Chapter 141
Claire’s POV
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My panic was on a fast uptick as I faced off against Gideon. We had both heard Ivan’s howl, and while this had given me some measure of relief, it also made things seem more dire in the moment. Gideon was visibly tensing. If he felt himself backed into a corner, he might try to act before Ivan could arrive.
I couldn’t let him take Nova. Every glance he sent her way filled me with suspicion. What did he see when he looked at her? Was he connecting the dots? Could he tell that she was his daughter?
Without my even realizing it, a low growl formed in the back of my throat.
Gideon froze at the noise, likely out of surprise. I was surprised too, when I realized the noise was coming
from me.
I was still in protective mode after Nova’s kidnapping. Though I knew Gideon wouldn’t want to physically harm my child, the thought that he might try to take her from me was enough to keep me on edge.
“Stay back,” I warned him.
Gideon immediately placed his hands up, palms out in an innocent gesture.
“I’m not the enemy,” he said. “We defeated them. Everything is okay now.” When I continued to growl, some pain entered his expression. “I would never hurt you, Claire. Either of you. You have to know that.”
“Do I?” I asked. I couldn’t allow myself to trust him. He could be hoping to get me to lower my guard so that he could steal Nova away more easily.
“Claire…”
Ivan’s howls grew closer.
“We can talk about this,” Gideon said. “There’s no reason for us to be at odds. I just want to protect you and your daughter.”
“Then you should have protected me six years ago,” I said, unable to stop myself. Even after all this time, the pain of that rejection and dismissal cut into me like a sharp blade, slicing me down to my core.
The words struck Gideon like a blow and for a long moment he stood there staring at me. He swallowed hard, then opened his mouth as if to say something.
At the same time, Ivan finally appeared, rushing out of the wood in his wolf form, several of his warriors around him. He shifted as he spotted me and walked closer. The warriors hurried past us, fanning out to search and clear the area.
Ivan looked between me and Gideon, then stepped directly between us, blocking Gideon’s view of me. Ivan’s back was protectively toward me. He stood tall, like he was attempting to be intimidating.
Ivan was a strong Alpha, but so was Gideon. I wasn’t certain the show of intimidation was going to work, but I was still grateful for it. With Ivan here, I immediately felt more at ease.
18:12 Fri, Jan 30
Chapter 141
Ivan wouldn’t let Gideon take Nova.
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My poor girl was still crying. I rubbed her back, trying to soothe her. But she was so scared. My own fear likely wasn’t helping her.
Ivan was here. We were safe now. I needed to calm down.
Gideon’s POV
Seeing Ivan, I couldn’t help but tense further. As he squared up against me, so did I. When he stepped in between Claire and me, it took everything in me not to physically rip him away, to get him out of the way.
Claire was alive. She was here in front of me. Or at least, she had been.
Now Ivan was going to lead her away before I had a chance to get any answers at all.
I refused to be left in the dark again.
“You should leave, Gideon,” Ivan said.
“Not until I have answers,” I said.
“There’s nothing for you here,” Ivan replied. “Not even answers.”
“Claire” I tried to lean, to see around him.
Ivan immediately stepped to the side, blocking my path. “Do not talk to her.”
I glared at him. “I have a right to know what happened to my former mate.”
“You do not,” Ivan said plainly.
“Whether you agree or not, Claire and I share a child. For Leo’s sake –”
“No,” Ivan said. “Claire and Nova are under my protection. You are a threat and not welcome to speak with them.”
“I helped save Nova!”
“For which we are thankful,” Ivan said. “Now leave, before this turns ugly.”
Was he threatening me?
Ivan was an intimidating force, and his warriors were fierce and loyal. But I was not the type to be frightened off. I wouldn’t be backing down.
If Ivan wanted a fight, then he would have it.
But then, in the background, I heard Nova’s gentle sobbing, and my anger deflated. A fight would only continue to frighten the poor child. What she needed right now was a safe place, surrounded by blankets and soft things.
18:12 Fri, Jan 30
Chapter 141
零面
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Instinctively, I wanted to be the one to protect her. If I could bring Claire and Nova back to my pack house, I could provide the safety she needed.
But with Ivan here, that wasn’t possible. In fact, it seemed much more likely that Claire and Nova would be going back with Ivan.
For Nova’s sake, maybe that wouldn’t be so bad. After all, Ivan’s pack house was her home. All of her things were there. As much as I hated to admit that my pack house might be lacking, perhaps she would be happier to return to Ivan’s.
This did not sit well with my ego, but for Nova’s sake, I knew I had to back down. As difficult as that was.
I backed up a half–step, but this was seemingly not enough for Ivan.
“You will stay away from Claire,” Ivan said threateningly
“You don’t own her,” I snapped back.
His growl was low. “She is mine now. Do you understand?”
He didn’t wait for a response. Instead, he turned and scooped Claire up into his arms in a bridal carry. As she was still holding Nova, now he was also holding Nova too.
Holding them, he didn’t even look back at me. Instead, he started marching toward the tree line he had emerged from, which would lead him back to the border of his own pack.
At once, I tried to follow, only to have a pair of his warriors block my path.
I growled at them. I was an Alpha, and we were on neutral ground. They had no right to stand in my way like they were doing.
Yet, with the way they looked at me, their expressions serious and steady, holding no fear at all, I knew deep down inside of me, that to continue to follow Ivan would lead them to attempt to block me more forcefully, which could lead to a war.
My soldiers were still tired from the battle with the rogue. On top of that, to bring them here to fight just so I could have answers to personal questions would be terribly selfish of me.
Also, fighting would likely lead to Claire closing herself off to me even more than she had already done.
If I wanted to have any hope of talking to her in the future, I needed to stand down for now.
I had to bide my time so that I could fight another day, even if it hurt right now.
