Chapter 134
Claire’s POV
“Mommy! Mommy!” Nova rushed toward me.
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I had just been reading in my bedroom, preparing for bed, slowing down after a long day, when Nova burst into my room, phone first. She pushed the screen into my face.
It took me a few minutes to realize what I was seeing. Not only had Nova been secretly communicating with Leo, but now Gideon had reached out to her through Leo’s phone?
And in the message –
–
Leo’s condition was taking a turn for the worse?
My heart raced as my blood ran cold. My poor baby boy was going through so much. He needed his mother. I should be there.
Nova watched me, her eyes wide and frightened, and her stance nervous as she shifted uncomfortably from foot to foot.
She had hid speaking to Leo from me. Was that what was making her frightened now? Did she think I would be mad or scold her? When she received this message, she took a big risk in coming to me and sharing it with me. Did she think that too would get her in trouble?
No. My little girl was to be rewarded for bringing me this. I wished she would have felt comfortable telling me she had been texting Leo on her own. I wouldn’t have minded it. But that was something we could talk about later. Right now, she needed to know that she did the right thing bringing this to me.
“Thank you for showing me this,” I said.
Some relief crossed her face, easing away some of her tension. “You mean it?”
“Yes,” I told her, and gave her a quick hug. “You can come to me with anything, okay? I will always be here for you. I love you.”
“Thanks, Mommy. I love you too.”
“Can I borrow your phone for a little while? I need to figure out what I’m going to do.”
“Okay…”
With one more squeeze, Nova seemed satisfied, at least in terms of her not getting into trouble. She still seemed worried though, and I imagined that worry was for Leo.
Unfortunately, I didn’t have any means of comforting her there, because I was worried about him too.
“Leo is strong,” I said. “We can pray to the Moon Goddess for him, but we need to believe he’ll be okay.”
Nova nodded, and I knew she would try. Like with me, though, I wasn’t sure how successful that was going to
- be.
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Chapter 134
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I gave her another hug, together we said a prayer to the Moon Goddess, and then she went back to her room.
I continued to look down at the phone, debating what I should do. With a sigh, I knew that even if I wanted to leave the pack, I would need Ivan’s permission. Ivan wasn’t going to handle this news well, but I had to talk about this with him.
He claimed to be my friend, and someone who wanted to support me in my times of strife. So perhaps, what I really needed in this moment was his guidance.
Placing my book to the side, I stood and carrying Nova’s phone, went to find Ivan. He was in his office, finishing up the pack work for the day.
“Claire?” he asked as I walked in. Perhaps my worry was written all over my face. I was trying to hide it, but Leo was my son. It was impossible to fully contain my fear for his wellbeing. “What’s wrong?”
I didn’t know what to say, so I showed him the message. He processed like I did, his face carefully blank as flashes of emotion crossed his eyes. Then he looked up at me.
“What do you want to do?” he asked me.
“I need to get to him,” I said.
Ivan watched me a moment, then he said, “You don’t find this method of communication suspicious? Going through your daughter to get to you?”
“What are you saying?”
“I think this is a trap,” he said. “Gideon is trying to draw you out so that he can trap you.”
“But if Leo is worse…” I said. I could see the reason in what Ivan was saying, but it was difficult to look at things logically and not let my heart get in the way. “He’s my son, Ivan.”
“Gideon knows that,” Ivan said. “He’s using that against you. We can’t trust him.”
I hated that Gideon was right, and that in knowing that, I had to be cautious. I so much wanted to be there for Leo, but who was to say what was real and what wasn’t? I had to be smart about this, or I’d risk losing Nova
too.
I didn’t want to have to choose between my children. I felt like my heart was being torn in two.
But for now, I knew I had to stay here and pray for Leo from afar. As much as it hurt.
Ivan was right. We couldn’t trust Gideon.
Gideon’s POV
I expected a response right away, but after a few hours, and then a few days, I heard nothing. My disappointment rose, but so did my regret. I shouldn’t have gotten Nova involved. She was too young to be in the middle of this and I probably had made her terribly confused.
Maybe the best thing to do for now was to leave well enough alone.
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I didn’t think I’d ever be satisfied without answers, but there were other important, pressing matters to consider at this moment
Like my upcoming court case.
The date was quickly approaching, and soon, I would have to travel to the Royal Pack once more to face off against Justin and Daphne in front of the Alpha King, and would then be dealt the Alpha King’s judgement.
Not only did I want to defend myself, but I also wanted to present evidence that Daphne had ordered the rogues to strike my pack, which ultimately led to the hurt of my son.
My lawyer remained confident that things would proceed as we’d hoped, but had confirmed with me that there was no way he could face the King alone without me.
I had to go with him to the trial. I had to leave my son.
Xavier had promised to watch him, but I would be gone for a few days. I couldn’t leave it all up to him. I asked him to gather some of my most trusted guards, not the ones who had guarded Leo in the past. I wanted people Xavier knew personally to be good men, who would do the right thing and protect my boy.
Only after strict interviews was I satisfied.
To Xavier, on the day I was set to leave, I said, “I’m leaving my son’s life in your hands, Beta. He is the most precious thing in the world to me.”
“I understand, Alpha,” Xavier said, his face serious. He understood his assignment, and it’s importance. That gave me some measure of comfort, even if most of this was troublesome. I hated leaving my son.
“If…” No, that wasn’t right. I started again. “When Leo awakens, I want to be alerted. I will start my return the moment I receive that message.”
I didn’t care if I was in court. I didn’t care if the Alpha King was in the middle of his judgement.
With that call, I would return. And I would be joyous.
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