Chapter 82
I managed a shaky syllable, pretending to be chill as I sat up, smoothing my hair and muttering,
“Man, how’d I pass out like that? Must’ve been Cassie making me watch that horror flick last night. Scared me sleepless.”
I hoped my nervous rambling would gloss over the mortifying fact that I’d been snoozing in Alpha Gideon’s
arms.
Alpha Gideon raised a brow, his tone knowing.
“Oh, that explains it. No wonder you were so insistent on snuggling into me. Horror movie side effects, huh?”
My eyes went wide.
The driver choked back a gasp.
My brain looped those words-insistent on snuggling into me-in bold, red, oversized font.
Insistent? Snuggling?
No way!
I whipped my head toward the driver, silently begging for backup.
The driver, caught peeking in the rearview mirror, flinched under my desperate gaze and, against his better judgment, gave a faint, “Uh… yeah.’
That “yeah” hit me like a thunderbolt, leaving me stunned.
After a long moment, I forced myself to face Alpha Gideon, my voice heavy with grim resolve.
“Alpha Gideon, next time this happens, you gotta push me off. Shake me awake. Hell, slap me if you have to!”
Alpha Gideon’s expression was almost saintly. “I don’t make a habit of roughing up my pack.”
The driver thought, Oh, come on! Alpha Gideon, you wanna talk about how you pulled her into your lap?
I pressed my lips shut, out of ammo.
I couldn’t exactly say, Alpha Gideon, please rough me up, I’m into it.
That’d veer straight into weird, kinky territory.
I turned my head to the window.
Better to just shut up.
The car fell silent, and the quiet held until we reached the resort pack.
The road climbed higher and deeper into the mountains, smooth despite the rugged terrain.
They’d built it to capture the raw, untamed beauty of the landscape, blending every detail of the infrastructure with the area’s eerie, mystical vibe.
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Antique-style bronze streetlamps lined the path, radiating charm.
At dusk or dawn, when fog rolled in and their warm yellow glow flickered on, the atmosphere was pure magic.
In winter, with snow blanketing the ground, it’d be a straight-up fairy tale.
The car pulled up in front of the main lodge of a sprawling estate within the resort.
A crowd was already waiting to greet us-members of the resort’s engineering and project management
teams.
Alpha Gideon and I stepped out.
“Alpha Gideon, welcome! Thanks for coming to guide us,” the project manager said, stepping forward.
The head engineer was right behind him.
Since Hartley held the resort’s management rights, the project manager was one of our wolves, while the head engineer was chosen by both packs.
Alpha Gideon exchanged greetings, then strode inside, the group trailing him.
Inside, I made quick introductions with the resort’s team.
The project manager was Owen Sinclair.
The head engineer was Matthew Ellis.
It was already 12:40 p.m., and the banquet hall in the main lodge was decked out with a lavish spread.
Alpha Gideon was ushered to the feast.
Half the meal was spent on flattery and schmoozing.
The team didn’t know Alpha Gideon’s style yet, only that William and Julian, Hartley’s rep, had eaten up the praise during their visits.
After lunch, Owen led Alpha Gideon and me to our accommodations for the night.
Riding in a sightseeing cart toward the villa district, Owen mentioned that William had shown up the previous
afternoon with a big entourage.
“Some high-society types, I guess. He invited them for a sort of soft opening,” Owen said.
“Where are they now?” Alpha Gideon’s brow creased slightly.
Owen, picking up on Alpha Gideon’s irritation, got bolder.
“They took over the lakeside villas. Partied all night. Probably crashed out now, sleeping it off.”
He leaned in, lowering his voice.
“Fourteen wolves in his crew-ten of ’em she-wolves. Last night, they threw a rager at William’s big villa. When the cleaners went in this morning? Condoms everywhere.”
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< Chapter 82
Alpha Gideon didn’t respond.
I couldn’t hold back.
“William’s that old and still keeping up with that?”
Owen shrugged.
“Who knows? Look, he’s an investor in the resort. If he wants to bring his pack, what can I say?”
Alpha Gideon’s face hardened, his eyes narrowing.
What’s William playing at?
The cart stopped in front of a villa with an ancient, elegant design, steeped in a dreamy, ethereal vibe.
“Alpha Gideon, I heard you prefer quiet, so I set you up here. This work for you?”
Owen asked.
“It’s fine,” Alpha Gideon said with a nod.
Owen carried our luggage inside, then added, “Alpha Gideon, take the afternoon to rest.
I’ll check if William’s crew is up yet. Once they’re awake, Matthew and I will take everyone on a tour of the
resort.”
The resort’s inspection process would take at least forty days.
Alpha Gideon and William were just here for a symbolic walk-through.
“Handle it,” Alpha Gideon said coolly.
I flashed Owen a smile.
“Owen, let me know when you’ve got things sorted.”
Owen grinned back. “Will do.”
He pulled out his phone. “Vivian, can I get your contact?”
“Of course,” I said.
Alpha Gideon’s gaze flicked to Owen’s barely-contained excitement, his eyes cooling a few degrees.
I added Owen as a contact on my phone.
“Your profile pic’s as stunning as you are,” Owen said, so dazzled by me he forgot Alpha Gideon was even
there.
“Thanks,” I said, graciously accepting the compliment.
Owen opened his mouth to keep the conversation going, but a chilling voice cut through.
“Owen, you seem awfully free.”
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< Chapter 82
Owen’s heart skipped a beat.
He’d be a fool not to catch the edge in Alpha Gideon’s tone,
He shoved his phone in his pocket. “Gotta run!”
He bolted, moving so fast he could’ve qualified for a speed-walking contest.
I slipped my phone back into my pocket.
Alpha Gideon’s face was still stormy-probably William’s nonsense souring his mood,
Poor Owen had just stumbled into the line of fire.
“Alpha Gideon, I’ll take the luggage upstairs,”
I said, grabbing both suitcases and heading for the stairs.
Mend
A few steps in, a woody, fresh scent, like morning dew mixed with sandalwood, brushed past me, and the
weight in my hands lightened.
I glanced over.
It was Alpha Gideon.
He’d taken the suitcases.
I froze, startled.
Alpha Gideon carrying my bags? That was as wild as Alpha Gideon driving me around.
Completely upside-down.
As if reading my mind, he said coolly,
“I told you, I don’t make a habit of mistreating my pack.’
With that, he hauled the suitcases upstairs.
I stared at his back. Really?
Carrying bags counts as mistreatment?
Is Alpha Gideon this considerate with all his she-wolves?
It felt odd, but I didn’t dwell on it, following him up.
Upstairs, there was a master bedroom, two guest rooms, and a study.
The master was Alpha Gideon’s, naturally
picked a guest room, dropped my suitcase inside, then headed to the master to unpack Alpha Gideon’s clothes.
I’d studied the detailed list of Alpha Gideon’s preferences Elliot had sent me-everything from his favorite foods to his clothing choices.
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It hit me that Elliot’s role felt more like a mate preparing for a sacred bond than an assistant.
What was the difference?
MICHU
