Chapter 120
Gideon’s POV
X46
#55 vouchicis
Things were tense around my pack house while other protection was being arranged for Leo. It was taking a long time to properly select and train Raven’s replacements, and most of that holdup was because of me.
The past few days, since Raven presented her resignation, I’d been dragging my feet, trying to delay the inevitable. I’d missed meetings or failed to sign paperwork. Xavier was giving me long looks. Raven was glaring at me. At least when she was looking at me.
Most of the time, she continued to be diligent, watching after Leo, while also sometimes shaking her head at the bodyguard recruits. Their failings were obvious. None were as dedicated to Leo’s protection as Raven herself was.
I wasn’t looking to give my son inadequate protection, but I was hoping if Raven could see how much we needed her, that she could be convinced to stay.
Perhaps this was a fool’s errand, but it was something I did even without thinking. My chest felt tight at the thought of her leaving us forever… to return to that house, that pack, where Ivan waited.
My jealousy certainly wasn’t helping matters.
Knowing she was soon to leave, I couldn’t keep my eyes off of Raven. I sought out the sight of her in every room I entered, through every window I passed.
Xavier, usually beside me, was watchful but remained mostly silent. If I stopped in my tracks or was too obvious, he would clear his throat, my signal to keep moving. I did my best not to be too obvious.
I wasn’t sure how successful I was, especially as Xavier’s glances became increasingly more withering.
Then, a servant approached with a message. As per protocol, Xavier accepted the message first, then passed it to me. At once, I could see it was the DNA results from the hospital.
I tore open the envelope in haste, eager to see the inside. After removing the report inside, I tossed aside the envelope. Opening the report, I quickly read through. Then, just as quickly, my heart started to drop.
The results were clear and 99% definitive.
Nova and Leo were not related.
That meant that Raven, as Nova’s mother, could not be Leo’s mother as well.
So Raven was not Claire.
All of my gut feelings and my instincts… and maybe my secret desires too…
They’d all been false.
A bitter sort of disappointment twisted its way through my stomach.
I’d been missing Claire, combined with my guilt for her. At the same time, I’d been developing feelings for Raven.
1
It would have been so much easier if they had been the same person. I could have worked to keep them and earn their forgiveness. Now, everything was more complicated.
With Raven as her own person, already having children with Ivan, who was I to interfere in that romance? She did not deserve my waltzing into her life and messing up her relationship. I didn’t want to do that either, even if the two of them together made me terribly jealous.
19:02 Sat, Jan
Chapter 120
It wasn’t my place to interfere. To intrude where I wasn’t wanted.
I needed to let Raven go.
I needed to stop fighting her desire to leave and accept it.
Carefully, I folded up the results and placed the letter into the inner pocket of my suit coat.
Then, slowly, I sighed heavy.
Xavier didn’t ask, but he must have been able to tell from my demeanor that the news was not good.
Not that it mattered now, I supposed, with Raven and Nova leaving directly.
“Xavier, I need you to do something for me. A few somethings.”
“Yes, Alpha?”
40
55 muchos
“Pull the actual bodyguard recruits and send them to Raven for training. Also, deliver those papers I’ve avoided signing to my office in five minutes. I will sign them now.”
“Yes, Alpha.”
I looked at him. “One more thing.”
Claire’s POV
Xavier himself came to retrieve me, to bring me into Gideon’s office where Gideon was waiting. I subtly tried to brace myself before stepping in through the door.
Dealing with Gideon hasn’t been easy these past few days. He’d been making my exit all the much harder by seemingly being purposefully incompetent at things. Some paperwork wasn’t signed, and he couldn’t be serious with these potential bodyguards he was trying to get me to train.
I was sure, walking into his office, that this was just one more thing that I was going to have to suffer through. One more indignity, maybe. One more delay, for certain.
When I entered, he gestured toward the chairs at the other side of the desk. I didn’t really want to sit, but, I was tired. Whatever he wanted to say, at least I could be sitting down for it. So I sat.
He watched me for a moment. He’d been doing that a lot lately so I ignored it. But then he slid a sheet of paper across his desk toward me. Picking it up, I realized it was my resignation letter. He’d signed it down near my signature. That meant it was approved.
Finally.
I didn’t thank him. He should have done this from the start. But it was still a relief.
“And this,” he said, and slid another piece of paper towards me. This one was smaller and thinner. I could tell from the back it was a check, but the amount on it was hidden.
“What is this?” I asked.
“Severance,” Gideon said. “And a gift. To show how much you’d been appreciated around here.”
Curiosity got the better of me and I lifted the check to see the amount.
I froze. That was a lot of zeros.
19:02 Sat, Jan 24 M.
Chapter 120
“I can’t accept this.” I said at once and tried to hand it back.
“You must,” he said. “As my final order, you must accept this parting gift. You must live a good life, you and Nova and Ivan.” He swallowed hard. “I want you to be happy.”
My heart ached, but I ignored it. I didn’t want to take the check, but I didn’t know how to argue with that, without getting too personal. So I folded up the check and slipped it into my pocket.
“Thank you.” I said.
“Think nothing of it.”
That was too many zeros to not think about, but I nodded. “If that’s all?” I didn’t want to risk saying something I would regret.
“Yes. I’ve found some more suitable candidates to be Leo’s bodyguard. They will be waiting for you out in the courtyard.”
IN the courtyard, I faced the new candidates for bodyguard. They were members of the regular guard that I had seen around here and there.
None of them seemed particularly interested to be here. In fact, one of them was texting on his phone.
Immediately, I walked up to him. He was taller than me, but I didn’t care. I knew I could take him in a fight.
“Are you taking this seriously? Or are you looking at your phone?” I demanded.
He shrugged, all cavalier and smug, like he didn’t care either way. “We are only protecting a child.”
“That child is the heir to the pack, and has a lot of people trying to kill him.”
The man huffed. “What do you even care? Why don’t you just mind your own business and return to your own pack.”
AD
