The Heartless Alpha’s Beloved Luna (Avery and Gideon) novel Chapter 486

Avery’s POV

The sun was just starting to rise by the time Claire and I pulled into the driveway at Evergreen.

I killed the engine and sat there for a second, gripping the steering wheel. My hands were shaking. I hadn’t slept. I hadn’t eaten. I’d spent the entire drive back replaying what Tegan had told me, what Gideon had done, and by the time we arrived, I was so wound up so tight from it all that I felt like I might explode.

Claire, pulling up behind me, came over and knocked on my window. “You okay?” she called through the glass.

“No.” I shoved the door open and climbed out. “But I will be once I make sure Bjorn is safe.”

She nodded and followed me up the driveway. The house was quiet when we stepped inside. Too quiet for this hour. Usually, servants were bustling around at this time and the whole place smelled like fresh bread.

Something was happening. I could sense it in the air, like electricity crackling at the edge of a storm.

“Where is everyone?” Claire asked.

I was about to answer when a roar from outside, followed by voices cheering and shouting, answered for me. I stopped and turned toward the noise. It was coming from the courtyard.

Claire and I exchanged a look, then hurried in that direction.

The courtyard was packed when we arrived.

Pack members filled the space, crowding around a makeshift ring of torches in the center. The flames danced in the early morning air, reflecting off of excited faces. My throat constricted as the scene reminded me all too much of my very first night in Evergreen. The night of the banquet.

And there, in the center of it all, standing on opposite sides of the ring, were Gideon and Sebastian.

Both of them were shirtless.

“Fuck,” I whispered.

I pushed through the crowd, shoving past people who barely noticed me. Claire stayed close behind, muttering apologies as we forced our way forward.

Melissa appeared at my elbow before I could reach the ring. She grabbed my arm and pulled me to a stop.

“Avery,” she said. “You’re back.”

“What the hell is going on?” I demanded, gesturing at the ring.

She glanced at Gideon and Sebastian, then back at me. “Gideon challenged Sebastian to a rematch. Of their original fight.”

My blood went cold. “Why?”

“Not entirely sure. All I know is it happened about an hour ago. Gideon showed up and called him out, and clearly, Sebastian accepted.”

Clearly. I looked over at Sebastian, who was stretching his arms on one end of the ring. On the other end stood Gideon, bouncing on his toes. Neither of them seemed to notice me yet.

I didn’t have to ask Gideon to know why he was doing this. It was all too obvious.

Gideon had challenged Sebastian because of Bjorn. He had to be. He’d found out somehow that Bjorn was his son, and now he was fighting Sebastian, the only other Alpha standing in his way, in the hopes of taking Bjorn from me. I was sure of it.

I started forward again, pushing past Melissa. I shoved through the last few people standing between me and the ring, breaking through the front row. Both men turned when they saw me.

“Stop doing this,” I said.

His lips pressed together. “I’m not entirely sure. But I think it’s best if you stay out of it. Sebastian is a proud Alpha… He won’t back down from a challenge like this.”

My jaw ticked. Of course he wouldn’t. Neither of them would. And they were both forcing me and my son right into the center of their petty little fight.

I folded my arms and turned back toward the ring, watching as Colt walked into the center. He held up his hands, quieting the crowd. Melissa and Claire both came to stand beside me, watching with rapt attention.

“Ladies and gentlemen of the pack,” Colt announced, turning slowly to address the crowd, “this morning, we gather to witness a formal rematch between Alpha Sebastian of Evergreen—” Cheers and applause cut him off, along with a few scattered howls. “—and Alpha Gideon of Nightwolf.”

I looked at Gideon as he lowered his stance. His eyes were dark and dangerous. It was the same look I’d seen years ago, in Asher’s camp, when we escaped together. Moments before everything fell apart for good.

I looked at Sebastian next. He cocked his head to one side, then the other, cracking his neck audibly. His eyes… There was murder in them. It made my breath lodge in my throat. I didn’t know exactly what the stakes were between them, but I had a bad feeling about it. Sebastian wasn’t going to stop until he tasted blood. I wasn’t sure if I had ever seen him look that way before.

Curious, I glanced at Melissa, gauging her reaction. She was staring at Sebastian with a hard gaze, jaw clenched so tightly I could see the muscles bunching under the skin.

Something was wrong.

“May the best Alpha win,” Colt said, stepping back. He lifted one hand, palm flat, skin faintly catching the flickering light of the torches.

Silence fell.

My wolf bristled, turning toward our mate. I bit down on the inside of my cheek to keep from moving closer to him. Claire, as if sensing the urge, grabbed my hand. I laced my fingers through hers and held on tight.

“Let the fight… Begin.”

Colt dropped his hand, and Sebastian and Gideon surged forward, slamming together with a crash that reverberated through the quiet courtyard.