Chapter 10
Chapter 10
Probably best that we not meet. I told myself.
Turns out, I had little to worry about on that front. I didn’t see Gideon for several more days. Instead, I was mostly left to my own
devices.
Overall, I liked Gideon’s family, even if their son was the worst monster I’d ever met. They seemed normal enough, and much nicer than my own.
Although I felt awkward as the new outsider, it was the nicest and most comfortable week I’d had in my life. I ate enough food, had a hot bath every day, and no one assigned me the worst chores.
Life here was on a whole other level than my status had given me in Silvermoon. Not just the comfortable accommodations, but the way in which everyone here treated each other.
There was an ease to the way the pack worked with each other that surprised me considering how uptight their Alpha was.
It increasingly looked as though Gideon meant to abandon me completely, so I decided I needed to find something more productive to do with my time. Gideon might have picked me as a body to fill a hole, but I felt guilty doing nothing.
I decided I would try contributing to the pack’s welfare by helping out in the kitchen. The cook was all too happy to let me take over the manual labor of kneading the huge bowls of dough that would be baked up for the pack’s dinner.
There was also a general dining hall where anyone who was hungry could get a warm meal at any time. I had spent many nights in Silvermoon trying to sleep on an empty stomach. That wouldn’t have happened here.
Perhaps Alpha Leon had been a terrible Alpha in more ways than one.
I had my arms up to my elbows in a mound of sticky dough when a group of girls came in the back door from the gardens.
“I’m just saying, I don’t think he likes his fiancée very much! That’s all.” one of them was laughing.
“If he doesn’t like her, then will they even marry?” her friend giggled. “To actually become the true Luna, she’d have to be the Alpha’s chosen mate, complete the bond, and be marked by him. But I heard he won’t even mark her p>
Her mouth suddenly formed an ‘o’ of shock as she spotted me standing at the long wooden counter. From the way she elbowed her friend, it was obvious they had been talking about Gideon and me.
“Girls!” the cook scolded sharply. “Only cubs yap their mouths without thinking. Apologize at once p>
“Apologies, Lady Avery.” They both stammered, faces flushed. Then one blurted out, “Alpha Gideon has just been super busy! I’m sure he didn’t mean to ignore you p>
“Enough!” Cook smacked her wooden spoon on the counter, and the girls curtsied and darted out of the kitchen. She turned to me with a rueful expression, “Ignore them. They are barely older than whelps and haven’t a spare brain cell between them p>
Too bad they were right. I winced as I pounded my fists into the dough and folded it. Gideon really does dislike me. I don’t think this wedding will ever happen.
The cook watched me beat up the dough for a few more moments before gently taking it away from me.
“Do you ever bake desserts?” she asked kindly. “Gideon is particularly fond of cake. Perhaps you could bake him one as a special treat. I know my mate always loves when I bake for him, and it’s gotten us through more than one rough patch p>
I bit my lip, thinking. “When I was little, my mom taught me to bake Black Forest chocolate cake. It’s not particularly sweet, but when you use really nice chocolate it’s wonderful p>
The corners of the cook’s eyes wrinkled as she exclaimed, “Gideon doesn’t like sweets, but he’s obsessed with that cake. It’s the only thing he’s ever wanted. Since the recipe was lost for years, he hasn’t had it.” She patted me on the shoulder with one floured hand.
1/2
I wondered if the person who had made it was Gideon’s missing mate.
“If you make it and give it to him, he’ll definitely warm up to you p>
Olivia Harris
Olivia Harris is an emerging author celebrated for her captivating romantic and steamy novels. With a talent for crafting deep emotional connections and fiery chemistry between her characters, Olivia’s stories offer readers an escape into worlds filled with passion, intrigue, and heart-stopping drama.