Chapter 127
Chapter 127
Avery’s POV
I was so irritated at Gideon’s decision to take Dierdra and I both to the Alpha Ball that I left his office without discussing Zara with him. I would have to go back at another time to bring it up, but I couldn’t stand to be in Zara’s presence for another moment.
Unfortunately she followed me out of Gideon’s office.
I ignored her as I marched towards the stairs, but she caught up to me at the top of the landing.
“Avery,” she said and I whirled towards her.
“What do you want?” I snapped.
“Oh, goodness, you’re so aggressive!” Dierdra feigned shock, “I just wanted to inform you p>
“Inform me of what?” I narrowed my eyes.
“That I am going to take both Gideon and the Luna position of course.” Dierdra gave a sinister grin that transformed her face into a mask of malevolent intent, “Honestly, it’s going to happen one way or another, so you might want to pack your bags now p>
“I won’t let that happen,” I declared, taking a step towards her, “one way or another, Gideon will find out what you are p>
“Oh no, what are you going to do?” Dierdra threw her hands in the air in mock horror, Gideon already likes me better than you. He says that you’ve got a long ways to go to becoming a capable Luna. You should just give up now and stop embarrassing yourself p>
Had Gideon really said that about me? Even knowing that Dierdra was probably lying, the thought still stung. I had given up on earning Gideon’s romantic affections, but I had still hoped to prove that I could make our arrangement work, that I could be a good Luna.
I still had lots to learn, yes, but I had come a long way in the month or so I’d been here!
“You’re the one who is embarrassing,” I tried not to let the hurt play on my face, “always hanging off of Gideon like you can’t live without him p>
It was more than I should have said. I shouldn’t have let her know that it bothered me, but the words spilled out without thinking.
“Oh ho!” Dierdra crowed, “Do you even hear yourself? You are so jealous p>
She swayed closer to me with a cruel look in her eyes, “You know, he brought me flowers yesterday? I think he’s super in love with me. You should hear the way he calls out my name when-…” she covered her mouth and giggled, “oh, you probably don’t want to hear what he says when we’re together, but you get the idea p>
I closed my eyes against what she was saying. Each word was like a knife between the ribs.
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I couldn’t take any more of this. I turned to go down the stairs.
“Enjoy your fun while it lasts,” I told Dierdra over my shoulder, “One day he’ll figure out what you are, and when he does, I’ll be there to watch your fall p>
“On the contrary,” Dierdra hissed, “you’ll watch it now, and you’ll be the one who pays p>
That didn’t make any sense. I frowned and turned to look at her, just as she shrieked, “No! Avery stop!” and threw herself past me down the stairs. She slid down the hard wooden risers and hit the landing below with a loud thud that had to hurt.
I gaped at her, disbelieving. Dierdra winked at me and raised her middle finger as she started to shriek, “Ahh! Oh my god! Gideon help! She pushed me p>
I heard the door to Gideon’s office open behind me and his heavy footsteps thudded in a run down the hallway. He leapt past me down the stairs to land next to Dierdra.
“What happened?” Gideon bellowed. Dierdra raised a shaking hand and, between sobs, said, ” Avery attacked me because she can’t stand that I’m your mate p>
Oh that bitch. I shook my head, “Gideon, she threw p>
Dierdra increased the volume of her yelling, “She said if I was injured I couldn’t attend the Alpha Ball!” She turned her body towards Gideon’s chest and he wrapped his arms around her.
“That’s not what happened,” I said, but Gideon wasn’t listening. His hands were examining Dierdra’s body with a familiarity that hurt to see.
“Your leg is badly bruised,” he frowned, “do you think you can stand on it p>
Dierdra shook her head, biting her lip against the pain, “I don’t think I can. Can you carry me to your room p>
Effortlessly, Gideon lifted her in his arms and began to climb the stairs up to the third floor bedrooms. As he passed by me with Dierdra cradled to his chest, he stopped to address me.
“Go to my office and wait for me. This will have consequences.
His face was rigid with rage, a vein jumping at his temple.
“Gideon, I didn’t do it.” I said, softly.
“Liar!” Dierdra sobbed, “She said that it wasn’t fair that I was your mate. She hates me!” she snuggled against Gideon and nuzzled her face into his neck, “Please protect me! She’s not fit to be Luna p>
“Hush,” Gideon shushed her like one would soothe a child, “Let’s get you to a place you can rest that leg, and get some ice on it. Avery, go wait for me. That’s an order from your Alpha,” his voice used that commanding tone that ensured immediate obedience.
Wordlessly, I turned and returned to his office and paused outside the door. Behind me, I
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could hear Gideon taking Dierdra upstairs and the soft, gentle things he was telling her to calm her down.
Despair was rising within me. Gideon would think that I had pushed Dierdra for my own gain, and he would never forgive me for it. Nothing I could say would prove otherwise.
Even if I told him the truth, I had no evidence to back it up. He hadn’t believed me about any of the other shenanigans Dierdra had pulled so far, so why would this be any different?
I was fucked.
I went into Gideon’s office and shut the door behind me. I sat in the armchair that faced his desk and waited.
Upstairs he was probably taking care of Dierdra’s self-inflicted injury, and I was sure she was playing it up. Telling him about all the mean things I ‘said’ to her, which were actually the things she had said to me.
I curled up into a ball on the chair and buried my face in my arms.
If Gideon just dismissed me, I would be getting off lucky. If he truly believed I had harmed a pack member unprovoked then he could order another punishment, including having me beaten or worse.
I remembered when he had stood up for me after Jessica and I had fought, but I didn’t get the feeling that would happen twice. If anything, it would just serve as more evidence that I had a history of attacking pack members. Because he believed Dierdra was his mate, and he refused to believe that she could do anything wrong.
Angry tears flowed down my face and I wiped them away with my sleeve. Minutes ticked by, then fifteen, then thirty. The light outside the window faded and turned gold, then red with
sunset.
Alone, I awaited my punishment.
L
Still, Gideon did not return.
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