hapter 15Â
GemmaÂ
“Gemma,” Donovan says. He’s old, but his voice is still deep and resonant. It’s like I can feel his Alpha power leaking through theÂ
phone.Â
“Good evening, Alpha Blackwell,” I say.Â
He chuckles. “None of that, my girl. You know to call me Grandpa.Â
Tell me, did I wake you?”Â
I can never keep my guard up against the open affection in the old Alpha’s voice. Maybe because, aside from my mother, no one has ever spoken to me this way: kind and caring.Â
I still can’t reconcile it with the man who backed me into a cornerÂ
and got me to marry his grandson.Â
“No,” I say, curling my knees up to my chest in the back seatÂ
of the car as I watch the city go by. “I’m awake. Is somethingÂ
wrong?”Â
“No, no. I’ve just been speaking to my new doctor. He’s got witchÂ
blood. Very knowledgeable about herbs and potions.”Â
“I see,” I say as my heart sinks. I know where this conversation isÂ
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“I’ve got another potion for you. I’m headed over now to drop it off personally. This time, you’re sure to get pregnant.”Â
I bite my lip. He wants an heir from Cassian so badly, and since there hasn’t been one in three years, he thinks we have fertilityÂ
issues. And since Alpha wolves never have fertility issues, theÂ
problem logically has to be me.Â
I don’t have the heart to tell him that Cassian simply refuses toÂ
sleep with me. But keeping up the lie means I have to take all theÂ
potions, pills, and medicines Donovan is always bringing me.Â
I should pull off the band–aid now and tell him about Cassian’sÂ
refusal to have babies, the divorce, all of it. But it’s so hard toÂ
disappoint one of the two people in the world who truly loves me.Â
“Okay,” I say. “I’ll see you there.”Â
We hang up, and I tell the driver to change directions and take meÂ
to the house I used to share with Cassian.Â
I ask him to wait in a shadowed alley while I hurry over to the gate of the house. If I do this right, Cassian will never know I wasÂ
here and I can get back to Zina’s apartment and still get a decentÂ
amount of sleep.Â
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But just my luck, Cassian gets home before his grandfatherÂ
arrives.Â
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I didn’t have anywhere to hide, so I stand awkwardly at the gate toÂ
the driveway while he drives right up.Â
CassianÂ
I wish I can say I’m surprised to see Gemma when I pull up to theÂ
gate, but I’m not.Â
The little rabbit is already tired of her game. She didn’t even last three days.Â
She must be here to apologize for her ridiculous outbursts overÂ
the last few days.Â
Lucky for her, I’m in a forgiving mood.Â
I roll down the window as I pull up next to her. “You can go in, butÂ
don’t do this again. Next time I won’t let it go so easily.”Â
Confusion crosses her beautiful face, then her brows furrow inÂ
anger and she takes a step toward the car. “You have some nerve, you know that?”Â
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I frown, Irritation rising. “Like I said, Gemma, I won’t hold it against you. What the hell are you complaining about now?”Â
But I know what it has to be. “Is this the Reyna thing still?”Â
I pinch the bridge of my nose. “Reyna is a skilled businesswoman.Â
She knows the ins and outs of the underworld. Stop being jealousÂ
of her accomplishments and get over yourself.”Â
Pure rage like I’ve never seen flashes in Gemma’s eyes. Her handsÂ
clench into fists. She opens her mouth to speak, and I think sheÂ
might yell at me again.Â
Why am I intrigued by the idea?Â
Why does the power she exudes when she’s this angry turn me on so fucking much? When she’s angry like this, she gets a light in her eyes and this feeling swirls around her.Â
She’s like a goddess, a force who can bring sustaining life orÂ
merciless death.Â
But then she pulls back, no longer a primordial force but the little rabbit once more. She looks to the side and says, “I don’t care about Reyna. Didn’t Ferne tell you? I don’t work for you anymore.”Â
I couldn’t be more surprised if she suddenly got a wolf and bit me.Â
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“What do you mean you don’t work for me?”Â
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She throws up her hands in frustration. “Cassian, did you even notice I didn’t go to your stupid meeting?!”Â
“You’re throwing a tantrum,” I snarl. I push open the door to theÂ
car.Â
“And you’re-Â
Before she can finish her sentence, we’re drowned in the bright white glare of headlights.Â
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