Chapter 61

Claire’s POV

The air around us felt stifling, tense and heavy and Gideon slammed his arm against the wall beside my head trapping me. The sound echoed through the whole hallway, making my bones shudder. He leaned so close that the space around us shrank, I held my breath as I dared not breathe around him so close and felt heat radiating from his body.

I stood still, my instincts on the edge of flight.

“Alpha Gideon—” I whispered his name with a trembling voice. But he didn’t hear me. Or perhaps he couldn’t. His breath was ragged, uneven, every inhale was like an animal begging to be unleashed.

I lifted my eyes to his face.

What I saw there chilled me and burned me all at once. His eyes, those commanding sharp eyes that always made me stand on guard were now filled with storming, molten hunger that didn't to him at all. Not the Gideon I knew. He was not longer the Alpha who carried his pack’s burden with pride and discipline. This was something else, something darker, something that reeked of poison.

The realization dawned upon me. He is drugged.

My pulse quickens. Who could had done this to him? Someone had drugged his body, his mind, twisting him into this… this predator before me.

But no matter how much my mind screamed the truth, my body betrayed me.

Every nerve in my body remembers him, his scent, strength and warmth. This situation reminded me of the memory of that night which I kept buried deep in my mind.

Our first night.

The night none of us had thought would happen but due to circumstances and weakness it did. His touch had seared me then, confusing and sinful, leaving me ashamed and hollow by morning. I had sworn I would never let it happen again.

And now this situation has awakened the same fire from that night.

My traitorous wolf stirred, pressing at the edges of my control, howling for me to give in. His chest slowly pressed against mine, I felt his hot breath against my neck. I trembled not just because of fear but because of the desire and longing I didn't want to acknowledge.

“Alpha stop—” I managed to gasp out those words with a small crack in my voice, as I felt weak against his demanding strong presence.

“Claire…” His voice was low, guttural, a growl pulled from somewhere primal. The sound of my name on his lips sent a shiver through me, but it wasn’t right—it wasn’t him.

I looked at him tense as he spoke my real name, did he find out..no. I looked into his eyes and saw haziness in them and sighed with relief. He was hallucinating.

This wasn’t his choice. This wasn’t love.

This was his drug speaking.

I tried to push him as my hands pressed against his chest, but his body was too strong to get pushed, I felt his tense muscles he held my waist, I winced as his fingers dug into my skin. I gasped as he pulled me close to him, his touch felt burning even through the thin fabric of my clothes.

No. No. No.

I bit my lower lip, fighting the part of me that said to let him have his way with me and feel what I had felt that night. I hated myself for wanting even a flicker of it.

But I wasn’t that woman anymore.

I was Raven now. I was a mother. I was stronger. I knew I couldn't give up, I didn't wanted to history repeat itself, not fall into Daphne's schemes again.

“Alpha Gideon!” I screamed and gathered every ounce of strength I could and pushed him away with all the force I had.

He staggered back a bit as he looked at me surprised but unfortunately the hunger in his eyes was still there. If anything, it grew sharper, darker.

I pressed my back against the wall as I breath heavily trying to calm myself down. His gaze raked over me, and the hunger there made my skin crawl and burn all at once.

I needed to keep him away. I needed—

He lunged again, one hand reaching toward me, his breath quick and ragged, and for a split second, I thought I had lost.

And then—

“Well, well,” a voice purred. Smooth, venomous, dripping with satisfaction. The atmosphere turned colder instantly as recognising the voice instantly. Daphne.

I didn’t need to see her face to know she was smirking, her poisonous delight filling the air. She sounded like a snake who was now circling her pray to ravish and devour.

“What do we have here?” she crooned.

I turned my head slightly, just enough to see her standing at the corner of the hall, her arms crossed, her posture graceful in its mockery. Her eyes shined like she have just won, her lips turned into smile and I wanted to take away her smile badly.

My wolf growled inside me, but worry gripped me more then anger. Because this wasn’t just about me.

If Daphne had planned this hell..I knew she planned this, then her every move is sure to be calculated and cruel. And Gideon, the Alpha, was standing before me consumed by fire that wasn’t his.

I was cornered between a poisoned Alpha and a venomous serpent who would happily watch me burn.

“You don’t have to be so scared, Raven,” Daphne said mockingly her steps were slow, graceful and deliberate. Her heels clicked against the stone, each sound like the toll of a clock counting down.

My chest felt heavy with worry.

“Shut up Daphne,” I snapped not able to control myself.

Her smiles widened but there was darkness in her eyes. “Fiery, aren’t you? How cute. But fire won’t save you from this.” She pointed towards Gideon, whose eyes were burning hot like fire in desire, he was hardly able to control his own body since he was caught in his own desire.

“Daphne—” I tried to speak carefully, but my voice broke. I didn't know if I should threaten her or beg her.

She looked at me with fake sympathy as the mock dripped from her tone. “Oh, don’t be so worried, dear. He only wants what’s right in front of him. And if you’re too stubborn to satisfy him…” She took a dramatic pause, her gaze flicking between me and Gideon. “Well, let’s just say someone else will take care of him.”

My nails dug into my palms. Rage, fear, and shame warred inside me. I wanted to tear her throat out for daring to orchestrate this, for twisting him, for reducing him to this state.

But Gideon moved towards me again as he tried to grab me, so I had no choice but to look at him cautiously yet firmly.

“Gideon, listen to me!” I spoke loudly yet firmly as I placed my hands against his chest to stop him “This isn’t you. You know you’re stronger than this—you have to fight it!”

For a moment, his eyes flickered, a flash of recognition sparking in the molten storm. My heart leapt. But then it vanished, consumed by the heat once more.

I was losing him.

And Daphne was enjoying every second of the torture she has put Gideon in it.

“You can struggle all you want,” she said with fake sweetness. “He’ll give in eventually. They always do.”

I looked at her sharply as my fear turned into fury. “You’re pathetic. You think making him lose control will make him yours? He’ll never forgive you for this. Never.”

Daphne stopped smiling, her jaw tightening, but she masked her anger with laugh “Oh, Claire, darling. Forgiveness is not what I really want.”

The malice in her voice chilled me.

So she wasn’t really after forgiveness. She was after destruction.

I braced myself, pressing against Gideon’s chest as he leaned closer again. His lips hovered near mine, so close I could feel the heat of his breath. My heart raced—not with longing, not anymore, but with the desperate fear of crossing a line that could never be undone.

I couldn’t let it happen. Not like this.

Not while Daphne is going to celebrate her triumph with gleeful eyes.

With a surge of desperation, I twisted my body, ducking beneath his arm, and shoved him sideways just enough to create space between us. My breath came in harsh gasps, sweat dampening my palms.

Daphne's evil laugh echoed in the hall. “How long do you think you can resist, Raven?”

I didn’t answer as I was thinking of how to get out of the situation. I couldn’t waste words on her.

All I could do was defend myself, for Gideon who was struggling, for my children who were only a hallway away.

But inside, dread and fear increased.

Because Daphne wasn’t finished, it was just the beginning. And Gideon wasn’t free, he was in danger.