The Heartless Alpha’s Beloved Luna

Chapter 395

Avery’s POV

My ankle was rapidly starting to swell and darken in spots. It was definitely twisted at the very least, and perhaps even fractured slightly. I definitely wasn’t going to be able to put very much weight on it.

But I wasn’t about to give up searching for my son over a sprained ankle. I’d been through far worse than this for far less.

Gritting my teeth, I grabbed the thin trunk of a nearby young tree for support and hauled myself up.

“Avery-” Gideon reached for my elbow, but I swatted him away.

“I’m fine,” I said. “Perfectly fine.”

Gideon and Sebastian exchanged a look that said neither of them believed me, although I pretended not to notice it. Fiona was standing a little ways away, watching the whole exchange with wide eyes. I thought about her elbow digging into my spine and wondered if she had done that on purpose, but right now wasn’t the time to bring that up.

Taking a deep breath, I tested my ankle. Unfortunately, the moment I put weight on my foot, the pain shot straight up through my leg. I had to clench my teeth so tightly I thought they might crack just to keep myself from crying out.

“See?” I choked out. “I’m fine!”

Gideon planted his hands on his hips and shot me a look.

“I can walk it off,” I said, a little weaker now.

“You can’t,” Sebastian said flatly.

I ignored them both and took one step forward, keeping my hand on the tree. Then another. The third one made my vision swim and I stopped, breathing through my nose, waiting for it to pass.

It didn’t pass.

my shoulder. “Avery, I think you ought to go

is out here somewhere. I’m not going

expression softened. “How can you help him when you can’t even walk?” he asked. His voice was gentle, but there was an underlying edge to it

Gideon then, and his

to pipe up. Her tone was warm, but her words were clearly designed to make me feel like shit.

home,” she said, checking her nails then looking back at me with a smile. “This terrain isn’t exactly suited to someone who has spent the last decade in the city. The forest gets

said, turning slowly to look at her, “you think I was already at a

in the human city for so long, so

human city.” I narrowed my eyes at her. “And Fiona, I’ve navigated

pregnant, and terrified, I wanted to add, but I kept

snapped shut at that. She was smart enough, at least, to know when to shut the hell up. I had to

I’m going to have to insist

“But-”

“We can

set hard with determination, and I knew that look in his eyes all too well. I had seen it many times before, ten years ago, back when

those nights when he insisted on finding her, neither of us realizing that it was me, and that I was right

look was still the same. Only now it was in reference to our

but not a painful one. It was surprisingly warm and tender, and

one to care about my son to such a degree. Aside from my mother, of course. But I’d never dreamed that Bjorn could have a father figure in his life who genuinely cared like this, and for a moment, I almost felt guilty for keeping them from each other for

quickly squashed that feeling before it could wrap around me. There were still many reasons why I had to keep Bjorn and Gideon separate, and one single day couldn’t

wasn’t going to walk on this ankle. If anything,

“Fine,” I said, staring

yourself sick, Avery. He’s probably just holed up somewhere to wait out the storm. He’s a smart kid. He wouldn’t get hurt

But right now, with tensions so high and the pain in my ankle worsening by the moment, I wasn’t

her. “Can