought my attention back to him, and I saw fur breaking free from his delicate skin. I knew it felt like razors piercing his flesh. The wolf’s fur was sharp, and it hurt during the first shift.
Irene stood off to the side, watching in horror as her brother transformed for the first time.
It felt like an eternity had gone by before Matt was finally fully shifted.
We weren’t really sure what to say or do in that moment; we stared down at his little runt of a wolf, our jaws dropped. He looked like Gavin’s large black wolf, only significantly smaller. The anger and agony that were once in his eyes were completely taken over by shock and realization. Despite his being in his wolf form, I knew Matt was consciously still in there. He looked between Gavin and me, and once his eyes landed on Irene, he snarled at her, making her jump back.
is as
Gavin was quick to block Matt’s view of Irene, and he had a low growl in his throat as well, a warning to the small wolf to back off.
Not before long, Gavin was stripping off his clothes, making me blush wildly. He was naked for a long time, though; he shifted into his wolf form so he could communicate with Matt.
I turned to Irene, who was shaking and crying, her face buried in her hands as she sobbed.
“Irene, what happened?” I asked her, stepping away from Gavin and Matt, giving them some privacy. “How did this happen?”
“It’s all my fault,” she blurted, lifting her head up from her hands. “I opened my big stupid mouth, and it set him off… he was so pissed off, and then he started to shift. I had never seen anything like that before.”
“What exactly do you mean that it was your fault?” I asked her, pulling her over to one of the lounge chairs on the back patio. Gavin and Matt were now running towards the forest; Matt’s wolf was a bit unsteady, but he managed to keep up. He was fully distracted now and learning how to manage his wolf form, thanks to Gavin’s assistance.
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“I told him the truth,” she whispered. “I had to… I couldn’t live with this lie anymore. I had to tell him what I had done…”
My heart sank deep into my belly.
“You told him you were the one who poisoned him?” I asked, my voice coming out as a whisper.
Tears slipped down her cheeks as she nodded.
“Yes…” She whispered. “I couldn’t live with this lie anymore. He needed to know the truth. Oh, Judy. He hates me.”
My heart broke for her, seeing the anguish on her face… I hated it. I wrapped my arms around her and hugged her tightly.
“He’ll be okay, Irene,” I assured her. “Don’t blame yourself for this. He’s going to be fine. He’ll forgive you. He knows you love him…”
“No, he doesn’t,” she cried.
I looked towards the forest where Gavin and Matt had disappeared. I knew they were going to take a while, and even after they returned, I knew they had a lot to discuss. Matt’s transformation changed everything.
“How about we get out of here for a bit?” I suggest. “We could go back to the mansion and hang out for a bit.” She nodded, her eyes drifting over in the direction her father and brother had disappeared. “Yeah,” she said softly. “Maybe that’s a good idea.”
Beta Taylor was able to drive us back to the mansion within 30 minutes. The further we got from the villa, the more Irene seemed to relax in her seat. She seemed jumpy and on edge, and I felt for her.
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As we pulled up to the mansion, I frowned when I saw an unfamiliar car parked out front.
“Were you expecting someone?” Irene asked, also noticing the car.
“No, I don’t think so,” I murmur as I take off my seatbelt and slide out of the car.
We walked to the front door and pushed it open; I immediately heard voices coming from the living room and something that sounded like laughter. I’furrowed my brows and glanced behind me at Irene, who looked equally confused.
We made our way through the front foyer and towards the living room. Once we were through the door, I completely froze.
I wasn’t expecting to see the people sitting on the couch, and apparently neither did Irene because she sucked in a sharp breath.
“Tabby?” I asked, my tone filled with disbelief. To her side, I saw that both Chuck and Sherry were also seated on the couch.
My jaw was practically on the ground.
Sammy sat curled up on one of the love seats, a smile lighting up her face as she talked their ears off about her experiences here since she arrived.
Chuck and Sherry were only half listening.
“What are you doing here?” I asked as Tabby walked towards me and draped me in a tight hug.
I hugged her back without hesitation.
“We wanted to come visit you,” she told me. “I told you, Chuck, Sherry, and I are from the same pack, right? We weren’t very close growing up, but since the competition, we got closer, and we decided we missed you and wanted to see what the Silver Crescent pack was all about. So, here we are.”
“How long are you going to be staying for?” I asked, pulling myself out of her arms. “If I had known, I would have been here to greet you. I would have had the maids make up the guest rooms.”
“Already on it,” Sammy said with a bright smile. “Some of the other maids already got their rooms prepared. They are all settled in. They got here a couple of hours ago, so we had plenty of time for all of that.”
I was grateful to her for that, despite my dwindling trust.
Tabby had a plastered smile on her face as she looked at Sammy, something that piqued my interest.
“And I’m glad that you did. Thank you, Sammy,” Tabby said, her clutch on my arm tightening.
“You remember Irene, don’t you?” I asked, motioning for Irene to step further into the room. Her eyes were darting between Chuck and Sherry and then to me, with a slight blush on her cheeks. 2
At the sound of Irene’s name, Chuck tensed and turned to look at her; his eyes lingering for a beat longer than necessary. I raised my brows at Irene, but she did what she could to avoid my gaze.
“Yes, of course,” Tabby said, releasing me for a moment to give Irene a quick hug. “Landry, right?”
“Yes,” Irene said softly, a bit too softly for the Irene I knew
Chuck was quick to stand on his feet, his hand going behind his neck.
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“It’s good to see you again, Irene,” he said, giving her a small smile.
Her cheeks blushed even more, and she nibbled her lower lip, nodding slightly at him.
“Can I talk to you for a minute?” Tabby whispered by my side. “Privately?”
I nodded, wondering what had been clearly bothering her.
She pulled me alongside her until we were in the next room Once alone, Tabby let out a breath and looked almost relieved.
“We lied; we didn’t come here to just visit you. We came here to warn you,” she said, turning to face me.
“Not sure if I should be hurt or not,” I admitted, my brows raising.
“I didn’t mean it like that; of course, we wanted to see you. Well, at least I did. I missed you terribly,” she told me, hugging me tightly. “Chuck just mainly wanted to see Irene, and Sherry was making sure we stayed on task. But it’s important…”
“Okay, so, what’s going on?”
“It’s about Sammy… she’s been lying to everyone, and we are still trying to figure out what her game plan is… but she’s been in contact with all of Alpha Landry’s enemies… like tight contact.”
My heart dropped into my stomach; I knew she was up to something.
“How do you know this?”
“I thought she was strange when we hung out with her… always with the secret phone calls. Disappearing randomly. After the competition, I had a bit of time to look into it. I requested Sherry’s help as well, and we dug deep. Most of Sammy’s home life has been wiped out. Like someone is trying to keep her life a secret or something
.but that’s not the weirdest thing.”
“It gets weirder?” I asked, my brows furrowed.
She nodded.
After a beat of silence, she says, “That boyfriend she kept talking about… I found out he doesn’t exist!” t
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hapter 468
Gavin’s POV
By the time we returned to the villa, the sun was already setting. We had been running and hunting in wolf form for the last several hours. Judy’s scent had faded long ago, so I knew she had left already. Matt was trailing behind me as we broke through the clearing; being in wolf form, I was able to speak with him through the mindlink. It was a lot easier considering we share the same blood,
At first, he was rattled about his first shift; the pain of the shift disappeared pretty quickly once he reached his full wolf form.
I slowed my pace and shifted by the large oak tree where I keep extra clothes. I wasn’t sure where Judy put the clothes I took off earlier, and I wasn’t about to walk around looking for them. One of the shirts in the chest was big enough to fit over Matt’s small frame once he managed to shift back into human form.
He watched me curiously for a long while in wolf form as I shifted and quickly changed into the extra clothes. I then turned to him, expecting him to shift too, but when he didn’t, I realized he didn’t know how to. This kind of thing needed to be trained; it wasn’t something that came naturally. Especially during a shift that wasn’t expected, like this one.
I knelt to the ground, reaching my hand out for him to sniff His wolf sees me as someone to respect because I am a powerful Lycan and his Alpha.
“Command your wolf, Matthew. Tell him to relinquish control and shift,” I told him, keeping my voice low and firm as I looked into his wolf’s eyes.
He continued to stare at me, and I could see the struggle in his eyes as he attempted to force his shift. With an exhausted huff, he lay on the ground, bowing his head in defeat.
“We are Landry’s,” I reminded him firmly. “We do not quit. I need you to shift back into your wolf form, Matthew.”
I put my hand on his wolf’s back, digging my fingers into his thick fur. I tried to channel my Lycan powers and force the shift, or at least urge his wolf to relent.
“Shift,” I commanded.
Listening to my command, his wolf whimpered as he struggled against my Lycan hold. He bowed his head again, only this time it was because of admission. I watched as the wolf’s bones started to crack and break, the fur started to slide back into his body, leaving nothing but raw and exposed skin, still healing from the first shift. The first shift was never a pretty process; the shift back wasn’t much easier. Our bodies are reformed and each of our bones are broken and put back together; fur rips through out skin and then gets sucked back in. A wolf is being trained to listen and respect their human when all they really wants is to be set free and run wild, just like wild rogues.
Though typically we are of age and can handle such a traumatic change to our bodies. We are aware of what’s about to happen and we have resources available to aid us during the shift. But with Matthew, he was underage and unprepared. It was more brutal for him than it’s ever been for anyone else.
I hated seeing that this was happening to him, and I still wasn’t sure what triggered it. But I knew I needed to get lum to the pack doctor immediately.
The second Matt’s human body was shifted, and he passed out from the pain and adrenaline that came crashing down around him.
I quickly put a long shirt on him, covering his naked body, before I lifted him into my arms. His skin was red and patchy from where his fur had broken through, and his heartbeat was rapid.
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I didn’t bother bringing him to the car and driving; I took off on foot. At this point, I was faster on foot than I would be in a car. I ran as fast as I could, which was pretty fast.
Thankfully, the clinic wasn’t far from the villa. I was immediately greeted by the receptionist, but as soon as she saw Matt lying limp in my arms, she had Dr. Pierce on the phone, telling him there was an emergency.
Soon, Matt was rushed into the doctor’s office for a checkup. I stayed by his side the entire time as the nurses poked and prodded him, hooking him up to various machines, drawing blood, taking his vitals, putting in an IV.
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Matt was out cold, completely oblivious of anything that was happening.
It didn’t take long for the doctor to walk in and take over for the nurses.
“Alpha, I came as soon as I heard,” Dr. Eliza Pierce, Taylor’s mate, walked into the room with a worried expression on her face. “Is it true that he shifted into his wolf form? I was just talking to Taylor about it.”
I had updated Taylor on our way to the clinic through a mindlink. He had already heard something about it when he took Judy home, though, so he was vaguely aware of the situation.
“Yes,” I replied, my eyes glued to Matt’s red and sweaty face. “It took a lot out of him.”
She nodded as she checked his heartbeat and started to draw more blood for testing.
“I’ve never had anything like that happen before,” she said in awe. “A shift at only 8 years old, Have you ever heard of such a thing?”
“No,” I told her truthfully. “It’s never happened before.”
She nodded as she did a bit more testing and wrote information down in her notebook. She adjusted the IV and put a warm and damp cloth over his forehead to lower his fever.
“He just needs some fluids and to rest. The first shift took a lot out of him. I’ll get him some medicine that can help with the healing process because if he were awake, he’d be in a lot of pain. This is kind of his body’s way of protecting itself,” she explained. “But he’ll be okay.”
I was too frozen to say much. I waited until she gave him the medication, and then she jotted a few more things in medication, and then she jotted a few more things in her notebook before leaving.
I leaned back in my seat, staring at Matt for a long time. It was late in the evening, and I thought about calling Judy to update her… but just as I swiped across my phone and saw her name, I stopped myself.
Judy wasn’t his mother. She wasn’t my wife… she wasn’t even my girlfriend. There was no reason to update her on anything. Then again, she was there when it happened… maybe she would want to know…
I sat there for a long while, contemplating whether or not to call her. But before I could fully decide, there was a knock on the door, and before it opened.
I was surprised when Judy walked in, her face twisted with worry, and it was clear she’d been crying. My brows furrowed; Taylor must have told her that I was here… but my question was, why was she crying?
When she saw me staring at her across the room, she quickly made her way towards me, her arms wrapping around her body like she was trying to keep herself together
“Why didn’t you tell me he was here?” She asked in a whisper, not wanting to wake Matt, no doubt. “Is he okay?” “He’ll be fine,” I told her, my eyes remaining on hers. “What are you doing here?”
“Did you not think I’d want to be here?” She asked, stopping only inches from me. “Of course I’d want to be here for him, Gavin. How could you not tell me he was in the clinic like this?”
Tears filled her eyes, and for a second, I felt guilty.
Without much thought, I wrapped her in my arms, pulling her into my chest. She sucked in a sharp breath at the sudden movement, but after a second, she melted in my embrace, wrapping her own arms around my waist, burying her face in my chest.
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“I didn’t want to bother you with this,” I admit, my lips brushing across her hairline. “I should have called.”
She nodded as tears soaked my shirt.
“Yes, you should have.”
I furrowed my brows again; her reaction was odd.
“This isn’t just about Matt being in the clinic. What else happened? What’s wrong?” I asked her.
She was quiet for a moment, and I honestly didn’t think she was going to respond, but then she pulled back and looked up at me through her tear–streaked face.
“So much has happened,” she whispered; her eyes were uncertain, and it pulled at my heart, I felt I wasn’t used to. “I think Sammy is somehow working against me and my family… I think she’s working with Ethan.”
Judy’s POV
“What do you mean she’s working against your family? I know she’s been talking to Ethan behind your back, but does that mean she’s working with him?” Gavin asked, his voice being reasonable.
When Nan sent me that photo of Ethan and Sammy talking in the coffee shop, I showed it to Gavín around that same time.
“Tabby and some of the others are back at the mansion,” I explained. “They came here to tell me that they suspect Sammy is some kind of spy.”
“That’s a serious accusation,” he said, his tone darkening as his brows furrowed. He studied my face for a long while, trying to detect a hint of deception.
“Since she’s been here, I’ve noticed that Sammy has been acting strangely. Secret phone calls, disappearing at all hours, sketchy behavior…”
“What kind of sketchy behavior?”
I nibbled on my lower lip.
“I caught her snooping through my things the other night,” I told him. “Things like that…”
His eyes darkened at my words, and I could tell he was not only pondering this information but trying hard to control himself.
“I was so busy with the competition that I didn’t notice those things a few weeks ago,” I continued. “But Tabby had noticed. Her, Sherry, and Chuck are from the same pack, and they’ve grown closer since the competition. She’s been confiding in Sherry about Sammy’s strange behavior, and because Sherry works as an investigator for the pack, she agreed to help Tabby look more into it once the competition ended.”
Gavin listened, nodding along with each word I said, his eyes growing darker by the second. He didn’t like what he was hearing so far.
“Why is this being brought to my attention just now?” Gavin asked, his eyes searching mine.
“Because I’m just finding out about it now,” I told him honestly. “Tabby hadn’t mentioned any of this to me until today. It’s why she’s here. They agreed to look more into Sammy after the competition, and they were true to their word. They looked more into her.”
“And what did they find out? That she’s a spy?” Gavin asked.
I shook my head.
“It’s a suspicion, and because she’s having secret meetings with Ethan, I think she’s one of his spies. I think he’s trying to get my family into trouble again… make me dependent on him or something. Using someone I thought was my friend to do that…” My voice cracked when I spoke that last sentence, tears welling in my eyes.
“You don’t know that for sure, though?” Gavin asked, his hands coming up to my face; his thumb gently brushed across my cheekbone. Though his eyes were still dark and searching my face for answers, I could also see the worry and compassion in them, causing my heart to skip a beat.
“That’s the thing… nobody really knows anything,” I admit to him. “Her home life… family, pack… friends… they couldn’t find a thing on her. It’s like all her personal information on the internet was wiped… deliberately.”
Gavin was quiet as he processed that information; his thumb absentmindedly stroking my upper cheeks, sending a wave of tingling throughout my entire body. Goosebumps stood tall on my flesh, and for the first time since
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seeing that photo of Ethan and Sammy together, my wolf was completely at ease. It was a strange effect that Gavin had on my wolf, but I’ll take it over her being anxious and hurt any day.
I hated that Ethan still affected her so much; I was glad that the pain of him being intimate with others no longer hurt her… but that didn’t mean being near him or seeing inges of him was easy.
Thinking that Sammy and Ethan were in cahoots together really scrambled her, but being back in Gavin’s presence, having his attention on us and his arms around me, feeling his touch and warmth… it settled her in a way that I couldn’t describe.
“Did they find out anything?” Gavin finally asked after a beat of silence. “Something useful?”
“When I met Sammy at the airport on our way to the competition, she mentioned that her boyfriend was competing, and she was going to support him. He was in a different group from me, so I never got to meet him. I was so focused on competing that I never noticed any strange behavior. But Tabby and Sherry found out that he didn’t exist. She never had a boyfriend there. She was there for something else, and I don’t think it was a coincidence that Ethan was also there, and now Sammy is here. I think she’s working for him, Gavin…”
“Okay, calm down,” Gavin said when he detected the panic in my voice. His voice was oddly calming, and his gaze softened. “Whatever she is after, I’m not going to let it happen. I need you to trust me; can you do that?”
I nodded without hesitation.
“Yes, of course,” I whispered. “I trust you.”
“”
A small smile tipped the corner of his lips, the tough and dangerous façade fading only slightly before it was snapped back into place.
He released his hold on my face, making me feel cold for a moment. He grabbed his phone and swiped across the screen before putting the phone to his ear.
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“I need you to look into Samantha, the maid in the mansion,” he said into the phone; I assumed he was speaking to Beta Taylor. “I want a full report on everything she does. In the meantime, I’m having Judy stay in the villa, so go there and pack some of her things to bring to the Villa.”
My heart skipped a beat at his words.
“Tabby, Chuck, and Sherry are also at the mansion,” I told him.
He nodded as he waited for confirmation on the other end.
“She has some friends at the mansion as well. Bring them to the villa and get them settled into the guest rooms,” he continued. After a beat of silence on his end he said, “Perfect. Talk soon.”
He hung up the phone and shoved it back into his pocket.
I let out a breath I hadn’t known I was holding.
“It’s being taken care of,” Gavin assured me. “Don’t worry about it. I’ll have some of my gammas keeping guard of your family home as well to make sure no danger comes to them. Consider the Montague family under Landry protection.”
“Really?” I asked, my heart racing in my chest. “You’d protect my family?”
He met my eyes, and for a moment, I thought he was about to say something, but he only nodded.
“Dad?” A soft voice said from the hospital bed, bringing our attention to Matt.
His eyes were open, and he looked so weak and small in the hospital bed.
Gavin went to his bedside.
“Hey, buddy,” Gavin said, touching his face gently. “It’s okay, I’m here.”
“Where am I?” He asked, squinting his eyes.
“In the pack clinic. You’re safe,” Gavin assured him. “How are you feeling?”
“I’m okay,” he said softly. He looked down at his body curiously. “I had the craziest dream though…”
“A dream?” Gavin asked, his brows raised. “What kind of dream?”
“I don’t know… I had a dream that I shifted, and we were running around in wolf form. But that’s not possible, right?”
Gavin fell silent as he stared at Matt, and I wondered what it was that he was thinking about. I stayed back, letting them have their moment. I knew there was a lot they needed to talk about. I thought about leaving the room, but the second I started to pass the bed, Gavin shot me a look that told me to stay without him actually saying the words, so I stayed rooted to my spot.
“Matthew, that wasn’t a dream,” Gavin said softly. “You did shift. And you are right, that shouldn’t be possible. But it somehow happened, and we are still trying to figure out how.”
Matt’s eyes grew large.
“I turned into a wolf?” Matt asked, his voice hoarse. “A…are you sure?”
Gavin nodded.
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“Yes,” he replied.
“How?” Matt asked, his brows furrowed. He finally noticed me standing in the distance. “Judy?”
I smiled at him.
“Hey,” I said to him, keeping my tone low.
“Did you see me turning too?” He asked.
I bit my lower lip, and then I nodded.
“It’s true, Matt,” I confirmed. “You shifted into a wolf.”
Matt let out a breath as he pulled his eyes from mine and stared at the ceiling. He closed his eyes for the brightest moment, his small chest rising and falling and then soon his eyes were opening, and he sucked in a sharp breath.
“I can feel it… my wolf… he’s still inside me,” Matt said, touching his chest. “I can feel him. Like he’s a part of me.”
“He is a part of you,” Gavin confirmed. “Right now, he’s a bit wild, and it will take some time for you to work with him and learn to live with him, but we will train, and over time, it’ll get better.”
Before Matt could respond, Eliza Pierce came into the room. She smiled when she saw that Matt was awake.
“I thought I heard your voice,” she said as she strolled over to the bedside. “How are you feeling, Matt?”
“Confused…” Matt admitted, knowing that’s not what she was talking about.
Eliza nodded.
“That is to be expected. Your body had been through something traumatic,” she told him gently. “We’ve been trying to figure out how it’s possible for you to shift at such a young age, and I was hoping you’d be able to shed some light on the matter.”
Matt shook his head.
“How am I to know? I have no idea how I shifted…” Matt told her.
She nodded thoughtfully.
“Right, but can you tell me what happened just before your first shift? I’m almost thinking something your wor and that’s what caused your shift.”
Gavin snapped a look at her.
“You think something triggered him?”
I knew what triggered him, but I wanted him to be the one to tell the story.
He thought about it for a moment, thinking about the leading events that caused him to shift, and then suddenly his eyes grew wide, and his body tensed.
“Matthew?” Gavin asked after a while, about Matt not saying anything. “What is it?”
Matt looked up at Gavin, his eyes a whirlwind of confusion.
“Dad… did… did Irene try to kill me?”
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Judy’s POV
“What?” Gavin asked, his eyes dark and brewing as he stared down at Matt. “What are you talking about?”
“She told me it was she who put the peanut butter in my sandwich…” Matt murmured. “She tried to kill me and everybody knew about it… right?”
My heart shattered at his accusatory words. Of course, I had suspicions that it was Irene, but it wasn’t something I would ever share with Matt. It wasn’t my place to tell him anything. He was only a little boy, and I knew that kind of information would be devasting for him. I didn’t want to break his heart. As far as he knew, it was a maid who tried to hurt him… nothing more. But now he knew the truth; Irene couldn’t live with the fact that she nearly killed Matt.
“Irene told you this?” Gavin asked, his tone hardening.
Matt nodded, tears welling up in his eyes.
“Why would she try to do that, and why would you keep it from me?” Matt asked him before he turned his attention to me. “Did you know too?”
When I failed to respond right away, I saw the flash of hurt in his eyes. My silence was speaking volumes. Matt now knew the truth, and it was so triggering to him that it pushed him over the edge and caused his first shift. I hated that he was so hurt… I hated that this was happening.
“I’m so sorry, Matt,” I told him, tears filling my own eyes. I didn’t want you to find out because I didn’t want you to get hurt. I didn’t want you to see your sister differently.”
“She’s not my sister,” Matt muttered, folding his arms across his chest. I saw the anguish and hurt in his eyes, and it took everything I had not to go to him.
“We know you’re angry right now,” Gavin said to him, his voice surprisingly calm. “You need to take some time to cool off before you see Irene again.”
“I don’t ever want to see her again,” Matt said through his teeth, his eyes glowing yellow as his wolf surged
forward.
“Calm down,” Gavin ordered Matt’s wolf, trying to gain control of the situation. “You are not going to shift here.”
Matt took a few deep breaths and I could see that his wolf was stirring, but then it settled upon Gavin’s command and his eyes returned to normal, leaving Matt looking disheveled.
“What’s happening to me?” Matt whispered, his eyes watering.
Gavin put a hand on his shoulder and gave Matt a reassuring smile.
“You are going through something that no other &-year–old has ever gone through,” Gavin told him. “It’s going to take some getting used to, but you aren’t alone, and trust me when I say that you are protected. No matter what has happened with Irene, just know nobody is going to hurt you like that again. I won’t let it happen.”
There was an underlying meaning to his words and an intensity that wasn’t there before. I wondered what it was; I wanted to know what was in his head.
Matt nodded, his eyes showing how exhausted he was.
“You should get some sleep,” Gavin told him, running his Hands through Matt’s mess of hair, a very fatherly affection that took me off guard. Gavin wasn’t the affectionate type, especially with Matt and Irene, so it was a nice change.
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“Okay,” Matt said softly.
“I can give you something to help you rest,” Eliza said, looking up from her clipboard. I had completely forgotten. she was there, and her voice startled me for a second.
Matt nodded as Gavin tucked him in bed, making sure he was comfortable.
Once Eliza gave him the medication, she turned to Gavin.
“Can we have a word in the hallway?” She asked him.
He nodded, and then his eyes found mine.
“Can you stay here with him for a minute?” He asked, his eyes showing a hint of vulnerability that tugged at my heart.
“Of course,” I answered.
He gave me a grateful look before retreating to the room behind Eliza.
I looked at Matt, who was watching me curiously; his eyes were even more tired since the medication was starting to kick in, but something was hanging onto him, keeping him awake.
“You really should try to sleep,” I told him, sitting at the edge of his bed. “You’ve been through a lot today, and you need as much rest as possible.”
“Do you think my wolf will ever forgive her?” Matt whispered, his eyes searching mine. “He’s so mad… I can feel it. He submitted because an Alpha told him to… but he wants to kill her, Judy. He hates her for what she did…”
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1 gave him a sad smile.
“I think over time he will learn to forgive her,” I told him honestly. “It’s not something to rush, though. You just found out something devastating, and it’s going to take time. You need to sit with it for the time being, but also remember that there are people who love you and will always be there to protect you.”
He was quiet for a long while, and then he sighed.
“You know what’s funny?” He said, his eyes looking away from me for a moment before looking back at me. “I’m mainly just angry because she tried to frame you…”
My heart pinged at his words.
“You are?” I asked.
He nodded.
>>
“You’re the best thing that ever happened to this family, Judy. Because of you… I’m better at combat and defense … I’m better at school… I’m making my dad proud, and he’s home a lot more. He smiles and is happy. It’s like we are a real family.”
“You’ve always been a real family, Matt,” I told him.
He shook his head.
“It was never like that before. Before, my dad was never home… he never smiled. He treated us like we were his employees. But now that’s all changed, and it’s because of you…” He told me. “So, the thought of Irene almost ruining that…”
He closed his eyes as his emotions started to get the best of him. It helped that the sleep medication was relaxing him and making him sleepy, but I could tell his wolf was on edge at the very thought.
“It makes me and my wolf angry,” he whispered.
I put my hand on top of Matt’s and gave him a reassuring smile.
“No matter what happens, no matter what has happened or what would have happened, nothing would ever change between us, Matt. I would find a way to stay in your life. I’ve grown to adore your family. You can’t get rid of me that easily.”
He was quiet for a moment as he processed my words.
“Can I ask you something?” He asked, his eyes finding mine.
“Of course, you can ask me anything,” I told him.
He let out a yawn, and I knew it wouldn’t be long before sleep overtook him.
“Do you love my father?”
My heart hammered in my chest at lightning speed. I glanced at the small window next to the door that looked out into the hallway, and I saw Gavin having a serious conversation with Eliza. His body was tense as he listened to everything she was saying. Despite the tension, I couldn’t help but notice how amazing he looked. There was never a bad moment when it came to his looks, and I couldn’t help but bite my lower lip as I sized him up and down. But it was more than that; these last couple of weeks had shown me that Gavin does have good intentions. That date we went on… how he stood up for me during that dinner party at his inother’s house… all the time we’ve been intimate with one another; even how he calms my wolf without even trying.
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There were so many emotions that have been bubbling up throughout these last few weeks but with Matt’s heavy question weighing on my shoulders, I wondered if the feelings that are bubbling consist of love.
Matt’s eyes were now closed; he was asleep before he could hear my answer and a part of me felt bad. I wondered if he was going to remember that question when he woke up next.
Gavin stepped into the room after his conversation with Eliza, and his expression softened when he saw Matt sleeping.
“Thank you,” he told me softly as he reached his hand over to me to take. I took his hand without hesitation, our palms and fingers fitting perfectly against one another, and a spark of electricity coursed through my body, making goosebumps stand tall on my arms.
I met his gaze, my cheeks flushing as Matt’s question sat between us, visible to me, but invisible to Gavin.
“Of course,” I said… my tone came out breathier than I meant it to.
After a moment of studying my face, a small smile formed on his handsome face.
“Ready to go?” He asked. “I wanted to be alone with you for a bit tonight.”
My cheeks flushed at his words, and I nodded, letting me pull me towards the door. He kept his hand in mine as he walked backwards, a smirk on his lips, before he turned and walked forward.
Back to Matt’s question… did I love his father?
The answer was simple…
Yes.
Gavin’s POV
“Judy’s friends are settled in the villa,” Taylor said as soon as we got back to the villa. He was standing at the entrance with the butler, Alex.
My hand was still tucked in Judys, a slight blush on her cheeks that did something to my insides.
“Great,” I said. “You can proceed on that other task I asked of you.” My eyes found his, so he could see the meaning behind my gaze. He nodded, understanding immediately before he left the villa.
I ordered him earlier to find out any and all information he can on Samanatha. With all the information that Judy had told me, I knew there was something more to it than just her working for Ethan. I had a strange feeling in the pit of my stomach that there was something much more to this story that not even Judy was aware of. I also added a secret mission for him to find information on Ethan and figure out what he’s up to because I knew he was up to something diabolical.
It was late in the evening, I knew most everybody in the villa would be asleep. I pulled Judy along with me as I made my way up the stairs and towards my bedroom. All I could think about on the drive home was getting her out of her clothes and ravishing her gorgeous body. My cock was twitching at the very thought of having her.
With everything that has happened these last few days, I needed a release. I needed to feel relaxed and at ease, and for some reason, Judy’s body does just that to me. I knew she could use a distraction as well, the way she was looking at me earlier. I caught her gaze while I was talking to Eliza, and I could see the slight blush on her cheeks and the way her hooded eyes started to fill with a desire that I could only classify as pure lust. I knew I needed to get her out of there right away. Despite the words that Eliza was telling me at that moment.
“I think you should keep Irene away from Matt for the time being. I don’t think it’s in his best interest for her to be around.”
“She’s my daughter,” I told Irene, trying to keep my tone low, though my posture was straight. “How do you expect I keep them apart?”
“I don’t know, but if you let him near her, there’s a chance his wolf could snap and kill her before you could command him not to,” she warned him. “Is that a chance you really want to take?”
Her words kept replaying in my head.
Between that and the fact that my sister wanted to get to know her son, my head was a mess, and I needed this time alone with Judy more than she would ever know.
I kicked the door shut behind me as soon as she was inside the bedroom.
I turned her around to face me, her cheeks flushed, and her lips parted as she peeked up at me through her long, dark lashes. I didn’t give her a chance to say anything; I lowered myself to her and captured her lips with mine. My tongue immediately slid into her mouth, tasting and taking what I wanted from her. She was hesitant only for a second, probably shocked by my advance, before she wrapped her arms around my neck, pulling herself close to my body. Her frame fit almost too perfectly against mine; my arms draped firmly around her curvy waist, my fingers digging into her hips and leaving my mark on her flesh. My wolf stiered happily knowing that fact, and it was a feeling that I pushed away as soon as it came into my head.
Her lips moved easily against mine; her soft and wet tongue twirled around mine, keeping me hooked to her and captive in a trance of lust and desire.
Her fingers tingled in my hair as she pulled herself flesh against me, breathing me in. Our breaths intermingling and becoming one as we continued to kiss one another with a hunger that neither of us could understand.
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“I need you out of these clothes,” I whispered against her lips, not wanting to break the contact we had developed between us.
She pulled me with her towards the bed, I walked forward as she walked backwards, our lips never leaving one another’s. Once the back of her legs hit the bed, she lowered herself down and climbed on top of her, fitting my body to protectively shield hers and fit against hers like a puzzle piece.
I broke our kiss only for a moment so I could take off my shirt, throwing it onto the ground. Already dark eyes darkened even more when she gazed at my toned body. Her lips were swollen from our passionate kiss, and her chest was rising and falling rapidly as she fought to catch her breath.
She ran her fingers down my abs, making me subconsciously flex and make them even harder.
She licked her lips as she gazed back up at me and gave her a sly smile as he lowered myself back to her lips and kissed her as if my life depended on it.
She let out a soft moan as the kiss felt electric between the two of us. She wrapped herself around me once again, her hands finding my ripped torso as mine tangled in her hair, keeping her in place as I deepened the kiss. My tongue eagerly explored her, tasting everything she had to offer.
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I finally broke my kiss from her mouth and started to trail down the nape of her neck. I nibbled on her ear, kissed the sensitive spot just below the back of her ear, the one that makes her shudder with pleasure and goosebumps form on her arms and legs.
My hands moved to her hair and to the buttons on her blouse. She was wearing a button–down, which made it easier for me to remove it without having to stop ravishing her body with my lips.
As her chest became revealed to me, and her silk black bra was showing, my hunger only grew more. 1
I kissed her cleavage, taking both breasts through her bra with my hands, squealing and teasing. She arched her back and took in a deep breath as I continued to ravish her, pulling her bra down and revealing her naked breasts.
God, she had the best pair of breasts. Perfectly shaped and her pink nipples were already hard, begging for me to suck on them. I didn’t let them wait for long, she gasped when she felt my tongue twirling around one of them and my teeth grazing it a moment later. I tugged it into my mouth, making it pebble even more in my mouth.
After I showed the other breast equal attention, I moved my attention down her body, kissing her torso, giving extra attention to the sensitive spot just beneath her belly button. As I moved further down, I tugged her pants off in the process, leaving her in her black panties. The scent of her desires was mouth–watering. I knew without even touching hr that she was wet and it was driving my wolf and me crazy.
I hooked my fingers beneath her panties and tugged them down her slender legs. She helped by kicking them off once they were around her ankles.
I kissed her inner thighs, my hands moving closer to her center. Which my fingers grazed her slit, I let out a shuddering breath.
“Fuck baby, you’re soaked,” I murmured as I continued to kiss her thighs.
Her toes were already curling in anticipation before I drove in, nose deep. I licked up her slit, sucking clit into my mouth until it was throbbing in my mouth. Her breathy moans came out of her lips, spurring me on. I gripped her thighs tightly, spreading them apart as I tasted her juices, paying extra attention to her cluster of sensitive nerves.
She ran her fingers through my hair, holding onto my head like it was lifeline as my name was whispered from her lips.
I loved the effect I had on her body; I loved that she was grinding on my face, trying to obtain that friction she needed for release.
I stuck a couple of fingers inside of her, pumping them as I continued to ravish her clit. When I felt her breathing quickening in pace, I quickened my pace with my fingers and tongue.
She let out a shuddering groan as I pushed her over the edge, her orgasm coming in waves, and I lapped up every single ounce of the juice she released.
Once she got through the orgasm and she was shuddering with after socks of pleasure, I kissed her clit one last time before making my way back up her body.
She pulled me down to her mouth and she hungrily kissed me, tasting herself on my tongue and seemingly loving the taste.
Her hands ran down my body until they reached the waistband of my pants. I smirked against her lips as I helped her undo my pants and pulled them, along with my boxers, down my legs. I kicked them to the ground, letting my large erection fly free. She wrapped her delicate hand around my shaft and stroked me as I kissed her deeply. I broke the kiss only for a moment to groan against her lips from the friction and the intensity of what she was making me feel.
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“I want you,” she whispered. “All of you.”
I closed my eyes and pressed my forehead against hers.
“You have me,” I replied in a raspy whisper.
Without much more thought, I slowly slid inside of her, making us both gasp. It was a perfect fit; she was molded and created to fit my cock. Once again, I captured her lips with mine, our tongues twirling around with one another as I picked up the pace, slamming myself in and out of her. Our moans filled the air as she wrapped herself around me, trying to get even closer as I tried to get even deeper.
It didn’t take long before we were both at the edge. I quickened my pace, determined to push her before I followed suit. Her body melted and molded against mine as she came undone, her moan filling the air around us.
I followed her lead and tumbled over the edge as well, my orgasm hitting me like a freight train.
“Fuck,” I whispered, my head pressing against hers. “That was incredible.”
I slid out of her and lay beside her, pulling her into my arms. She kissed my chest as she snuggled against me.
I could feel her breathing evening out; my eyes were growing heavy as well. I felt sleep overtaking me, but just as it took over completely, a small voice in my head growled, “Mine…”
udy’s POV
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I slept better than I had in a long time. I was fully satisfied both emotionally and sexually. As the sun cast its morning rays through the window, causing a subdued light in the room, I stretched out my body and yawned tiredly. Gavin’s arms tightened around me from behind, pulling me closer against him, my back to his front. He buried his face in the crook of my neck and landed a gentle kiss, which caused tingling throughout my entire body, on my shoulder blade.
“We can’t stay in bed all day, you know,” I teased, making no effort to pull out of his arms. I felt his lips lifting as he smirked, which in return, made me smile.
“I’m the Alpha, I can do whatever the fuck I want,” he murmured, holding me even tighter.
I chuckled.
“Well, in that case…” I said as I turned my head, brushing my lips against his. He let out a sigh as our kiss deepened, his tongue brushing across mine. Our lips moved in sync, melding together like two missing puzzle pieces that fit perfectly. He brushed his fingers against the nape of my neck, making me shudder as I melted against him.
My phone went off, interrupting our moment and making me groan. He smiled against my lips as he pulled back, looking at me with his dark and lust–filled eyes.
I reached over to the nightstand and grabbed my phone off the charger.
It was a group message from my professor; I only had one class this afternoon, and typically she only texted when she was canceling class or had something important to inform us about our assignments.
I swiped my finger across the screen and brought up the chat.
Professor Rivers: Good morning, class; sorry for the early morning text. Due to a personal problem, I’m afraid I’ll need to cancel class for today. You can find your assignments in our class section on the student website. Text or email if you have any questions. Other than that, I will see you on Friday during our scheduled class.
“Is everything okay?” Gavin asked, watching me as I read the text.
I nodded and closed the message app on my phone.
“Yeah, Professor Rivers canceled class today,” I told him. “Her class was the only one I had today.”
He smirked and wrapped me back in his arms, pulling me against his chest as he lay back down on the bed.
“So, what you’re saying is your schedule has freed up today?” He asked, nuzzling his face in my neck. This was a side of Gavin that I could get used to.
“Yes, that’s exactly what I’m saying,” I tell him.
“Perfect,” he whispered against my ear as he nibbled on my earlobe. I shivered from his nearness, loving how close he was to me and how affectionate he was being this morning. “Because I don’t have plans on letting you out of this bed anytime soon.”
He captured my lips with his, his tongue slowly finding its place in my mouth, claiming me in any way that he can I breathed him in, his scent consuming me. Our lips moved effortlessly with each other, and I let out a shuddering breath as he broke the kiss to press his forehead against mine.
“I could kiss you all day,” he whispered, our breaths intermingling.
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“Me too,” I whispered.
He smiled as he gently kissed my lips again.
“Don’t you have responsibilities today?” I asked him. “It’s the middle of the week.”
“Yeah, but they can wait,” he murmured against my lips. “We’ll go see Matt later and hopefully bring him home. I think he’s going to need you today. He trusts you.”
I nodded.
“Of course. I’ll do what I can to help him,” I told him.
He smiled, and it seemed so genuine that my heart melted in my chest. He reached up and tucked a strand of fallen hair behind my ear before kissing me on the forehead.
“Perfect,” I heard him whisper. “You’re absolutely perfect.”
Later in the day, I went with Gavin to the pack clinic to see Matt. It took us a while to finally pry ourselves out of bed. Once we did, we took a shower together, making out the entire time. By the time we were finished, I was flushed in the cheeks, and my heart rate was going a million miles per hour.
Matt was sitting up in bed, talking to Doctor Eliza Pierce, when we entered. His face brightened when he saw us together, a small smile on his face.
“You came back,” he said happily as I approached his bed.
I smiled at him as I rubbed my fingers through his brown, shaggy hair.
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“Did you think I wouldn’t?” I asked him.
He shrugged his shoulders.
“I knew Dad would come back, but I didn’t think you would take,” he admitted. “But I’m glad you’re here. Doctor Pierce said I can leave later today because my vitals are good.”
Eliza nodded, a fond look in her eyes.
“It’s true. He seems to be a lot better after getting a full night of rest. His wolf is very strong and will need a strong Alpha to train him. It’s a good thing his father is the strongest Alpha in the world.”
“Is there anything else we need to know?” Gavin asked; my ears perked when he said the word “we.” Was he talking about me and him? Like we were an actual couple, and Matt was our son.
My heart swelled at the very thought; my wolf seemed content with the thought as well, solidifying my growing feelings for Gavin. I knew at this moment that it wasn’t just a game between us… these feelings weren’t lust–filled … I had real feelings for him.
I was falling in love with him.
“As I said yesterday, try not to trigger his wolf’s anger, and you should be okay for right now,” Eliza told him.
He nodded.
Before any more words could be said, Gavin’s phone started to ring. He sighed as he pulled his phone out of his pocket and glanced at the screen. His frown deepened when he saw who was calling. He turned his back on Matt as he spoke in a low voice.
“This is not a good time, Irene,” he said; Matt’s ears perked, and my heart dropped at the sound of her name. Gavin’s brows furrowed as he listened to what she was saying on the other end. I could tell it was a lot, and from the intensity of her voice on his phone’s speaker, I knew whatever was wrong, it was serious. She was being frantic, and it made me worry for her. “What are you talking about?” Gavin asked, his tone darkening.
Now my brows were furrowing, there was actual concern in his tone as he spoke and on his face. His expression changed completely.
“On my way,” he said just as he hung up the phone.
“What’s going on?” I asked.
He typed a message on his phone, and once he pressed send, he shoved his phone back into his pocket.
“We need to get back to the villa,” he told me and then he turned to Matt. “Taylor will be here once you’re ready to be discharged. He’ll take you home.”
Matt frowned.
“You’re leaving?” He asked, sounding a bit gutted; I was in a mix of feeling bad about leaving him, and wondering what was happening back at the villa.
“I’m sorry, but yes,” Gavin said, running his fingers through his hair. “There’s an emergency at home that I need to tend to.”
1 can always stay with him if needed,” I suggested, keeping my tone low for Gavin’s ears alone.
“I’d rather you come with me,” he told me. “I think I’m going to need you for this.”
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I raised my brows a him, but I didn’t argue, I just nodded, my cheeks slightly flushed. It was nice that he needed
- me.
Gavin said his goodbyes to Matt, and we departed pretty quickly. The car ride back to the villa was quiet. My heart was hammering in my chest as I wondered what was going on. He wouldn’t tell me; he kept saying we would talk once we were back at the villa, and I wasn’t about to argue with him, especially when he was like this. Whatever it was, I knew it had something to do with Irene.
I knew at one point, when Gavin refused to give her permission to court Ethan, that she threatened to hurt herself. I wondered if she actually did hurt herself now that she’s single.
I was nervous to find out for sure what was going on.
Gavin parked the car and waited for me to get out of the car before he took the lead and went straight towards the front door.
Once we were inside, he called out Irene’s name.
“She’s in the parlor,” Alex said, his face stoic and hard to read.
Gavin nodded at him, and we went towards the parlor. Once we got inside, we both completely froze, and my face went pale.
Irene was seated on the couch, holding something in her arms, and when my eyes landed on what she was holding, my blood went cold… 3)
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Third Person POV
Irene was lost in thought, lying in the parlor, doom–scrolling through her phone. She frowned when she came across a recent article that featured her father and Judy out on what seemed like a date. Irene wasn’t stupid, she knew that there was something going on between the two of them. She wasn’t sure how she felt about it; Judy was her age, and her father was… well… her father was old. At least to her, he was old.
Plus, that was her father.
But at the same time, Judy seemed to make him happy. She had never seen Gavin Landry crack a smile before, but Judy somehow brought out his playful and attentive side. Now, he pays attention to his family and constantly grins from ear to ear. It was a strange sight for sure, and Irene could get used to it.
It was unsettling to think that people were actually following her father and Judy and taking these pictures. They were pictures that weren’t known, which made things worse. It gave
stalker vibes.
On top of that, Irene also worried about Matt. She hadn’t spoken to her father, even after knowing he was home last night with Judy. He was too afraid of what her father would say to her if he did say to her, and he didn’t want to trigger Matt’s wolf again.
Her little brother hated her, and she had no one but herself to blame.
She pressed her knees to her chest and continued to scroll through her phone, desperate to
distract herself.
She barely even heard the knock on the front door around the corner from the parlor, or Alex approaching the parlor doors. She didn’t look up until she heard something that wasn’t usually heard in the villa… Something she never thought she would ever hear in the Villa.
A crying baby.
She glanced up from her phone and frowned when she spotted Alex, the butler, standing in the archway of the front parlor, a car seat in his grasp.
“Alex…” Irene said, narrowing her eyes. “Did you have a baby and not tell me?”
His frown was deep, and the annoyance on his face would have been laughable if she weren’t so confused.
“Funny,” he murmured as he walked towards her. “No, I did not have a baby, Miss Irene. This baby was at our doorstep. Care to explain why it was there?”
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“That’s a pink blanket, so she is a girl,” Irene said, annoyed by Alex calling the baby an “it.”
Alex rolled his eyes, not caring one bit about the gender of this baby.
“Not the point,” he murmured. “Why is she here?”
Irene folded her arms across her chest.
“How would I know?”
Alex pressed his lips in a thin line and lifted something out of the carrier. It was an envelope. When he turned it over for her to see the front of it, she sucked in a sharp breath.
“It has your name on it,” Alex told her, raising her brows.
“Did you read it?” Irene asked, walking towards him and stretching her hand out to grab the
letter from him.
“Of course not,” he replied.
She opened the letter, her fingers trembling as she pulled out the paper.
Dear Irene,
I know you don’t want to hear from me. I took your advice and left town. Leaving Ethan was the healthiest choice for me. He was a true monster. He found out about my pregnancy and tried to force me to abort; he threatened both me and my baby. I had no choice but to leave. I have no one to protect me; I have no family, no friends, and I no longer have a pack. I am a rogue wolf, and I worry that Ethan will come searching for me. If he finds me, there’s no doubt in my mind that he will kill me.
I finally gave birth a couple of weeks ago, and I worry for my baby’s safety. I worry that Ethan will find out about her and do what he can to get rid of her. I can’t give her a good life. I’m not fit to be a mother, and I can’t protect her.
But you come from a good family, and you are kind… I knew it the moment we spoke in that coffee shop. You can protect her better than I ever could. So, I ask that you give my little girl a good life, and maybe one day I’ll be able to be in her life again. 1
Her name is Emalyn.
Stella.
Irene stared at the letter, dumbfounded, her hands trembling as she continued to read the letter over and over again.
“What is it?” Alex finally asked after a long while of silence.
“I need to call my father,” Irene said, still in a daze.
She grabbed her phone and swiped across the screen until she got to Gavin’s contact number. Then she pressed the call button, her breathing shaky. She’s hoping that her tone doesn’t sound as frantic as her mind.
She stared down at the small baby, still in the carrier and wrapped in a pink blanket. She was so tiny; it was clear that she was born early.
Irene’s heart tugged at the sight of her, knowing that she was Ethan’s baby, made it difficult, but this baby was innocent and adorable.
“This is not a good time, Irene,” Gavin’s voice cut through her inner monologue.
Irene winced at the harshness of his tone, and she knew she had to be quick or else he would hang up on her.
“Dad, it’s an emergency,” she went on to say in a single breath. “Ethan’s baby is here, and I don’t know what to do.”
Tears broke free from her eyes before she could stop them.
She could feel Alex stiffening as he listened to the phone conversation.
“What are you talking about?” Gavin’s voice was still harsh, but had lost some of its depth.
“I mean, there is a baby in the villa right now with a note from Ethan’s mistress saying that she couldn’t give the baby a good life and that she’s worried Ethan will find out about her. She knows I come from a good family and wants me to raise this baby… Dad, I’m so confused. I don’t know what I’m going to do. There’s a literal baby in the parlor right now.”
Her voice cracked at her last sentence, her entire body trembling as she suppressed the sobs that wanted to consume her.
There was a long stretch of silence at the other end as Gavin processed her words.
“On my way.”
The line went dead after that, and Irene couldn’t keep it in anymore; she sat on the couch as a sob escaped her lips.
“Is this really Ethan Cash’s baby?” Alex asked, watching Irene warily as she cried awkwardly in front of him.
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She nodded, wiping her flushed and wet cheeks with the back of her hand.
Alex shifted in his spot, feeling the tension in the air.
“Well, this was left next to the carrier,” he told her, lifting a backpack in the air for her to see. It’s filled with diapers, wipes, baby formula, a bottle, and some extra clothes.”
a
“1
Irene could barely listen to what he was saying, she was numb as she remained on the couch, her eyes glued to the baby. Alex awkwardly placed the bag next to the couch and then cleared his throat.
“I’ll leave you alone now,” Alex said as he walked towards the door. “I’ll keep a lookout for the Alpha.”
Irene slowly nodded as more tears fell down her cheeks. Once Irene was alone, she let herself break down for a few minutes. She couldn’t seem to stop the tears. But once she had her share of crying and was able to calm herself down, she looked down at the baby who was starting to get fussy. Her heart started to beat faster; she blinked away the remaining tears in her eyes and scooped the small bundle into her arms.
“Hey…” Irene whispered. “It’s okay… don’t cry.”
She rocked the baby gently in her arms, surprised that she started to subside in her crying.
“That’s it, baby girl,” Irene said, her heart melting a little.
Just then, she heard someone enter the parlor. She lifted her gaze to see her father’s stunned face, beside him stood Judy who was equally stunned if not Moreso.
“Is that a baby?” Judy asked, her eyes fixed on the small bundle in Irene’s arms.
Irene bit her lower lip.
“Yes,” Irene replied. “This is Emalyn…”
“Emalyn?” Gavin asked. “She has a name?”
“According to this letter, yes,” Irene said, holding up the letter for Gavin to take.
He took the letter and read it with a deep frown. Once he finished, he let out a deep sigh.
“So, it’s true…” he murmured. “She expects you to raise this baby?”
“It seems so,” Irene said, rocking the baby in her arms again.
“Whose baby is that?” Judy finally asked, her voice loud and confused as she stared from the baby to Irene, and then finally to Gavin.
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After a beat of silence, he turned to her, his expression softened, and his voice gentle.
“It’s Ethan’s.”
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Judy’s POV
I stared at Gavin in shock; he wasn’t smiling or laughing… He wasn’t joking. The baby in Irene’s arms belonged to Ethan. But it definitely wasn’t Irene’s baby. I turned to her as her eyes found mine, and I could see the conflict in her own eyes. She had been crying before we arrived; I could tell before there were still traces of her dried tears on her cheeks and her eyes were a bit bloodshot.
“How did you end up with Ethan’s baby?” I found myself asking. “When did he even have a baby? Why am I just learning about this now??”
“Her name was Stella…” Irene murmured. “I found out he’s been seeing her behind my back, along with some others.”
“And was pregnant?” I asked, raising my brows.
“Yes,” Irene whispered. “I caught her outside of Ethan’s house. She was already pregnant when I met her a couple of months ago. I… uh… might have given her money to leave and never return.”
“How much money did you give her?” Gavin asked, his irritation clear on his face and in his voice.
Irene’s face flushed red as she nibbled her lower lip.
“Almost a million…” she admitted, making me gasp. “I wanted to give her enough to start a new life. But apparently, she didn’t leave right away, and Ethan found out about her pregnancy. He threatened her… he wanted her to abort the baby and told her that he would kill them both himself if she didn’t comply.”
My wolf whimpered at the idea of her mate being that cruel to another woman, especially one he got pregnant. I couldn’t take my eyes off the baby that Irene was holding; that was my mate’s baby.
Why does she trust you if you gave her money to leave and not return?” Gavin asked, his tone gruffer than usual.
“I don’t know why she trusts me… maybe because I come from the Landry family, and we are the most prestigious family in the world?” She said, glancing up at her father. “All I know is that Ethan can never find out that Emalyn is his daughter. She’s only an innocent baby, and she doesn’t deserve that monster to be her father.”
“We can agree on that,” I murmur, folding my arms across my chest.
“I’m not really sure what to do, Dad…” she whispered, tears filling her eyes.
Gavin pulled out his phone and swiped along the screen a few times. After a minute, he put the phone to his cheek.
“I need you to come to the villa,” Gavin said into the phone, “Yes, right now.”
He hung up the phone and then turned to Irene.
“Stay in here with the baby for a bit. I’ll be back,” he told her.
She sniffled, but nodded, holding the baby tighter.
Gavin turned to me, his expression softening as he placed his hands on my shoulders, his thumbs lazily tracing the nape of my neck as he held me in place.
“Stay with her while I make arrangements,” he said in a low tone, for my ears alone.
He didn’t have to tell me twice; I nodded without hesitation
Irene let out a sob as soon as her father was gone.
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I went to her and sat beside her on the couch. The little baby girl was so adorable that it tugged at my heart. I couldn’t believe Ethan had a baby with another woman.
“It doesn’t feel real,” she whispered, breaking through the silence that consumed us. “I mean… this is Ethan’s baby.”
“He can’t know about her,” I whispered. “I don’t trust him enough to know about her. You know what he’s capable of…”
“I know,” Irene said, silencing my flow of words. “He will never know that this is his daughter. I will fight to protect her if needed.”
“Your dad will know what to do,” I said, leaning back on the couch, letting out a sigh. “And you aren’t alone in this. I’m here too. I’ll help you however I can.”
“Do you think you can hold the baby for a second?” Irene asked, tears filling her eyes. “I need some air…”
I nodded and took the small baby from her, placing her in my arms. I watched as Irene left the parlor, leaving me alone. I stared down at the baby who had Ethan’s nose and ears; her little lips parted slightly as she took steady breaths. Her eyes were closed as she slept. She was a beautiful little baby, and my heart swelled at the sight of her. It was a strange feeling I had, and my wolf felt a surge of protectiveness. This was our fated mate’s baby… she wasn’t our baby… and yet my wolf felt the need to protect her.
A small whine came from the baby, and my heart lurched.
“Shh, it’s okay,” I said, bouncing the baby gently in my arms. I spotted the open backpack beside the couch and saw some much–needed supplies. They were untouched, so I assumed she hadn’t been fed yet.
Balancing the baby on my lap, I made her a bottle of formula. She wrapped her lips around the bottle and began to suck down the formula hungrily. A small smile tugged at the corner of my lips as I fed the baby.
I was so focused on feeding her that I didn’t notice Gavin leaning against the doorframe, watching me. There was a look I didn’t recognize in his eyes, almost a thoughtful expression. When our eyes met, it almost seemed to snap him back to the present moment.
“We’re going to use the mansion to hide the baby,” he told me. “I think it’ll be best if Irene moves into the Villa with Emalyn. Right now, Taylor is heading here to take them there. There will be extra security in place around the mansion to keep them both safe. Plus, it’ll be good to get Irene out of the villa, so Matt’s wolf isn’t triggered, so it works out for the best.”
“What about Sammy?” I asked. “I thought I couldn’t go back to the mansion because we aren’t sure what she’s up to or who she’s working for.”
He nodded.
“Sammy will be relocated. She’s coming here so I can keep a better eye on her and find out for sure what she wants. I can’t have her walk around this pack freely if she is a spy, regardless of who she is working for. Having her on the other side of the pack in the northern mansion isn’t good enough. She needs to be at arm’s length.”
I nodded, an unsettled feeling in the pit of my stomach.
“And what about me?” I asked the question weighing on my mind and heart.
A troubled look clouded his expression, making my heart sink. For a moment, he didn’t look at me. It seemed as if he was trying to look anywhere but at me.
“You’ll move back in with your parents for the time being. At least there you’ll be safe…”
My heart broke a little; he wanted me to move out… [1
“Is that what you want?” I asked, my voice coming out softer than intended.
He was hesitant, but then he nodded.
“Yes,” he replied after a beat of silence. “And until we get everything sorted… It’s best if you don’t come here.”
Third Person POV
Nan and Chester were in the middle of an argument in the kitchen of the mansion. Nan had her arms wrapped around her body like she was holding herself together; she was desperate to keep from crying in front of him.
She caught him flirting with one of the kitchen maids.
“Nothing happened, Nan,” Cheser told her, his voice pained. There was a dull ache in his chest at the sight of his mate hurting and his wolf was pissed at him for causing her this pain. “I wouldn’t do that… not to you. I was only joking with her, and it was in passing. You just walked in a he wrong moment.“,
“I walked in at the right moment…” Nan shot back. “She touched her chest and told you that you were looking extra fit today, and then you replied by flexing your arms and telling her that her petite frame would never be able to handle you,” she recalled as tears filled her eyes. “Then she told you that she wants to test that theory, and you only laughed, Chester. You didn’t decline her…”
“You didn’t give me a chance. That was when you walked in” Chester told her. “Baby, I wouldn’t cheat on you. You’re my mate.”
She opened her mouth to say something else, but Sammy walked in at that moment. She had a suitcase in her
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hand.
Nan frowned.
“Going somewhere?”
“Yeah, I’m moving into the Landry Villa. I’m not entirely sure why, but I’m sure they’ll tell me once I’m there. He said something about Irene moving in,” Sammy explained.
Nan raised her brows; she would have to ask Judy what was going on later, but she needed to sort through this thing with Chester.
Sammy hugged Nan.
“I’ll see you later, though,” she told Nan.
After she said her goodbyes, she grabbed her bags and again retreated from the kitchen, leaving Nan and Chester alone in awkward silence. Cheser wasn’t sure what to say to make things better, but he knew he needed to reassure her that he belonged to her and the words he exchanged with that maid were just that… words. They were meaningless, and he was just about to decline her offer when Nan burst through the door in hysterics.
The maid took off after Nan walked in, and Chester was left speechless. Though, his wolf liked the fact that Nan was protective over him… but still, Chester felt like a piece of shit for making his mate feel like this. 1
He opened his mouth to say something, anything, but the sound of a phone ringing stopped him.
Nan frowned as she spotted the phone on the counter, her brows furrowed.
“Is that your phone?” She asked.
Chester shook his head.
“No, it must be Sammy’s.”
Nan grabbed the phone and was about to run it out to Sammy, but something on the screen made her freeze. Chester watched her warily.
“What is it?” He asked.
She looked up at Chester and turned the phone screen to face Chester so he could see.
“It’s Alpha Lycan Levi…” she said, her brows furrowed as the picture of Alpha Levi was shown on the screen. “Her contact for him is Dad…”
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Chapter 482
Judy’s POV
If someone told me a few days ago that I’d be moving back in with my parents, having spent almost a year living in the Landry mansion, I would have laughed. But here I was, putting the last of my boxes into my childhood room. Despite that, they once sold their home to the Cash family and then had it bought back by Gavin, my room remained the same. It was clear that the Cash family only bought this home to spite my family; they were planning on tearing down the property. I doubted they even stepped foot inside these walls, which irritated me beyond belief.
Beta Taylor and Gamma Eric helped bring my things in, but they had left after I took the last of my boxes inside.
I was lost in thought, staring around the room that used to be my safe haven… but now it seemed like a graveyard for the Judy I once was. I wasn’t the same girl I was back in high school. I stared at all the pictures I had; there were not only pictures of me and Nan, but also photos of me and Ethan as well. Photos capturing the times I thought I was with my forever person… someone I never thought would hurt me, but did.
I sighed and put the photo face down; I probably should have come here to get rid of them a long time ago, but honestly, I kind of forgot about them. It’s easier to forget about my old life when I was with Gavin, living in his mansion and growing into someone completely different.
“I know it’s hard, but I’m glad to have you back,” my mother said, leaning against the door frame.
Her eyes were soft and filled with compassion as she watched me turn down each photo that consisted of Ethan. She was the biggest advocate for Ethan for a long time, until she was forced to live in the Cash family manor and discovered their true colors. Now she hates him and his entire family more than anything; they were the reason my family was ripped apart for months. The reason my father had to face prison time and was beaten until the inch of his life. They were the reason she nearly lost her fated mate.
I was glad to have her back to normal; those months my father was gone were dark times. I honestly started to lose hope that she would ever get back to normal. I thought I lost her, too.
But now she was smiling, her face had color, and she was eating again.
“Have you spoken to Ethan lately?” My mother asked, watching me as I tore down the photo I had of him on my vanity mirror.
I looked at him with a frown.
“No, and I don’t plan on speaking to him again,” I said to her, my tone leaving no room for argument. The last time I spoke to him was at the competition when he brought Daisy there. I still wasn’t sure what he was thinking when he did that or what game he was playing, and honestly, I didn’t really care. I knew he was back in town because of the photo Nan took of him with Sammy.
I wondered what kind of relationship they had with one another and why Sammy didn’t tell me about it. It hurt thinking she was keeping something like this from me. She knew the hell Ethan had put Irene and me through, so I wasn’t sure why Sammy would suddenly be interested in him.
Unless something else was going on.
“Did something happen between you and the Landry family?” My mother asked with a concerned frown. “Is that why you are moving home?”
No, Mom,” I said, turning to look at her. “I told you that they are using the mansion for something, and I couldn’t stay there because of it.”
My mom didn’t look convinced, but she knew better than to question me, so she nodded thoughtfully.
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“Well, at least now I can make sure you are focusing on your studies,” she told me, a small smile tipping the corner of her lips. “Graduation is fast approaching, and now is the time to start cramming.”
She was right, I had to focus my attention on school above anything else. Right now, it was a crucial time, and if I fell behind, I could kiss graduating top of my class goodbye.
“I’ll study hard,” I assured her. “You have my word.”
Before she could say anything more, the sound of my phone stopped her.
I grabbed my phone off my bed and saw that it was a text from Nan. I swiped my finger across the screen, and my heart stopped at her message.
Chapter 483
Chapter 483
Nan: 911, get to the Villa now!
There was a sense of panic in my chest as I read her text.
“I have to go,” I told my mom as I hurried out of the room. She followed close behind me, trying to ask me what was going on, but I was too far gone. All I could think was that something might have happened to Irene and the baby when they moved into the Villa. 2
I got into my beat–up car and turned on the engine, promising that I would keep my mother updated once I found out more information. I wasted no time getting to the Silver Crescent pack and to Gavin’s mansion.
When I got inside the mansion, I was surprised that I didn’t smell any trace of Irene having been here. I walked into the kitchen, following Nan’s scent, only to find her seated at the kitchen counter with Chester pacing back and forth.
“What’s going on?” I asked, the words hurrying out of my mouth. “What’s the emergency?”
“Sammy left a little while ago,” Nan told me, her eyes finding mine. “But she left her phone, and something appeared on her phone that kind of left us startled.”
I furrowed my brows.
“Where’s her phone?” I asked, wanting to see it for myself.
“She came back for it,” Cheser said. “She doesn’t know we saw anything.”
Just then, Gavin’s scent filled the room, along with traces of Irene. I knew they had just arrived. Before any more words were exchanged, they both came walking into the kitchen. Gavin froze when his eyes found mine, and they narrowed.
“What are you doing here?” He asked.
“What? Am I not allowed to come here at all?” I asked.
“I thought you’d be moving back home.”
“I was called here,” I shot back.
“I’m actually really glad she’s here. Why can’t she live here with us?” Irene suggested, a hopeful glint in her eyes. She held the baby carrier in her hands, and I could tell she was nervous.
“Judy needs to focus on her studies and shouldn’t have to deal with a crying baby all the time,” Gavin answered, which was news to me. I didn’t know he cared that much about my studies.
I kept my eyes on him, my gaze becoming wary.
“I called her here,” Nan said, interrupting our conversation. “Chester and I made a discovery that you both should know about.”
Gavin raised his brows.
“Then out with it,” Gavin said, his tone showing signs of impatience.
Nan and Chester glanced at one another before turning to look at him.
“When Sammy left, she forgot her phone,” Chester began to explain. “Nan saw someone calling her, and it was a photo of Alpha Levi.”
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Gavin’s brows furrowed as he studied Cheser’s face.
“Underneath his picture, it said the word ‘Dad‘ on it,” Nan continued to explain.
I sucked in a sharp breath, unable to contain my gasp.
“What?” I asked, my eyes wide. “Are you sure?”
Nan nodded.
“I know what I saw,” Nan told me. “Alpha Levi is obviously Sammy’s father.”
“Levi is also Alpha Landry’s known enemy and biggest competitor. Why would he have his daughter in his territory like this?” Chester asked. His mind was lost in thought as he tried to make sense of this situation.
I looked at Gavin for a possible answer, but I only saw a dark rage falling upon his face. He turned to look at me, his eyes searching mine.
“Go home,” he ordered, and then he turned and started towards the door.
“Dad?” Irene called after him, I stood shellshocked.
He left without another word.
Gavin’s POV
My suspicions were right; Levi was after Judy. That’s the only reason he would end his own daughter here to keep watch over her. The reason Sammy was caught going through Judy’s things, why she wanted to transfer to Judy’s school and live in the same mansion Judy was living in.
I was right to make her live with her parents, where I knew she’d be safe…
Just like I’m right to send her home right now. Sammy is too familiar with this mansion and can access it easily. I can’t let her get to Judy. I need to protect her at all costs.
“Take Judy home and make sure she doesn’t come here again… I need to deal with something,” I say to Taylor as I pass him outside.
“What? Why? What’s going on?” He asked, his eyes following mine until I reached my car.
“We have a potential spy. Judy might be in danger.”
Chapter 484
Judy’s POV
“Miss Judy, I was told to bring you home,” Taylor said from the doorway, staring around the room awkwardly, attempting to avoid my eyes. My mouth opened wide as I stared at him. So, Gavin didn’t trust that I would get home on my own? He had to send Beta Taylor to bring me home himself? The audacity of that man. I had half a mind to tell him off.
“No need. I have my car,” I said, folding my arms across my chest defiantly.
Taylor shuffled in his shoes; his eyes fixed on the ground like he was afraid I could kill him with just one look.
“Yes, your car will be sent to you by the end of the evening he told me, clearing his throat.
My eyes grew wide.
“You’re not serious,” I shot back, staring at him with shock. I looked at Irene, who also looked shocked.
“Taylor, just let her drive herself when she’s ready. What’s the rush?” Irene argued, she was holding the baby while Nan was cooing over it. Cheser sat awkwardly, watching his mate coo over a baby, his cheeks flushed. I was in the middle of teasing him when Taylor came and interrupted us. I wanted to spend some time with my friends; was that such a crime?
“I’m sorry, Miss Irene. But your father had given me his orders,” Taylor told her.
‘Irene rolled her eyes.
“Come on, Taylor. He’s your best friend. What do you think he’s going to do? It’s not like he’d fire you or banish you,” Irene told him. She had a point; Taylor and Gavin grew up together and had been friends their entire lives. If anyone could break the rules and get away with it, it was definitely Beta Taylor.
“I’m a professional and I know when it’s acceptable to push his buttons and when it’s not. I have a job to do… my Alpha told me to take Judy home, so that is what I must do,” Taylor said, his normal playful demeanor changing into a stubborn Beta. It even took Irene by surprise as she stared at him, the fight leaving her.
I wasn’t in the mood to argue with him, so I sighed and grabbed my bag off the coffee table.
“Fine,” I muttered. “I’ll leave.”
Irene sighed and gave me a hug.
“Sorry,” she whispered against my ear. “I’ll give him hell for this.”
I smiled at her, knowing she’d be true to her word. I turned to Nan and hugged her.
“Thanks for telling me about all of this,” I said softly. “I’ll see you tomorrow.”
She nodded as I pulled away from her. I fist–bumped Cheser and pointed at him while saying, “Behave.”
He held up his hands in defense; Nan told me about their little argument earlier from when she caught him flirting with a maid, and I wasn’t going to let that go. But right now, it was not the time to discuss it.
I turned to Taylor.
“Lead the way, warden,” I said sarcastically.
He rolled his eyes, but I could tell he was hiding his smirk as he turned and started towards the doorway. As we reached the car and I got into the backseat, I felt like a defeated child. I didn’t get why Gavin was so adamant about keeping me away from the mansion. It’s not like he was trying to keep me away from his life, and that thought
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hurt more than anything.
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My stomach turned into a giant knot as I thought about Samy. I wondered what was going to happen to her.
“Did Gavin mention anything about Sammy?” I asked. “Or was he too focused on making sure I leave his mansion?”
Taylor glanced at me through the mirror.
“He texted me a few minutes ago. I have a ton of work to de tonight. He can’t exactly accuse Sammy of being a traitor based on the words of your best friend and her mate. He needs solid proof. Because she’s of Lycan blood, he can’t mind commanding her. Her phone had been wiped clean… apparently, she knew they were onto her, so she got rid of all the evidence. So, I have done what I can to find evidence.”
I remained silent for a long while as I processed this information.
“You should check with Ethan,” I murmured. “He probably has a ton of evidence, and he isn’t smart enough to erase it.”
“That’s my next stop after I drop you off.”
I smirked at him, my eyes remaining on the mirror, where I could see his face.
“I could help you if you want,” I said. “Maybe I can steal his phone or something.”
“Thank you for the offer, but it’s alright. I can handle it,” Taylor said with his own smirk lighting up his face.
“It was worth a shot,” I sighed.
His shoulders shook with suppressed laughter.
Taylor pulled into the driveway and put the car in park before turning to look at me.
“I know it’s hard to see, but the Alpha truly does care about you, Miss Judy,” he tells me gently, his eyes
softening. “He’s not great at pressing his feelings… he never has been. But he does the best he can. Cut him
some slack.”
My heart was heavy in my chest as I thought about what he was saying. I found myself nodding and nibbling on my lower lip.
“When can I expect my car?” I asked, not wanting to talk about it anymore.
“Give me a few hours,” he told me. “I’ll have it
sent here soon.”
I nodded as I got out of the car, slamming the door shut behind me. Taylor didn’t leave until I was securely in the house, which I found to be odder than usual.
Wondered if Gavin ordered him not to stay outside the house until I was inside.
Iseriously didn’t understand what was happening, but I pushed it aside so I could have a normal family dinner
with my parents.
‘I told my mom what had happened with Sammy at the mansion, and she was shocked to say the least. My father
agreed that it was best if I stayed away from them for a while. He didn’t want more trouble for the Montague family, and that’s what it seemed like was happening… trouble.
It took a couple of hours, but soon, Gamma Eric was bringing me my car, and another Gamma was picking him up. My mom, in her motherly fashion, while he waited for the other Gamma to arrive, kept offering him food, but he politely declined, saying he was planning on going out later that evening for food.
“A date?” I asked when my mother finally went inside.
We were sitting on the porch; having Eric being my main driver over the course of the year, we became friends of a ver the course of the year, we became friends of a
sort.
He grinned.
“Maybe,” he said. “Guess we will see how it goes.”
His ride appears, and he nudges my shoulder.
“See you later,” he said before running to the car. I shook my head and laughed,
It was starting to become late, and I knew my parents were settling down for the night. My mind kept wandering over Sammy and all the lies she had told me. My chest was conflicted at the thought of her betraying me. I hated that feeling… I wanted to talk to her about it.
I knew I probably shouldn’t go against Gavin’s wishes, but had to find out for sure what Sammy was thinking and what was going on with her. So, instead of going inside. I got right into my car and drove to Gavin’s villa. I parked in a secluded area so he wouldn’t see my car. He was gone, so I didn’t think he’d be here, but I knew his staff would tell him everything.
I got out of the car and got inside the villa, only to be stopped by the Butler, Alex.
“You aren’t supposed to be here,” Alex said, folding his arms across his chest. “I thought you were moving
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home
“I did, but I forgot some things,” I lled.
He rolled his eyes.
“Should have called; I would have had someone bring it to you,” he told me.
I shrugged.
“It’s no problem,” I told him. “I didn’t want to make a fuss out of it. I can grab it. I left it upstairs.”
Thankfully, he didn’t argue with me. He let me go upstairs, and I pretended to walk towards Gavin’s room, where I had been staying these last couple of weeks, but instead, headed towards the guest wing. I picked up Sammy’s scent right away; I had always been good at picking up on scent, so it didn’t take long to find her room.
I knocked on her door, thankful there weren’t any guards outside of it. When she opened the door, I was even more relieved that it wasn’t locked, but I saw an ankle monitor on her leg, making me frown.
“What is that?” I asked her, stepping into her room.
“I can’t leave this room, or Alpha Gavin will be alerted. He also took my phone,” she murmured, shutting the
door.
She looked drained and defeated; despite everything, I still felt bad that she was going through this. There had to be an actual explanation for all of this. There was no way she was lying from the very beginning.
Then Sammy asked, “What are you even doing here?”
Chapter 486
Judy’s POV
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What are you even doing here?
That was a loaded question, with many answers. I came for answers. I came to find out if my friend was a traitor. I came to find out if she was a spy and, if so, for whom she was working. I came to find out if she was sleeping with my ex–mate. I came to find out if I had been a fool in trusting her.
Something about the way she was eyeing me warily showed me that she knew exactly why I was there. She wrapped her arms around her body, desperate to hold herself together as she watched me. Neither of us said anything for what felt like a long time. I needed to know the truth, and I had no idea how to answer her questions that were bubbling at the tip of my tongue.
“Is it true?” I finally asked, meeting her eyes. “Are you working with Ethan to hurt me and my family?” That was a question I truly had; was she working with my ex–mate, after knowing everything he had put me through? Was she out to get my family and me just like Ethan was? The thought made me feel sick to my stomach, and I had to drop my eyes from hers before my emotions leaked through. I wasn’t great at keeping a poker face, and I knew she’d be able to see the defeat on my face almost right away
I saw a flash of remorse on her face as she stared at the ground, shuffling in her spot awkwardly.
“It’s more complicated than that,” she said, her voice barely above a whisper.
“Complicated how?” I asked, stepping towards her. “Tell me the truth, Sammy.”
“You shouldn’t be here,” she finally stated after a beat of silence. “If Alpha Landry found out-”
“It would be me who got into trouble, not you,” I told her. You have no control over who barges through that door, especially when you can’t even leave it.” I point at her ankle monitor. “You are a prisoner, Sammy. Just tell me why.”
I was desperate for answers, and I needed her to start spilling or I was going to lose my mind. She nibbled on her lower lip, tears welling in her eyes. I wasn’t sure if I trusted her tears or not… I wasn’t sure if they were crocodiles, and it worried me that my trust in her disappeared completely.
“My intention was never to hurt you…” she whispered.
“Then what were you trying to do?” I asked her, trying to meet her eyes, but she was going through great lengths to avoid my eyes. “Sammy, please. Answer my question. Why were you working with him?”
“My name is Sammy Churchill. The youngest daughter of Levi Churchill…” she whispered, her face glowing red.” I’m Alpha Levi’s daughter.”
“Did he send you here?” I asked.
She was quiet for a moment before she nodded slowly.
“Why?” I asked her, my tone firm as I stared around her face, studying her carefully.
She took a deep breath before releasing it slowly.
“Because he wants you to be part of the Elite Force, “she explained. “I don’t know why. But he asked me to try and convince you to go to him.”
I raised my brows.
“What?” I asked her, not sure I heard her correctly.
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“He wants me to convince you to join his Elite Gamma Force. He thinks you’d make a great addition. He wants to take you away from Gavin,” she explained, her eyes finally meeting mine, and I saw the unshed tears in them. “That doesn’t make sense,” I said, shaking my head. “There has to be more to it. Why go through all of this?” 1 asked.
“He thought if I got close to you, then I could convince you‘ she explained. “We are close in age, and I’m easy to get along with. He wanted me to befriend you and change your mind about joining Gavin’s force.”
My heart hurt hearing her words.
“Why were you snooping through my things?” I asked her, my mind was still clouded with all this new information.
“I was just trying to see if I could use something to convince you. I know you got a bunch of packets from the other Elite forces, and I was going to get rid of them and only leave you my father’s…” she confessed, her face blooming red.
She covered her face with her hands and groaned.
“Ugh, Judy, I’m so sorry. I didn’t want to do it…”
“So, our friends were a lie?” I asked, unable to hide the hurt in my voice.
She lifted her gaze to look at me, shock registering on her face.
“OH, Goddess, Judy. No, of course not!”
“I’m having trouble believing that…” I admit.
She nodded solemnly.
“I get that,” she murmured. “And maybe at first, I did target you, but I quickly realized that you are an incredible person, and I was lucky to get to know you. There wasn’t a moment when I didn’t feel bad for what I was doing, but you were always my friend, Judy. I promise… none of our friendship was fake.”
I was quiet for a moment as I processed her words. I wanted to believe her, I truly did. But I was still so hurt over it. I wasn’t sure if I could truly trust her or not…
“Why were you talking to Ethan?” I asked her.
Her cheeks flushed at my question, and at first, I didn’t think she was going to answer me.
“Nan saw you talking to him at the coffee shop,” I went on to explain, a hint of worry in my tone. I hated to think she was seeing him behind my back.
“He’s switching his allegiance to my father,” she explained. “I was only relaying a message to him from my father. It wasn’t anything major, I promise.”
“Ethan is switching his allegiance to Levi Churchill?” I asked. “But his family is the Beta’s of Redmoon.” She nodded.
“That’s why he’s keeping it a secret for right now,” she replied. “I don’t think his family even knows. But my father promised him an Alpha status, and that’s why I had to talk to him. He’s wondering when Ethan plans to move so they can move forward with the next steps in that process.”
I thought about it for a moment, and I realized that it did make sense. I should have known that Sammy wasn’t seeing Ethan after everything he had put me through.
“Okay,” I finally said softly.. “I believe you.”
Relief formed on her expression, and she sighed.
“Thank you,” she said in return.
Before we could hug it out, my phone chimed. I frowned as pulled it out of my pocket, only to see Nan’s name flash across the screen from a text message.
I opened the message.
Nan: Girl, did you see this?? It’s all over the news!
Attached was a news article. I was hesitant, my heart in my throat as I clicked on the link. The second I did, my heart sank into my stomach.
Fuck.
Gavin’s POV
“I want to know who released this article,” I said, slamming my fist on my desk, making Taylor and my head Gamma, Derek, flinch. “We should have had people on this already. This should never have been released.”
Chapter 487
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“The releasor was anonymous,” Taylor explained. “I already contacted your PA and PL.” Private Attorney and Private Investigator.
“These need to be pulled immediately,” I said through my teeth.
“Yes, Alpha,” they both said at the same time.
Just then, my phone started to ring, and I cursed under my breath.
“Fucking what?” I muttered before I pressed the answer button; I didn’t bother checking to see who it was this time. “Yes?”
“Is that any way to speak to your mother?” I internally groaned; I wasn’t in the mood for this right now. “Sorry, I’m kind of going through a crisis right now,” I told her, trying to calm my tone.
“Yeah, I’ve noticed. Do you have any idea how this makes the Landry family look?” She asked. “You were caught kissing her during the competition, Gavin. They are blaming you for favoritism.”
My stomach turned; if they think I favored Judy during the competition because we are sleeping together, they will not only take away her win, but they will blacklist her as well. I can’t let that happen. 1
“I’m dealing with it,” I told her through my teeth.
“You better,” my mother said matter–of–factly. “We can’t have that tanking our reputation, Gavin. You know how important our image is, and you know how important the Gamma competition is. You’ve put a target on her back.”
I felt sick to my stomach; I should have been more careful. Why didn’t I think pictures would have been taken of us? I was careless, and now Judy was about to suffer the consequences.
“I will fix this,” I said more to myself than to her.
She was quiet for a moment, and then she sighed,
“Gavin, once you fix this, which I know you will because you are a Landry after all and we always fix our mistakes … but once you do, I hope you’ve learned your lesson. Judy Montague is not made for our world. After all of this… You need to stop seeing her… for good.” 2
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Chapter 488
Chapter 488
Judy’s POV
I don’t remember leaving the villa; I don’t remember getting into my car. I have no idea how I managed to go from the villa back to my parents‘ house. Everything was such a blur. I was in a daze when I got out of my car. My mother immediately ran out of the house, tears in her eyes and a horrified look on her face. My father stood at the doorway, his expression hard to read.
I knew without a doubt that they saw the news article and was in some deep shit. If they revoke my win from the competition, I would lose everything I worked so hard for. My stomach was in a complete knot, and I thought I was going to get sick on the spot.
My mother was quick to wrap me in her arms as soon as I got out of the car.
“Please tell me it’s not true,” she whispered as she held me tightly. “Tell me you aren’t having relations with Gavin Landry.”
I wasn’t sure what to tell her; she would be able to see through this lie easily, and I didn’t want to have to lie to her anymore. I was tired of keeping this secret from my family; I was tired of having to sneak around behind their backs just so I could have sex with Gavin. I hated that this was happening… but I needed to come clean.
Though I knew what I needed to do, the words wouldn’t come to me.
“Let’s just get her inside so we can talk as a family,” my father said, turning his back on us and walking straight into the house.
My heart sank at his dismissive tone. My mother pulled away and wiped her moist eyes, nodding along with his words. She took my hand and pulled me along with her. Once we were inside, I felt suffocated. Like, there wasn’t enough space to breathe.
My mother sat with me on the couch as my father paced back and forth throughout the living room.
“Dad-”
He held up his hand to stop me. I clamped my lips shut, not knowing what to do in this circumstance.
After a few more moments of agonizing silence, he finally turned to look at me.
“Is that the reason he paid off my debt?” He asked. “Because you’ve been sleeping with him.”
“He would have done it regardless,” I blurted, my cheeks burning. “He didn’t do it just for me. He found out what happened, and he took the initiative to help.”
“Did you tell him?” My father asked, his eyes narrowed.
“No!” I nearly shouted, my defenses rising. “I didn’t tell him anything. He found out on his own.”
My father was quiet for a long while, his mind processing this information.
“Did you in the competition because of him?” He finally asked, his arms folding across his chest.
My heart shattered at his question.
“Richard!” My mother scolded before I had the chance to respond.
“Well, what am I supposed to think, Shelly?” My father shot back.
Tears burned in my eyes; I hated having this conversation. I hated that he didn’t trust me… I hated that he was doubting me right now.
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“I won because I’m good at what I do,” I said, my tone hardening as I narrowed my eyes at tny father. “When it came down to the winner, Gavin stayed out of the final vote because he didn’t want to provide a biased opinion. I didn’t even know he was going to be at the competition. He’s never gone to them before, and I didn’t think this one would be any different.”
My father stared at me for a long while, and then he sighed his expression softening slightly.
“Have long have you been together?” My father asked through her tears.
“We are hardly together. We went on a few dates and kissed” I half fibbed. Truth be told, we did a lot more than kissing, but my parents didn’t need to know that fact. 1
“You and Gavin Landry is a recipe for disaster,” my father said, shaking his head. “Firstly, he’s too old for you. Secondly, he already has children. And third, you don’t fit into that kind of world, Judy.”
His words hurt more than I let on; I swallowed down the pain and stared at my hands that I was fiddling with.
“I know…” I whispered, my voice came out weak.
“It would be better if you no longer spoke to Gavin Landry, my father said, his tone firm, making me flinch. Before I had a chance to respond, his phone stared to ring, interrupting the conversation.
When he glanced at the screen, his face paled.
Gavin’s POV
“I found out who sent the photos to the media,” Derek said as he walked into my office. I turned to face him, waiting for him to continue. “I traced the IP address straight to Sammy Churchill’s phone. She deleted the physical photos, but I was able to recover them and sure enough, they were all there. There are more photos than you can imagine. She’s been watching you both the entire time you were at the competition and get this… Sammy is he black wolf that saved her during the competition. She was there at the same time, taking a photo when the attack happened. She accidentally pressed the video button as she dropped her phone. You can se
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He handed me the phone that we confiscated from Sammy and pressed the play button. I watched as the big black wolf leapt in the air and rescued Judy. My stomach twisted at the sight; I wondered if Judy knew that it was Sammy that saved her.
The office door opened again, and Taylor walked in.
“We were able to get the news articles down,” Taylor announced. “The media are on their way here to take a statement from you. I took the liberty of contacting Mica and Jeremy as well; they are sending over proof and statements of their own to plea for you. I didn’t bother with Levi because I have a feeling he might be behind this considering it was done by his daughter.” He paused and turned to Derek. “You did tell him that part, right?”
Derek nodded.
“Yes, I just informed him,” Derek confirmed.
“Good work, both of you,” I said, sitting at my desk, trying to calm myself down. “Once I make my statement with the other Lycan’s backing me up and the proof they provide, it should clear Judy’s name so no one will think she cheated. This better be settled by the end of the night.”
They both nodded, their faces ashen.
“What a mess,” Taylor murmured.
“Are you going to do what your mother says and stop seeing her?” Derek asked, his eyes watching me carefully.
I scoffed.
“When have I ever listened to my mother?” I asked, my eyes narrowed. “Now both of you, get out. I have a phone call to make. Oh, and Derek, bring Sammy to me in silver cuffs. I have some words for her and then take her to the pack police station. I want her in a holding cell until we figure out what to do with her.”
He nodded.
“Keep in mind, she’s a Lycan’s daughter… we can’t exactly kill her unless you want to start a war,” Taylor reminded me.
I rolled my eyes.
“For now, I just want answers.”
Taylor nodded.
After a minute of silence, they finally left me alone in my office. I grabbed my phone and dialed a specific number before pressing it to my ear, waiting with bated breath.
“Alpha Landry,” Richard Montague said on the other end of the line. “What can I do for you?”
“Delta Richard, have you seen the news this evening?” I asked, my voice coming out strong as my Alpha aura rolled off me in waves, mixed with the strength of my Lycan aura.
He cleared his throat, his tone coming out strained.
“Yes,” he replied. “I’ve seen the article.”
I let out a breath, wondering if he’s already confronted Judy about it.
“I wanted you to know that I’m taking care of it. Your daughter’s name will be cleared by the end of the night. The article insinuates that she won because of her relationship with me, when that’s the furthest thing from the truth
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Chapter 489
and we have proof of that.”
There was nothing but silence on the other end.
“Is that Gavin?” I asked Judy ask softly, her voice sounding strained and broken. Immediately my heart lurched at the sound of her voice. She was upset, that much was obvious.
Of course she was upset, her name was being dragged through the mud and her family was probably reprimanding her for it. A surge of anger coursed through me and, I had to swallow it down before I said something to her father that I would regret. More than anything, I just wanted to pull Judy into my arms and tell her that it was going to be okay… that I would fix it.
Richard didn’t reply to his daughter.
“I trust that you will have it handled, Alpha,” he stated, lits tone hardening. “And I trust that you’ll do right by my daughter and stay away from her. I mean no disrespect, but as a father, I’m sure you can understand my concern. Your relationship with her is inappropriate and I won’t have it tainting my daughter’s reputation.”
With those words spoken, Richard hung up the phone, cutting our ties, leaving me staring at the phone screen, my jaw slacked. 2
The door opened to my office and Derek ran in breathless.
“Alpha, Sammy is gone.”
Chapter 490
Judy’s POV
“You cannot tell me who I can and cannot see, Dad,” I told him, my arms folded across my chest. I’m usually compliant and I don’t typically talk back to my parents, but at this point, I was furious. My father had seriously crossed the line and then he had the audacity to hang up on Gavin Landry, the most powerful Lycan chairman in the world.
He’s lucky Gavin isn’t barging down his door and ripping his head off his shoulders as we speak. My father though seemed unphased and he stared back at me with the same stubborn expression on his face, his own arms folded across his chest. His eyes narrowed and his lips were pressed in a thin line.
“I think this is just a lot for us to cope with,” my mother interjected, standing to her feet. “I think we need to take some time to think about things.”
Tears pricked the corner of my eyes, but I blinked them away.
“I need to go for a walk,” my father finally announced after a long silence.
Without another word, he left the room, leaving my mother and me alone with our thoughts. For a long while, neither of us said anything. My heart was in my throat; I couldn’t believe he just walked out like that. I wanted to cry or scream… something. But instead, I only felt numb.
I hated these stupid feelings I was having towards Gavin… I hated that I couldn’t control myself around him. Most importantly, I hated that I was falling in love with him.
“Just give him some time,” my mother finally said, sitting beside me, her eyes were now soft as she stared at me. “This is a lot of information in one night.”
I nodded, understanding where she was coming from. My words were caught in my throat though.
“How long have you been seeing him for?” My mother asked, her tone soft.
“I’ve been tutoring his son since last year,” I told her. “I guess it started around then…”
She was quiet as she processed that information.
“And entire year?” She asked.
I nibbled on my lower lip as I nodded.
“It kind of just happened,” I admitted. “I’m sorry for keeping this from you, Mom…‘
יך
A few minutes later, my father rushed back into the house. His phone in hand as he stood in front of my mother.
“I just got an alert, a prisoner just escaped,” he told her,
My mother’s face paled.
“What prisoner?” My mother asked, my heart thudded violently against my chest as panic consumed me. I was on alert, listening to each word my father spoke; none of it felt real.
“There wasn’t much details but here’s a photo,” he said, showing us his phone. The second I saw the photo; my heart fell deep into my stomach. “Her name is Samantha Churchill.”
Sammy…
“She escaped?” I asked, my tone coming out much hoarser than I intended,
+25 BONUS
Chapter 490
They both glanced at me.
“Do you know her?” My father asked, his brows furrowed.
I let out a shaky breath, my heart pounding against my ribcage. I couldn’t believe what I was seeing Sammy had escaped…
I had just spoken to her earlier this evening and she made me understand her part of the story a little better. I no longer thought of her as this villain out to betray me, So, why would she escape?
“I have to go,” I told them as I headed towards the door.
“Excuse me?” My father said, nearly shouting. “You aren’t going anywhere. Not after what we learned this evening and certainly not after someone escaped prison.”
“She didn’t escape prison; she was being held at the Landry villa and no offence, Dad, but I am an adult. Who I see and who I don’t see isn’t any of your concern,” I told him, my tone flat.
Chapter 491
Chapter 491
Chapter 491
+25 BONUS
1 ignored the gasp of my mother and the reddened face of my father. I didn’t want to disrespect either of them, but they were treating me like I was a child, incapable of making my own choices. This was my life, and I got to choose what I did with it. I would forever be grateful to them for raising me since I was a pup, but now it’s time that I branch out and become my own person. Everything I did was for them… the only reason I worked for Gavin in the first place was to pay off my father’s debt. I do what can for this family and if they can’t see that, then that’s their loss.
I didn’t stick around to hear my father reprimanding the further. I left without a single word. I quickly got into my car and started to drive towards the villa. I needed to see Gavin. I needed to find out what was going on with Sammy. Why would she escape like that?
I didn’t get far when I noticed a shadow lurking through the surrounding forest. It almost looked like a wolf. It wasn’t unusual to see wolves on the prowl considering this was packland, but something about it caught my attention and I had a sudden urge to follow it.
Without much thought, I parked my car on the side of the road and quickly stripped off my clothes, not wanting to ruin them as I shifted into my wolf form. It was easier to track while in wolf form. I picked up the wolf’s familiar scent almost right away. There was recognition in the scent and my wolf’s ears immediately perked. She grabbed my clothes off the ground with her teeth and got to work tracking the wolf.
She sniffed the ground and started off in the same direction. As we ran through the forest, everything around us became a blur. She was fast, much faster than normal wolves. I never really understood how my wolf was so fast, but it came in handy during times like this. In record time, we had the wolf in sight.
It was a large black wolf and seeing it made me realize how I knew it.
It was the same wolf that saved me back in the competition, when I was on the island. My heart thudded against my chest.
I knew back then that the wolf was female based on her aura alone, but also her scent had a feminine quality to it. I wondered what she could be doing here… and who she was
My wolf stayed back several feet as she watched the black wolf’s pace slowing. The black wolf lifted her head in the air and sniffed; for a moment, I worried she was able to detect us like we could detect her. But she didn’t turn her head in our direction, much to my relief. My wolf was careful to stay hidden in the shadows, using the pushes as a shield.
Her eyes remained trained on the black wolf, watching her every move. She was no longer moving; she was standing in the middle of the forest, sniffing around a tree. I realized she had clothes in her mouth that she carefully placed on the ground beside her as she continued her quick prowl. After a few minutes, she walked back around the large tree, her head high in the air as she let out a howl, as if she was alerting someone that she was there. She stared up at the night sky and continued to howl for another moment before she stopped.
I could feel my wolf’s confusion and then slight unease as she felt another presence approaching, though this presence was much further away, she knew it would take them no time to reach this location. A slight chill coursed through me, and I felt my wolf nearly recoiling in on herself. I had to fight her to keep our wolf form, which wasn’t something that ever happened. I wasn’t ready to shift back though, and my wolf was adamant about not wanting to remain in this form any longer.
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hapter 492
Chapter 492
Something stopped her from resisting me though; her eyes flashed over to the black wolf, and we watched as she shifted forms, returning to her human state.
My jaw nearly hit the ground; Sammy stood in all her glory She was completely naked and admittedly had a great body. Her hair was long and draped over her shoulders, covering her breasts.
She quickly grabbed her clothes off the ground and changed
Sammy was the big black wolf that saved me?
How could that be? In her human form she was so small and yet her wolf was huge.
Sammy ran her fingers through her mess of hair and leaned against the tree, her arms folded across her chest. She was waiting for someone, and they were just about to approach. My stomach was in a knot as I waited with bated breath.
It didn’t take long to see who she was waiting for. I heard some ruffling in a distance bush before someone emerged through the darkness and stepped towards her. I inwardly gasped as my wolf shook with pent up nerves and heartache.
“Took you long enough,” Sammy said, rolling her eyes.
“I had to make sure I wasn’t being followed,” Ethan replied. “You have the pack in a frenzy. What was so important that you had to sneak away?”
“I don’t want to do this anymore…” she said softly, her eyes meeting his. “It’s wrong and I don’t want any part of it.”
“What are you talking about? We had a deal, Samantha,” he said through gritted teeth.
“And I’m telling you that I don’t want it anymore,” she replied. “I know you want to see her suffer, but she isn’t the enemy, Ethan. Your attention should be on the Landry’s and not on Judy.”
“Shut the hell up!” Ethan growled, his fury evident, making he shudder. “You promised me you’d get me the information I need!”
“And I tried but I was nearly caught. She caught me snooping around her room and we don’t even know if she has it!” Sammy nearly shouted.
Had what?
I knew she was looking for something, but I wasn’t sure what it was. My chest was tight as I listened to them. 1
“Did you ever think that maybe she doesn’t have it?” She asked. “Maybe Alpha Landry didn’t offer her the spot in his Elite force.”
“Don’t be stupid, Samantha,” he muttered. “Of course he did.”
“Well, I didn’t see any type of company phone,” Sammy said. “Unless she had it on her at the time.”
A company phone?
So, that’s what they were after? But why?
Try again… you need to get back there and look harder,” Ethan ordered.
“They will have me killed if I go back,” Sammy told him harshly. “I’m not going…”
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Chapter 492
Without warning, Ethan had her push against the tree, his body pinning hers.
“You aren’t going to back out of this,” he said through gritted teeth. “And if you do… you won’t be my Luna.”
My heart shattered at his words and my wolf let out an involuntary whimper. Thankfully, the sound was muffled by Ethan’s low growl. Sammy swallowed; I thought she’d be afraid… but she wasn’t. instead, something flashed in her eyes, and she looked almost… turned on.
She ran her fingers through his hair and smirked.
“It’s cute that you think you have that much power,” she murmured. “Are you forgetting who my father is?”
This was a side of her I never expected to see.
It shocked me even more when she whispered something into his ear and then brushed her lips across his.
Chapter 493
Gavin’s POV
It was almost like her scent had vanished from pack property. We were able to track her to the forest line, but then suddenly it was gone completely. Though, I thought I smelled a bit of Ethan as well which wasn’t surprising. If they were in cahoots with one another, it meant Sammy couldn’t be trusted and I needed to get rid of them both from my pack.
I couldn’t exactly kill Sammy because she was the offspring of a powerful Lycan. Killing her would only start a war that we weren’t prepared for. Too many lives at stake to risk it. Ethan on the other hand, I wasn’t entirely sure what his deal is. I would like more than anything to kill him but if I my suspicions are true, he’s switching his alliance to Levi Churchill and if I killed him, that could also start a war.
I prowled the edge of the forest, where we lost Sammy’s scent. I remained in my human form, sniffing the air and trying to get a hint of that scent, but instead, I smelled something else. A calm and flowery scent that made my wolf’s ears perk deep within me.
I turned my head just in time to see Judy’s small wolf breaking through the clearing of the forest. My brows furrowed at her hurried pace. I could practically see the pain etched in her eyes and her aura had darkened drastically since the last time I saw her in her wolf form. It was clear to me that something had happened that seriously hurt her wolf and suddenly, my protective instincts had flared.
My own wolf surged forward, wanting to shift and go to her I pulled him back, not sure why the sudden reaction he had towards seeing her distressed wolf form. 1
Without much though, I ran towards her, my wolf itching to be released but I remained in my wolf form. Her eyes darted to me, and I swear saw a hint of relief in them as she ran straight towards me, her strides quickening. (1
I knelt to the ground, opening my arms for her run into them. She wasted no time, her wolf form colliding with my human form. My arms enclosed around her; it still amazed me how small she was, and yet I knew what she was capable of. She might be a runt, but she was strong and fast.
I ran my fingers through her fur, trying to soothe her wolf who was trembling.
“Shift,” I ordered. “Please, shift…”
Her wolf still trembled, a small whimper escaping her lips. I held her closer, trying to convince her to shift into her human form and just as she started to shift back, her entire body went limp.
My heart stopped, she completely shifted back into her human form, her body going limp against my body.
“Shit,” I cursed as I cradled her in my arms.
I immediately checked her pulse and found it still beating, though her breathing was shallow.
“Alpha?” I heard Derek rushing towards us.
Immediately my head whipped around to glare at him, a snarl on his lips as my wolf’s protective instincts on fire. He and I were in full agreement; we didn’t want anyone to see Judy like this… not while she was completely naked. Seeing the glow in my eyes from my wolf, Derek’s tracks slowed, and his eyes grew wide.
“Get a blanket from the car,” I ordered, my Alpha aura penetrating the air.
Derek nodded and without hesitation, he turned and ran towards the direction of the car. I held Judy even tighter, my face nuzzling her neck, taking in her sweet scent, trying to calm myself and my wolf. She looked peaceful, though there was a slight crease between her brows. I rubbed her forehead with my thumb, trying to soothe her.
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Chapter 493
Whatever happened seriously had her and her wolf shook and I wasn’t going to stop until I found out what it was. Derek returned moments later with a blanket. I snatched it from him, snarling at him to avert his eyes and back off. I didn’t need to use words for him to know what I wantel, and he quickly turned his back.
I wrapped Judy in the blanket and stood to my feet with her still in my arms, holding her to my chest.
“Join Beta Taylor and the others. Search the forest,” I ordered Derek. “I’m taking her back to the villa.” “Yes, Alpha,” he said before he hurried towards the tree line.
I went towards one of the waiting cars; my driver, Leroy, quickly got out and opened the back door. I nodded at him as I slid into the seat, still cradling Judy.
“Take us back to the villa,” I demanded, my tone etched with worry.
“Yes, Alpha,” he replied, shutting the door before rounding the car and getting into the driver’s seat.
Once we returned to the villa, I took Judy up to my bedroom and laid her on the bed. I sat beside her, running my fingers through her hair. Her face had gone pale and my heart lurched at the sight. I worried about what had happened out there and what caused her to become like this.
I thought about calling Dr. Pierce to have her take a look at her, but Judy soon stirred, giving me a sliver of hope that se was coming to. Though, the waiting didn’t end there. She continued to sleep and made small noises for the next few hours. I put a warm cloth over her face and continued to keep monitor of her until she finally opened her
eyes.
“Don’t try to move,” I told her, running my hand down the side of her face. “You passed out.”
She blinked for a moment, seemingly confused. Her brows furrowed as she glanced around the room, trying to grasp her surroundings.
“How did I get here?” She asked, her tone coming out as a whisper. “Last I remember, I was in the forest.”
It made sense; I assumed Judy had passed out while in wolf form and it was her wolf hat kept conscious, getting herself and Judy out of the forest.
“You passed out,” I told her. “Your human form must have passed out while in human form. Thankfully your wolf was able to bring you back in one peace.” 11
She sighed as her eyes flashed with the memory; they clouded over, and my heart twisted.
“Judy, tell me what happened in the forest,” I said softly. “What spooked you and your wolf so bad.”
She sat up, her eyes flashing with the memory.
“I found Sammy,” she said, her eyes meeting mine. “She was talking to Ethan in the forest. I thought… I thought she could be trusted. I came here to see her earlier in the day and-”
“You spoke to her today?” I asked, my eyes narrowed. “While she was in lockdown?”
She bit her lip and nodded once.
“Yes…” she replied gently. “I wanted to know if our friendship was a lie or not. It was killing me not knowing. She told me that Ethan switched is alliance to her father and that’s why she was speaking to him. That there was nothing more to it…”
“So, I was right,” I murmured, more to myself than to her.
“I believed her…” Judy whispered. “But then I saw her wolf in the forest… the same wolf that saved me during the competition.”
I nodded; already finding that information out earlier.
“Go on,” I urged her gently.
“And then I saw them talking in the forest. Ethan thought that I had some kind of company phone… I guess being a part of your Elite Force meant I’d have some type of phone.”
My blood boiled; I knew what would happen the second I made Judy a part of the Elite Force, which is why I hadn’t offered it to her yet. Each member of the force gets a company phone for emergencies and business–related tasks. These phones hold intimate details of the Landry Franchise which is information they are meant to protect. The force is responsible for keeping outsiders away from this information and keeping the company safe.
I should have known that someone would try and get their hands on that information through Judy. Tahnkfully, she doesn’t have a phone yet because I didn’t make her a part of the force. I wasn’t planning on it until the threat on my company is figured out. 1
“She told him she didn’t want any part of it anymore,” Judy continued, her mind replaying what had happened. “
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Chapter 404
He told her he wouldn’t make her his Luna if she didn’t do as he said, and she reminded him who her father was. Then… they started to kiss and rip each other’s clothes off.
My heart lurched at her words; so, they were having a relationship? I should have figured that one out myself.
“I’m not sure what happened after that.. it all goes blank,” she admitted peeking up at me.
I assumed that’s when Judy’s human form passed out within her wolf form and her wolf got them the hell out of there. I wrapped my arms around her, holding her impossibly close and wishing I could protect her from what she had already seen and what she was feeling. I felt her body relaxing against mine and a smile tugged at my lips knowing I had a calming effect on her like she had one on me.
“It’ll be okay,” I assured her. “Just leave everything to me
“I feel so stupid,” she whispered as tears filled her yes. “I trusted her…”
I kissed the top of her head and took a deep breath.
“And now I need you to trust me,” I whispered.
I grabbed my phone and dialed Taylors number. There was a chance he was still in wolf form, hunting for Sammy and Ethan.
But he soon answered the phone.
“Alpha,” he greeted.
“Any luck on finding them?” I asked.
“Derek mindlinked me and said they caught sight of them on the run,” Taylor said. “I’m heading in that direction now.”
I nodded, though he couldn’t see me.
“Keep me updated,” I told him. “Once you capture them, I want them both banished. Ethan Cash and Sammy Churchill aren’t to step foot on my territory ever again.”
Today’s Bonus Offer
X
Chapter 495
Judy’s POV
I wanted to leave, despite Gavin’s protests. I didn’t want to go home though. So, after a back and forth, he decided to bring me to the mansion. Now that Sammy and Ethan had been caught, he figured it was safe enough for me to return to the mansion and stay with Irene.
She was overly thrilled to see me.
On our way, I texted Nan and gave her a briefing of what happened, so I wasn’t surprised when she met me there and wrapped me in her arms. I was majorly confused about the events of today and my wolf’s reaction to Ethan and Sammy. She felt betrayed all over again, not just by our mate this time, but someone she thought was a friend. Her instincts were usually better than that, but in this case we were wrong about being able to trust her.
I felt manipulated and lied to and all I really wanted to do was curl up on the couch with a couple of people I knew I could trust and vent about it.
Gavin didn’t want to leave me at first, but after he saw that was surrounded by friends, he relaxed
“I’m a phone call away if you need anything,” he tells me, his voice was kept gentle.
As he left, I couldn’t help but stare after him. I was a bit confused about what our relationship was now. I didn’t get why he’s been so tentative with me, and I wondered if it’s because he was feeling the same way I was feeling. I knew at the start that Gavin Landry doesn’t‘ do relationships. At least not since the passing of his wife, Irene’s mother. I knew what I was getting into, and I had to respect that, but when he treated me like this… like I was made out of glass and he had to protect me, it was hard for me to remember those boundaries. 3
“So, Sammy was the villain this whole time?” Irene asked, a frown marring her lips as she cradled Emalyn. She looked comfortable with the baby in her arms and the baby looked even more comfortable and content in Irene’s
arms.
“Apparently,” I murmur.
“So, what exactly was she looking for? You only mentioned that Ethan wanted her to find something that you don’t even have,” Nan said, her brows furrowed.
I nodded in response.
“Yeah, apparently when you get signed on as a member of the Elite Force, you get a company phone,” said thoughtfully.
Irene’s eyes grew wide.
“Yes, all the Gammas in the Silver Crescent pack have them” she explained. “It holds top secret information concerning the company. Information that has to be protected at all costs and it’s the Elite Force that’s in charge of protecting those secrets. Access to that phone could mean the downfall of the Landry Franchise.”
My heart weighed heavily as I listened to Irene’s explanation. Now it was making sense as to why they were so desperate for that phone and why she was snooping through my things. They automatically assumed that Gavin offered me a position on the team and that I would have accepted.
I felt sick to my stomach at the very thought of them using me like that. I wrapped my arms around my body, trying to hold myself together as I thought about what had happened. 1
“They were in a relationship,” I murmured, which was something I hadn’t told to either of them yet.
Nan nearly choked on her drink and Irene almost dropped the baby; thankfully she didn’t… but it was a close call.
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Chapter 495
“What??” They both gasped.
“What do you mean they were in a relationship?” Nan asked, her brows furrowed; Irene was too stunned to speak. “I mean I saw them kissing,” I murmured. “He mentioned making her his Luna and she batted her lashes, swayed her hips, put him in his place because he seemed to have forgotten who he was speaking to, and then he pressed her to a tree and kissed her passionately.”
Irene looked pale as she stared at the baby, a grim expression marring her perfect features.
“How many women does he need to have?” She whispered, her tone trembling slightly. “Does he plan to get her pregnant too?”
“The important thing is that Ethan switched his alliance to Levi,” I told her. “Which means he can and will be banned from your father’s territory, despite the fact that his family are the Betas of Redmoon.”
“So, if Ethan is banished, then who’s going to be the next Alpha of Redmoon?” Nan asked. “Gavin already has a ton of responsibilities and he’s currently the acting Alpha of our pack.”
Chapter 496
Chapter 496
It was true, the Silver Crescent pack and the Redmoon pack have kind of merged into one pack with Gavin being the Alpha. It’ll be that way until the Redmoon is appointed an Alpha. I do feel better though knowing Ethan is out of the running.
“Now that Sammy is no longer a factor, will my father let you move back in?” Irene asked. “I could use some extra help with this baby. I mean Gamma Erik has been helpful… but I need another girl for assistance.”
“What about the maids?” I asked.
She rolled her eyes at the idea before her eyes were fixed on me.
“They are usless unless it’s about housework. They don’t know a thing about babies. They are just as clueless as I am,” she murmured.
“Well, I’ll be happy to help whenever I’m here,” Nan said with a shrug. “I don’t mind.”
“I can help too. I don’t know if moving in is a good idea right now, but I’ll definitely be around to help you too, Irene. You aren’t expected to take care of his baby by yourself. You shouldn’t be expected to take care of his baby at all. It wasn’t right for Stella to do this to you.”
Irene nodded.
“My dad is trying to find someone to adopt her,” she said softly. “He told me this arrangement is temporary.”
I nodded, assuming as much. I doubted Gavin would want his daughter to be a single mother, hidden away in his mansion, with her ex’s baby.
“Well, until that happens, we’ll be happy to help you,” I assured her.
She smiled thoughtfully as she looked between the two of us.
“I’ve never had a group of friends before,” she whispered, her eyes welling with tears. “I’m so thankful for you girls.”
“Well, you got us,” Nan said, returning her smile. “For life.”
Third Person POV
“Alpha, your daughter is here.”
Leaning back in his seat, a scowl on his face, he nodded at his subordinate.
“Let her in,” he murmured, waiting as his daughter stepped into the office, her eyes downcast, already knowing the reprimand she was about to receive. She didn’t bother saying anything, knowing he would speak when he was ready. “You’ve disappointed me, Samantha. You failed in your mission.”
“I’m sorry, Father…” Sammy murmured, tears welling in her eyes. “I’m not cut out for this kind of assignment. You should have given the assignment to Chrissy.”
“Chrissy doesn’t make friends as well as you do,” Levi muttered, thinking about his oldest daughter. She was popular and had plenty of friends, but she gets them by being ruthless and unstoppable. She flaunts her money around as if it was a part of her personality. That’s not someone Judy Montague would want to be friends with. Samantha on the other hand had a kindness to her; she was humble and had a lighter aura. She was someone that Judy would trust without a second thought.
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“I ruined the friendship…” Sammy said, nibbling on her lower lip. “She will never speak to me again.” 2
Just then, a woman walked into the office; her piercing eyes penetrating through Levi and a smirk decorated his handsome features. He holds his arms out to her, and she goes to him almost immediately, sitting her figure on his lap. Sammy had seen her before and knew that she was his father’s mistress.
“Lila darling, I might be using you again after all,” he told the woman, nuzzling his face in her neck, peppering a kiss where he plans to one day mark her, A shiver ran through her spine and her perfectly plump lips tipped upward into a smile.
“Anything,” she told him.
It made him grin, knowing he could make her do whatever she wanted.
“The first plan to get the information didn’t work,” Levi explained to her, his eyes darting to Sammy. Her cheeks burned as she stared a the ground, shame crossing over her features. “But that wasn’t the only plan. My second plan is to get Judy out of his pack and make her switch allegiance. She had become Gavin’s weakness, removing her from Gavin’s life will leave an opening for an attack on his business. There will be mistakes made, and I’ll be there to unlock his deepest secrets.”
The woman, Lila, chuckled.
“I’m happy to do my part,” she purred, leaning down to brush her lips across his. “Give me some time and I’H have her packing her bags in no time.” 3
Chapter 497
Chapter 497
Judy’s POV
+25 BONUS
After how I spoke to my father and how hurt my mother was when I left, the last place I wanted to be right now was home. Nan went to spend the evening with Chester, leaving Irene and me alone with the baby. I already made the decision to spend the night and then figure out the rest in the morning.
“She’s been a good sleeper,” Irene told me as she cradled the baby, rocking her back and forth. “I’m actually surprised by it. Aren’t newborn babies supposed to cry more?”
I smiled.
“You must be doing something right,” I told her.
The baby was adorable, I hated to admit that considering she was the offspring of Ethan Cash. But she was also so innocent, and she didn’t ask to have that monster as a father.
Irene smiled thoughtfully; her eyes fixed on the baby’s face.
“She doesn’t look like him,” Irene said softly. “Maybe some of her features look like him… but she looks more like Stella hand anything.”
“That’s a good thing,” I said with a light laugh.
I lean back on the couch as Irene continues to rock the baby until she’s completely asleep. After a few minutes she stands and takes a deep breath.
“I’ll be back,” she tells me. “I’m going to put her down in her crib.”
Gavin had some of the maids go out and buy a bunch of baby supplies; they pretty much created an entire nursery in the mansion. Which was crazy because this was only a temporary arrangement. There was no way Gavin was going to let Irene have his baby forever. He was going to find a family to adopt her, feeling Irene from the burden of this motherhood.
As Irene went to put Emalyn down to sleep, I wandered into the kitchen. It was quiet without the bustling of staff wandering around. I knew Chester was most likely in his room at this hour, with Nan wrapped around him.
I went to the wine pantry and poured a couple of glasses of wine. I certainly needed a drink this evening to get my mind off things. I was emotionally and mentally exhausted and I just needed to have a little girl time. I needed to talk to Irene about some stuff, but I wasn’t really sure how to bring it up.
It wasn’t my place to tell her that I was secretly having sex with her father. But she was also my friend, and F didn’t want to keep lying to her about this, especially because I needed someone else to talk to about it.
What I wasn’t expecting was for the question Irene would ask as she returned of the living room.
She smiled when she saw that I got her a glass of wine. She picked up the glass as she sat on the love seat and took a deep sip, letting out a breath.
“I hadn’t had a drink if days,” she with a content sigh. “I hadn’t been able to with this baby attached to my hip.”
I took a sip as well, my mind wandering. I was so lost in my own world that I didn’t notice Irene watching me carefully from the couch in front of me. Her eyes were narrowed, and her face showed almost curiosity as she tilted her head and took a better look at me.
“Can I ask you something?” She asked me, drawing my attention to her.
“Of course,” I answered without missing a beat. “Everything okay?”
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Chapter 497
She nodded and nibbled on her lower lip; now it seemed as if her mind was racing. I furrowed my brows, waiting for her to ask her question.”
She finally looked at me and she took a deep breath.
“Are you in love with my father?”
I nearly dropped the wine on the ground at her candid question.
“I’m sorry, what?” I asked her, my voice coming out almost hoarse.
She gave me a sheepish smile before she asked again.
“Are you in love with my father?” She asked again. “I know it’s not really any of my business… but I mean, he is my father, and I do have a right to know. He’d never tell me if he was having a relationship with somebody, so that’s why I’m asking you and not him. You’ve become one of my best friends, Judy, and I would like it if you were honest with me about your true feelings.
My cheeks flushed at her words, and I found myself staring at the glass of wine, wishing I could shrink myself and drown in it.
“What makes you think I love him?” I asked my tone much lower than expected.
She shrugged one shoulder, leaning back in her seat.
“It’s the ay you look at him when he’s around,” she tells me. “The way you are always with him. Even the way your face lights up and your cheeks flush when he’s brought up in conversation,” she pointed to my face, and I knew that she could see my very emotions embedded on it.
There was no lying to her; I was a terribly liar… plus, I just didn’t want to. I was exhausted holding onto this secret/ for so long and it was time that I came clean.
“Yes,” I whispered softly. My wolf’s ears perked at my admission. This was the first time I was admitting out loud that I was in love with Gavin Landry. “I love him.”
Irene’s eyes grew wide, not expecting that I would spill my secret so easily.
“No shit?” She asked, her eyes even wider as she took in my serious expression. “You’re in love with my father…”
“I know it’s weird,” I went on to say, not wanting her to get the wrong idea. “But it’s clear that he doesn’t feel the same way about me, so I don’t think you have to worry about anything.”
“It would be weird to have a stepmom be the same age as me,” Irene said, capturing her lower lip between her teeth. “It would be weird for him to date someone the same age as his daughter. Society wouldn’t accept it.”
I nodded, a knot forming in the pit of my belly.
“That’s why I’m never going to pursue it,” I assure her. “Gavin and I might have some fun… but that’s all it’ll- ever be.”
She sucked in a sharp breath, her cheeks flushing with embarrassment.
“You’ve slept with him?” She asked.
My eyes grew wide.
“What makes you say that?” I asked, trying to mask my horror.
“You said you two like to have fun,” she reminded me. “Plus, it’s all over your face.”
I covered my face with my hands after setting the wine glass down on the coffee table. A groan escaping my lips. She set her own glass down as well and studied me for a long while, neither of saying anything.
“It just kind of happened,” I admit. “This was not how I wanted you to find out.”
“So, those articles I was reading earlier. The one where pictures of you two kissing were posted… they were true? Not photoshop?”
I shook my head.
“Not photoshop,” I agree.
“Why didn’t you ever tell me?” She asked, tears filling down her cheeks. “I thought we were friends and could ell each other everything.”
I nibbled on my lower lip.
“It was too new and too soon,” I told her. “And then you stopped talking to me because of the whole Ethan thing. Plus, I had no idea how to bring up the fact that I’ve been sleeping with your father. It was awkward for me, but I never meant to make you feel disincluded in anyway, Irene.
She was quiet for a long while, processing my words.
“My father hasn’t had a serious girlfriend in years,” she murmured. “After my mom died, there was this one woman that I thought he was going to marry.”
raised my gaze and looked at her, confused. I hadn’t heard this story. As far as I knew, he hadn’t had anyone serious in his life since his late wife. So, who was this woman that Irene was speaking about?
“What woman?” I asked.
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Irene shrugged casually.
“Her name was Rachel,” Irene explained. “You know how my aunt Cassie is in the mental hospital… Matt’s mom?” I nodded as a response, my throat feeling dry. “Well, Rachel was her nurse once a upon a time.”
“Her nurse?” I asked.
Irene nodded.
“Yeah, before Aunt Cassie took off with Matt, while she was still pregnant and under the care and protection of my father, he hired a nurse from the pack hospital to help take care of her during her pregnancy. It ended up being Rachel, which is how she and my father got so close. They were always together, taking care of Aunt Cassie and making sure she had a healthy delivery. They were practically inseparable. I had never seen him like that before… I heard he was like that with my mother, but she died giving birth to me, so I never actually saw them together. But I saw my father smiling for the first time in years whenever Rachel was around.”
My stomach turned into a fist of unease; I hated hearing about this, but I couldn’t seem to stop. I wanted to know more about this Rachel girl.
“And then Aunt Cassie disappeared and it devasted them and the entire pack. After a year, they finally found her and Rachel was appointed her main nurse during her recovery. Even when she went to the mental hospital, Rachel was still there to take care of her. I think my father was finally planning to propose to Rachel… their relationship only grew stronger during all of this, and I saw a wedding ring in his nightstand once with Rachel’s name engraved.”
My wolf whimpered at the sound of that; my heart shattered into a million pieces.
“Did he… propose?” I asked, my voice feeling hallow and unfamiliar.
Irene’s face grew sad and then she shook her head.
“Rachel got into a car accident one evening while she was on her way to the villa,” she said softly. “And she didn’t make it.”
I sucked in a sharp breath.
“She died?”
Irene nodded, her eyes finding mine.
“After that, my father was closed off. He told himself he was never going to fall in love again because they always die on him. He hadn’t been the same…”
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The thought of Gavin with another woman physically hurt. The thought that he was so in love with her that he was planning on proposing, nearly destroyed me. My wolf’s reaction came out of nowhere; I had to restrain her as she pushed forward, wanting to go for a run to release some of this pent–up tension. The reaction was confusing for her as well and she didn’t know how to respond to the fact that Gavin was once in love with someone else.
My stomach ached at the very thought, and I had to take steady deep breaths to calm myself and my wolf.
Irene studied me for a long while, trying to figure out how was feeling and gauging my reaction.
“That was a long time ago though,” she told me, trying to sound reassuring. “He’s different ow. He’s almost back to being that happy self again. Even Matt’s noticed it and we know it’s because of you, Judy.”
I looked at her, frowning. I wasn’t sure what to say to that; my mind was still wrapping around the thought of Gavin with another woman, loving her… proposing to her… losing her.
He must have been so heartbroken.
I wonder if he would talk to me about her if I asked… then again, was it my place o ask him anything?
Irene reached over and took a hold of my hand.
“I wasn’t telling you this so you can doubt yourself, I’m telling you this, so you know that if he doesn’t‘ warm up to you right away, it’s not your fault. It’s not that he doesn’t care… or won’t ever fall in love again, it’s just that he’s afraid to fall in love. Everyone he fell in love with eventually dies. He probably thinks he’s cursed or something.”
I swallowed the lump in my throat as I met her eyes.
“Is he cursed?” I asked.
She let out a laugh and shook her head.
“No, of course not,” she assured me. “My father is just very typical. But I can tell he cares about you, even if you can’t tell.”
“You think so?” I asked, hating the vulnerability in my tone, but I needed to know. Was there a chance for Gavin and me? And would she be okay with it if there was.
“Yes,” she replies. “I think there’s real potential between you two. You could be the woman that knocks him off his feet and makes him fall in love all over again.”
This time, it was my turn to let out a laugh.
“And you’d be okay with that?” I asked her, raising my brows.
She thought about it for a moment and then she shrugged, giving me a sly smile.
“I mean, I wouldn’t love losing a bet to Matt,” she teased. But I think I’ll be okay with you and my father living happily ever after. But I will never call you mom.” She crinkled her nose at the very thought. “That would be way too weird.”
I laughed even louder this time.
“Don’t worry; I agree. I’d never call you mom. Way too weird,” she told her, making her laugh as well.
She stands and joins me on the couch, wrapping her arms around me and hugging me close.
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“I’m so glad we had this talk. I think it was long overdue. I could see the tension between you and my father for so long and I knew it was only a matter of time before it eas brought up,” she told me, resting her head on my shoulder.
“So, you’re giving us your blessing then?” I asked with a smile.
She nodded.
“Yes, I am… As would Matt if he knew,” she said, her tone growing a bit sad at the very thought of Mathew. “Do you think he’ll ever not hate me?”
I rest my head on top of her head.
“He doesn’t hate you, Irene,” I assured her. “He’ll be okay Once his wolf calms down, he’ll come back to you, and you’ll resume your brother and sister relationship as usual. It won’t last forever.”
“I hope not,” she whispered. “What I did was awful… I could have killed him, and I was the reason one of the maids was banished and most likely killed by a rogue. I’m not a good person.”
“Just because you did a bad thing, doesn’t mean you are a bad person,” I told her. “We all make mistakes.”
“Mine cost lives… and it almost cost the most important life in my life… my brother.”
Hoved that, despite Matt not being her biological brother, Irene still thought of him as a brother.
“But he’s alive and that’s all that matters. That’s all we should be focusing on.”
She was quiet for another moment as she processed my words before she nodded slowly.
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“I guess so,” she whispered. “I just hope he’ll one day see that way too and I can return home.”
That was another reason she had to stay in this mansion; she couldn’t be around matt right now without his wolf going insane and trying to rip her throat out for betraying them. She nearly tried to kill him just to get rid of me and that was something Matt’s wolf wasn’t going to forget But maybe one day he’ll be able to let it go and live in peace with her again.
One could only hope.
A knock on the door broke us from our thoughts. I frowned as I lifted my head and looked at Irne.
“Were you expecting someone?” I asked her.
She shook her head, wiping her eyes from the tears that escaped.
“No,” she replied.
I stood and went to the door; I glanced through the peep whole and the second I saw who it was, a big smile lit up my face. I pulled the door open and opened my arms for Tabby to run into them.
“Hey!” she said, hugging me tightly. “Heard you were staying here tonight and thought I’d come join.
“I almost forgot you were in town,” I admitted. “With everything going on this last day or so, my head is in a complete cloud.”
“I don’t blame you,” she told me. “I can’t believe what I’m hearing about Sammy. She was banished from the pack and forced to return home to her father. I wonder if he’s going to be pissed.”
“I’m sure he will be,” I told her, guiding her into the house
Just as I was about to shut the door, Chuck and Shirley appeared. 1
“Didn’t think we wouldn’t come too, did you?” Shirley asked as she walked into the mansion.
“What are you guys doing here?” I asked with a laugh as I shut the door behind them.
“We leave tomorrow to return to our pack,” Chuck explained. “Figured we’d stop by and spend one last night with you.”
I was grateful to them and glad that I got to see them. We went through the competition together; they were my friends for life now.
Irene’s eyes immediately went to chuck and her cheeks flushed at the sight of him. I made a mental note to ask her about that later; it was obvious that there was something going on there.
Chuck grinned at her as he went to the couch. Ignoring them, I turned to Tabby and Shirley.
“I’m really glad to have you here. I’m also grateful that you came when you did and warned me about Sammy. If it weren’t for you, she’d probably still be here.”
Tabby shrugged
“I’m just glad we were able to help you,” she said thoughtfully. “I would hate to think you were in any kind of danger.”
“I just can’t believe Sammy was capable of doing something like that,” Shirley said, shaking her head. “She seemed so sweet at the competition.”
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Chapter 500
I heard Irene giggling at something Chester said, and his grin only grew wide as he spoke to her; both keeping their tones low so we couldn’t hear. I couldn’t help but smile at her; it was nice to see her with someone other than Ethan. Chuck seemed like a good guy, and I doubt he would play her like Ethan had. a
I made another mental note to ask Shirley and Tabby more about him later. I only knew him from the competition, but to them… he was pack.
“So, where’s this baby I’ve been hearing about?” Tabby asked. “It’s all anyone talks about over at the villa.”
“Sleeping,” I told them.
I got each a glass of wine and caught them up on pretty much everything. After we were done talking, I noticed that Irene and Chuck were gone.
My eyes widened as I looked around for any sign of them.
Shirley rolled her eyes, already knowing what was going on
“What’s wrong?” I asked. “Where’d they go?”
“Most likely to her room,” Shirley said, shaking her head. “I swear the only reason he came here is for her.”
“What do you mean?” I asked.
Tabby chuckled.
“Chuck is convinced that Irene is his mate,” she explained. “His wolf is going crazy over her, and he’s been wanting to see her again since the competition.”
“Weird… Irene didn’t mention anything about that. Wouldn’t she feel it too?” I asked.
“Maybe she just doesn’t know what it should feel like,” Tabby suggested. “I heard that happens sometimes.”
Just as I was about to ask more about that, the door opened and I turned around, my eyes wide when I saw Gavin walking into the room, his eyes darting around until they landed on me.
Oh hell…
How was I going to explain to him where his daughter was?
