Chapter 17
Third-Person POV
After returning to the Silver Claw Pack estate, Judy got straight to work turning Grayson’s cold, monochrome den into something warmer -something that felt like home.
She replaced everything. The austere black bedding was swapped out for soft pastel comforters. Matching towels, matching toothbrushes, matching slippers—pink and
blue, side by side. Even Grayson’s old, worn-out house slippers didn’t survive. Judy tossed them. without a second thought and placed the new couple’s pair right at the foot of the bed.
She flitted around the room. Meanwhile, Grayson stood by the doorway, arms crossed, silently watching her transform his space.
It was strange,
He’d always been alone-his room, his life, his rules. But now, there she was. This woman, his mate by law if not yet by bond, buzzing about
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his room like she belonged.
And it stirred something unexpected in him.
When his father first called, barking at him to return for the sudden wedding, Grayson had resisted. He hadn’t even met the girl, and rumor had it she’d been in a five-year relationship with a male who refused to claim her. Sounded messy.
Then his father dropped the real bomb-Judy was marrying someone else the same day as her ex’s wedding.
That, he had to admit, was crazy.
Intrigued, Grayson rushed home.
He’d expected someone bitter or broken, maybe desperate.
But Judy… Judy was sharp, stubborn,
surprisingly bold-and a lot more fun than he’d anticipated.
“All done!” she chirped, snapping him out of his thoughts.
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Night had already fallen. Moonlight filtered through the window, casting a silvery sheen. over the freshly redecorated room.
Grayson yawned dramatically and dropped onto the bed. “Let’s sleep.”
Judy blinked, suddenly realizing what that
implied.
They were married now-technically. Which
meant… were they supposed to share a bed?
Her body tensed. She barely knew this man. Sure, he was handsome, but her heart wasn’t ready for that.
“You go ahead,” she said quickly. “I’m not tired
yet.”
She grabbed a random book off the shelf and made a show of reading on the nearby sofa.
Grayson raised a brow but didn’t push it. Instead, he stood and stretched. “Alright, alright. I won’t push my luck. You’ve had a long day. Get some rest.”
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With a faint smirk, he padded toward the guest room and disappeared down the hall.
Only once he was gone did Judy let out the breath she’d been holding.
She turned her gaze to the moon, the silence around her suddenly too loud.
Alpha Simon’s face-bloodied, bruised, desperate-flashed in her mind.
She shook her head. No. Don’t think about him.
She had told herself she was done. Over him.
But some memories had teeth, and they bit
down when you least expected it.
Just as she began to unwind, her phone rang.
The screen lit up with a familiar number. Her fingers hesitated.
Simon.
She let it ring once. Twice.
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By the third time, something in her gut twisted. She picked up.
“…Hello?”
A voice barked on the other end-but it wasn’t
Simon.
“If you still have a shred of conscience, get to the hospital. Simon’s dying!”
It was Wilona.
Judy shot to her feet. “What did you say?!”
“Moonhowl Pack NO 1 Hospital. Come or don’t
—your choice.”
Click. The line went dead.
Judy stood frozen, her heart pounding.
She didn’t want to see him. Didn’t want to go. She’d told herself she was finished with that Chapter.
But if something really happened to Simon- especially after the scene at the wedding-the
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consequences wouldn’t just fall on him. Her
father, the Steele family, even the Silver Claw Pack could get dragged into the mess.
She didn’t have the luxury of ignoring it.
She headed toward the door.
Grayson stepped into the hall, blocking her path. “Where are you going?”
Judy hesitated for only a moment. “They said Simon’s dying. I have to go check.”
Grayson’s jaw flexed, eyes narrowing. His voice came out sharp. “Of course. Still can’t let him go, huh? The guy pulls a dying act and you go running. Honestly, it’s embarrassing-for all
wolves involved.”
Judy didn’t rise to the bait. She was too tired to
argue,
“If you’ve got the time to criticize me,” she said flatly, “you can come along. If not, I’ll go alone.”
There was a beat of silence. Then Grayson grabbed the car keys and tossed on his jacket.
“I’ll drive,” he muttered. “Let’s go see what pathetic little trick your ex is pulling now.”
