Chapter 181
Chapter 181
Claire’s POV
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I wasn’t willing to accept defeat. Even with Daniel gone, there had to be some kind of trail, some kind of lead, that could tell me what really happened to my mother.
Ivan had thought it was poison, which was enough for me to consider the possibility as well. His feelings for Lena might have been clouding his judgment, but I had always known the man to be purposeful in his thoughts and deductions.
Perhaps his feelings had gotten in the way. But it was still worth checking out.
I just had to find a way to search for answers on my own. Or maybe with some help.
Ivan wasn’t the answer. Talking about this had been a trial for him. I was grateful, but I could see the wear on his face, in the hardened features and the tension he now carried in his shoulders.
If he had more answers, he would have shared them. If he had leads, he would have already explored them.
There was no reason for me to drag Ivan through all this again.
I led him back to the door and said goodbye. I was incredibly thankful for what he shared. As a gesture of goodwill and friendship to come, I leaned up and lightly kissed him on the cheek.
He squeezed my hand as if to thank me, then turned, shifted, and ran. He hadn’t brought a car here. No back up or extra warriors. He had come all this way alone to make sure I was alright, and in doing so he had kick started a new mystery for me that I was determined to solve.
He was a friend. Even if things were estranged right now. I’d never be able to thank him enough.
With him gone, I started going over everything we had talked about. Again and again, I turned it all over in searching for answers. I was coming up with none.
my mind,
I knew I needed help. My options were limited at the moment, but even if they weren’t, the obvious answer would have been Gideon. As Alpha, he had access to resources that I didn’t. And he’d already been researching Lena and the Alpha King, I’d seen evidence of that.
He wouldn’t have answers yet, but he would know where and how to start looking.
Cautiously, after promising myself that I would keep my schoolgirl feelings deeply buried inside of me, I searched out Gideon and found him in his office. As soon as I stepped into the shadow of his doorway, he looked up at me.
It seemed as if he was as attuned to me as I was to him. Briefly, I wondered how the mating bond was affecting him. Was he feeling the same way I was? Was he noticing all the things about me that he liked? Was he thinking of kissing every part of me, as I was thinking of him?
I shook my head and scolded myself. If I didn’t focus, I would never uncover the truth.
The truth was the most important thing to me now. More important than mating bonds or how great sex with a mate would be.
I blinked, hating myself.
This really wasn’t the time.
I pictured icebergs in my head. Cold showers. Muddy shoes. Whatever I could to bring my lust back down to normal levels.
When I was feeling like myself again, I told him, “I need your help.”
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10:12 Fri, Feb 13 B
Chapter 181
“Whatever it is,” he said at once, “I will help you.”
“You will?” That was fast. “You don’t even want to know what it is first?”
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“I will prove myself to you,” he said. “That means standing by you for anything and everything. You wouldn’t ask me if it wasn’t important. Let me help you. Whatever you need.”
“Gideon….” I was touched.
“There’s nothing I wouldn’t do for you, Claire.”
Gideon’s POV
Maybe I said too much. I realized that at once, as she placed her hands over her heart and started backing away. She was running from me again, and this time, I wouldn’t allow myself to chase her.
I needed to respect the distance she put between us, even when all I wanted to do was rush to her, take her in my arms, and kiss her until she was mine again.
I watched her go, regret rising in my heart. My wolf paced angrily inside of me, begging me to follow her, to place my teeth to her neck and make her my mate once and for all.
I resisted.
She has to come to us, I reminded my wolf. Or she will resent us forever.
I would also resent myself.
My wolf chuffed but didn’t disagree.
Claire had her walls up with me, and given our past, I could understand why. It would take time to convince her I was trustworthy. The only way to do that was to keep being here, to keep trying, to keep loving her from a distance.
Eventually, maybe, she would see that I was genuine, and that the mistakes of the past were just that.
They were not going to be repeated.
Inwardly, I made a vow.
Claire was the woman I loved, the only won for me. I wanted her back, not just as the mother of my children but also as my wife. I wanted her forgiveness, but also her love.
I would find a way to earn both.
Perhaps, in helping her with what she needed, I could at least be off to a strong start.
Susanne’s POV
I hated visiting the pack houses. Though large in size, generally, they lacked the grandeur of the palace. The décor was never as nice. The lights were never as bright. And the servants were never as well trained.
Justin’s pack house was no different. Though it was clear they were trying for decadence with a fountain in the foyer.
Really, it was just tacky.
I kept my opinions to myself, though. At least for now.
I needed something from the pair here – from Daphne, specifically – and I knew I wasn’t going to get it by insulting her. She was a tacky bitch, but she had her pride. I had to appeal to that or she’d rail against me.
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10:12 Fri, Feb 13 BD B
Chapter 181
Daphne was definitely the type I’d rather have as a friend than an enemy.
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A servant led me toward a room where Daphne was reclining on a lounge chair, an open romance novel on her lap. She was eating from a bowl of peeled grapes.
“I didn’t expect a visit from a princess today,” she said. “You didn’t even call first.”
“This couldn’t wait for formalities,” I said. “I need your help.”
She lifted her brows first, and then her gaze up to me. “With what?”
“Claire. You know her, I presume.”
“I do.”
“I want her out of the way,” I said.
Daphne smirked. “I knew you wouldn’t like her.”
“Gideon is too handsome to end up with someone like her,” I said. “A pretender. Yet he seems to be in love with her. I need her out of the way to get and keep him for myself.”
“As good a reason as any,” Daphne said, finally setting her book aside. “I just want my father back.”
“Help me, and when I’m Gideon’s Luna, I’ll have him release your father.”
Daphne grinned.
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