Chapter 27
Judy’s POV
“I told you,” Adam said, folding his arms across his chest. “Not only did she fail in her task of getting him to accomplish any of his schoolwork, but she’s also encouraging his distraction. She should be fired right away. I’ll repost the job on the werewolf job board.”
I was shocked by what Adam was saying. When I first met him, I thought he was kind and genuinely wanted me around. But now, it seemed he was trying to get me fired. I didn’t know what I had done to deserve this treatment, but I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t hurt by it.
“Is this true?” Gavin asked, his gaze fixed on me.
I looked up at him, my lips pressed into a thin line. I could feel my cheeks burning, but I ignored the heat rising in them. I turned toward the table where we had left Matt’s schoolwork.
“See for yourself,” I said, grabbing the papers and handing them to Gavin.
He took the papers and looked them over, his brows raising in surprise.
“This is Matt’s handwriting,” he said thoughtfully, flipping through each of the assignments. “He did all of this?”
I nodded, folding my arms across my chest as I glared at Adam, whose face immediately paled. “Yes,” I answered, my eyes never leaving Adam’s. “Matt did all his schoolwork and even got a bit of studying in. There’s such a thing as balance in a young boy’s life. All work and no play can lead to burnout and a lack of focus. Matt completed his assignments, and I rewarded him with some gameplay as I promised.”
I pulled my eyes away from Adam to look at Gavin, who was watching me with a perplexed expression.
“Matt lacks companionship, Alpha Gavin. This is what leads to his rebellious side. When you spend time with him, he’s actually a sweet and caring young boy.”
Gavin raised his brows and set the schoolwork on the table.
“Are you trying to teach me how to raise my son?” he asked, his tone neutral.
“Of course not,” I replied. “But perhaps punishing him without understanding the reasoning behind his actions is redundant. Even for you, Alpha.”
Gavin opened his mouth to say something, but then I felt the scarf around my neck slip down my shoulders. I scrambled to recover it, but it was too late. Gavin was already glaring at my neck, where the hickey was clearly visible. His eyes darkened, and his nostrils flared at the sight.
“It’s not what it seems,” I murmured quickly, wrapping the scarf back around my neck. I wanted to explain, but I couldn’t tell him the whole story. Gavin had already made it clear that he wanted me to stay away from Ethan because he planned for Irene to marry him. If I told Gavin that Ethan was the one who gave me the hickey, he’d never believe that I didn’t want it. He’d think I’d seduced him, that I was the one who led him on. He would never see it from my perspective.
“It doesn’t matter,” Gavin muttered, his irritation palpable. I wasn’t entirely sure why he was angry, but it was clear in his eyes and tone. “Just make sure you handle your private life better. I don’t need that around my son. Understood?”
I nodded, biting my lower lip.
“Understood,” I replied softly.
Gavin turned to glare at Adam.
“You told me that Judy failed to complete her mission today. But so far, I’ve seen she’s completed her task and then some. How dare you spread such false rumors, Adam?” Gavin barked, making Adam flinch.
“…uh…” Adam stammered, unsure of what to say.
“You’re not to speak in my presence for a month,” Gavin continued. “Now get out of my face.”
“Y-yes, Alpha,” Adam said shakily, quickly retreating out of the room with his head hung low in defeat.
I tightened the scarf around my neck, ensuring it wouldn’t slip again. Once I was sure it was secure, I straightened up and looked up at Gavin.
“I should get going. It’s getting late, and my mother is probably wondering where I am,” I said, feeling the need to leave the tension-filled room.
