Chapter 118
Gideon’s POV
When I arrived to the hospital with the hair samples, I was greeted by the Healer who I had spoken to on the phone. He accepted the hairs and promised to get to work right away.
“It will take a few days,” he said.
I was ready and willing to wait however long it took. Though I hoped it wouldn’t be too long.
“Thank you, Healer,” I said, and turned to go, wanting to leave him to his work so he could start as soon as possible.
On the way back to the pack house, my excitement began to outweigh my anxiety regarding the results.
I’d had suspicions before, but since having seen Claire at the banquet, and then watching her and Nova so closely the past few days, I was more confident than ever that I had made the correct choice here, and the results would reveal exactly as I suspected.
I was so sure of this, that now I started to think about what would come next. Raven might want to deny it at first, but she wouldn’t be able to turn away the evidence once it was presented
Visions flashed through my mind of a potential future. Claire, becoming part of my pack again. Spending time with Leo. Helping to raise her. Treating Nova and Leo as siblings that could care about and trust each other.
And maybe, in time, after I’ve proven to Claire that I’m genuinely sorrowful for the past, maybe we could start over again. Without Daphne in the way to interfere this time, maybe we could do things right.
Maybe, eventually, we could even fall in love.
When I held her in my arms at the dance, Gods, my body and my heart stirred for her. It would take time to earn her forgiveness, and even longer for her to maybe see a safe and happy future with me. But I was a patient man. And truly….. there had been no one else who had even tempted me since having and losing Claire.
As long as she needed, I would give to her. But then, with luck, she would feel something for me again.
I was getting away ahead of myself, but it was difficult not to. I felt like an entire realm of possibilities was opening itself up to me again. Claire being alive, and being here, changed everything.
As soon as I returned to the pack house, I wanted to start on the preparation to earn Claire’s forgiveness. Knowing it would take time, it wouldn’t hurt to start planning things right away.
I summoned Xavier to the office and immediate started discussing my plans. “I’d like to have more permanent arrangements started for Nova.”
Claire could return to her old rooms, which needed to be cleaned but were still more or less preserved. Nova, however, would need her room adjusted to more permanent dwellings.
“She should be involved in the process, as it’s her room now. Whatever changes she wants made – wall color, furniture, toys – spare no expense. I would have her be happy in her new home
Xavier gave me a curious look. Between seeing Claire at the banquet, dealing with the hair strands, and now this, he must have made his own assumptions even if I hadn’t been totally honest and clear with my plans or intentions.
Xavier wasn’t a fool. I was sure he could piece together what was going on here. “Yes, Sir. Would you like to speak to her first? Or should I have the designers approach her on their own.”
“I will speak to her in time, but I want this to get started right away. For now, allow the designers to surprise her.”
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Chapter 118
Xavier nodded. “And what of Raven, Sir? I’m not sure she will re pleasantly to the surprise”
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“Raven cares about her daughter. She will want her to be happy. I’m sure she will see this is the best choice to achieve that
Claire’s POV
I had regular meetings with Gideon, so it wasn’t unusual for me to come around his office later in the day, to report on the day’s events and set in stone the plan for the next day. So I walked by Gideon’s office, the same as every day before.
Only this time, I heard him speaking with Xavier.
And I heard what he said about Nova.
“I would have her be happy in her new home…”
“Raven cares about her daughter. She will want her to be happy
I froze, my body unwilling to take even one single more step.
He was talking about taking Nova, my daughter. We’d only just completed the hair strand swap today, and already he was so confident? Gods, maybe I really did make a mistake in coming back here. Maybe I should have stayed far, far away, back in Ivan’s pack where I missed Leo but at least Nova was safe.
In bringing her here, I have brought her straight into danger.
Even without certainty of her lineage, Gideon was already planning on taking her away from me.
I couldn’t allow this. I had to protect my child.
Whatever conversation with Xavier that Gideon was having ended and I heard Xavier preparing to enter the hallway.
I forced myself to recover and moved to make it seem like I like just arrived.
Xavier startled when he saw me. “Oh, Raven…”
“I’m here for my daily meeting with Gideon.”
“Of course,” he said and stepped aside.
Swallowing hard, my heart racing, I stepped into Gideon’s office
“Ah, Raven, my apologies. I completely lost track of the time.” He seemed pleased about something, barely hiding a smile.
My stomach twisted, but I tried to push forward, professionally. “I think we need to tighten up some of the protective measures around Leo. Some of his new bodyguard unit are not diligent enough. I wouldn’t trust them to watch Leo’s toys let alone Leo himself.”
“Perhaps you could train them then,” he said. “We will need them at their best for you when you take on other matters.”
I blinked. “What other matters?”
He shook his head lightly. “Time will reveal all that, Raven.” He shuffled a few papers on his desk. “Unless… are you certain there is nothing you wish to tell me, about your life or the banquet…?”
I stared at him hard for a long moment. I wasn’t going to reveal anything, despite how much he was consistently digging.
I realized then, that this would never stop. The results were going to come back on the DNA results negative, but he would persist. He was already being too much, pushing too hard, like he was planning on making Nova part of his household.
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And these… other matters… he had planned for me. Likely, he was going to cast me out of his house altogether, so he needed other bodyguards on board to protect Leo before I left.
Gods, why had I allowed myself to get into this mess? I loved Lo so much. I hated to leave him.
But if I lost Nova as well….
If I was discovered and cast out…
I couldn’t let this happen.
Not again.
“I do have something to say to you,” I told Gideon. He looked up from his paperwork and into my eyes once more.
“Yes, Raven?”
There was nothing for it. I only saw one solution here, to protect Nova and myself.
“I resign.”
