Chapter 187

Gavin’s POV

“Alpha Landry, how does it feel to have the winner of the Gamma competition be a part of your territory?”

“Will you be recruiting Judy Montague for your Elite Force?”

“What is your personal relationship with the winner of the competition?”

The paparazzi were relentless; no matter how many times I ignored them, they wouldn’t seem to stop. A low growl escaped my throat, my Alpha powers raging around me, making it painfully known to them that I wasn’t in the mood to engage in conversation. Their faces paled almost immediately upon seeing my aggravated wolf, knowing that aggravating my wolf further could result in their death.

They stepped away from me, allowing me to pass them without saying a single word. I paused when I saw Judy seated with Nan and Sammy. She wore a low-cut black dress that left no mystery of what lay beneath; her cleavage was on full display and the dress hugged her defined curves perfectly. Her hair was tied out of her face and down her back and she wore light makeup that brought out her features. She didn’t need makeup, but on the occasions that she did, it made her beauty pop.

I swallowed hard at the sight of her; the smile that lit up her face as she spoke to her friends. A smile I hadn’t seen directed at me in quite some time. Whatever happened that set her off the other night, it damaged the small relationship we had.

I thought we had an understanding, but it seemed as if I was wrong.

“You’re like a lovesick puppy,” Irene sighed, leaning next to me. Her eyes followed mine and narrowed when she saw Judy seated at one of the tables. “Why don’t you just admit you have feelings for her.”

My jaw tightened; I don’t have feelings for her. At least not those kinds…I couldn’t allow myself to have feelings for her. She was a convenience; she got my mother and Daisy off my back for a while, but now it seemed Daisy was back and ready to fight.

The thought annoyed me.

Judy was also using me to get revenge on her ex… so there was nothing more to it than that. And yet, she was upset because I shared a simple dinner with another woman.

“Dad, I know you…” Irene said softly. “I know you have feelings for her. Why can’t you admit that to yourself… or to me.”

“Because you are wrong,” I said, peeling my eyes away from Judy so I could look at my simple-minded daughter. “There’s nothing going on between me and Judy.”

Irene only rolled her eyes.

“Yeah, that’s what Judy said too,” she muttered.

I felt a ping of hurt in my chest at the thought of Judy denying our relationship… or denying she had any feelings for me at all.

“Then maybe you should listen to us,” I told her as I started to walk away.

“I will when you stop staring at her like you’re lost without her,” Irene said, folding her arms across her chest.

I pressed my lips in a thin line and decided not to make any further comments on the matter.

“So, you’re going to be going to school with us?” Judy asked Sammy, who nodded with a faint smile on her lips.

“Yes; all thanks to Alpha Landry,” Sammy replied.

It was true, I was the reason Sammy was able to get into the Shifter Academy bordering the Redmoon pack. She was in her second year of college and made it possible for her to transfer and finish up the rest of her schooling closer to Judy and Nan, where she can have actual friends to help her get over and forget about her ex-boyfriend, who apparently cheated on her.

I caught her crying in one of the lounges earlier and she told me everything that happened. Including the fact that they go to the same school, and she isn’t sure how to face anyone there. She doesn’t have many friends, and her family doesn’t care about her; she expressed her wishes to leave and never look back, so I opened the doors to my territory for her.

Judy seemed thoughtful for a moment as her eyes found mine. I’m not sure if she meant to look at me or if it was just a habit, but when she saw me, I could see a flash of hurt in her eyes, as if she was remembering something that hurt her deeply and it made my chest fucking tighten.

What the hell was wrong? Why was she looking at me like I sat on her birthday cake?

It wasn’t making any sense; it had to be more than just dinner.

I suddenly couldn’t take it anymore; I wasn’t sure if it was because of my run-in with the paparazzi, or the fact that Judy was staring at me like I killed her cat, but I wasn’t going to stand around and let this continue.

It was only fucking dinner, and she was going to see it from my perspective. Before she could protest, I grabbed her wrist. Not enough to hurt her, but enough to get my point across that she was coming with me whether she liked it or not.

“Let’s go,” I said, pulling her out of her seat and forcing her to follow me out of the ceremony room.

“Gavin, what the hell are you doing?” She gasped, her face red and on fire as she followed me into the hallway. There wasn’t anybody in the hallway because they were all too busy with the ceremony.

I pulled her around the corner where I was sure we wouldn’t be bothered and then I pressed her against the wall, pinning my body against hers. Her curves fitting along my toned body perfectly, her breasts rising and falling with each quick breath she took. Her eyes were wild as she stared at me. I could see the turmoil of emotions in her eyes, and it was tearing me apart inside for reasons I didn’t even understand and that pissed me off even more.

“Why the fuck are you pissed?” I asked her through my teeth, no longer sugar coating it.

She narrowed her eyes at me, a then tried to shove her way past me. it was clear she had no intentions of answering me, but I wasn’t going to give up.

“Answer my fucking question, Judy. What the fuck did I do to make you despise me enough that you can’t even fucking look at me,” I told her, my tone low and threatening, my breath against her ear as I spoke each word slowly so she would understand what I was asking.

She shivered beneath me, and it made me smirk knowing the effect I still had on her body. She bit her lower lip like she was trying to keep it from trembling.

“it doesn’t matter anymore,” she finally said after a long pause. “I knew what this was when we started. There was no real commitment and no promises so I shouldn’t be angry.”

“Then why are you?” I asked through my teeth. “Why can’t you even look at me anymore? Why won’t you talk to me? Why are things awkward between us?”

“Because you didn’t tell me!” She snapped, tears threatening her eyes as she stared into mine. “You let me find out in the worst way possible. You could have told me the truth, Gavin.”

“The truth?” I asked, raising my brows. “Look, I don’t know what Irene told you, but—”

“She didn’t tell me anything,” Judy said, wrapping her arms around her body like she was trying to keep herself together.

I couldn’t help myself; I found myself reaching up and wiping a stray tear that managed to escape my eyes with my thumb. I allowed my fingers to linger on her cheek for a moment longer before I pulled back, giving her some space to breathe.

“What do you mean she didn’t tell you anything?” I asked, my brows furrowed. “Then how the fuck did you find out about anything?”

“Because I saw her…” Judy said, her voice dropping low. “In your suite. I went to your suite that night and she was there… practically naked and only wearing a robe. You were in the shower when she answered the door…”

At that moment, Judy looked so small and vulnerable, something inside of me snapped. I knew something smelled off when I returned to my suite with the kids that night. Even Matt could sense something was different about the scent, but we were all so tired that I didn’t look into it further.

“Judy, what the fuck are you talking about?” I asked her, my tone was rough and anger filling it.

“Don’t deny it, Gavin,” Judy said, folding her arms across her chest. “You slept with Daisy Baldwin the other night and the evidence was in your suite in a bathrobe.”

Rage.

All I felt at that moment was pure rage.

My wolf flashed through my eyes and a low growl escaped my throat, making Judy’s eyes widen in shock. I pushed off the wall before I broke it with the force of my anger.

“Fuck!!” I growled fiercely in the hallway, making Judy suck in a sharp breath. Without another word, I took off, leaving her staring after me.