Chapter 128
Chapter 128
Gideon’s POV
It was dark by the time I returned to my office. Dierdra had demanded that I bring her ice for her leg, and then one thing after another had conspired to keep me by her side. Finally she was resting and I was able to sneak away.
It felt strange to think that I had to sneak away from my mate, but she was particularly insistent that everything be ‘just so’ and since she was hurt, it was hard for me to say ‘no p>
I admit I had almost forgotten about Avery until I was heading down the stairs. My twinge of guilt was quickly followed by a renewed surge of rage that Avery had dared to push Dierdra. What in the world had come over her to do that? It really wasn’t like her to lash out in that way.
Waiting a few hours served her right. I couldn’t wait to chew her out.
I opened the door to my office.
She wasn’t there.
I frowned into the dark room, the lights were out and the rising moon was just brushing the sill of the window. Where could she have gone? And how dare she defy my order?
I was just about to call for my Beta to haul Avery to me when something stirred in the darkness.
I whirled around to find Avery curled up in a ball in the chair in my office. She had one of my jackets over her shoulders and she looked so small underneath it.
I was about to start angrily yelling at her when I realized she was asleep. Her dark lashes lay on her pale cheeks, marred by tear tracks that shone in the moonlight.
For a moment my heart panged and I studied her for a long moment. She had lost weight in these last few weeks, her knees and shoulders were bony and thin. Her fingers where they clutched the hem of my jacket were slender and fragile-looking.
She had dark circles under her eyes, and her lips were chapped where she’d been biting them.
She was a mess, and it should have made me more angry that she was struggling so much, but I found pity rising in me instead. I stalked to my chair and sat, trying to sort out my feelings.
Her behavior was inexcusable, as were the ways in which I had been informed by my pack that she was slipping as Luna. If she was incapable of upholding her end of our contract, then my obligation to continue to hunt for her mother would be voided.
Truthfully, I was disappointed in her, not just for what she’d done to my mate, but because the first few weeks here she had showed such promise. Then it felt like she had lost her mind over my mate’s arrival and everything had become terrible.
She stirred again, and I frowned. I should wake her, kick her out of my office and give her my
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punishment, but what would be suitable?
While I scowled, contemplating my options, Avery’s eyes flickered open. For a few moments, she didn’t notice me as she blinked to adjust to the darkness, then I saw her still and knew I had been spotted.
“Luna,” I said.
“Alpha,” she responded in a voice that creaked with exhaustion, “You came p>
The statement should have sounded like an accusation in the circumstances. Yes, I had unintentionally taken a very long time to come back. Somehow, however, I heard no accusatory tone.
It sounded more like Avery was glad to see me, and that took the wind out of my sails somewhat. I wasn’t here to spend time with her for fun, I was here to punish her for what was a willful and terrible infraction of pack laws.
I turned on the lamp on my desk and we both blinked as its cone of yellow illuminated my desk and brightened the room.
At the look on my face, Avery straightened in the chair and turned towards me, adopting more of that formal air she had worn of late. Her Luna business-demeanor in place, she tucked her hair behind her ears and rested her hands in her lap, waiting.
“Your actions towards my mate, Dierdra, are unacceptable,” I scowled and watched her flinch at the harshness of my tone, “Those sorts of underhanded tricks are not suitable for a Luna p>
“Gideon, I-,” Avery began and I cut her off.
“You will refer to me as Alpha p>
She swallowed and blinked, then slowly found her words again, “Alpha, I did not push you mate.” Her voice was soft but clear. I stared at her, incredulous.
“So you want me to believe, what? That Dierdra harmed herself intentionally p>
Avery looked uncomfortable but nodded.
“Your continued lying after what you have already done is incomprehensible,” I roared, my temper spiking. My voice was no doubt carrying outside my office, but I didn’t care, “The act of violence alone would be inexcusable, but to lie to me on top of it… Do you wish for the harshest punishment?” My hands trembled with anger and I placed them flat on my desk to calm myself.
Avery had cringed from my shouting, though her wide eyes watched me, terrified but determined in her slender face.
“I am sure I will be justly punished for that which I have done,” she whispered, “but I will never lie to you, Gid-… Alpha p>
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I slammed my fist onto the desk. I hated that she was acting like this, and I hated what it meant I would need to do. If only she had confessed, this would be so much easier!
“What am I going to do with you?” I growled, “Why couldn’t you just leave Dierdra alone? I have heard reports of you interfering in situations she was involved in, and that is after I thought we had agreed that you would help support her projects! Now pack members and my own family are unhappy with you as Luna!” I ranted.
Avery flinched at the accusations. Her fingers clutched at the edges of my jacket on her shoulders, as though she was finding comfort in its embrace. Why did that hurt my heart so?
Her cheeks had flushed a deep, angry red in the lamplight, and the rosiness in her cheeks only made her look more beautiful. I hated that her very presence was so distracting, and turned my back on her to stare out the window, my fingers steepled in front of me.
“I imagine you will do with me whatever you want,” she said, voice tight and angry, “and I will accept it, but I will not forgive you if you believe her over me p>
It was an outrageous demand and I couldn’t believe I was hearing it. Slowly I spun back around to face her furious gaze. The impertinence!
“I am Alpha, my word is law here,” I barked, “and as such, I will never need your forgiveness p>
We regarded each other for a tense moment in the golden darkness of my office.
“I will contemplate what additional punishments will fit your crimes,” I said finally, “but the first part of your sentence is obvious p>
Avery stared at me, fists clenched in her lap, “What do you want me to do p>
I nodded with satisfaction, “You will apologize to Dierdra p>
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