The Heartless Alpha’s Beloved Luna (Avery and Gideon) novel Chapter 575

Avery’s POV

The witch crossed the clearing like she had all the time in the world, her dress catching moonlight with every step, her chin tipped up toward him the exact way I used to tip mine.

I bit down hard on the inside of my cheek to keep from lunging past Colt’s arm right then, right there, before we’d even had a plan.

Ten feet away from us, and she was still close enough that I could see the shape of my own hands on her, the shape of my own throat bobbing under the skin. Like she had any fucking right to have any of it, let alone my mate.

Sebastian leaned in close, his voice barely more than breath in my ear. “We can’t just walk out there together. She’ll see all three of us coming and react before we can do anything. You know that as well as I do.”

I sighed, knowing he was right. It was one thing when Gideon was alone—and even when the witch was alone. Who knew what might happen now that she had a powerful Alpha enthralled, possibly ready to follow her every command?

I wasn’t sure if I wanted to find out what those two might do together.

“We’ll go first,” Colt said, gesturing between himself and Sebastian. “Draw her away from him. You can wait for an opening.”

The thought of standing back, waiting, when every moment counted, didn’t exactly fill me with joy. But it was the only idea we had right now, and it wasn’t a bad one.

I nodded, stepping back. I looked up at Sebastian. “If you pull any stunts, thinking you can turn this in your favor—”

“I won’t.” His eyes, the eyes of a man I once called my friend, were hard and certain. I didn’t forgive him or even trust him, really. Not by a long shot. But he looked like a man who had run out of his own options, who had lost too much to warrant siding with the witch who had taken everything. Sebastian may have been selfish, but he wasn’t an idiot.

At least, I hoped he wasn’t.

At Colt’s signal, they stepped out from the trees together, not bothering to hide their presence. Gideon’s head snapped toward them first, and rage crossed his face, pure and dark and utterly immediate.

“You,” he snarled, pointing at Sebastian. “I told you to stay away.”

“I said leave.” Gideon’s eyes were glassy and dark. Not yellow the way they went when his wolf was close, but something far more dangerous. Behind him, the witch folded her arms and smiled, watching him like one might watch a live chess piece move across the board in a final move.

I took that moment, while her attention was momentarily loosened, to move.

I didn’t make it far. Ten steps at most, and her eyes snapped to mine immediately, momentarily looking like too many, as if her disguise flickered, before she pulled the mask back into place. Fury cut across her features, quickly followed by that same smile.

“So,” she mouthed. “You made it out.”

“Gideon.” I ignored her. “Gideon, look at me.”

Gideon froze just short of Sebastian. His eyes went to me, and for a moment, no one moved.

“It’s me,” I said. “I’m the real Avery.” I pointed at her. “She’s an imposter. A witch wearing my skin so she can take over the pack.”