Chapter 0064
Gavin’s POV
“Remind me again why we’re rushing to your villa, Alpha?” Taylor asked, his eyes catching mine through the rearview mirror, his tone laced with curiosity.
I kept my gaze fixed out the window, ignoring his question.
“We aren’t rushing,” I muttered, my tone sharper than I intended.
“As soon as the meeting was over, you ran out of the packhouse,” he pressed, his brows raised, clearly not backing down.
“Just focus on the road and not on my business, Beta,” I said, my Alpha aura flickering to the surface, cold and commanding.
Taylor let out a low chuckle before glancing at me for a brief second. “Yes, sir,” he murmured, but the humor in his voice didn’t escape my attention. I scowled but said nothing more as we reached the villa.
He parked the car outside the front entrance. I quickly exited the vehicle, adjusting my suit and clearing my throat before nodding my thanks to Taylor. I could see him watching me through the window, raising an eyebrow, but I didn’t bother to acknowledge him. I walked with purpose into the villa, the cool air of the house hitting me as I entered.
Adam, as usual, stood at the doorway, bowing his head in greeting. He was still being punished for his actions regarding the lie about Judy, and I made it clear that he wasn’t authorized to speak in my presence. He did well to remember that.
Ignoring him, I continued down the hallway, knowing exactly where to find Matt. He’d likely be in the parlor working on his homework. But as I approached the door, I heard something that stopped me in my tracks—a breathy whisper, a faint, panicked sound that chilled me.
I could smell Judy from the other side of the door, her scent familiar and comforting, but something was off. There was no trace of Matt in the room, and his scent was so faint I knew he hadn’t been here for a while. There was another scent, though—one I recognized all too well. Ethan.
A low growl rumbled in my chest without my permission. I felt my fists clench, my blood boiling. Without another thought, I pushed the door open and stormed in.
The scene that greeted me nearly made my blood boil over. Judy was pressed against the wall, Ethan’s body pinning her in place. His lips were at the nape of her neck, and her eyes were closed—whether in fear or in resignation, I couldn’t tell. But when she heard the door open, her eyes snapped open, and the color drained from her face.
“What the hell is going on here?” I demanded, my voice booming across the room.
Ethan froze instantly, his grip on Judy releasing the second he heard my voice. Judy, her face flushed a deep shade of red, quickly wrapped her arms around herself, as if trying to shield herself from the world.
Ethan opened his mouth, but before he could say a word, I was on him, grabbing his collar and slamming him against the wall. The impact was so hard that the wall cracked, and Ethan winced in pain. He might have Alpha blood, but that didn’t mean he was a match for a Lyem like me.
“How dare you betray my daughter’s trust like that,” I hissed, my voice low but filled with venom. “Betraying her is the same as betraying me. And you won’t like what I do to those who betray me.”
I watched with cold satisfaction as his body trembled, a shiver running down his spine. He was clearly scared, and I loved every second of it.
“I swear… nothing happened, Alpha,” Ethan stammered, his voice shaky with fear.
I squeezed his throat, feeling his pulse quicken beneath my fingers as he struggled to breathe. “It didn’t look like nothing,” I snarled, my anger rising. “Do you take me for a fool?”
“No… no, sir,” he gasped, his face turning an alarming shade of red.
Judy’s voice broke through the tension from behind me. “Gavin, it’s not what it looked like.”
I didn’t turn around but kept my eyes locked on Ethan. “And you think I’m going to take your word for it?” I growled, my voice laced with anger. “You promised you wouldn’t do anything to jeopardize this wedding, and here I find you pressed against my daughter’s fiancée like some sick animal.”
I kept my voice deliberately low, knowing Irene was only in the next room. I could smell her scent coming from the kitchen, and I didn’t want to alarm her just yet. “Irene would be crushed if she found out about this,” I muttered, my voice tight with fury.
I felt Judy’s hand on my back, a spark of something—something I couldn’t quite place—coursing through me, making my anger falter for a moment. I almost released Ethan, but I knew I couldn’t let him get away with this.
“It didn’t mean anything,” Judy said, her voice soft, almost pleading. “Please, let him go. Irene would be upset if anything happened to him.”
As much as I hated to admit it, Judy was right. I knew Irene would never forgive me if I hurt Ethan, no matter how much he deserved it. I thought back to the last time I told Irene I didn’t approve of her relationship with Ethan. She threatened her own life, holding a knife to her throat, and I’d had to intervene. I had no idea what kind of hold Ethan had on her, but it disgusted me. It sickened me to think that Irene, my own daughter, was so blinded by him.
I finally released Ethan, and he crumpled to the ground, coughing and rubbing his sore throat. He would heal quickly—his Alpha blood made sure of that—but the red marks on his neck would serve as a reminder of who was in charge here.
I turned to Judy, my anger still simmering but reined in for now. “Are you alright?” I asked, my voice softening just a fraction.
She nodded, though her expression was strained. “I’m fine. He didn’t hurt me.”
I couldn’t help but feel a wave of guilt wash over me. This wasn’t how I wanted to find her—trapped in a situation like this. And yet, I knew deep down this wasn’t over. Not by a long shot.
