The Heartless Alpha’s Beloved Luna (Avery and Gideon) novel Chapter 402

Avery’s POV

Gideon stared at me so long I was certain he might burn a hole through the midnight blue fabric with just his eyes.

“Are you going to stand there with the door open?” the stylist asked around a mouthful of pins.

Gideon snapped out of it and stepped inside, letting the door fall shut behind him. “Sorry,” he said, clearing his throat. “I didn’t realize you had company.”

“Clearly.” I looked down at the fabric draped over me. “Sebastian’s having a gown made for me. For the banquet.”

Gideon’s face tightened at the mention of Sebastian.

“Right,” he said. “That’s a very… husbandlike thing to do.”

The stylist glanced up at me. I just shook my head at her.

“Was there something you needed?” I asked Gideon.

“I came to speak with Sebastian about pack business.”

“He’s in his office. Down the hall, second door on the left.”

“I know where it is.” He didn’t move immediately, though. He just stood there for a moment with his hands in his pockets, looking anywhere in the room that wasn’t me. Then, as if he’d just remembered something, he looked back. “How’s the ankle?”

“Fine. Better.”

He nodded again. I watched him for a moment and figured that if I was going to do this, I might as well do it now, while we were already in the same room and I couldn’t talk myself out of it.

“Gideon,” I said.

He looked at me.

“Thank you for what you did the other night. Finding Bjorn, bringing him back. I haven’t had a chance to see you since then, but I hope you know that I really appreciate you going out of your way to help him.”

Gideon was quiet for a moment before he muttered, “You don’t have to thank me for choosing to save a kid.”

The door opened again, and this time it was Bjorn, who came skidding in wearing a baseball cap and carrying a ball in one hand. He stopped dead when he saw Gideon, and then his whole face split into a grin.

“Gideon!” he said. “What are you doing here?”

“Pack business.” Gideon nodded at the ball. “What are you doing?”

“I was gonna see if anyone wanted to play catch, but Colt said no because he’s busy, and everyone else said no because they’re boring.” Bjorn tossed the ball up and caught it. “You wanna play?”

Gideon looked at me. I hesitated, uncertain, but then I recalled the conversation I’d had with Sebastian and I just couldn’t bring myself to say no.

“Sure,” I said. “Go ahead. I’ll meet you guys out there in a bit.”

Bjorn pumped his fist. “Yes!” He turned and ran out of the room, leaving me standing there with the stylist, Colt, and Gideon. Gideon’s lips twitched like he wanted to smile. He nodded once then left. Colt followed him.

It took another twenty minutes or so to wrap up with the stylist, who finally declared herself satisfied with the measurements and the fabric and the silhouette decisions, and promised the gown would be ready two days before the banquet.

I wasn’t entirely sure why I went outside after that. I told myself it was just for some fresh air, that I’d been cooped up inside for days and the afternoon was finally nice enough to justify it. Both of those things were true.