The War God Alpha's Arranged Bride (Evelyn and Alexander) novel Chapter 308

**Steps Along Forgotten Roads**
**By Sophia Reed**
**Chapter 308: Embarrassed**

**Judy’s POV**

A wave of humiliation washed over me, and I could hardly comprehend the depths of my embarrassment. How could I have let myself be drugged last night? The very thought made my stomach churn. And then, as if that weren’t enough, I had practically thrown myself at Gavin. The memory of it all was painfully vivid, and I hated that I could recall nearly every moment. No wonder he had slipped away in the dead of night, unable to bear the sight of me.

As I lay there in the dim light of the morning, I caught sight of the Tylenol and a glass of water resting on the bedside table. My heart fluttered at the realization that Gavin had left them for me. It was a small gesture, but it spoke volumes about his care for me. Yet, despite that sweetness, I felt a fresh wave of mortification. How could I have let myself get into such a state?

I wanted to scream, to cry, to unleash all the pent-up frustration and shame, but I held it in. I was stronger than this moment, and I needed to gather myself. With a heavy sigh, I reached for my phone on the nightstand. The screen lit up, and my heart sank a little when I saw Nan’s name flash across it, a new text message waiting for me.

I swiped the screen open, my fingers trembling slightly as I read her words.
**Nan:** “I barely remember last night. Did you get home okay?”

With a deep breath, I pressed reply and typed my response, trying to keep my tone light.
**Me:** “Yes. Gavin took us both home. How are you feeling?”

Her reply came quickly.
**Nan:** “Like shit. But I’m glad you’re okay. Did I do anything stupid last night?”

I hesitated for a moment, biting my lip.
**Me:** “Not at all. Just get some rest today, and we can talk later.”

I placed my phone back on the nightstand, letting out a deep sigh. It was probably for the best that she didn’t know about her unfortunate incident last night. I also recalled her mentioning something about finding her mate. I didn’t want to burden her with my concerns about what she had shared, so I decided to keep my questions for later. But I was determined to get to the bottom of this supposed mate of hers. From what I gathered, he had gone out with another woman the previous night, and it had driven Nan to drink far more than she normally would.

I couldn’t blame her; the betrayal of a mate could feel like a dagger to the heart. I quickly threw on some clothes, my stomach grumbling in protest as I made my way downstairs. The thought of food was enticing, and I was eager to see what Chester had whipped up for breakfast.

As I entered the kitchen, I found Chester hard at work over the stove, his brow furrowed in concentration. Harper was there too, her arms crossed tightly over her chest as she spoke to him, but he seemed oblivious to her words. She looked upset, and it was clear that something was amiss.

“I’m not sure why you are acting like that,” she hissed, frustration lacing her voice.

“Because you were the one who insisted we keep our relationship professional, so that’s what I’m doing,” Chester replied, his tone sharper than I had ever heard from him.

“Everything okay?” I asked, stepping into the kitchen and taking a seat at the counter beside Harper.

“Chester is acting like a jerk,” she murmured, narrowing her eyes at him. “I don’t understand why I deserve this treatment…”

Chester turned around, spatula in hand, his expression hardening.
“You wanted to keep this professional, Harper. How am I the bad guy here?” he challenged, his voice firm.

“Professional while we were working? We weren’t working this morning when I was trying to talk to you,” she shot back, her frustration boiling over.

“Okay then, start talking. What’s so important?” he asked, raising an eyebrow, clearly unimpressed.

Her cheeks flushed pink, and she stole a quick glance at me before returning her gaze to him.
“It’s kind of a private thing, and I don’t really want to discuss it right here while we’re working,” Harper said, biting her lower lip nervously.

“Then maybe you should stop asking about it,” he murmured, turning his back on her.

“Chester, you’re acting strange. Is everything okay?” I decided to interject, sensing the tension in the air.

“Yeah, sorry. Just didn’t sleep too well,” he muttered, avoiding eye contact.

“That’s a lie,” Harper retorted, her arms still crossed defiantly. “I went to your room last night, and you weren’t there.”

“Why did you go to my room?” Chester asked, his frown deepening as he turned to face her.

Her cheeks flushed a deeper shade of red.
“Because I wanted to talk to you last night, but I couldn’t find you…” she muttered, her voice barely above a whisper.

Chester turned his back to her again, focusing on the food he was preparing. After a moment of silence, Harper excused herself, hastily leaving the kitchen. I felt a pang of concern for her, wanting to follow and check on her, but I chose to stay and see if Chester was alright instead. It was a refreshing change to focus on someone else’s drama for a moment.

Chester was busy making veggie omelets, and my mouth watered at the delicious sight. He was so engrossed in his cooking that he didn’t even notice my gaze lingering on him. That was until he finished and turned to place an omelet on my empty plate. He froze when he caught me watching him.

“Everything okay?” he asked, his eyebrows raised in curiosity.

“I could ask you the same thing,” I replied, a teasing smile creeping onto my lips. “What’s going on with you and Harper?”

He shrugged, his expression shifting to one of annoyance.
“We slept together a couple of times just to scratch each other’s itch, and now she’s acting all clingy,” he said, exasperation evident in his voice. “One minute she acts like she wants nothing from me, and the next, she won’t leave me alone. It’s confusing, and I’m tired of being there for her whenever it suits her.”

I nodded, picking up my fork, intrigued.
“I think she likes you but is too scared to admit it,” I ventured, trying to help him see another perspective.

He raised his brows at me, skepticism etched on his face.
“I think she enjoys toying with me. I just want a little respect; is that too much to ask?”

He shot me a pointed look, his expression serious.
“I don’t think it matters. We don’t have a future. This was only meant to be fun,” he insisted, his tone final. “There’s nothing more to it.”

I crinkled my nose at him, feeling a mix of disgust and amusement.
“Gross, Chester,” I said, shaking my head.

He laughed, plucking an olive from my plate and tossing it into the air, catching it effortlessly in his mouth.
“Well, when you decide to take a relationship seriously, keep Harper in mind,” I suggested, a playful smile on my lips.

He smirked at me as he poured a cup of coffee, clearly amused by my meddling.
“I’ll think about it.”

“Hey,” he replied, his voice softening.

“What are you doing here?” I asked, trying not to sound upset, but I knew he could sense the slight edge in my tone. It had been two days since I last heard from him. I didn’t blame him, but still, the silence had been hard to bear.

“I brought Matt,” he explained, gesturing toward his house. “He’s waiting for you inside.”

I nodded, feeling a pang of disappointment in my chest.
“Oh, right,” I replied softly, remembering that Matt was staying here for training until filming wrapped up at the villa. “Thanks.”

As I started to walk past him, he reached out and grabbed my hand, stopping me in my tracks.
“About the other night,” he said quickly, causing my heart to skip a beat. I looked up at him, and his gaze was intense, holding mine captive. “I’m sorry.”

A frown creased my forehead.
“Why are you sorry?” I asked, confusion evident in my voice.

“I shouldn’t have left like that,” he said earnestly. “I’m sure you were confused when you woke up. You were drugged and—”

“I know,” I interrupted, my heart racing. “I remember everything.”

His eyebrows shot up in surprise.
“You remember?” he asked, his tone shifting as he processed my words.

I nodded, biting my lower lip as I recalled the way he had made me feel that night and how he had been there for me during my heat.
“Yes, and I never got a chance to thank you… for, um, helping me,” I admitted, my gaze dropping to the ground as if it held the answers I desperately sought.

He was quiet for a moment, studying my face with an intensity that made my heart race.
“I’m glad it was me,” he said, catching me off guard.

I lifted my gaze to meet his, feeling a warmth spread through me.
“Yeah,” I breathed, my voice barely above a whisper. “Me too.”

A smile tugged at the corners of his lips as he stepped closer, the space between us diminishing.
“Next time you ever need help… make sure you call me,” he said, his tone teasing yet sincere.

My cheeks flushed with heat, and I nodded quickly, feeling breathless.
“Okay,” I replied, my heart pounding. “I will.”

He wrapped his arms around me, pulling me into a warm embrace that felt safe and comforting. We lingered in that moment, savoring the connection between us, until Matt’s voice broke through the quiet.

“Judy! I’m ready for tutoring!” he shouted from the doorway. “Stop hugging my father and come inside!!”