The Heartless Alpha’s Beloved Luna

Chapter 162 Avery's POV The fever finally left my body but it took the last of my strength with it. I was weak as a kitten and spent much of the next few days sleeping deeply, only rousing myself to drink water and use the bathroom. My friends, Ian, Madelyn, and Melody, came to visit in those first few days. They were the ones who told me what had happened after the rogues attacked. My memories were so fever-drenched, Thad little grasp of what had happened.

The rogues had been carrying me away between them, ostensibly to take me to the Rogue King, who had been waiting nearby in the forest. Likely, the whole attack had been coordinated in an attempt to grab me. They had known that Gideon and I were riding in separate cars and had directed their forces to separate us intentionally. Iremembered Gideon turning away towards Dierdra, leaving me to fend for myself. That was the last thing that was crystal clear in my mind from that day. Each day I worked on recovering my strength.

When I was finally strong enough to rise from my bed unassisted, I was allowed to sit on the balcony and feel the sun on my cheeks. My mind drifted in those days, remembering the events of the Alpha Council. No one else visited. ---- Maybe that wouldn't have bothered me, once. I hated being wounded, and I particularly resented showing my weakness to others. I should have been grateful for the space and time to heal. But I wasn't. Gideon never came to my room. As far as I knew, he never came while I was sick either. Iwas hopelessly alone.

What other signs did I need that this was never going to work? He had chosen Dierdra over me at every turn. It was only a matter of time before she successfully engineered my downfall. Or worse, my death. Her connection to Zara was becoming more clear. How had the Rogue King known where to find us? Who had told him when we were leaving? It was no longer simply a matter of beating Dierdra at her social competition. There was a very good chance she was assisting Zara in trying to deliver me to the Rogue King, and if that was true, then I was living on borrowed time.

took to locking my doors at night, though I doubted it could really protect me. If the Rogue King could strike at me here, deep in Nightwolf Territory, then nowhere was truly safe. After a week of recovery, I managed to make it downstairs to the kitchens and made myself tea. After that, I made the trip twice a day, taking it slow on the staircase. ---- I wondered

looking at the teabags in the cabinet, I was the only one touching the ginger, peppermint, and orange peel. 2 Throughout all those long days, and longer, exhausting nights, one question repeated in my head constantly. What was I going to do? This situation was untenable. I was rejected by the Alpha in every tangible way that mattered to my soul. My wolf was awake, but distant. My body was broken, and healing slowly. Iwas

had never felt so keenly how expendable I was. Finally, on a day in which I had a modicum of energy, I dragged myself down the hallway to Gideon's office. He hadn't been expecting me, that much was clear. To be fair, I was somewhat surprised to find myself there.

startled pose, in the middle of shuffling papers. Emotions flitted over his face so quickly, it was hard to read them. Was that... guilt? Regret? Concern? Anger? "We need to talk," I

my eyes, Gideon was staring at me, waiting. "You left me," I said. It would have sounded accusatory, if I had any force behind it, but I was too tired for that. It was simply a statement of