Judy’s POV
Today was supposed to be the day my fated mate and I got engaged. But now I’m watching him kiss another woman. Marrying her could make him the future Alpha because she’s the daughter of Gavin Landry, the most powerful Lycan chairman in the world.
A couple of months ago, our Alpha died during a battle and now all the candidates are competing for that position, including my mate, Ethan.
Everyone knows the Lycan’s control the werewolf population. And Gavin? He could singlehandedly appoint everyone the new Alpha.
So, Ethan made his choice.
Her, not me.
“Get me a whiskey and a martini for the lady,” A deep voice sounded from nearby. “Is it the future bride, or the future groom that’s got you in a mood?”
“I’m just not into parties,” I decided to say.
“Nor am I,” he murmured. “I’m here out of obligation.”
The bartender placed my drink in front of me and I immediately took a sip, sighing in contentment. I waited for the alcohol to do its job and finish numbing the pain.
Every time Ethan kissed her it killed me a little more.
How had my life taken such a devastating turn? How could my fated mate do this to me? Did our 2 years together truly mean nothing? Did the mark on my neck mean that little to him?
“Thank you for the drink,” I told the man.
I took one last sip of my martini and started to get down from the stool, except my blouse snagged on the corner of the counter and just as I heard a tearing sound, I began to fall to the ground. I closed my eyes, bracing myself for the impact, but it never came.
Instead, I felt strong arms wrapping around my body, lifting me into the air. I opened my eyes and peeked up at the man who caught me, and my breath hitched.
He was so handsome.
He held me with ease as if I weighed nothing and I could tell from the feeling of his arms around me that he was muscular. He smiled down at me and a dimple appeared on his right cheek.
I wanted to lick that dimple.
“Madam, are you falling for me?” He asked teasingly.
I stared at him for a heartbeat longer before I squinted my eyes at him, seeing what he did there.
“You’re a funny one, aren’t you?”
He grinned. Then he looked at my shirt and immediately frowned.
“Let me take you to my suite upstairs,” he said, making my heart skip a beat.
“What?” I said in barely a whisper.
His eyes met mine and I got lost in their beauty for a moment.
Goddess, his good looks were sinful.
“Your shirt is ripped. I have one you can wear upstairs in my VIP suite,” he explained.
I blinked a couple of times and gave a nervous chuckle.
“Oh, alright. Thank you,” I managed to sputter.
He turned to the bartender.
“Charge our drinks to my suite,” he ordered.
“Yes, sir.”
I allowed the man to carry me out of the room.
His arms were so warm that I found myself resting my head against his broad chest, breathing in his minty scent. My wolf was practically purring in my mind. She’d been quiet for most of the evening while she licked the wounds the broken mate bond had caused. But right now, it was as if she had forgotten she was heartbroken.
“Take off your shirt,” he ordered once we were in the suite. He had released me and was walking to the closet.
“Excuse me?” I squeaked.
“So, you can put on a new shirt,” he explained.
“Right,” I breathed.
I lifted my ripped shirt over my head and threw it onto the bed, leaving me in only my bra from the waist up. Once he found a shirt, he turned around to face me, and his entire body froze as his eyes trailed down my body. I was too busy checking him out to notice him staring at me but the longer I stared at him, the more I started to recognize him.
Then, realization struck me, and I gasped.
“It’s you…” I breathed, taking a step back.
His eyes shifted upward and met mine; his brow arched.
“You know me?” He asked.
“I know of you,” I clarified.
The corner of his lips tipped upward as he walked towards me, slowly, as if he were stalking his prey. I could practically hear the sounds of my heartbeat.
“And what do you know of me?”
“Only what I’ve heard…” I admitted.
“And what have you heard?”
“You’re Gavin Landry, Lycan Chairman. You’re a playboy. You have a new woman each week and you never sleep with the same woman twice.”
He raised his brows.
“Is that so?” He asked. “Tell me more about myself.”
Hell, he’s the father of the bride and Ethan’s future father-in-law? I’m confused, I don’t know what I should do. But I’m not surprised I didn’t recognize him at first. The Lycan family isn’t high profile, they’re more used to staying behind the scenes than becoming politicians and celebrities like werewolf Alpha.
Should I tell him who I am? But that would be stupid at this moment.
He continued to walk towards me, and I continued to walk backward until my back hit the wall.
“What more do you want to know?” I asked, my voice coming out breathy.
“Everything.”
I’m not sure if it was the martini speaking or me, but I decided to be bold. If Ethan can indulge himself in someone new, then so could I.
I lifted my gaze to meet his as he neared closer.
“Your eyes…” I started to say. “I’ve heard that they were mesmerizing, and I must agree.”
“What else?”
I swallowed the lump in my throat.
“When you smile, you have this adorable dimple on your cheek…” I whispered.
He was only inches from me now, staring so intently at me that I thought I would burn up under his scrutiny.
He licked his lips, drawing my attention to his mouth.
“And your lips…”
Before I could finish that sentence, his mouth crashed into mine. His kiss was anything but soft and sweet but filled with hunger and possession. I kissed him with just as much eagerness. His tongue made its way between my lips, tasting every inch of me. He lifted me into the air, my body pinned between the wall and him. Instinctively I wrapped my legs around his waist and allowed him to deepen the kiss.
His lips trailed down the nape of my neck and warmth spread across my body as I felt him sucking on my soft flesh.
All self-control and common sense left my mind the moment his lips touched mine. All I could think about was Gavin; he consumed my mind, body, and soul entirely. I pulled at his tie, wanting to take it and his shirt off. He helped me undo his tie and then lifted his shirt over his head, tossing it to the ground.
I let my fingers explore his body; they roamed over his abs and up his broad shoulders.
I moaned into his mouth as his lips found mine again.
“Are you sure you want this?” He asked between kisses.
“Yes,” I rasped out. “We are both willing adults, so why not?”
His lips were on mine again and just as he was about to take off my bra, I received a tearful mindlink from my adoptive mother.
“Judy! Please, come home!” She sounded panicked; my mother never panicked.
Hearing her voice was like cold water being dumped on my head and I gasped. I let my legs fall from around him and I pressed against his chest.
“Stop,” I said breathlessly. “I have to go.”
He frowned.
“I don’t have much patience; stop joking,” he says, a hint of anger in his tone.
“I’m so sorry. But I’m sure you have plenty of other options,” I said and started to run towards the door, but he grabbed my arm, stopping me.
I whirl around to face him, my own anger rushing to the surface but before I can say anything, he points to the bed.
“Your shirt is ripped, remember?”
I looked down at my bra with a frown.
“Oh…”
He sighed, grabbing his shirt and putting it over my head.
I inhaled deeply and warmth spread throughout my body; it smelled like him.
……
The moment I stepped into the house; I could hear my mother sobbing.
“Judy?” My mother sobbed; I could hear that she was in the kitchen and my heart stuttered at the sound of her broken voice. “Your father was taken away by the Gammas tonight.”
udy’s POV
My heart fell into my stomach. “What?!” I gasped.
We lived in a decent-sized house; my adoptive father, being a successful businessman and a Delta of the Redmoon pack, had a lot of money.
“He was arrested,” she explained. “He made a bad investment for the company, and he ended up losing all the money. He went completely bankrupt and now he owes the pack so much money. Until he pays it, they put him in jail.”
“They can’t just come and take him away like this,” I said, standing to my feet, hardly able to contain my emotions. “Without any warning? That’s not fair!”
“They can do whatever they want. The Beta is under the jurisdiction of the Lycans, and it was his decision. Loan sharks are ruthless, and nobody wishes to deal with them. It’s easier to just get rid of the problem and right now… your father is the problem.”
Before I could say anything more, my phone started to ring. I reached into my bag and pulled it out. I frowned when I saw the name flash across the screen.
“I heard about your father,” Ethan’s voice was soft as he spoke, and my traitorous heart skipped a beat. I hated how my body responded to him still; it was because of this stupid mate bond. Even though he rejected me, and I accepted it, that didn’t mean it severed our bond. It won’t be severed until he marks someone else.“I might have a suggestion though. But I’d like to tell you in person. Come outside.”
I quickly left the kitchen and walked out of the house. Ethan was leaning against his car with his arms folded across his chest.
Goddess, I hated how good he looked.
I had been in love with him for longer than 2 years. He was my friend, my confidant, my fated mate. When he rejected me, it destroyed everything I had dreamt of.
I wrapped my arms around my body, desperately trying to hold myself together.
“Why are you here?” I asked him after a long and awkward silence.
“I wanted to talk to you,” he replied.
“Why?”
The corner of his lips tipped upwards as he stared at me; I nearly melted under his scrutiny, and I had to shift my gaze to look at the ground.
“Because I can help you,” he answered. “Your father’s funding chain is broken, and he now owes a lot of money. I know for a fact that he doesn’t have that kind of money, especially now that his business has gone under. But I do.”
I lifted my gaze to meet him; he was serious.
“Are you saying you’d pay my father’s debt?” I asked him.
He nodded.
“Yes,” he answered.
“And what would we have to do in return?” I asked, almost afraid to ask.
He smirked, which gave me an uneasy feeling in the pit of my stomach.
“There is a condition,” he confessed. I waited silently for him to continue, my eyes never leaving his. “After I get married, I want you to drop out of school and become my mistress.”
I couldn’t have heard him correctly; I stared at him with my jaw practically on the ground.
“Excuse me?” I managed to sputter. “You want me to what??”
“Drop out of school and become my mistress. I already have a luxurious home for you to live in. You would never have to want for anything. I’ll pay off your father’s debt and give you more money than you could dream of.”
“How… how could you ask me to do such a thing?” I asked in a choked whisper; tears threatened to spill from my eyes, but I kept them away, not wanting him to see my break.
He stepped closer to me, and I felt rooted to the ground, unable to move away. My wolf was whimpering about his request; she couldn’t believe our mate could ask such a thing from us. She was gutted and I hated that she was put in this position.
“Because we’ve always been so good together, Judy,” he said, reaching out and touching my arm gently. “We will always have this strong connection, even if I mark someone else. You and your family would be set for life… all you have to do is say yes…”
He was rubbing his fingers up and down my arms and I felt sick to my stomach. I finally found the strength to step away from him, my body trembling.
“No,” I said, meeting his eyes. “I would never become your mistress.”
His eyes darkened.
“I’m about to become the Alpha, Judy. You must get with the times. Becoming my mistress would only benefit you and plus, don’t you want your father out of jail?”
“I will find another way,” I said through my teeth. “If that’s all you came here to say, then I’ve heard enough. You can leave.”
He raised his brows as he stared at me. He studied me for a moment longer like he expected me to change his mind at any moment.
“You’ll change your mind,” he told me as he stepped away from me and towards his car. “And when you do, I’ll be here. But until then, your father will remain in prison.”
“I’ll figure it out,” I said to his retreating back. “We don’t need you, Ethan!”
He chuckled as he opened his car door and then he turned back to gaze into my eyes.
“In order to get him out of prison, you’ll need at least 5 million dollars. When you realize that there’s no other option, you’ll come to your senses. I’m sure of it.”
Without another word, he got into his car. I watched as he drove away, disappearing into the night.
It was only when he disappeared that I allowed myself to fall to the ground. Tears streamed down my cheeks before I could stop them.
5 million dollars?
How was I going to come up with that kind of money?
——————
I had two classes this morning and one later in the afternoon. My first class was warrior training, and my second class was shifting, both of which I excelled at. I was going to college for Gamma training so that once I graduated, I could prove myself to the Gamma force and become a warrior. Then I would easily be able to pay off my father’s debt and save my family.
“You look like hell,” my best friend, Nan, pointed out as I sat beside her against the large Oaktree; the very tree we always met up at.
“It was a rough night,” I admitted as I took out my textbook to study.
“Where did you go last night? When I returned, you were gone. Did you leave early because of the engagement party?”
I bit my lower lip as I thought about what to say to her. If I lied, she’d be able to see right through me. I was a terrible liar initially, but Nan could read me like a book.
“I ripped my shirt, and someone brought me into his room to change,” I said, feeling my cheeks growing warm at the memory.
She raised her brows, and I could barely look at her.
“You went to someone’s room?” She asked. “Whose?”
I was quiet for a moment, and she grabbed my arm, getting my attention.
“Judy, who did you leave with?” She asked, now her voice was filled with alarm.
I knew there was no getting out of this conversation. I bit my lip and peeked up at her through my lashes.
“Gavin Landry,” I squeaked.
Judy’s POV
“Shut up!” She gasped. “Are you serious?? You went to Gavin Landry’s VIP suite? As in THE Gavin Landry?!”
I nearly tackled her; she was being so loud!
“Keep your voice down!” I scolded, attempting to cover her mouth with my hands but she was too quick and dodged me.
“How can I possibly keep it down when my best friend went to Gavin Landry’s hotel room last night and waited until now to tell me!” She exclaimed.
Nan was a waitress at the hotel restaurant the engagement party was at last night. The hotel, called Carter Resorts, was in the human territory, and it was owned by Patrick Carter, the Delta of the Silver Crescent pack. Which happened to be Gavin Landry’s pack.
I wasn’t surprised to see Gavin there last night, especially considering his daughter was the bride-to-be. I was less surprised to see that he had a VIP suite at the hotel.
I sighed.
“It all happened so fast, and I had a bit too much to drink,” I admitted. “I all but forgot when I got home because other stuff happened.”
I wrapped my arms around my body and looked up at her concerned eyes.
“What else happened?” She asked, her voice dropping to a whisper.
I took a deep breath, and I told Nan everything that happened, right up until Ethan came over and asked me to be his mistress in exchange for him paying off my father’s debt. By the time I finished talking, Nan’s jaw had dropped.
“The nerve of that asshole!” She hissed. “How dare he! He rejected you and now he wants you to be his little whore?! He has zero shame.”
“I’m not sure what I’m going to do, Nan,” I whispered. “There’s no way I could come up with 5 million dollars to pay off my father’s debt.”
We both fell silent as our thoughts consumed us and then her face lit up. I knew that look well and it grew nervous as a smile spread across her face. I knew right away that she had an idea, and I also knew that I wasn’t going to like it.
“You said that he gave you his shirt to wear?” She asked.
I nodded.
She gasped and grabbed my arm.
“Isn’t it obvious, Judy? Gavin is into you. That’s the only reason he’d give you his shirt. He wanted his scent on you! He’s very picky. In all my time as a waitress, you’re the first woman he’s ever offered.”
I gawked at her. She had officially lost her mind.
“Gavin’s not into me,” I said, shaking my head. “He gave me his shirt because mine ripped. There was nothing to it.”
“Why would he even care?” Nan asked, folding her arms across her chest. “He’s Gavin Landry and doesn’t need to care about any of this. Besides, you mentioned that he kissed you heatedly. You were ready to go all the way with him, which is huge because you were planning on waiting until after you were married. There had to be some kind of connection last night.”
I glanced at my hands.
“Or maybe I was just hurting and wanted to get back at Ethan,” I murmured. “Plus, I had a little too much to drink.”
“Drunk actions are sober thoughts or something like that,” she said, waving away my words. Then, she smirked. “You could use this to your advantage. Do you still have that lingerie you bought for your wedding night? You should pay Gavin a little visit and make him an offer he can’t refuse.”
___
I knew it was a bad idea the moment she spoke the words, but her words continued to replay in my mind for the remainder of the day and night. When I woke up the next morning, my mind was made up.
I went to my closet and grabbed my red lingerie. I had only tried it on once and I felt a little self-conscious wearing it, but I knew the night of my wedding when I finally gave myself over to Ethan fully, it wouldn’t matter what I was wearing. My heart ached at the thought, and I quickly brushed it out of my head before I started to cry again.
I dressed in the lingerie, and I grabbed a long trench coat, wrapping it around my body. I left my hair down and I put on a little makeup to make my features pop.
For the last day or so, my mother had either been speaking on the phone to lawyers, visiting my father in prison, or in her room. I had barely seen or spoken to her since I told her Ethan wasn’t going to help us. I hated knowing I disappointed her, but hopefully, this would fix all our problems.
It was no secret where Gavin’s office was; everybody knew the famous Gavin Landry Corporation. When I walked through the front door, the receptionist was typing on her computer.
She barely spared me a look as I approached the desk.
“Good morning, I’m here to see Gavin Landry,” I said as politely as I could.
The receptionist looked upward at me and blinked a couple of times, looking less than amused.
“Do you have an appointment?”
“Uh, no, but—”
“Look, I don’t have time for this. Countless women come in here and request to speak with Gavin and I’m going to tell you what I tell them. Mr. Landry is incredibly busy, and he doesn’t have time or patience to be dealing with another fan girl,” she said bitterly.
“And what gives you the right to turn away those who come to see me?” A deep voice boomed.
Judy’s POV
“Mr. Landry,” the receptionist said, quickly standing to her feet. She suddenly seemed disheveled, and I wanted to smirk with satisfaction, but I kept it held in.
“I asked you a question, Laura,” he said, narrowing his eyes at her. “What gives you the right to send away guests? You know the protocol. You are to call my office, and I am the one who decides whether or not I will see them or not. Not you.”
She swallowed and glanced at the ground as if staring directly at him physically hurt her.
“Come with me.”
It took me a second to realize he was speaking to me, but when I saw the receptionist glaring at me and Gavin’s retreating back, I nearly stumbled over my feet to catch up to him. He walked through a luxurious waiting room until we reached a glass elevator.
It was very high-tech with a touch screen attached to it. He brought up a keypad and typed in some sequence before pressing the floor number.
He stood so close to me that the elevator felt almost cramped, despite it being a wide space. I could smell his incredible minty scent, mixed in with his aftershave and my heart skipped a beat.
He didn’t bother looking at me though and I was starting to doubt this plan would work. Maybe he didn’t like me as much as I thought he did. I felt awkward knowing that under this coat was nothing but lingerie.
The elevator came to a halt and the doors opened. It was an extremely large space with marble flooring and granite walls.
“Where exactly is your office?” I asked, staring around the gorgeous area.
He glanced at me; his face kept indifferent.
“This is my office.”
My eyes grew large at his words. He continued walking until he rounded the corner and sure enough, there was his desk right in front of large windows that overlooked the human city. It was gorgeous and my stomach twisted with nerves.
He didn’t bother sitting on his desk chair. Instead, he turned to face me, leaning against his desk and folding his arms across his chest. I swallowed the lump in my throat as I took him in. He wore a white dress shirt with sleeves rolled up halfway, showing off his incredible muscles and his dark dress pants hugged his waist perfectly, showcasing his incredible form.
My wolf purred with satisfaction, and I found myself staring at him for way longer than I intended to.
He cleared his throat, making me nearly jump out of my skin as my gaze shot upward and met his. He was smirking at me, as if to say, “Caught you.”
My cheeks burned from the embarrassment I felt.
“So, what did you come here for?” He asked, breaking the tension between us.
Oh. Right. The reason I’m here.
“I have a problem, and I need your help,” I said in a rush.
He raised his right brow.
“What kind of problem?”
I cleared my throat before continuing.
“My father was arrested the other night,” I blurted. “His business went bankrupt, and he owes a lot of money. Roughly 5 million dollars.”
He was silent as he stared at me; I realized he was waiting for me to continue. Probably wanted to know how I needed his help.
“I was hoping you’d be able to help him and maybe pay the debt for my father so he could get out of prison?” I asked, biting my lip.
He was quiet for another moment, processing my request before he ran his hands over his face.
“And what would I get in return for helping your family?” He asked.
I swallowed the lump in my throat.
Confidence: I needed confidence.
I held my head up high and looked him right in the eyes. It was known as a challenge to look an Alpha directly in the eyes, even worse so looking a Lycan directly in the eyes. But Gavin wasn’t as angry as I thought he would be, instead, he looked intrigued.
“Well,” I began, I dropped my voice low as I stepped closer to him. “At the party the other day, we obviously had a connection…” I felt my cheeks growing hot as I spoke those words. “And I thought maybe…”
I took a deep breath and undid my coat, revealing a portion of my lingerie, but not all of it. Not yet at least. His eyes darkened as he gazed over my body, and I nearly melted under his scrutiny.
I suddenly had a surge of confidence, and I reached my hand out to touch his arm.
“I thought maybe I could do some favors for you in return,” I said in a sultry voice. “I’m a college student and very clean. I haven’t had sex before, but I’m on birth control, so you don’t need to worry about anything.”
His breathing grew heavy as he straightened his posture, closing the small gap between us. His nearness was intoxicating, and my heart started to race against my chest. His scent enveloped me, and I couldn’t remember the last time I felt this delirious.
He reached his hand up and I felt his fingers glide down my cheek, sending a wave of warmth throughout my whole body. We were so close together that I thought I was going to pass out from the heat that consumed me.
His eyes were dark like they were the night in the VIP suite.
He swallowed hard and I watched his Adam’s apple move slightly. I closed my eyes, preparing for him to kiss me. I could feel his breath on my lips and just as I leaned in close to him, getting ready for his embrace, it never came.
Instead, I felt him adjusting my coat, covering my body.
My eyes flew open, and I looked at his stern expression.
“Do you really think I need to pay a woman for sex?” He asked, breaking the silence. “You said it yourself that I have many options.”
My cheeks flushed immediately.
“I just thought—”
“You thought you could use your body to pay for my help,” he said, interrupting me. “You are still young, Miss Montague. You will regret taking such shortcuts in the future.”
How did he know my name? I hadn’t told him. Had he looked into me? My heart skipped a beat at the thought, but his words were slowly crushing me.
He didn’t want me.
I lowered my gaze, hating how hot my face was getting. I knew he could see just how embarrassed I was.
When he spoke next, he softened his voice and spoke with compassion.
“Look, I have a daughter,” he told me. “I would never teach her to use her body as a transaction. I want more for her and her future, and I expect better from her.”
He reached his hand and caressed the nape of my neck with his fingertips; my breath hitched as I gazed into his eyes.
“I expected better from you,” he added; my heart fell into my stomach and disappointment consumed me.
He was right. I was better than this.
I nodded my head and opened my mouth to speak, but I heard footsteps behind me. I turned to see a couple of security guards standing nearby and I whipped around to look at Gavin with wide eyes.
“I’m afraid my time is up, and my patience has run out,” Gavin said, looking at me briefly before glancing at the security guards. “Escort Miss Montague out of the building, please.”
“Yes sir,” they both said.
They stood on each side of me, and I stared at Gavin with shock. I didn’t fight or argue with the security guards as they told me to come with them.
“Thank you for your time,” I managed to say before I turned and left the office. I wanted to cry because of the shame, but I knew more importantly I needed a new job.
….
“I’m so excited we get to work together,” Nan said with a wide smile. “And you look great in that uniform.”
I looked down at my uniform. I felt ridiculous in this thing; it was a short skirt and a crop top that showed way too much cleavage. I felt like I was on display.
Especially at night when this place pretty much turned into a club. These men are wealthy and would tip generously. It was an opportunity I couldn’t pass up when I was struggling for money.
“That’s what friends are for,” she said, nudging my arm with hers.
She looked behind me and sighed.
“Looks like we are getting a group of guys. Good luck,” she said.
I sighed and turned to greet the customers but then I froze when I saw who was amongst them.
Ethan
Judy’s POV
“You were right,” I heard one of his friends saying. “She does work here. This is going to be so good.”
“Hey, call girl, can we get a table, or are you just going to stare at us?”
Call girl?
I placed the menus on the table for them and waited for each of them to take a seat.
“I’m not a call girl. Please, take your seat.”
As I leaned over the table to put the beer in front of each of them, one of them grabbed my rear end. I felt my entire body freeze.
“I like this little uniform on you. How about you take it off and see what’s underneath.”
My entire body went hot as I stepped back from the table, forcing his hand to drop.
“Do not touch me,” I said loudly to each of them.
“Oh, come on, Judy. Aren’t you here to satisfy men?” Another of his friends asked. “So come here and satisfy us. Sit on my lap.”
I pressed my lips together.
“I’m not a call girl,” I told them for the final time. “I’m a waitress.”
“You got this job because you’re hot,” one of them chuckled. “The manager didn’t care about your skills. He cared about whether or not you could flirt with the customers and make him a lot of money. I’m willing to give you a good tip if you let me see what’s underneath your uniform and sit on my lap.”
I felt my blood going cold from his words.
“Come here baby girl,” he said, patting his lap and winking at me.
I just stared at him, disbelieving.
I looked at Ethan who was watching me, waiting to see what I would do. How could he just let his friends speak to me like this? At one point, he would have never allowed this. He would have punched anyone who looked at me with lust in their eyes.
Now, he was acting as if he didn’t care.
“I’ll give you 10 thousand dollars if you drink this entire beer,” one of his friends asked.
My mouth nearly fell open.
“What?” I asked.
“You heard me,” he answered. “Drink this whole beer and you’ll get 10 thousand dollars.”
“We’ll all give you 10 thousand dollars each if you drink all of our beers,” another one said.
I stared at the beer and then at the men. My eyes landed on Ethan once more; he raised his brows, waiting for my answer.
Swallowing my pride, I stepped towards the table and grabbed one of the glasses.
I really didn’t like beer, but money was money, and I knew Ethan’s friends were rich and could pay that kind of money easily. I needed the cash to get my father out of prison and pay off his debt.
I brought the cup to my lips and let the liquid run down my throat. I winced at the bitter taste, but I kept pushing myself until the cup was empty. His friends were cheering and chanting as I drank the contents of the cup.
I slammed the cup on the counter and looked at the next guy who slid his beer at me, winking as he did so.
I chugged his beer as well.
I only got halfway through the third glass when I felt a firm grip around my wrist and I was yanked away.
I heard Ethan’s friends booing and telling him he was a party pooper. I had no idea where Ethan was taking me; he was quiet until we reached outside and then he whipped around to glare at me.
“Accept my offer and stop this foolishness,” he ordered.
“I won’t be your mistress, Ethan,” I told him, narrowing my eyes, my head fuzzy from the beer. “You can forget about that.”
“You’d rather act like a little slut instead?” He asked through his teeth. “You looked ridiculous in there!”
“Why do you care? You have your fiancé. This is my private business, and my private business no longer includes you.”
“You are still mine, Judy. You will always be mine,” he growled.
I wanted to laugh at his ridiculousness, but I also wanted to cry. He was so sweet at one point; I spent more than 2 years loving this man. Now as he stood before me, I realized he was a stranger.
“I am not yours,” I told him, glad that my voice came out stronger than I felt.
He let out a bitter laugh.
“Fine, be a whore for all I care,” he growled. “Spread your legs for money because that’s all you’re good for—”
Before I could stop myself, my hand swung and made contact with his cheek, causing a loud slap.
He didn’t flinch but he did grow angrier as he went to grab my throat. He froze though when he looked at my neck and I watched the color draining from his face.
“What the fuck,” he hissed. He grabbed my chin and yanked my head to the side. “Is that a hickey?”
I realized when getting dressed this morning that the hickey Gavin left on me the other night was still there. It was fading, but visible.
“So, what if it is?” I asked.
He released my chin and glared at me, his gaze icy.
“Who the hell have you been with?”
“That’s not your concern,” I retorted.
I turned to walk away, but he gripped my arm, making me whimper in pain as he whipped me around to face him again.
“Answer my goddamn question, Judy! Who have you been with?!”
Through gritted teeth, I answered, “Gavin. Your future father-in-law. Happy now?”
He released me and let out a bark of laughter.
“Are you kidding me? You don’t have to make up such a ridiculous story,” Ethan said through a fit of laughter.
I heard more laughter from nearby and I realized Ethan’s friends were crowding around.
“Is she talking about Gavin Landry? He has standards. He would never go for a girl like, Judy.”
“Yeah, Judy is a slut and Gavin is a Lycan chairman. There’s no way,” another friend laughed.
“I’m being serious,” I told them, folding my arms across my chest.
This time Ethan did grab my throat, and his gaze turned almost deadly.
“Stop playing me for a fool and tell me the truth,” he growled. “Gavin would never want someone like you. You are nobody. You don’t fit into his world. ”
I couldn’t breathe as his hands tightened around my throat, so I couldn’t respond.
“Now, how about you do as I say and move into the house I bought? Once I get married, I’ll see you frequently at night and you can spread your pretty little legs for me only—”
There was a loud honk from nearby, making Ethan drop his hold around my neck. I coughed and rubbed my sore neck as he glared at the person interrupting us.
I glanced at the black Bently and frowned when the door opened.
I gasped when I saw Gavin seated in the back, his eyes on me.
“Get in,” he ordered.
I stared at him, disbelieving.
“I won’t ask you again, Judy,” he said through his teeth.
I felt Ethan’s shocked eyes on me as I quickly hurried towards the car and got in, closing the door behind me.
“Drive,” he ordered the driver.
“Yes, sir.”
The car started to move; Ethan stood on the curb; his mouth nearly dropped. His friends were equally shocked.
Gavin glanced at me, and I felt my cheeks redden.
“Using me to make your ex-fiancé jealous, are you?”
Chapter 0006
Judy’s POV
I snapped a look at Gavin, shocked that he knew Ethan was my ex–fiancé. He really has done his research on me. Initially, I thought he just looked up my name, but he knew more information than I was prepared for.
“How did you know that he was my ex–fiancé?” |
“There’s very little I don’t know,” he answered casually. “Like the fact that Ethan, who is my daughter’s current fiancé, was your fated mate.”
I took a sharp breath from his bold statement and felt my cheeks warming.
“Am I wrong?” He then asked; telling from his tone, I knew that he knew he wasn’t wrong. I shook my head and looked away from him; unable to hide the embarrassment off my face. This was the one thing I didn’t want him to know about. “Regardless of what happened in the past, Irene and Ethan are to be married soon. and I hope everything goes smoothly for her sake.”
I bit my lip, not wanting to discuss this any further. I hope he will get the hint based on my silence.
I kept my gaze out the window and my frown deepened when we reached the borders. of my pack. I hadn’t told him where I lived, but the driver was heading in the direction of my parents‘ house. My heart hammered against my chest; was there anything this man didn’t find out?
I found myself looking at him; he was staring out the window, his eyes fixated on the sight before him. His strong jawline looked tense, and his full lips were pressed in a thin line. Memories of the other night invaded my mind, and I thought about how his lips felt against mine. The sweetness and the softness of them, yet he kissed me with so much passion and desire.
I licked my lips at the memory.
Instinctively, my fingers reached up to the nape of my neck and touched the spot where he sucked and kissed. The hickey that Ethan had seen and lost his temper over. My face warmed from the marking Gavin left on my flesh.
“If you are done staring at me, you can get out now,” Gavin’s voice broke me from my thoughts.
I blinked a few times and looked out the window; I realized we were outside of my
ww
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Chapter 0006
parents‘ house.
“Oh,” I breathed, unsure what to say having been caught staring at him. I was embarrassed, and I just wanted to get away from him as fast as I could.
I quickly unfastened my seatbelt and shouldered my purse before opening the car door.
“Uh, thank you for the ride,” I told him lamely.
He gave me a curt nod. As I slid out of the car, I felt his hand wrap around my wrist, halting me.
“Judy,” he said, his voice filled with authority. The sound of my name on his lips made warm chills course through my body. I paused and met his gaze, holding my breath as I did so.
“Yes?” I asked, my voice coming out almost breathy.
His grip loosened around my wrist as he said, “We won’t be meeting again; understood?‘
And just like that, it felt like someone stabbed me in the chest. I was stunned by his remark and hurt. I swallowed the lump in my throat and gave him a curt nod.
“Understood,” I managed to whisper.
He released my wrist, and I immediately felt cold from the lack of contact. It was a strange feeling to have considering we only made out once and barely had a proper conversation, but I felt the absence of his touch as if I had just taken off a coat in the middle of a winter storm.
I didn’t say anything more as I got out of the car. The door shut after me and I could. no longer see Gavin behind the tinted windows, but I knew his eyes were on me. I turned and hurried towards the house, getting my keys out of my purse in the
process.
The lights were off, so I knew my mother was either sleeping, or she went out.
I unlocked the door and pushed it open, pausing when I felt Gavin’s gaze still on me. I realized the car was still in the front of the house. I turned back slightly and gave the car an awkward wave before stepping into the house, shutting the door behind
- me.
A few seconds later, I heard the car driving off.
I let out the breath I didn’t know I was holding.
2/3
Chapter 0006
+25 BONUS
I went upstairs and into my room so I could change clothes; I was done with this uniform. I didn’t want to do a degrading job and lose my self–respect only to gain money. I was better than that. I needed to focus on my studies so that I could graduate and become a Gamma. I already sent a ton of applications elsewhere that could help me with my career goals.
Hopefully, I’ll hear back from them soon.
I took my phone out of my bag so I could text Nan that I made it home okay and to not expect me back at work anytime soon. There was no way I was going to return to that place after what happened tonight. I made a mental note to apologize to the manager as well.
Chapter 0007
ter 0007
But just as I was about to pull up Nan’s contact, a message appeared
Ifrowned when I saw Ethan’s name flashing on the top of the screen. Sighing when I read the words he sent me.
Ethan: How dare you leave with another man! You truly are a slut!!
I opened the message and gasped
Ethan: You’ll spread your legs for anyone for money. Have you always been this shameless?
Ethan: Maybe if I gave you money, you’d spread your legs for me in the 2 years I’ve wasted on you.
I flinched at his words; 2 years he’s wasted on me?
My wolf whimpered in pain from the cruelty of our mate, and tears immediately filled my eyes as I sat on my bed.
Then, another message popped up.
Ethan: He’s never going to care for you like I do! He hasn’t had a serious relationship in 20 years. You could never be anything to him besides a desperate slut. When you come to your senses, I’ll be here, waiting. Your father could be out of jail tomorrow if you take me up on my offer.
I pressed my lips together as tears ran down my cheeks. I was seconds away from throwing my phone across but then a new message appeared. I was relieved to see that this message was not from Ethan.
room,
Nan: Are you okay? You left so suddenly.
Me: Sorry, I don’t think I can do this job anymore. It’s too much and I feel gross. I hope you aren’t mad.
Nan: I’m not mad. I kind of figured you wouldn’t want to continue working here after today. You are better than this place. Did you leave with Ethan?
Me: No. I got a ride with someone else.
I wasn’t sure if I should tell her that Gavin was the one who dropped me off at home.
Nan: Who?
I didn’t want to lie to her, so I started to type in a response, but then she texted again.
Nan: Tell me later; we just got a huge rush of people.
I sighed and typed a quick response.
Me: Okay, talk soon.
I threw my phone at the end of my bed and rested my head on my pillow. I knew with certainty that it would be yet another restless night.
Third Person POV
Ethan stared in the direction that the car went; it was Gavin Landry, Irene’s father, and the man that Ethan so desperately wanted to impress. Yet, his mate just got into the car with him and drove off.
Did that just happen?” Ethan’s friend asked, equally shocked. None of them expected Judy to be telling the truth about getting together with Ethan’s future father–in–law. But her getting in that car casually was proof enough.
Chapter 0007
+25 BONUS
This was not supposed to happen; Judy was supposed to take Ethan up on his offer. That was the whole point of Ethan’s plan. He knew when he married Irene, he would lose Judy and the only way he could get Judy to stick around was to blackmail her using the only thing he could against her… her family.
Bankrupting her father’s company was easy considering he had connections everywhere. Ethan’s family was very well known and now that he was the candidate for becoming the Alpha of the Redmoon pack, he had even more connections.
He thought Judy would have jumped at the opportunity to save her family. But she was stubborn.
When Ethan found out Judy worked at this restaurant, he brought his friends along to scare her away from this job but that also didn’t work out as planned.
He pulled out his phone and made a call.
“Cut off all of Judy’s job opportunities. I don’t want her working anywhere around here,” he ordered into the phone.
“Are you sure? Miss Montague has quite a few applications around town,” the man on the other end stated. “They are pretty good positions too and her applications are flawless.”
“Get rid of them all,” Ethan.ordered. “She isn’t to get any of those jobs. Understood?”
‘But-
“I’ll pull my family’s sponsorship from your business and ruin you if you don’t do as I say!”
There was a moment of pause on the other end before he said, “Yes, sir.”
The call was cut off and a slow smile spread across Ethan’s lips. It won’t be long now before Judy grows so desperate that she crawls into his bed, begging to be his mistress.
Meanwhile, as Beta Taylor drove away from Judy’s house, He peered through the mirror at Gavin who was staring out the window with a tense expression. He had been quiet since dropping Judy off at her house. When they saw her arguing with Ethan outside of the restaurant, Gavin ordered his Beta to stop driving immediately and he did so. It was a strange reaction for someone who claims to not care for the girl.
“Why don’t you pursue her?” Taylor asked as he fixed his attention back on the road.
Gavin looked at him and furrowed his brows.
“What?”
Taylor smirked.
“I see the way you look at her, Alpha. You are clearly more interested in her than you have been with the others. So, why not pursue her?”
Chapter 0008
Third Person POV
“I don’t mix personal relationships with other matters,” Gavin replied as he sat back in his seat and continued to stare out the window. He didn’t want to continue this conversation. He had already made up his mind that he wasn’t to see Judy Montague again.
“Or are you just afraid,” Taylor asked, his tone teasing and a smirk playing on his lips.
Gavin scowled at his Beta.
“Taylor you’re fired,” he muttered.
This made Taylor laugh.
“And how many times have you fired me?” Taylor asked, still laughing and shaking his head.
“This week? More times than I can count. One of these days I’m going to mean it,” Gavin replied, rolling his eyes. “And you think that’s going to stop me from telling you my thoughts? We’ve known one another for a long time, Alpha What makes you think I’m going to keep quiet?”
“Just focus on driving, Beta,” Gavin said through his teeth.
Taylor was about to say something more, but then his phone rang, making him stop in the middle of his sentence. He pulled his phone out and pressed the talk button. A familiar voice sounded on Bluetooth.
“Butler Adam, you are on speaker phone. I have Alpha Gavin with me,” Taylor said.
Adam had been part of Gavin’s family for a long time and a trustworthy butler. Gavin personally put him in charge of caring for 7–year–old Matt while he was away. He didn’t usually call like this unless it was Matt–related. As soon as Gavin heard that it was Adam on the phone, he was immediately on high alert.
“Oh, good Alpha. I must speak with you about your son. Another tutor quit this evening,” Adam said, sounding a bit irritated.
“Another one?” Gavin asked, pressing his lips together.
That would be number 49. His tutors never lasted more than a few days. Matt wasn’t a bad kid, but Gavin knew he
was a bit troubled at times.
“Yes, sir. Master Matthew scared her off like he had the others. I’m not sure what more to do for him. I’ve tried speaking to him, but he only lashes out at me, Alpha.”
“Widen the recruitment scope and increase the salary offers,” Gavin demanded. “Maybe a bit more money will keep them around longer.”
Adam sighed.
“Yes, Alpha. I’ll see what I can do,” he murmured before the line–disconnected.
Beta Taylor was quiet for a short while, stealing glances into the mirror periodically.
“Do you suppose he’s developing issues concerning his mother?” Taylor finally asked.
Gavin glared at him through the mirror.
“He doesn’t speak to his mother,” Gavin said bitterly. “No will he for quite a while if I have anything to say about it.“.
7/2
Chapter 0005
+25 BONUS
Judy’s POV
It’s been a disheartening couple of days. All my job applications kept getting rejected.
1 didn’t understand why I wasn’t getting any of these jobs. My application was flawless; I had a ton of experience from former jobs, not to mention a ton of education due to college. I was also young and in good shape. Yet I kept facing rejection after rejection.
Pulling out my phone, I decided to search the job boards. I applied to a few of these businesses already and most of them I hadn’t heard back from. Then, something new appeared and my brows raised.
It was posted a little over an hour ago.
A tutoring job for a 7–year–old boy, multiple subjects including basic combat skills and defense. Must be knowledgeable and experienced.
I bit my lower lip as I sent in my resume; a tutoring job would be nice, and I would be able to do it after my own school schedule as well. The job was posted on a werewolf job board and the location was in the Silver Crescent pack, which wasn’t far from the Redmoon pack
Instead of waiting around for them to call me, I decided to use the number listed on the board and give Mr. Adam Conners a call.
“Adam Conners speaking,” a deep voice said on the other end.
“Hello, Mr. Conners. My name is Judy Montague. I stumbled across your ad seeking a tutor for a 7–year–old boy. I just sent in my resume, and I would like the opportunity to meet with you.”
There was silence on the other end, and it made me feel nervous. A swarm of butterflies flapped away in my belly as I waited for his response.
“This job isn’t for the weak, madam. May I ask if you’ve ever tutored before?” He asked.
“I have helped my peers with their schoolwork in high school. I’m currently a student at Royal Academy studying combat and shifting. I’m skilled in most subjects. I graduated top of my class in high school, and I aim to do the same in college as well,” I told him.
“I see,” he said thoughtfully. “That’s quite impressive. Master Matthew is a bit troubled though and might need someone strong enough to handle him,” he said a bit hesitantly.
“My goal after college is to become a Gamma warrior. If I’m not strong enough to handle a troubled 7–year–old, then there’s a bigger issue at hand, Mr. Conners,” I said without missing a beat.
There was a brief pause on the other end, and then I heard him chuckling.
“I must say, I like your confidence, Miss Montague,” he replied.
“Please, call me Judy,” I insisted.
“Alright, Judy. Well, I just pulled up the resume you sent me and it’s quite impressive indeed. Why does someone with your skill sets and ambitions want to tutor a child?”
Chapter 0009
Chapter 0009
I decided to just be as honest as I could.
“My family recently fell upon some hardships, and we could use the extra money. I saw the salary you are offering to tutor this child, and it was an opportunity I couldn’t resist. It’s also a job I can do after my own school hours, so my studies won’t fall behind,” I answered,
“Are you free this afternoon? I will text you an address to meet me at and you can meet with Master Matthew before you decide on anything,” he suggested.
I smiled. This was better than nothing
“I would like that,” I told him.
It didn’t take long for Adam to send me the address via text message after we hung up. It was late morning, and they wanted me to meet him in a couple of hours. That gave me time to get dressed and call for an Uber. I decided to dress in comfortable clothing; something that I could easily move around in. I took a shower, made a small bite to eat, making sure to leave my mother some extra food in case she was feeling up to eating today, and then I called for an Uber.
It didn’t take long for the Uber to arrive. I got into the backseat of the car and soon I was off to the Silver Crescent pack.
The Silver Crescent pack was the largest pack in the world, and it was filled with modern luxuries. Most of the pack members were swimming in money and they made sure all surrounding packs knew that fact.
People from other packs were allowed to travel to different packs, as long as they had proper ID. Gammas were stationed at the borders, examining visitors before they allowed entryway. Every packmate had an ID, including children. Both the Uber driver and I had our IDs ready before we reached the borders.
This pack belonged to Gavin Landry, and though his pack wasn’t far from mine, I never actually stepped foot in it
before.
For a second, I thought the driver pulled up to the wrong house. He stopped in front of a gorgeous, and huge, villa. It looked just like a hotel resort right down to the gorgeous marble water fountain statue out front.
“Are you sure this is the right place?” I asked the driver, still staring up at the large and rustic–looking building.
“Yes, mam,” he answered.
I thanked him and got out of the car. As I started towards the large set of stairs that led towards the front doors, the doorway opened and a tall man with greying hair and pale blue eyes stood in front of me. He had a kind smile on his lips and bowed as I approached him.
“Good afternoon; you must be Judy Montague,” the deep voice said, and I immediately recognized the voice to be Adams.
“Yes, sir,” I said, smiling at him.
“I am Adam Conners. You may call me Adam. I am the butler at the estate, and I’ve been personally assigned as the caretaker for Master Matthew when his father isn’t home.”
“What about his mother?” I found myself asking.
It’s… a complicated story,” Adam said. “She isn’t in the picture though. Master Matthew is out back right now practicing his archery with another potential tutor.”
My stomach dropped; there was someone else here seeking the tutoring job? That meant I had to fight for this
1/2
Chapter 0009
position.
I followed him outside and across the green grass field; in the distance, I saw the archery set up. A young woman, maybe a little older than me was trying to teach him. But he seemed to be giving her attitude and yelling at her. She was paling even more by the second and by the time we reached them, she was in tears.
“I can’t do this,” she cried, backing away from the boy. “I’m sorry.”
She ran without another word; only the sounds of her sobs could be heard.
Adam sighed and looked as if he aged another few years as he watched her go. Matthew didn’t seem phased though; his thick brows were tilted downward as he struggled to hit his target with the arrows. I could tell he was growing frustrated; he kept grunting and groaning as he pulled back the string and released the arrow, only for the arrow to land a few feet in front of him, sticking out of the ground.
“Can I see?” I asked.
feet to m
He glanced at me from over his shoulder with a frown. He sized me up; his eyes scanning me from my feet to my head. I never felt so judged by a 7–year–old in my life. But maintained a cool posture with a soft smile. He eventually relented and handed me the bow and arrow.
With little to no effort I pulled the string back and allowed the arrow to fly through the air and towards the target. It hit the bullseye with a loud thud.
Matthew gasped.
“Woah…” he said with wide eyes.
1
I smirked as I grabbed another arrow from the quiver and repeated the same process even quicker, hitting the spot. right next to the one I just hit.
His mouth was practically on the ground, as was Adam’s.
Matthew looked up at Adam in awe.
“What is her name?”
Chapter 0010
“Are you afraid of me?” I asked the boy, my eyes narrowed. “Or are you incapable of asking me for my name yourself?”
Matthew looked stunned by my directness. I was never one to sugarcoat anything and clearly his former tutors were exactly that type. His cheeks turned a bright shade of pink as he glanced at the ground; Adam just looked amused.
“I am Matt. What is your name?”
I smiled at the small child and lowered myself, so I was at eye level with him.
“You may call me Judy,” I told him.
He lifted his head and squared his shoulders as if he was getting ready to fight.
“You are really good at shooting, but that doesn’t mean you are good at everything,” he said to me, his tone hardening, and the look in his eyes gave my chest a sinking feeling. “My tutors are all weak and I bet you’re the same You don’t look very strong or intelligent. I need someone capable.”
He put his hands on his hips.
“You are certainly very vocal for a 7–year–old,” I praised. “And how do you expect I should prove myself, Master
Matt?”
He smirked and then walked over to a bucket I hadn’t known was there. I frowned when I saw the contents inside. They looked like daggers. I also noticed the dummies that were set up; they must be for dagger throwing. I knew that was a common practice warriors had so I wasn’t surprised to see it. But I was surprised to see Matt pick up a couple of daggers and hold them like he was about to stab me.
I looked at Adam who looked ready to intervene; his face had paled drastically. It only took me a second to realize what was about to happen. Soon, a dagger was being thrown directly at me at a quick pace. He had quite an arm and an aim when it came to dagger throwing.
I would be lying if I said I wasn’t impressed. Thankfully, I always had good reflexes.
I did a quick flip and dodged the flying dagger, only to see another one coming straight for my head. I effortlessly landed on my back, cushioning my fall with my hand as the dagger missed my nose by a centimeter. Another dagger flew directly at me, and I spun around, getting lower to the ground as the dagger passed by, landing an inch away from me. Another dagger flew at me and used my arms and legs to jump back to my feet and over the dagger. 1
A final dagger came spinning directly at me; this throw was sloppy, and I knew it was because he was losing his focus. I squinted at the fast dagger and timed it perfectly; spun my foot around and kicked the handle, so the dagger flew in the opposite direction.
Panic set in when I realized what I had done and just as I was about to scream for Matt to watch out, he dodged to the ground, missing the dagger only by a second.
Relief flooded me and I let out the breath I had been holding inside of myself.
“How did you do that??” Matt asked as he stood up, brushing the dirt off his clothes.
I also brushed the dirt off my clothes, and I shrugged.
“I’ve been training for this type of thing for a long time,” old him. “If I’m going to be a Gamma warrior, I need
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Chapter 0010
to be prepared for every attack.”
When he stared at me dumbfounded, I raised my brows at um.
“You didn’t know I was training to be a warrior?” I asked him. “Do you normally throw daggers at those who haven’t trained?”
His cheeks grew pink again and that was all the answers I needed. I looked at Adam who looked sheepish. He kept his eyes fixed on the ground and I could see the shame on his face. Things were starting to make sense now. Matt truly was a menace.
A loud and deep barking sound brought me out of my thoughts. When I turned, I saw a huge black dog running towards us with its tongue out. Its bushy tail wagged back and forth rapidly as it greeted Matt.
Matt smiled at the dog and wrapped his arms around his large neck. The dog was bigger than he was!
“Shadow, what are you doing out here, boy? I thought you were inside,” Matt said as the dog licked his face, making him chuckle.
I smiled and bent down to the ground so I could be at eye level with the dog. He hadn’t noticed me yet, but as soon as I moved, he whipped around to face me, his eyes turning to slits.
“Shadow doesn’t like anyone else, other than Master Matthew,” Adam warmed. “He bit the last tutor, and she had to go to the pack clinic for stitches.”
I raised my brows
“I
“Her wolf didn’t heal her?” I asked.
“She was an Omega without a wolf,” Adam explained.
I nodded thoughtfully and turned my attention back to Matt and Shadow. Shadow was glaring at me, and I could see his canines as he growled. I kept my calm composure though and outstretched my hand. Shadow took a step closer to me and I could feel Adam’s anxieties from behind me. But I kept myself calm and my eyes on the dog.
Chapter 0011
I am not threatening, I kept saying in my mind. I am a friend.
Shadow sniffed my fingers, and I lowered my hand to the ground. Then, to everyone’s surprise, Shadow licked my fingertips and trotted the rest of the way over to me, allowing me to pet him. I smiled as my fingers ran through his soft fur and he panted excitedly as his tail thumped on the ground, nearly knocking me over as the ground shook under his weight.
“H…how did you do that?” Matt asked, shocked. “Shadow doesn’t like strangers.”
I shrugged casually.
“I’ve always been good with animals,” I confessed. “When was young, I used to have a dog as well. Her name was Caramel because she was the color of Caramel.”
Matt snickered at the name, and I smiled. Shadow rubbed himself all over me before returning to Matt’s side. “My parents got her for me because they were never home. Caramel kept me company,” I finished explaining. Something flashed in Matt’s eyes as he fixated his attention on his dog. It almost looked like sadness.
“My dad is never home,” he murmured. “So, Shadow keeps me company. He protects me from bad and conniving people. That’s why he bit the last tutor. She was conniving and only agreed to tutor me so she could get close to my father”
I raised my brows.
How could a woman do such a thing? I felt sick at the very thought that she was using this little boy only for his father. Who was his father to this woman?
“How about I bring Shadow back inside so you can finish getting to know one another,” Adam suggested as he walked towards the dog who only growled at him.
Matt smirked.
“Careful Adam; or you might end up dog food,” Matt warned.
Adam mumbled something under his breath that I didn’t quite get but he managed to get Shadow and bring him into the villa while I stayed behind with Matt.
Matt stared at me; his arms folded across his chest as he examined me.
“You have good reflexes and aim,” he murmured. “But that doesn’t mean you are strong or smart.
“Well, if it’s my brain you are worried about, I am top of my class in all my subjects. I graduated high school with high honors and I’m currently a college student,” I told him. I felt a little silly felling all this to a 7–year–old. But I could tell he was mature for his age, and he was having trouble trusting my capabilities. “As for my strength, as 1 said, I’m training to be a Gamma warrior. How can I prove my strength to you?”
He smirked; giving me a look I was starting to grow accustomed fo. I knew that meant he was up
I stepped backward, narrowing my eyes.
“Let’s play a game,” he finally said, surprising me.
Okay, what kind of game?”
“Escape. Ever play it?”
up to something.
+25 BONUS
Chapter 0011
Escape was a game where the opponent tries to escape the other person’s hold. I’ve only played it with others around my age, never ones much younger than me. This should certainly be interesting.
“Would you wish to escape from me?” I asked him.
He nodded.
“I might be 7, but I’m very strong,” he said, putting his hands on his hips.
I smiled.
“I don’t doubt that,” I told him. “Okay, let’s give it a shot.
Before he was even ready, I already had him tackled to the ground. I must say, he did put up a pretty fair fight. I could tell he’s done some training, and it made me wonder why he trained so hard at a young age. It took me a minute to get my bearings and get control of the situation, but I eventually had him pinned and he couldn’t move. He struggled against me, and I just smiled as he attempted to get out of my hold.
“I thought you were stronger than that?” I teased.
His cheeks grew pink from embarrassment, and I laughed wholeheartedly.
“If become your tutor, we can work on this,” I assured him.
As he attempted to escape from me, I heard some footsteps from nearby and I assumed Adam was returning. But then I heard another set of footsteps; Matt must have heard them as well because he froze and looked in the direction of the sound.
I watched as his face lit up in delight; a look I had yet to see from him.
“Dad!!” He yelled excitedly.
I looked in the same direction and my entire heart fell deep into my stomach.
His father, the man of the house, was none other than Gavin L
hapter 0012
Judy’s POV
“Adam, how could you just let anyone walk into my home?s there no longer an order for this household? You also left her alone with my son. What were you thinking?”
Matt had already gone over to his father, and I was standing there, my eyes glued to Gavin’s. I couldn’t believe that he was the man of this household. What kind of trick was the cruel fate playing on me? Why couldn’t I shake this man?
Gavin patted his son’s head before stepping around him and closer toward me. His eyes were dark, and I could see he was unhappy that I was at his villa.
“I thought I made myself clear that we aren’t to meet again Miss Montague,” he said firmly. “Showing up house is a bit ridiculous, don’t you think?”
to my
My face burned from the embarrassment I felt. I quickly realized that he was misunderstanding why I was there. He thought I was there to seek him out, but in reality, I was only there because of the job that was posted on the werewolf job board..
“You have nothing to say?” Gavin asked after a short while I was too stunned to speak; this was the last thing I expected. I knew that this was Gavin’s pack, and I probably should have realized that a villa this size belonged to the Alpha, but I had no idea Gavin had a son..
Only his daughter, Irene, is known to the media; his son is a secret, and I couldn’t help but wonder why that was.
He turned to look at Adam who was red in the face and seemingly very confused by this encounter. I don’t think he knew I was familiar with the Alpha, and he was trying to work out the unfolded events in his head.
“Escort Judy off my property this instance and make sure she doesn’t return again,” Gavin ordered before his gaze found mine again.
His eyes had gotten darker, almost black, and for a second, I watched as he scanned my body. I was wearing a pair of workout shorts and a white crop top. I wanted to wear something comfortable and something I could easily move in. But the way his darkening eyes were staring at me almost studying me, I felt a sense of unease. It was as if I was standing naked in front of him, I was feeling warm all over and I knew my face was probably as red as a cherry.
His eyes landed on my exposed belly briefly and I could see his nostrils flaring as his gaze lowered, fixating on my bare legs. I licked my lips as heat flowed evenly throughout my body. He finally lifted his gaze and met my eyes again, his eyes still dark and brewing.
I found myself unable to look away from him, stuck in some kind of hypnotic trance. His eyes were keeping me captivated and my heart hammered against my chest.
“Alpha, I believe there is a misunderstanding ” Adam said, breaking through my trance and bringing me back to reality. “I apologize for not speaking sooner.”
“I’m not here for you, Alpha Gavin. I’m here because you posted a job opportunity as a tutor. I have plenty of experience and skills to get the job done. I was invited here by your butler, however, I wouldn’t have come if I knew you were the master of this house,” I told him, folding my arms across my chest.
I grabbed my bag off the ground as Gavin stared at me, seemingly dumbstruck by my words. I had a copy of my resume in my bag that I was preparing to show him when Adam continued to explain the situation.
“I did tell you that I had a few.candidates coming to the house today, Alpha,” he explained. “Judy was one of those candidates. I spoke to her on the phone this morning. I never listed your name in the ad due to confidentiality. So,
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Chanter 0012
it’s likely she had no idea you were Master Matthew’s father.”
I managed to pull out my resume and I stepped towards him to hand it to him. He stared at me for a short while, the look of anger melting off his face and now he was almost looking shameful. I had to bite back the smirk I wanted to give him.
With only slight hesitation, he took the resume and scanned it; his brows pinching together.
“You’ve had warrior training?”
I nodded.
“I’m currently studying warrior training,” I explained. “I‘ top of my class in every subject. This tutoring job would be a great addition to my resume.”
Chapter 0013
He handed me back the resume without saying a word to me, but his eyes scanned me briefly before he shifted his attention to his son. The atmosphere had grown tense, almost awkward. Matt was staring back and forth between me and his father, and I could see the questions lurking in his eyes.
“And what do you want, Matt?” Gavin asked the boy.
Matt looked uneasy for a moment as his eyes met mine. There was a part of me that thought Matt would tell me to get out and that he never wanted to see me again. I wasn’t sure if I actually made an impression on him, or if I was just like any of his other tutors. I was bracing myself for the rejection. But then a smile lit up Matt’s face as he looked at his father.
“I want Judy,” he shocked me by saying.
Both Gavin and Adam looked shocked as well; though, relic flooded across Adam’s face almost as quickly. Gavin raised his brows as he looked at his son.
“You’re sure?” He asked.
He nodded.
“I thought she was just another pretty face. But she’s proved herself, Dad. She’s really good at what she does. I want her to tutor me and train me to be the best,” he said proudly as he glanced at me and then back at his father.
I felt a sense of pride swelling in my chest and I had to stifle a smile. I could see the admiration in Gavin’s eyes a he addressed his son.
He then looked at me and said, “My son doesn’t usually take kindly to tutors. The fact that he likes you speaks volumes.”
My cheeks grew warm. Was that a compliment?
I cleared my throat, trying to recover myself.
“You are the man of the house and ultimately it is your decision. If you’d like, I can still go. I didn’t mean to intrude on your home,” I told him, keeping my head held high.
“Dad?” Matt asked, tugging at his father’s shirt. He looked worried that his father was about to make me leave.
Gavin smiled at his son.
“Go with Adam inside. I’m going to speak with Judy for a moment,” he said softly.
as
Matt glanced at me and back at his father briefly before nodling. He followed Adam into the villa without another word, leaving me alone with Gavin.
I wrapped my arms around my body like I was shielding myself from whatever blows he was about to give me.
“I will leave,” I told him before he could actually kick me out. “I honestly had no idea that you were his father.”
He looked almost uneasy for a moment.
“I’m not going to make you leave,” he surprised me by saying “My son likes you and that’s a rarity. I won’t ruin that for him. I’ll allow you to be his tutor,” he told me.
“Oh, well, thank you,” I said, outstretching my hand to give his hand a shake.
He glanced at it briefly, his arms folded across his chest, and then his gaze lifted, and he met my eyes. He was silent, and I started to feel extremely uncomfortable and nervous under his scrutiny, so I slowly lowered my hand.
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Chapter 0013
“There are some conditions,” he finally spoke after what felt like an eternity.
I raised my brows; I should have known it wouldn’t be that easy.
“What are these conditions?” I asked him.
“For starters, you can’t wear clothes like that again,” he told me, glancing at my outfit before meeting my eyes again. I was shocked by his words as I glanced down at my crop top and shorts with a frown.
I remembered earlier when his eyes were dark as he stared at me, his eyes shifted from my eyes and down my body, landing on my exposed belly for a moment and then focusing on my legs. I blushed at the thought of him checking me out but then a smirk spread across my lips as stepped closer to him. I could have a little fun with him while we are on the subject.
I tilted my head to the side as I gazed into his darkening eyes. I dropped my voice to a low and sultry whisper.
“Why is that, Alpha? Are you afraid you won’t be able to resist
Chapter 0014
Judy’s POV
I watched Gavin’s Adam’s apple move slightly.
I hadn’t realized how closely I was standing to him until he stood a bit straighter and tilted his head towards me. I swallowed the lump wedged in my throat and fought the strange urge to reach out and touch him.
What was wrong with me lately?
It had to be because I was rebounding over Ethan. The wound of his betrayal was still so fresh that my wolf had been quiet. Yet whenever Gavin was around, she seemed to be perking up a little more. It was clear to me that she liked Gavin, and yet I could still feel the pain she felt from our mate’s betrayal. The mark Ethan gave me was still on my neck and every time he was remotely intimate with Irene, I would feel the pain from our broken mate bond.
It was no wonder I was suddenly clinging to the first attractive man that crossed my path.
The comers of Gavin’s lips tipped upward into a smile.
“I am someone who keeps work and personal matters separate,” he told me, his tone deep and sending warmth throughout my body, making my cheeks feel incredibly hot “I don’t want the rest of the household to think that I harass my teammates or subordinates. I prefer my staff to wear tasteful clothing and not be so suggestive.”
My mouth nearly fell open from his words; I folded my arms across my chest and glared at him, not caring that he was a Lycan and that I shouldn’t be looking directly into his eyes. Most Alpha’s would think of that as a challenge, especially a Lycan Alpha.
“This type of clothing is common for college students to wear,” I informed him. “Do you have to be so old- fashioned?”
He raised his brows at me..
“Are you seriously going to question me? Did you forget that I am now your boss?” He countered.
I opened my mouth to reply with something equally as snarky, but then I immediately closed it because he was right. Gavin Landry was my boss now, which meant I had to abide by his set rules. He was the one paying my salary and my parents desperately needed this money; it was good money too. It was an opportunity I couldn’t pass, and I couldn’t risk getting fired before I even got started.
It would be better if I just agreed to his rules and kept my mouth shut.
“I apologize. I shouldn’t have been disrespectful. I’ll wear something less revealing the next time I come here,” I assured him.
He stared at me for a moment longer before he hodded his Head once.
“Come inside. We can discuss your schedule, and I’ll have my Beta draw up a contract,” he said, turning away from me and walking towards his house.
I followed after him but froze when I heard a ruffling sound in the nearby bush. Before I could grasp what was happening, Matt was jumping out of the bush holding a water gun!
I was wearing a white crop top, and I lmew if it got wet, it would be see–through. I nearly screamed when I saw the stream of water aiming directly towards me, Gavin was quick though; much quicker than I thought possible.
He was in front of me in seconds and his arms were protectively draped around my body. The warmth of his arms was enclosed around me, and I felt safe in the cocoon he created for me using his body. I heard Matt laughing as water–soaked Gavin’s shirt and a low growl emerged from Gavin’s throat.
Chapter 0014
I could tell he was furious with Matt’s tricks.
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Gavin’s cologne hit my senses, and my heart hammered in my chest from his close proximity. I found myself leaning into him, feeling his muscles digging into my back and his strong arms tightening around me. My cheeks grew hot, and I felt warmth spreading across my lower abdomen.
Another low growl escaped Gavin’s mouth, and I could feel his hot breath on the back of my neck, causing goosebumps to form on my flesh. Briefly, I wondered if he could smell my sudden arousal.
His arms were untangled around me, and I felt cold from the lack of touch. He turned his body around to glare at his son who was still laughing.
“What have I told you about playing such tricks like that, Matthew?” Gavin growled; his fury evident
Matt finally stopped laughing and when I looked at him, I could see that his face had gone pale, and he almost looked nervous
0015
I wanted to see what she’d do,” he said with a shrug.
“I’ve had enough of this!” Gavin growled. “You are grounded until I say otherwise.”
“W…what?” Matt cried. “But… but I was just joking…”
Tears filled Matt’s eyes, and I would be lying if I said I didn’t feel bad for the kid. I mean, it was only water, and it was a harmless prank. But I certainly wasn’t going to intervene in Gavin’s parenting.
Adam rushed out of the Villa, having witnessed this show, le had a towel in his hands.
“Get to your room, Matthew,” Gavin ordered. He then glared at Adam. “Take him to his room.”
5, Alpha,” Adam said, bowing his head.
“Yes,
I took the towel from Adam and went to Gavin to dry off his back, as I did so, I listened to Matt cry.
“But Dad, you never play with me anymore,” he whined. “just wanted to have fun…”
“This is not the way to get my attention,” Gavin said firmly “We will discuss this again later.”
I began to towel dry Gavin’s soaked back; his shirt was now transparent due to the water, and I could see the strong muscles of his back. My mind was immediately brought back to the night in the VIP suite when I ran my fingers down his back. I hadn’t realized how muscly it was until this very moment. I wanted to run my fingers down them again.
As I patted his back dry, I found that my other hand had a mind of its own and it wandered under his shirt. I felt his back stiffen as my fingers explored his ridges and creases. I used my other hand to move the towel under his shirt as well, acting as if I was only drying him off. His breathing seemed to have gotten harder, almost matching mine.
The silence between us was so thick that I could hear the sounds of my heart beating. I bit my lip as my fingers traveled downward until they started to reach his lower back.
“Mattie, what’s wrong?” A feminine voice said from nearby. I whipped my hand away, coming back to reality.
My face burned with embarrassment.
What had happened to me? How did I lose control like that and why did he let me?
་་
He quickly adjusted his shirt and cleared his throat. He turned and without looking at me, grabbed the towel from my hands. My hands fell to my sides, and I stared at the ground, willing my face to stop burning.
“Dad grounded me,” Matt answered the woman.
“What did you do now, Mattie?” The woman asked.
“Just wanted to have some fun and squirted them with water,” Matt confessed.
“I was just taking him to his room. If you’ll excuse us, Madam Irene,” Adam said as he ushered Matt inside.
At the sound of her name, my gaze lifted and sure enough, Irene stood in front of us with a concerned look in her pretty eyes. Irene truly was a beautiful woman, and my chest tightened at the thought of Ethan being with her.
She wore a casual pink dress that fit her form perfectly. Her long blond hair was braided down her back and she only wore a little makeup; she didn’t need a ton of makeup o be pretty, which irritated me even more.
She watched as Adam took Matt inside and then she frowned at her father.
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Chapter 0015
“What was that about?” She asked him.
“Your brother and his tricks,” Gavin muttered. “That boy needs more discipline.”
And because the cruel fates were laughing at me, Ethan walked around the corner, completely oblivious to the tension in the area. At that moment, Irene noticed me, and she frowned, tilting her head before looking at her father with a questioning look. But my gaze was too focused on Ethan’s to notice anything else around me.
He froze entirely when he saw me standing beside Gavin and then his eyes darkened with irritation.
I bit my lower lip as I stared back at him and I swear I heard a low growl escape his throat, which brought Irene’s attention to her fiancé. She frowned at him and then she looked at me. I could see the questioning look in her eyes and then the brief worry as she folded her arms across her chest.
“Who is this woman?” She asked Ethan. “Do you know her?”
Judy’s POV
I was stunned to see Ethan standing before me, next to Irene. My wolf instantly hid herself in the furthest part of my mind, closing herself off from even me.
“Ethan?” Irene said again, touching his arm. He was busy glaring at me with dark eyes to notice that his fiancé was trying to get his attention. But once she touched his arm, he blinked a few times as if he remembered where he was and who he was with
He finally looked at her and saw the worry on her face.
“Do you know this woman?” She repeated.
“Uh, no,” he said, shaking his head and clearing his throat “Sorry, I’m not sure what just happened. I’ve never met her before.”
His words were like a slap in the face. 2 years together and that was what we resorted to. Strangers?
Irene still looked uncertain; I could see it on her face. I was too stunned and hurt to say anything. My eyes wouldn’t move from Ethan’s as he consoled his fiancé. My heart was bleeding at the sight of them.
“Éthan was probably just surprised that I brought a woman back to my home,” Gavin said, intervening.
I was brought back to the current moment and finally pulled my gaze away from Ethan and looked up at Gavin. He was calm and his eyes were fixed on Ethan as he spoke, almost like a silent warning.
Understanding flashed in Irene’s eyes, and she finally turned her attention to me. Her blue eyes shined with curiosity and a kindness I wasn’t expecting.
“My father never brings his girlfriends home, so I understand Ethan’s confusion. You must be very special. I apologize for the strange introduction. I’m Irene Landry, and this is my fiancé Ethan Cash.”
I forced a smile, not wanting her to get the wrong impression. It wasn’t her fault Ethan was a cheat, and she seemed like a sweet enough girl. The least I could do is put in some effort, especially if I’m going to be hanging around here for a while tutoring Matt.
“It’s nice to meet you,” I said cautiously. “I’m Judy Montague.” 1
“Montague?” She asked, her brows pinching together. “That last name sounds familiar, Where have I heard it before?
“My father is Reggie Montague,” I answered. “The Delta of the Redmoon pack.”
“Oh, right!” She exclaimed, and then her face paled. “I’ve heard what happened with his company. I’m so sorry for you and your family.”
I nodded. I really didn’t want to talk about my family’s issues with the woman muy mate left me for.
She seemed to understand that my silence meant I wasn’t comfortable with this topic, so she cleared her throat and looked up at her father.
“Dad, where did you find this stunning young woman? I didn’t know you were in a new relationship,” Irene said, putting her hands on her hips. “Why didn’t you tell me?”
“I’m not in a relationship with Miss Montague,” Gavin said sharply. “She’s Matt’s new tutor.”
Irene’s eyes went large.
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Chapter 0016
“Another tutor?” Irene asked. “What number is that? 40?”
49,” Gavin murmured. “But I believe this one will be different. Your brother seemed to have taken a liking to Judy. I’m hoping she’ll stick around for a while.”
“A tutor, huh?” Ethan said, his eyes finding mine. “Isn’t that something?”
Something in his eyes made me uneasy; he almost seemed hopeful and excited upon hearing that I wasn’t here as Gavin’s girlfriend, but only as Matt’s tutor.
Gavin cleared his throat, his eyes dark as he glared at Ethan
“You should start considering your wedding date to ensure that neither of you has any entanglements and that you are both devoted to each other,” Gavin said, his eyes fixed on Ethans,
Ethan paled upon hearing his words; I understood the double meaning. Gavin knew about my history with Ethan and that I was his fated mate. His words were a warning, and considering the look Ethan was giving him, Ethan also understood the meaning.
Irene only smiled and wrapped her arm around Ethan’s.
“Oh, we are definitely devoted to each other,” Irene said, beaming. “Ethan is the best guy I’ve ever been with. Did I even show you what he bought me?”
She untangled herself from Ethan’s arms and reached into the collar of her dress, pulling out a gorgeous golden necklace with a purple pendant, encased in small diamonds It was the very same necklace I saw in the window at the high–end jewelry store last year. It was incredibly expensive, and I asked Ethan if he could buy it for me on multiple different occasions. But he always brushed it off and got me something else.
Chapter 0017
He always told me that he wanted my gifts to be unexpected and that it’s not fun if I know what I’m getting. I eventually stopped asking him for the necklace in hopes that he would get it for me, but he never did. I assumed he just forgot.
Seeing
that he got that necklace for another woman caused me to deflate on the spot. I felt physically ill.
“Isn’t it incredible,” she gushed. “He’s truly the best.”
Ethan gave a wide smile and wrapped his arm around her, pulling her close and kissing the side of her face.
“It’s certainly a sight,” Gavin admitted. “I’m pleased that you have your priorities in order, Ethan.”
“Yes, Sir,” Ethan replied, then, he looked at me. “My priorities are definitely in order.”
Third Person POV
It was a breath of relief to find out that Judy wasn’t there as Gavin’s girlfriend. However, Ethan was still furious that she was able to get a job even after he got her blacklisted from the workforce.
Seeing her standing beside Gavin left Ethan feeling infuriated. He had to play it cool though because Irene was standing beside him, and she was already skeptical of his earlier reaction upon seeing Judy. She gave Ethan a strange look, but he gave her a broad and reassuring smile in return.
She was truly a work of art; beautiful and perfect in every way. It was a shame he was only using her to boost his status and become the new Alpha of the Redmoon pack.
“We still have a lot of planning to make this wedding perfect,” Irene said, resting her head on his arm. “I can’t wait to spend the rest of my life with this man.”
“You certainly make a nice couple,” Gavin said, his eyes still focused on Ethan. “I trust that you daughter well.”
“Of course,” Ethan said. He could feel Judy’s eyes glaring at him, but he kept his plastered smile,
will treat my
He knew he was hurting her, he knew that the necklace he bought Irene would hurt Judy because it was the same necklace she wanted. She’s been asking for this necklace ever since she saw it in the window last year, but he didn’t get it for her because he wanted to remain in control
Now that Judy was working for the Landry family, Ethan felt as if he was losing the control he once had over her. The tutoring job was something he knew he couldn’t interfere with; he was able to get her blacklisted from the working community, but Gavin Landry didn’t follow the same standards. He was probably paying her well for this type of job tool. According to Irene, her brother wasn’t an easy kid to be around, especially for a tutor. But Gavin seemed optimistic that Judy would be good at this job and Matt took a liking to her as well. Judy was squirming in her spot beside Gavin, and it gave Ethan a small satisfaction knowing that he was the reason she was so uncomfortable. In some way, Judy was still his and he could still control her. Whenever she looked at him, she still had trouble looking away. She was still hurt by the things he said and the things he did. He was still very much in control.
A smirk played on his lips as their eyes met. He could see the pain and turmoil in her eyes, and it brought him a sick sense of joy.
She might think that she got the perfect job, but it wasn’t going to last. Ethan made a vow to himself that he was going to make sure Judy left this job as Matt’s tutor. He was also going to make sure that Judy dropped out of that
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Chapter 0017
damn school.
Someone like Judy was only good for one thing: spreading her legs.
There were a few people that Ethan could contact who could help him out with his plans and force Judy to not only quit her job but also quit going to school at Royal Academy!
The way he saw it was that Judy had two options; she could either be his mistress, or she could lose everything.
Judy’s POV
“I should probably get going,” I said quickly, pulling my eyes away from Ethan. “Thank you for the opportunity, Alpha. Perhaps we can exchange numbers so we can discuss my schedule. I can sign the contract when I return.”
Gavin stared down at me for a moment; his face hard to read.
“Adam has your number. I’ll be in touch,” he told me.
I nodded and was about to step around him, but Irene’s volge stopped me.
“Dad, why don’t you take Judy home? I didn’t see her car here,” Irene said, staring between me and her father.
“It’s okay,” I said quickly. “I’ll just call for an Uber-”
“Yes, I’ll have my driver take her,” Gavin said, interrupting my words. I met his eyes, surprised by the offer. “I’ll accompany you. It’ll give us a chance to talk in the car.”
I wanted to protest, but the look he was giving me was almost daring. I quickly clamped my lips shut and gave him a curt nod, murmuring my thanks.
“Then it’s decided,” Irene said with a wide smile, clapping her hands together. “It was very nice to meet you, Judy. I hope we can get to know one another soon. I could use some girlfriends.”
I forced a smile in her direction and nodded. The last thing I wanted was to be friends with this woman, but she was being kind, and I didn’t want to seem rude, especially in front of my new boss.
I turned my back to them and followed Gavin into the house As we walked through the Villa, we passed Adam who was walking down the large spiral staircase. He looked stressed and I knew it had to do with a very upset Matt who just got grounded.
He paused when he saw us passing
“Adam, is the driver still out front?” Gavin asked without even looking at him.
“Yes, sir,” he answered.
“I’ll be taking Judy back to her home. I’ll be back later this evening,” Gavin told him,
“Alpha,” a voice said from nearby just as we neared the front doon.
I saw the driver from yesterday walking around the corner; be was holding a small stack of papers in his hands as he approached.
“I got the contract you requested,” he told him, handing Gavin the papers. The driver smiled as he looked at me. Good evening, Mam. I’m Beta Taylor.”
Oh! He was the Beta of the pack.
Now that I was looking at him, he did have the aura and appearance of a Beta.
I smiled politely at him.
“It’s an honor to meet you, Beta,” I said, lowering my head in respect.
“We need to go,” Gavin said sharply.
I tried my best not to scowl at him; he didn’t have to speak so rudely, I thought to myself. I kept those thoughts in
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Chapter 0018
my mind though, not wanting to cause any issues. I didn’t say anything more to Taylor, and he didn’t say anything more to me. He just watched as Gavin pulled me out of his villa and towards the waiting car.
The driver immediately got out and ran around the car, bowing his head at Gavin before opening the back door.
Gavin motioned for me to get in first. I smiled my thanks to the driver before sliding into the car, Gavin slid in beside me and the driver shut the door. He ran around to the front and sat in the driver’s seat.
“Where to, Alpha?” The driver asked.
“Take us to the Carter Resort.”
1 stared at Gavin, shocked.
“I thought you were taking me home,” I said, my brows pinched together.
“I need to speak with you alone,” he told me. “Also, I heard your stomach growl earlier and assumed you were hungry.”
It didn’t take us long to get to the restaurant resort. I followed Gavin into the restaurant, and he was immediately greeted by the hostess; I knew her from when I briefly worked here and from the engagement party. Nan had the day off today, so I didn’t have to worry about her seeing me and asking me a million questions as to why I was there with Gavin.
Good evening, Mr. Landry,” she said with a beaming smil “A table for two? Your favorite booth is available.”
“Yes, thank you,” Gavin said with a nod.
We followed the hostess across the restaurant and towards the booth in the far back, next to the large window that overlooked the harbor. It had a gorgeous view of the city’s nightlife sparkling off the water.
The hostess handed us a couple of menus and then left. I was expecting Gavin to start talking and tell me why he wanted to talk to me privately, but he remained silent as he looked over the menus. A few minutes later, a waitress arrived and took our orders. It was obvious she took a liking to Gavin immediately because she mainly ignored me. She was too busy batting her lashes and flaunting her hips to notice that I was sitting there.
“What would you like to eat?” Gavin asked me, bringing me out of my thoughts.
At that point, the waitress finally turned her attention to me and her dislike was evident.
“I’ll just take the Cobb salad,” I told her, handing her the menu.
“Bring us a bottle of wine as well,” he ordered.
“Right away,” she murmured before walking away.
Gavin finally cleared his throat and fixed his attention on me.
ΠΕ.
“So, we should discuss what happened earlier,” he said, leaning back in his seat as he took me in. “The incident with Ethan.”
Chapter 0019
Chapter 0019 I I assure you my relationship with Ethan is over .
Im only interested in my job as Matts tutor .
I thrive on professionalism , and I promise to remain ethnically loyal , I told him , well aware that I was rambling , but I couldnt help myself .
He intimidated me .
He stared at me for a heartbeat , making me even more nervous .
Rest assured that no lines will ever be crossed , 1 added .
istone And what about me ? He asked ; he didnt sound condescending .
He had more of a boyish curiosity in his and his gaze was almost soft .
My heart skipped a beat , and felt my cheeks heating .
No lines will ever be crossed with you as well , I promised him sincerely .
Gavin was silent for a moment as he assessed me and then he gave me a short nod I hope you can remember to honor that , he said , almost daring I was about to reply , but the waitress returned with our wine .
Gavin then switched the subject to my schedule , and we agreed upon a schedule that worked for us both .
Then , he took out the contract and placed it on the table .
He stated that the contract was just a formality about employment and salary .
Its also stated that you arent to tell anyone who you work for , he continued .
Its for safety .
Yours and mine .
I make all my staff agree to the same terms .
I nodded ; it made sense , so I didnt argue .
He handed me a pen and after I looked over the contract , I filled in my basic information and signed each line he pointed at Soon after , the waitress returned with our food .
This looks delicious , I said before taking my first bite of the delicious salad .
Gavin got a rare steak with mashed potatoes and roasted veggies .
We both ate in silence and gradually sipped on our wine .
When I was just about done , I could feel the wine had gone right through me .
I need to use the restroom , I told him as I slid out of the booth .
Ill be back .
He nodded and I took off towards the bathroom , walking by a stunning woman with auburn hair and the most dazzling green eyes I had ever seen .
As I walked by her , she brushed her shoulder against mine , making me pause .
I briefly wondered if she did that on purpose ; she didnt even apologize ! 1 brushed the thought out of my head though and quickly went to the bathroom .
When I returned , I noticed that Gavin was now standing , and his arms were folded across his chest .
He was speaking to the woman who bumped me a few minutes ago .
She looked upset with him and when I approached , I heard her words clearly .
So , this is why you havent called me back ? Because you been with another hussy ?? Thats enough , Daisy , he said , his voice low and threatening .
Just answer the question , Gavin .
Are you seeing her ? She asked , hurt evident in her tone .
Gavins eyes flickered to me as if he could sense that I was nearby .
Without answering her , he walked over to me .
My eyes grew large as he wrapped an arm around my shoulders and pulled me close .
I was immediately entranced by his scent and warmth ; electricity flared across my flesh from his touch , his face Chapter 0019 buried against the nape of my neck .
The woman , Daisys , eyes followed him , and she looked utterly pissed .
And if I am ? Gavin asked ; I could feel his breath against my cheek and my heart hammered wildly in my chest .
Youll soon tire of her , Daisy sneered , folding her arms across her chest .
You always do and then you come crawling back to me .
How long do you plan on being the third wheel on our date ? Gavin asked .
My breath hitched from his words , Daisy scowled .
This isnt over , she muttered before giving me a nasty look and storming off .
As soon as she was out of sight , Gavin released me .
I nearly fell to the ground from how weak my legs were .
I could hardly speak as Gavin walked back to the table and resumed his food as if nothing had happened W …what was that ? I stammered breathlessly , hating how weak I sounded .
Gavin glanced at me and shrugged a shoulder .
That was Daisy , he murmured .
Shes a noble Lycan and my late wifes sister .
I was stunned by his remark .
Oh , I managed to say .
My mother has been wanting to pair us together as a second chance for me , he continued .
I didnt want to reject her too bluntly .
Im sorry for using you like that .
My cheeks were still on fire and Im sure he noticed but he didnt mention anything about it .
I nodded in reply and said nothing more .
We finished our meals and Gavin paid .
Gavin had the driver take us back to my house and I thanked him for the meal and the job before I got out of the car and walked to the door .
The car remained until I was inside and then I could hear it driving off .
I let out a breath I hadnt known I was holding .
But the slight relief didnt last long because I could hear my mother speaking to someone in the living room .
The minute I reached the entryway , my entire body froze when saw who was sitting on the couch , chatting away y with my mother .
Chapter 0020 Judys POV My mother was smiling for the first time since my father was taken away by pack Gammas .
Oh , Judy .
Good , youre home .
Look who came to visit with us , my mother said , a smile beaming on her face as she looked at Ethan .
He told me that hed be able to help us if you are cooperative with him .
She had a questioning look in her eyes when she looked back at me .
I had told her that Ethan refused to help , but now he was making it seem like I was being uncooperative owards his demands and that was the reason he refused to help .
I could tell he didnt tell her what those demands were , and I wasnt going to tell her either .
It would only break her heart further and I didnt have it in me right now .
I was exhausted after the day I had , and I just wanted to go to bed .
The last thing I wanted right now was to deal with Ethan .
I folded my arms across my chest and glared at Ethan who had a smug smile on his face .
Whats he doing here , Mom ? I asked her She frowned at me .
Is that any way to speak ? She asked , her brows pinching together .
I raised you better than that , Judy .
Ethan has been a friend of this family for a long time .
Hes your mate hes also offering to help us during our time of need .
You should show him more respect , I pressed my lips together in a thin line .
Do I need to remind you that we broke up ? I asked , still staring at Ethan , but I was also speaking to my mother .
I needed them both to be clear that Ethan and I were no longer together and if my mother was hoping for any reconciliation , then she was out of luck because that wasnt happening That doesnt mean you cant still be friends , she replied .
He is in the running to be our new Alpha .
Regardless , he deserves our respect .
Ethan stood to his feet , and I instinctively took a step back , wanting to gain as much distance between us as possible .
My wolf had been quiet since we saw him at Gavins villa with Irene and I worried something might be seriously wrong with her .
She hasnt blocked me since the day Ethan rejected us .
I apologize for intruding , Ethan said , keeping that plastered smile on his lips as he looked at me .
I knew it was only a show for my mother because I could hear the bitterness directed towards me in his tone .
I was hoping for a moment of your time .
In your dreams , Ethan , I said and then I turned my back to him and stormed out of the living room .
I wasnt going to give him the time of day .
I wrapped my arms around my body as I made my way up the stairs .
Just as I reached the door and opened it , a hand on my lower back , shoving me the rest of the way into my room , and then the door shut .
I whipped around to face Ethan who was staring at me with his arms folded across his chest .
What the hell are you doing in here , Ethan ? I sneered .
I felt I should be the one asking you the questions , he retorted bitterly .
What do you think you are doing flaunting around Gavin Landry like that ? I raised my brows .
Chapter 0020 Excuse me ? I asked him , taken aback .
What business of that is yours ? Arent you engaged to his daughter ? Do you really think that whoring yourself out to Gavin is going to help get your father out of prison ? Ethan scoffed .
You are being delusional if you think for a second hed ever be interested in you .
You do remember the hickeys I had on my neck not too long ago , right ? I asked him , folding my own arms across my chest .
His eyes darkened at the mention of those hickeys , and he took a step towards me .
I took a step back , not wanting to be anywhere near him .
I asked around , apparently Gavin was seen having a lot to drink that evening .
He was hardly in his rightful mind , he murmured .
You must have taken advantage of the opportunity .
Are you out of your mind ?? I asked him , narrowing my ees .
I did no such thing ! Im not sure who you are trying to fool , Judy , because Im not buying .
I know the kind of person you are , and youd do anything to help your family , even if it means sleeping with someone for a bit of money .
Why not just take me up on my offer and end this whole thing ? Because I wont be your mistress , Ethan , I hissed .
Thats insulting to everyone involved , including Irene .
Dont you care about her at all ? How could you ask such a thing of me knowing that it would hurt her ? He rolled his eyes .
Dont act like you care about her , he replied .
Someone has to , I growled .
He let out a humorless laugh just before he grabbed me and pulled me close to him , completely catching me off guard .
He wrapped one of his arms around my hips and another arm around my back , pressing me flush against his hard chest .
My heart nearly beat out of my throat from the sudden motion .
Just shut up , he murmured , and then his lips were crashing into mine .
Anger filled me as his lips moved against mine , his tongue swiping across my bottom lip and seeking entrance .
I kept my mouth clamped shut , refusing to give in to him .
At one point , I would have been weak in the knees from his kiss and gave in right away , but now , I just felt disgusted and used .
I didnt have the same tingly sensation 1 once felt from his touch .
