The War God Alpha's Arranged Bride (Evelyn and Alexander) novel Chapter 260

260 /400

**Steps Along Forgotten Roads**
**By Sophia Reed**
**Chapter 260: The Day After**

**Judy’s POV**

The sound of water cascading in the shower stirred me from the depths of slumber the following morning. I blinked against the soft light filtering through the curtains, slowly becoming aware of my surroundings. I found myself still in Gavin’s bed, the sheets tangled around my limbs, my skin bare and exposed. The events of the previous night flooded back to me in vivid detail, igniting a warmth in my chest. I had been so utterly exhausted that I had drifted off without a second thought, and now I was awake, basking in the afterglow of the most incredible sleep I had ever experienced, punctuated by the most intense orgasms I could have imagined.

I felt a thrill of exhilaration mixed with a tinge of anxiety as I tried to piece together the memories of last night. Had Gavin fallen asleep next to me, or had he retreated elsewhere? I glanced over at his side of the bed, and the imprint of his body still lingered there, slightly warm to the touch. A smile crept onto my lips, and I couldn’t help but feel giddy. But then, I chastised myself internally. I shouldn’t be feeling this way—especially not towards Gavin Landry.

He was my boss, for heaven’s sake, and soon to be my ex-mate’s father-in-law. The very notion of harboring feelings for him felt wrong on so many levels. Yet, despite the chaos of my thoughts, I couldn’t bring myself to regret what had transpired. Deep down, I understood that this could never happen again. The consequences would undoubtedly lead to a tangled mess, and right now, I was drowning in enough turmoil as it was. My father remained imprisoned, my ex-mate was relentless in his harassment and blackmail, and his fiancée, in an ironic twist, wanted to forge a friendship with me. And now, I had crossed a line by sleeping with her father.

This was as complicated as my life could possibly get.

I swung my legs over the side of the bed and stood up, hastily scanning the room for something to wear. My tank top lay in tatters, and my shorts were practically ruined from our impromptu bath last night. Heat rushed to my cheeks at the memory, and I quickly shook my head, trying to banish the thoughts.

As the shower turned off, I felt a wave of panic wash over me. I snatched the blanket from the bed, wrapping it around my body like a shield, desperate to conceal my nakedness. Not that it truly mattered; we were shifters, after all, and nudity was hardly a taboo among us. Gavin had seen me in all my glory just hours before. But the thought of him seeing me like this, exposed in the light of day after our night of passion, sent a shiver down my spine.

A moment later, the bathroom door swung open, and out stepped Gavin, enveloped in a cloud of steam. My breath caught in my throat as I took in the sight of him—his form was nothing short of breathtaking. A towel was draped around his waist, barely concealing his manhood, yet I could clearly make out the outline of his impressive length.

How was it possible that he was still so aroused after everything we had shared?

Or perhaps that was simply his natural state? I couldn’t quite discern.

My gaze wandered, tracing the droplets of water that glistened on his sculpted abs, cascading down his body and disappearing beneath the towel. His heavy breathing sent a thrill through me, and I found myself yearning to run my fingers through the soft patch of hair on his chest, to taste him like a sweet candy.

He cleared his throat, the sound jolting me back to reality. I realized with a start that I had been caught in the act of unabashedly admiring him.

Heat flooded my cheeks as I locked eyes with him. I could see the amusement dancing in his gaze, the way his right brow arched playfully as a smirk tugged at his lips.

“Are you done?” he teased, his voice low and inviting. “Or do you want another round?”

I was taken aback by his audacity, my mind racing to catch up with my emotions. Did he really just say that? Did he not see how utterly mortified I was? He had taken my virginity, and I had willingly surrendered it to him.

A wave of realization crashed over me—my chances of giving my virginity to someone I intended to marry were gone. I had already given that part of myself away, and there was no way to reclaim it. A heavy sense of dread settled in my stomach, and I fought the urge to collapse back onto the bed, my legs feeling like lead.

“Last night was a mistake,” I finally managed to whisper, more to myself than to him. But with his enhanced Lycan hearing, I knew he caught every word.

His expression shifted, narrowing his eyes at me, and for a fleeting moment, I thought I saw a flicker of hurt flash across his face. But it vanished before I could even blink.

“I asked you if you were sure,” he replied, his voice steady but laced with an undercurrent of tension.

“And I was at the time,” I blurted out, desperate to clarify. “I’m not blaming you. I just realized that this can’t happen again. You’re my boss and my ex’s future father-in-law…”

At the mention of Ethan, I noticed his jaw tense, and I couldn’t tell if it was my words or the thought of Ethan marrying Irene that had caused the shift in his demeanor. I wasn’t about to pry.

“We should pretend this never happened and maintain a professional relationship moving forward,” I concluded, lifting my gaze to meet his.

He stared at me for a moment longer before clearing his throat and nodding. His expression turned indifferent, perhaps even a touch cold, and I wished I could decipher what was going through his mind. He had built a wall between us, and I felt the distance growing.

“Okay,” he finally said after a beat of silence, his voice devoid of warmth. “But you shouldn’t leave like that.”

He turned away, rummaging through his drawer, and pulled out a long T-shirt—normal-sized for him but a dress on me. He tossed it in my direction before retreating back to the bathroom without another word, leaving me alone with my swirling thoughts.

**Gavin’s POV**

The day dragged on, and I found it impossible to focus on my work. My mind was consumed by thoughts of Judy and the intoxicating way she had moaned my name last night. The persistent arousal I felt was a constant reminder of our encounter, and I struggled to maintain my composure at my desk, acutely aware of the hard-on that refused to subside since waking up.