Chapter 60
Chapter 60
Gideon’s POV
I had asked her for trust.
I had come to accept her apology.
And I had seen the silhouette of her embracing her lover through the curtains.
Cold fury settled into my bones as I sprinted up the last of the path and burst into the room. She was alone, now. Her lover must have fled out the back way when he’d heard me coming.
No matter, I would hunt him down after this. I would make him pay.
I cracked my knuckles and turned to slam the doors shut behind me.
Avery flinched and stepped back.
“Gideon, that’s not what happened!” She cried out.
“I saw you embracing! Do not lie to me!” I stepped across the room and grabbed her by the shoulders. I whirled her around and threw her on the sofa, pinning her down with my body.
Avery gasped, she squirmed underneath me.
“You fool!” She cursed, “I don’t know what you think you saw, but the only man who’s been in my thoughts has been you!” She bit the words off in chunks, writhing to free herself beneath me. Her eyes flashed, furious in the firelight.
“Is that so?” I barked, “So you’re telling me there’s no other man’s scent on you right now p>
She raised her chin to stare at me defiantly, “The only man on me right now is you p>
Her audacity enraged me. I knew what I had seen, and heard! The embrace, and those words, “This is my chance to steal you away for good p>
I couldn’t believe that she dared to lay here and gaslight me! I bent my neck down and inhaled her deeply, letting my wolf senses take over. I smelled the sweetness of her skin, heard the whoosh of air in her lungs as she inhaled beneath me. I could smell the herbs of her garden, and the sunshine in her hair.
I inhaled again, looking for the scent of the man I knew had been here, had touched her, touched what was mine!
There was no scent of any such man. Only her. She smelled like fresh spring rain, with a touch of adrenaline, and … arousal.
The delicate scent of the latter threw me off totally and I pulled away quickly.
“Well?” Avery asked dryly, “Did you find a scarlet letter on my chest while you were rooting around in there?” She tugged up the neckline of her top, where I had accidentally pulled it a bit too far down, revealing the lacy edge of her bra.
My brain was short circuiting. I could have sworn… I stared at her in confusion.
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Chapter 60
+25 Bonus
“Oh, you handsome, stupid Alpha.” Avery said, her tone biting. “I suppose I should be touched that you care.
“Explain.” I growled.
“Explain why you’re an idiot? It might take a while.” She mocked, though a touch of humor snuck in at the end, and her mouth twitched slightly.
I leaned lower over her, breathing in deeply again. She filled my senses in delightful ways.
Her breath caught as she wiggled under me once more, but she tried to explain.
“Ian found his true mate.” She said, simply.
I started to feel the rage rising again, thinking she was telling me that she was his mate, but she placed one hand on my chest and touched one finger to my lips.
Cheeky minx.
“She rejected him.” Avery continued, “I saw him approaching the house and thought he was you. He was upset and we spoke a little while, and then he left p>
“So he wasn’t… you weren’t p>
“No! That’s what I’m trying to tell you, but you were too busy doing your best imitation of a caveman to listen!” She huffed underneath me, staring up at me with an open, honest gaze. “I thought you weren’t even coming p>
“What?” I brushed the ridiculous idea away. I had left the operation in the capable hands of Quinn and Tegan just to be here for this. “Of course I wasn’t going to miss my own apology dinner p>
Avery blushed slightly, and I realized that she was pleased.
Which reminded me of the scent I had picked up. Surely she wasn’t attracted to… me?
“So what did you think was happening?” She demanded.
“I thought Ryan had showed up to steal you back!” I admitted.
She laughed loudly, peal after peal of genuine mirth.
“Oh you ridiculous men and your egos.” She tried to shove me away and sit up.
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