The Heartless Alpha’s Beloved Luna (Avery and Gideon) novel Chapter 489

Avery’s POV

“Why isn’t it healing?”

“She took a direct hit from an Alpha. The scar may be permanent…”

The pain radiated from my face, spreading down my jaw and into my neck. I tried to open my eyes, but even that hurt. The light filtering through my eyelids was too bright, making me wince.

Someone was speaking nearby. Multiple voices, I realized.

“Hand me that bandage…”

“She’s still bleeding.”

I forced my eyes open, blinking against the light. The room came into focus slowly. White ceiling. Soft sheets beneath me. The smell of medicinal herbs, mixed with the coppery tang of fresh blood.

I was in a bed. That much I knew.

The healer’s face appeared above me. She pressed a cool hand to my forehead and smiled faintly, but it was thin around the edges, like she was trying to hold back tears.

“She’s awake,” she said.

Other faces crowded in. More healers. They poked and prodded at me, checking my pupils, my pulse, the swelling on my face. I tried to bat their hands away, but my arms felt like lead.

“Easy,” the woman said. “You took quite a blow. You need to rest.”

“Bjorn,” I croaked. My voice came out raspy and raw, like I’d been screaming. Maybe I had been. It was all such a blur… I couldn’t remember anything that happened after Sebastian’s fist, claws extended, came barreling toward my face.

“He’s fine. Still sleeping upstairs,” a familiar voice said.

With much effort, I managed to turn my head to find Gideon sitting in a chair beside the bed. His face was a mess. Bruises covered his jaw and cheekbones, and one eye was swollen nearly shut. His lip was split, and there were bandages wrapped around his ribs.

But he was awake. Alive.

The relief I felt was immediate and only a little welcome. I was still pissed despite the fact that the pain was overwhelming the majority of my senses.

“Hey,” he said quietly.

I tried to speak, but my throat was too dry. One of the healers handed me a glass of water, and I drank greedily, the cool liquid soothing the rawness.

“How long was I out?” I asked once I could talk again.

“A few hours.”

I looked down at my hands. They were shaking. “What happened?”

I slowly turned my head.

“He was going to hand your son over to me,” Gideon went on. “In exchange for leaving you alone. So he could have you for himself.”

The room spun. I clenched my jaw tight.

“You’re lying,” I whispered.

“I’m not.” Gideon’s voice was steady. “Ask him yourself if you don’t believe me. But I’m telling you the truth. He doesn’t care about you, Avery. He cares about winning. About beating me.”

I shook my head, but the motion made my face throb. “Why didn’t you tell me this before the fight?”

“I planned on telling you after.”

My throat tightened, and I looked away. Tears stung my eyes, which didn’t help any with the pain.

Gideon reached out like he wanted to take my hand, then seemed to think better of it. He pulled back and folded his arms across his chest instead.

“I know Bjorn is my son,” he said quietly. “I’ve known for a while, deep down, but it was confirmed for me last night. And I want you to know that…” He sighed. “I’m not going to take him from you, Avery. I just want to protect him. Protect both of you.”

I pressed my lips together and looked at him. His face was covered in bruises. Bruises that he had taken for me. Or at least, for some twisted kind of idea of what he thought I wanted.