Chapter 173
Chapter 173
Avery’s POV
Dierdra sprawled across the floor like a rag doll. She wasn’t moving.
“What have you done?” Gideon snarled, leaping across the space towards his ‘mate p>
Had I killed her? She looked so limp and broken where she lay. I couldn’t believe that I could have done such a thing, even with my wolf’s strength?
What did that make me? A murderer? A feral wolf? I would be executed this very day. 1
I could easily imagine how things would go from here. Gideon would haul me out to the execution grounds. The pack would gather around. Dierdra’s body would be laid out as proof of my savagery.
And then I would be killed, and my mother would never know I wasn’t coming to save her. She would perish in a cell, wondering what she had done to deserve such a useless daughter.
“Hnggg…” Deirdra suddenly inhaled a shuddering breath and my heart resumed beating along with it. I inhaled great gasps of air with relief.
Gideon too, seemed shaken. He gently helped Dierdra sit up while glaring at me with a look that said I wasn’t off the hook yet.
“Are you alright?” he said, dipping his head to nuzzle at Dierdra’s hair. I stood frozen, watching this casual affection, this sign that Gideon truly did care more for Dierdra than he did for me.
“I…” I opened my mouth to explain, but Gideon snarled at me, snapping his teeth, and I froze and was
silent. (1
“Oh… Oh no …” Dierdra sobbed. She clung to Gideon and pointed at the ground between her legs. We all zeroed in on where she was pointing.
At the puddle of blood that was seeping across the floor where Dierdra sat.
The baby.
She had told me she was pregnant, and I hadn’t believed her.
1 rocked back on my heels, guilt washing over me. Had I actually believed Dierdra, I would never have used such force on her. Even with my wolf strong in my mind, and my actions feral and uncalculated, I could never have done anything that would have harmed a pup.
My mind had been so convinced that she and Gideon weren’t truly together, that he couldn’t have possibly fathered a pup on her … I hadn’t truly considered that it might be true.
I was the worst sort of wolf now. One who had attacked her pregnant Luna and possibly injured her unborn pup. The crime was monstrous and there was no way Gideon would believe my side of the story if I had harmed his child.
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Horrified, I clasped one hand over my mouth and my feet turned away of their own volition, trying to carry me away from the scene of the crime.
“STOP,” Gideon barked, and the Alpha command froze my muscles even as my mind screamed for me to run, run as far away as I could.
I couldn’t even move as Gideon turned back to Dierdra.
“We need to get you to the hospital,” he said, lifting her gently, not minding that he smeared blood along his arms as he did so.
The metallic scent of iron and copper filled my nose, making me nauseous. Had I ever been around this much blood? I didn’t think so. It smelled so strong and almost putrid in its intensity. Perhaps it was my dislike of Dierdra that made it smell so revolting.
Gideon stopped next to me, Dierdra in his arms, her head tucked beneath his chin.
“You will come with us,” he commanded, using that Alpha voice again. I had no choice except to follow him down the stairs and out to the car where he loaded Dierdra carefully into the front seat and indicated that I was to climb into the back.
From inside the car, I saw him gesture to his Beta and give him some commands. No doubt arranging for my subsequent arrest. Miserably I stared out the window as we raced to the hospital, Dierdra occasionally moaning in the front seat.
I squeezed my eyes shut at the sound of her pain. Normally I wouldn’t have cared, but to know that I had caused this, that I was to blame, it was unbearable.
What if this whole time I had been in the wrong? What if I was the monster, actually trying to rip Dierdra from her mate, and from her due status?
My worldview was shook. I tried to find some way to refute my thoughts, to continue to think of Dierdra as the aggressor, but could find none.
My wolf had almost caused me to go feral. I had been motivated by panic and desperation, driven mad by grief and pain, but that was no excuse for losing control. My actions had brought harm to others, possibly innocents, and I could never forgive myself for that.
When we arrived at the hospital, Dierdra was immediately wheeled away for examination, and Gideon and I were left in the waiting room together. The next hour was incredibly uncomfortable, as shame and hurt washed over me.
Gideon remained distant, aloof. He seemed to be locked into a painful world of his own, barely seeming to register when a nurse came to ask if we needed anything, with great deference to him due to his Alpha status.
As for me, I was mostly ignored. The only time anyone interacted with me directly was when I asked to go to the bathroom and Gideon’s head shot up.
“You will return here immediately, ” he ordered. I had no choice but to duck my head in obedience and
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once I was done with my business, I slunk back to my seat to continue to wait.
Finally, the doctor emerged, to summon us back to the room and I could tell from his face that his news
was serious.
We entered and saw Dierdra propped up on pillows in the hospital bed. She looked pale, but alert. Her eyes instantly locked on Gideon as he entered, and then darted to me with malevolence.
“Tell them,” she commanded the doctor.
“Alpha,” he said with a nod, “Your Luna is bearing a pup p>
Gideon’s eyes grew wide with wonder and hope. He leaped from his chair and loomed over the doctor, who couldn’t help but cringe slightly under the Alpha’s intense stare.
“You are certain?” Gideon demanded, “The pup is alright p>
“So far, yes. She sustained some bruising in the fall, but her womb appears secure. We will want to monitor for a few days to ensure there is no further injury p>
Gideon clapped the man on the back, and then his eyes fell on me. Suddenly his demeanor changed to rage and fury.
“You,” he glared at me, “You dared injure my Luna while she bore my child?” 2
I quivered, my hands shaking at my sides, as the full force of his wrath landed upon me.
“This is the wolf responsible for her fall?” The doctor asked, “Do you want us to call security to take her away in chains? The Luna said that she was attacked by a wolf that went feral p>
“Take her away, ” Dierdra’s thin voice piped up from the bed, “She is no better than a dog p>
“Alpha? ” the doctor turned to Gideon for confirmation. I raised my head to meet his gaze tearfully. Would he choose to have me taken away like a prisoner for execution? 2
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