Chapter 117
Chapter 117
Avery’s POV
“I know what you’re doing.” Gideon said as his hand fisted in my hair. I gasped as he hauled me to my feet.
“W-what?” I winced.
“I told you, those tricks don’t work on me.” Gideon said sternly, releasing me.
Tricks? He thought… That I was trying to seduce him?
I glared at him for the presumption, even as I blushed wondering what he had thought I was trying to do?
“I dropped the pen.” I said, pointedly. Gideon’s eyebrow quirked, his expression full of disbelief.
My heart ached as I saw mistrust crawl across his face. Being so misunderstood by Gideon hurt much more than it should have at this point.
He had been raised in an atmosphere of intense expectations, where even the bonds of family meant nothing when power was on the line. Gideon saw ghosts and enemies everywhere, and he always would.
I closed my eyes and counted to ten, trying to release my anger at him.
He was the creature his parents had made, twisted by his demonblood and the deaths of his childhood friends. If he couldn’t recognize sincerity and authenticity when he saw it, that wasn’t my fault.
At one time, that realization would have made me want to fight to prove him wrong, to show him that I was different, that I could love him differently.
After the last 24 hours, I just mutely accepted it.
I signed the document.
It meant locking my heart away, to don the mask of Luna into perpetuity. Or, at least until the Rogue King was caught and my mother was rescued.
Once she was safe, I could leave for the human world once more. We could find a quiet place to build our lives together. Have the relationship as mother and daughter that we had never been. able to have.
From the time I was weaned, my father had kept me away from her. These men thought that they could dictate relationships as they pleased. As though emotions followed logic.
I knew otherwise.
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Chapter 117
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I would always love my mother. There would be a part of me that would always love Gideon.
Those were parts of myself that I locked deep inside of myself so that they could no longer
hurt me.
As I finished my signature, Gideon pulled the papers away with a pleased expression on his face. It hurt to think that he was so enthusiastic about authorizing a document that locked us into our rigid roles forever.
“Despite your recent lapses in judgement, I trust that we will be able to resume our productive working relationship.” Gideon said with a firm ned as he added his own scrawl beneath mine on the contract.
Working relationship. That was what pleased him the most.
So, he truly had no romantic interest in me after all. That realization was a stab in my heart and my now-dead hopes.
I had hoped that exposing Dierdra as his false-mate would have wedged open the door to his heart, even if only slightly. Instead, it seemed like he hadn’t acknowledged her treachery at all.
Did he intend to ignore it forever?
There were too many illusions at play. I was wife and Luna, but I couldn’t touch his heart. Dierdra was his false-mate, and yet he embraced her willingly.
Did being broken so young mean that Gideon no longer recognized truth when it was in front of him?
The thought was indescribably sad.
I too had felt betrayal since I was a child. Everyone who had claimed to care about me had left. In a fucked up way, Gideon was proving more constant than any of those who were supposed to be there for me.
Except I knew he didn’t care.
He filed the papers inside his desk and looked up, surprised I was still standing there.
“Luna.” He addressed me by my title once more. That is all, unless you have other pack business to address with me p>
I had so much I wanted to address, and it all choked in my throat.
“Will you… give me updates if you find out anything about my mother?” My voice broke on the request and I had to bite back a sob that threatened to emerge from my throat.
“As soon as I learn something, you will be the first to know.” He said coolly. “Now, we should both get back to work p>
I turned and left. Gideon’s black stare followed my every step as I went.
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Chapter 117
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Full of more emotions than I could stand, I fled to my garden sanctuary.
As spring progressed it had bloomed in joyous color, but even its bright cheer could not raise my spirits. I stalked through the trees like a doomed spectre, alone and afraid.
My heart ached for my mother, imagining all sorts of horrible things that might be happening to her in the Rogue King’s clutches. Zara was a vindictive bitch and I couldn’t trust her to be decent once she’d found out that Gideon had taken me back.
I leaned against the trunk of one of the large oak trees and fought back tears.
“Nice garden.” Came a snide voice from behind me. I turned to see Dierdra standing in the middle of the path, staring at me. I must have left the door open behind me.
“Gideon told me that he found his wedding night with you… disappointing.” She sneered when I didn’t say anything. “Were you not able to hold his interest?” She clucked her tongue, I haven’t found it to be that hard, so maybe you were just doing it wrong p>
“What do you want, Dierdra?” I snapped, irritated.
“Oh, just checking on my dear Luna, of course.” Dierdra’s tone was saccharine sweet. “Gideon asked me to check on you, said that you seemed a bit distracted p>
“Did he?” I narrowed my eyes, “Or were you listening at doorknobs p>
Dierdra’s smile widened, “Why would I need to do that? Gideon lets me sit in all his meetings. He says I’m a huge help. Probably because I don’t wander off at all hours to look for… who was it again? Your mother? Shame. I do hope she’s ok”
“You can let Gideon know that I appreciate his concern, but I am fine p>
“Are you?” Dierdra tilted her head, those big eyes wide and innocent. “Because you looked li you were wandering, pathetically. Did something go wrong p>
I opened my mouth to tell her to mind her own business but she cut me off.
“Just kidding, I really don’t have time to listen. I’m so busy helping Gideon run the pack, you know.” Dierdra waved her hands in the air, “Probably best that you stay out here anyways. The Alpha and I have lots to work on, together. You would just get in the way p>
She turned and sauntered back up the path.
“It is a very pretty garden, though,” I heard her say as she left, “it would look so much prettier if you weren’t moping in the middle of it”
Then she was gone and I was left breathing slowly to calm my rage. I slid to the grass beneath the trees and wrapped my arms around my knees
“Moon Goddess, I try not to ask for much.” I swore, “But if you grant me any wish at all, please let it be to see that bitch get what she deserves p>
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Chapter 117
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