Chapter 154

Judy’s POV

“You should give it a day or so and your wolf will heal you,” the doctor told me with a warm smile. “If it weren’t for your Alpha, we might not have gotten to you on time. You had the worst injury today.”

I raised my brows at his words.

My Alpha?

The Redmoon pack didn’t have an Alpha yet… was he talking about Gavin?

I didn’t bother asking him.

He finished what he was doing before he left the room, leaving me alone with my thoughts.

I was surprised that I was in a private room; I thought they would have stuck me in a room with the others. My chest constricted when I thought about the battle… had I messed up completely? The doctor told me that I should be healed within the day, so I should be cleared by the next round, but would they even want me to continue to the next round?

Was all of this for nothing? Had I messed everything up?

After a few minutes, the door opened, and I turned to see Gavin walking into the room. I was honestly surprised to see him. I thought he’d still be at the arena, watching the rest of the battle. Then again, maybe it was over by now. I wasn’t sure what time it was or how long I had been there.

Gavin’s face remained stoic as he closed the door behind him. Turning to face me, his expression darkened.

“Are you going to ridicule me?” I asked him after he hadn’t said anything. “Tell me that I was stupid and reckless?”

He still remained quiet, his eyes studying my face, his expression brewing.

I pressed my lips in a thin line and stared back at him. My heart pounded against my chest. The silence went on for so long with us glaring at one another, that I didn’t think he was going to say anything.

And then, to my surprise, he stepped towards me in one quick motion, cupped my face with his hands, and lowered his lips to mine. His mouth covered mine, and the warm, inviting kiss soothed all my worries.

He nipped at my bottom lip, nibbling me and drawing me further into him with his hands. Sparks danced on my flesh and made my heartbeat even faster. He licked the seams of my lips, begging me without words to part them and I did so without hesitation, granting him access to deepen the kiss. He sucked my tongue into his mouth, and I couldn’t help but let out a little moan as I desperately tried to get closer to him, pressing my body further into him.

He ran his fingers through my hair, massaging my scalp and causing tingles to spread throughout my body.

He pulled back slightly, leaving us both breathless and craving more, my eyes fixated on his lips.

“Someone’s coming,” he rasped out, agitation clear in his tone.

Just as he said those words, I heard the door opening. He pulled back from me, a smug look on his face as he took what he wanted from me and left me craving him. I barely had time to recover before I was being greeted by Alpha Jeremy.

I hadn’t had many encounters with him, so I was surmised to see him. Like the other Lycans, he portrayed a power that made it difficult to look at him. Gavin was the only one I could truly look at without my wolf cowering away or completely submitting.

I knew I was red, and my lips were swollen, I just hoped that Jeremy hadn’t noticed.

Thankfully, he wasn’t looking at me, his eyes were on Gavin. It gave me enough time to wipe the moisture off my lips and smooth out my hair.

“Gavin,” Alpha Jeremy greeted. “How are things here? You ran off so quickly we weren’t able to speak.”

“She’s recovering,” Gavin said cooly as if he didn’t just rock my world with only a kiss.

How was he able to recover so fast?

Jeremy turned towards me as if just noticing me for the first time.

“I just spoke with your doctor, and they say you’ll be healed for the next round on Tuesday,” he explained. “Congrats on being cleared. You fought a fair game out there and I’m excited to see what more you have in store.”

My eyes grew large at his words; did Jeremy confirm that I made it to the next round?

Did that mean I passed?

How was that possible?

I lost this round… I ended up in the infirmary.

“I… I don’t understand. Did I make it to next week?” I finally asked, my voice coming out a bit hoarse from dryness.

I realized I hadn’t had anything to drink since before the match; it had to have been several hours ago.

Jeremy gave me a small smile and a curt nod.

“Despite getting stabbed, your techniques, weapon use, and weapon control were superb. You not only impressed the judges, but you also impressed the Lycans. Congratulations. You’ll get an email with your weekend schedule by tomorrow. Your official notice for moving onto the next round will also be sent to your email.”

My heart swelled.

I actually made it!!

I looked at Gavin, expecting him to be smiling, but he had a dark look in his eyes. His jaw was clenched so tightly I feared he’d break a tooth if he didn’t loosen his mouth. His Adam’s apple bobbed when he swallowed, his eyes never wavery as they poured into the side of Alpha Jeremy’s face.

I pulled my eyes away from Gavin and glanced back at Jeremy who was pretending not to notice the dark look Gavin was shooting him.

“Thank you so much. I won’t let you down,” I told him, trying to ease some of the tension building in the room.

“Next week is crucial so you better be on you’re A-game,” he warned. “I don’t want to see you back here. I have a feeling you’ll go far, Miss Montague.”

Something about praise from a Lycan made my heart skip a beat and pride swell in my chest.

Jeremy finally glanced at Gavin and frowned.

“Gavin,” he said, dismissively as he turned towards the doors. “We are holding a meeting tomorrow morning in the conference room before the match. I’ll see you there.”

Gavin didn’t reply; he kept a passive look on his face, folding his arms across his chest. Jeremy turned towards me and gave me a polite smile. After he said goodbye, he left the room without another look in Gavin’s direction.

I suddenly couldn’t take it anymore. I was sick of his hot and cold attitude. I was just told good news and Gavin looked like he wanted to rip someone’s head off their shoulders.

“What’s wrong with you?” I asked after the brewing silence went on for far too long.

Just as Gavin opened his mouth to speak, the door swung open, and the doctor stepped into the room. Nan, Tyler, and Sammy followed after him. I wasn’t particularly happy to see Tyler amongst the group, but I was happy to see the others, despite the fact that they interrupted my conversation with Gavin.

I gave him a look that said, “We aren’t done talking.”

His eyes darkened and I felt my chest tightening.

I forced myself to relax and smile as Nan wrapped her arms around me, hugging me tight.

“I was so worried about you,” she breathed. “I’m so sorry I wasn’t there and that this happened.”

I glanced at Tyler who stood a distance away, his eyes anywhere but me. I knew why Nan wasn’t at the arena and I didn’t like it. I didn’t trust this guy. Nan didn’t belong to him; he wasn’t her mate. Nan’s mate was back home right now and there was no doubt in my mind that he was hurting.

“You are looking better than I thought you’d look,” Nan said, pulling way to look at me. “How are you feeling?”

“I’m fine,” I assured, her pulling my eyes away from Tyler to look up at her. “I’ll be fine by tomorrow. My wolf is already fast at work.”

It was true, I could feel my wounds healing as my wolf surged her energy through my body.

“Thank goodness for that,” Sammy said, hugging me quickly before pulling back. “I saw Tabby out there. She’s just getting checked out by some nurses and then she’ll come see you.”

I nodded, not wanting them to make a fuss over me.

“I’m fine, really,” I assured them. “Don’t worry about me.”

“I was thinking we should do a girl’s night,” Sammy suggested. “I think we could all use some time to relax and gossip.”

“That sounds great, but I’m stuck here,” I told her, lifting my arm to show her the IV in my arm.

“I think you are all set to leave whenever you are ready,” the doctor told me as he pulled the IVs out of my arm and dismantled me from the machines. “Your wolf should fully heal you by tomorrow morning and then you’ll be back to your normal self. I don’t see a need to keep you here.”

Gavin didn’t stick around; he excused himself and left without saying a word to me. I furrowed my brows at his retreating form, wondering what the hell was wrong with him.

……

“I’m glad you are feeling better,” Sammy told me, sitting on the couch in the hotel suite.

Tabby sat beside her, reaching for the bowl of popcorn that sat on the side table. She had a few scratches and bruises on her, but nothing too serious. She was also cleared for next week.

Nan and I were seated on the loveseats; Nan was trying to find us a movie to watch. The bruises on her arm caught my attention the second we were back at the hotel suite.

I tried to ask her about them, but she brushed me off and changed the subject.

I didn’t need her to tell me who had done that. I already knew and I wasn’t going to stand for it.

Tyler was a dead man.

“Yeah, I can’t believe Alpha Gavin rushed onto the arena like that,” Tabby laughed, shaking her head. “Did you see his face? I thought he was going to kill someone.”

“I wish I was there to see it,” Nan sighed, leaning back in the seat.

She finally found a romcom, and all she had to do was press play, but she held off while we continued to talk.

“Ew, can’t we watch action or something,” Tabby complained, crinkling her nose at Nan’s choice.

“I love romances,” Sammy said, a smile lighting up her face.

“You would,” Tabby said, rolling her eyes.

Ignoring them, I turned to Nan.

“Is everything okay?” I asked her. “I mean with you and Tyler.”

She frowned at me.

“Why do you ask…?”

I glanced at her wrist, my eyes narrowed.

“Because I’m not blind,” I told her, raising my eyes to hers. “Did you really think I wouldn’t notice?”

“Like I said to Gavin, I have it handled. It’s okay. I’m fine,” she told me, exasperated.

I raised my brows at her words.

“Gavin?” I asked her.

“All I’m saying is romance movies are stupid,” Tabby said, cutting through my thoughts. “And corny.”

“Says you,” Sammy said, folding her arms across her chest.

Nan rolled her eyes.

“I’m choosing the movie, and I want to hear nothing about it,” she told them, ending their argument. She was trying to avoid our earlier conversation.

Nan grabbed the remote off the table and pressed play, giving them one last pointed look.

My phone buzzed on the coffee table, and I grabbed it right away.

Glancing at the screen, my heart skipped a beat when I saw Gavin’s name.

Gavin: Meet me in my suite. Now.