The War God Alpha's Arranged Bride (Evelyn and Alexander) novel Chapter 374

**Steps Along Forgotten Roads**
**By Sophia Reed**
**Chapter 374: Watch Duty**

**Gavin’s POV**

In an instant, I lost control.

The moment her lips uttered Levi’s name and she turned to leave, something inside me snapped. I couldn’t let her walk away so easily. With a sudden surge of frustration, I seized her arm and pressed her firmly against the rough bark of the tree. She was trapped there, my body a heavy weight pinning her in place. Her eyes widened, shimmering with a mix of surprise and defiance, while her breath came in quick, shallow gasps, as if she were struggling to maintain her composure.

I could sense the fire within her; she faced me without a hint of fear, despite my reputation as the most formidable Lycan Chairman in existence.

That fierce spark ignited a primal urge within me, stirring desires that I fought hard to suppress.

Her anger was intoxicating, making me want to claim her right there in the heart of the forest.

The sound of her heartbeat echoed in my ears, rapid and frantic. Was it born from rage or the electrifying proximity between us? I couldn’t help but wonder if I had the same effect on her as she had on me in that moment.

I recognized my own shortcomings; I had been a complete jerk to her today. But deep down, I believed she needed that fire, that fierce spirit, to navigate the treacherous waters of this competition. More than anything, I needed her to steer clear of Levi. Every time she was near him, I found myself losing control, consumed by jealousy.

The way Levi had looked at her in the gym earlier was unmistakable; he wanted her, body and soul. But there was no way in hell I would allow that to happen. Judy Montague belonged to me.

Belonged to me?

The realization hit me like a splash of icy water, jolting me back to reality.

She wasn’t mine. I couldn’t claim her as my own. She wasn’t my mate or my girlfriend—at least, not in the traditional sense. She was my son’s tutor, the woman I was involved with, but our relationship was merely a convenient arrangement. A way to scratch an itch and deflect the pressure from my family, not to mention a means to get back at her ex. That’s all it was… a matter of convenience.

But even as I wrestled with that thought, I felt a pang of regret as I released her, as if she had burned me. I ignored the rising tide of desire that surged within me at her closeness, the way her body felt pressed against mine.

Her chest heaved with each breath, the smooth skin of her abdomen tantalizingly exposed, beckoning me to touch her, but I fought against the urge. I refused to indulge in those thoughts while on watch duty. Even though the chances of an enemy attack were slim here, I wouldn’t allow myself to distract either her or myself like that.

This moment was crucial for her future, and I had to treat it with the seriousness it deserved.

I felt like a teenager, unable to control my urges. I was better than this; I was a goddamn Lycan, for crying out loud.

As I stepped back, I noticed a flicker of disappointment in her eyes, the fierce fight within her dissipating almost instantly, mirroring my own feelings. Her breathing gradually slowed, and I could feel her gaze on me as I began to pace, running my fingers through my hair in an attempt to calm my racing thoughts and the restless wolf inside me.

What the hell was wrong with me?

“You are such a coward,” she whispered, her voice barely above a murmur, but it struck me like a slap.

Her words pulled my attention back to her, and when I looked into her eyes, I saw tears shimmering there, threatening to spill over.

I remained silent, watching her as she effortlessly climbed the tree again, reclaiming her position on the highest branch.

From that moment on, she refused to meet my gaze for the rest of the night.

**Judy’s POV**

As the first light of dawn began to creep into the sky, I found it nearly impossible to keep my eyes open. I felt like I was teetering on the edge of consciousness, almost losing my grip on the branch just seconds before Gavin announced that our shift was finally over and we could return to the resort. Relief washed over me; I hadn’t slept in over twenty-four hours, and exhaustion weighed heavily on my shoulders.

All I wanted was to curl up in my bed and sleep for an entire day. Thankfully, we had a break today, which meant I could finally do just that.

“We should head back. I’ll write up your report and submit it to the judges,” he murmured, turning to walk away.

I hurried after him, feeling a surge of indignation.

“That’s it? No feedback?”

“You didn’t do anything worth mentioning,” he replied flatly, not even bothering to look back at me.

I was taken aback by his words, a mixture of shock and fury bubbling within me.

“Are you kidding me?” I nearly shouted, my voice rising in disbelief. “I stayed here all night, wide awake!”

“That’s the bare minimum,” he muttered, his tone dismissive. “Do you want me to commend you for not dozing off at your post? You should have gotten proper rest so it wouldn’t even be an issue.”

In a moment of frustration, I grabbed his arm, desperate to make him stop.

“I stayed awake because I was waiting for you!” I blurted out, only partially telling the truth. The other reason was the situation with Nan, but he didn’t need to know that.

He spun around, his eyes flashing with irritation, and I instinctively withdrew my hand as if I had been burned.

“You shouldn’t let anyone, not even me, hinder your performance,” he said through clenched teeth. “Your lack of sleep is your responsibility, not mine. Don’t put that on me.”

With that, he turned and started to walk away again, and my heart sank at the weight of his words.

I didn’t want to return to the gym, where others were beginning to gather.

Instead, I made my way toward the suite, needing to find some semblance of rest to clear my mind. I had endured enough bullshit for one night.

As I approached the elevator, I bumped into Sammy, who greeted me with a bright smile.

“Hey, how was watch duty?” she asked as I waited for the elevator doors to slide open.

“Exhausting,” I admitted with a sigh. “I spent the whole night with Gavin.” The words slipped out before I could catch them, but I was too weary to retract or rephrase my statement, leaving it hanging in the air between us.

Let her think whatever she wanted; it didn’t matter anymore.

She frowned slightly, tilting her head as she processed my words.

“Oh,” she breathed, her tone shifting. “He was the Lycan on your watch last night?”

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