The Heartless Alpha’s Beloved Luna (Avery and Gideon) novel Chapter 505

I smiled faintly. “I think I do, too.”

We paused for a moment, just lingering in that open space. Despite my best efforts, a feeling of relief washed over me. It felt nice to let go. Freeing.

Tegan, noticing the exchange, nudged Gideon with his elbow. Gideon finally looked away, and I exhaled.

I was still standing there, collecting myself, when I heard the doors open again.

I turned out of habit, and my stomach dropped.

Sebastian was here.

His eyes found mine immediately. His shoulders sagged, expression softening. His lips formed my name almost silently.

“Avery.”

Across the room, I felt Gideon go still. The bond hummed again, but this time, it was anger and protectiveness that flared through it. I pressed a small, deliberate calm through it. His wariness didn’t disappear entirely, but he didn’t move yet.

I walked toward Sebastian.

We met somewhere in the middle of the room, a few feet of space between us.

“I didn’t know you were coming,” I said curtly.

“I know. I should have told you.” He glanced down briefly. “But I was afraid you would refuse to speak to me again, and I really wanted to see you.”

I didn’t answer right away.

Sebastian reached into the inside pocket of his jacket and pulled out a small, flat box. He held it out.

I looked at it for a moment before I took it and opened it slowly.

Inside, nestled against a bed of dark velvet, was a pendant. A crescent moon, silver, small and delicate, with a faint shimmer to it that caught the light from the chandeliers overhead.

“Consider it an olive branch,” Sebastian said quietly. “An apology, I suppose, for everything that happened. For what I did. For all of it.”

“Wear it tonight,” Sebastian said quickly. “Please. I really want to see it on you.”

I looked at him, then back at the necklace. It was a strange thing to ask. But his expression was earnest and full of hope, and it was clear to me that he was just trying to make amends. Besides, it really was pretty.

“Sure,” I said. I reached in and unclasped the pendant, then fastened it around my neck. The metal was cool against my collarbone. I looked down at it briefly.

When I glanced back up, Sebastian looked almost relieved.

“The ceremony’s going to start soon,” I said, setting the empty box aside. “Thank you for coming, Sebastian. It means a lot. Please enjoy the banquet.”

He nodded, and I turned and walked back across the hall.

Gideon straightened as I approached, his eyes dropping briefly to the pendant at my throat.

I gave a small shake of my head. Later.

He nodded once, and as I stepped up onto the dais and took my place beside him, his hand found the small of my back.