Chapter 352

Judy’s POV

My stomach was in a knot.

I knew something was wrong when Gavin left late at night, but I didn’t pry and asked him what it was he had to do. I had to trust him… he was my mate after all. He would never do anything to hurt me. But then, why wouldn’t he tell me the truth?

I didn’t buy the bullshit that he was going to the office because of some business. He had a look of raw determination in his eyes and something else that I couldn’t quite decipher, and it bothered me.

As I walked back up the stairs, willing my feet to keep moving forward and not to turn back to him, I made my way towards Matthew’s bedroom. Even though I can’t help him in his combat lessons, I still tutored him in his classes and helped him succeed in any way that I could.

He comes to me a lot of the time with his problems and anxiety; in a way, I’ve been feeling like his mother. It’s been good practice at least for when I actually become a mother to my own little pup.

I opened the door slightly to check on him. He was tossing and turning like he does most nights. Since his wolf was awoken and he shifted for the first time, Matt became the youngest person in the world to be able to shift into a wolf. It was incredible, really, but it came with a great cost.

The amount of powers surging through him, both from his wolf and his Lycan blood, is too much for his 9-year-old body to take. He hasn’t been able to sleep, and when he does sleep, it’s riddled with nightmares.

My heart ached for him.

He’s seen a variety of doctors, and none of them can tell us what’s wrong other than the fact that he’s too young to have all this power inside of him.

Though it seems my presence calms him the most. Or at least that’s what he tells me.

“I’m not sure what it is about you, Judy,” he told me one evening after a long study session. He was half asleep on the couch, which was a rarity because falling asleep in general was difficult for him. “But I feel calmer when I’m around you. Like I can sleep…”

“You can,” I told him in return as I wrapped my arms around him. “Just sleep, sweet boy.”

And he did, for the entire night. Gavin draped a blanket over us when he got home from work, giving us each a kiss on our head before he sat beside us on the couch and also fell asleep.

Irene took a picture when she saw us the next morning, and now it’s the screensaver on Gavin’s phone, which makes me smile every time I see it.

I sat beside Matt, running my fingers through his shaggy brown hair. He looked so much like Gavin, which was crazy because he wasn’t even Gavin’s biological son. I suppose the Landry gene was strong.

I’ve seen Gavin’s sister, Matt’s mom, and they looked so much alike I had to blink twice.

I sat like that with Matt for a while until he calmed down and was able to get some real sleep. Once I was sure he was out, I stood and started towards my own bedroom, the one that I shared with Gavin.

The bed felt empty without him by my side, and I wasn’t sure if I’d be able to sleep at all. I lay awake, staring at the ceiling, feeling the soft rhythm of my heart against my chest. I placed my hand on my belly, feeling the swirling of my baby, and tears welled in my eyes.

I was scared I wouldn’t be a good mom; I was scared I wouldn’t be a good Luna. The anxiety of it all was crushing.

I’m not sure how long I stayed like that for, stewing in my own worries. But I heard the soft clicking of the door shutting. Gavin maneuvered around the room, stripping off his clothes, his movements hurried and yet quiet so as not to disturb me.

He didn’t know I was awake, and I wasn’t going to tell him.

I could smell the faint scent of the prison wafting off his clothes as he set them down in the laundry basket. The prison had a distinct scent to it that I couldn’t quite describe. But I’ve been there before, and I knew what it smelled like.

Gavin walked around the bed to his side and slid in; the scent of him calmed me, and I turned to face him. His eyes found mine, and I could see how tired he was; there was something else swirling in them that I couldn’t quite figure out.

“Did you go to see Levi…?” I asked, my voice coming out barely above a whisper.

“Yes,” he said softly, not bothering to hide it. He knew I could smell the scent on his clothes; I had always had good scent, even for a werewolf.

“Why did you tell me you were going to the office?”

He put his hands on my belly before pressing his forehead to mine, taking in my scent like it was his anchor.

“I didn’t want to lie to you,” he whispered. “But you can’t handle any more stress right now. Eliza said, You need to be calm. I want to be that for you…”

“What I need is for my mate to be honest with me,” I told him, tears welling in my eyes.

He closed his eyes as he let my words wash over him. He was quiet for a long while; I didn’t think he would say anything more. Just as I was about to ask him again why he went to see Levi, he opened his eyes.

“I found out that Lila is actually a Blackwell,” he said, his eyes remaining on mine.

My heart stuttered at the name; I lifted my head, my brows pinching together.

“A Blackwell?” I asked.

I knew of them, of course; everybody knew of them. But they’ve been hidden away for so long, they fell off the face of the earth. They are one of the most feared families in the world; while the Landry’s strived on fortune and strength, the Blackwells strived on power.

Not only was Zachary Blackwell a Lycan, but he also had some witch blood in him. He was the ruler of the shadow region, the Blackwell Empire. Built entirely on neutral territory. He doesn’t rule under or above other Lycans; he rules his own world and plays by his own rules, which makes him dangerous and terrifying.

He’s the kind of guy who would wander into someone else’s territory and murder just because he can. He’s untouchable… not even Gavin’s prison could hold him if given the chance.

Not to mention that they are stupid rich, not Landry rich, but rich enough to put most in shame. They are the second-richest family in the world. They have connections with all types: Lycans, rogues, and witches.

They are not a family to be messed with.

“How did we not know that?” I asked, my eyes narrowed. “You’ve known her for so long.”

“She deceived me for so long,” he corrected. “I just recently learned her name. I had no idea the kind of family she was a part of.”

“The Blackwell’s have been quiet for a long time,” I murmured. “Why would they come out of hiding now?”

“They were after something…” Gavin told me. “And I think now that they have it, they are coming out of hiding. I just need to find a way to protect you and our family from what’s about to come.”

“What were they after?” I asked, my voice raw with emotion.

“The Moon Gem.”

I raised my brows.

“Why?” I asked. “Isn’t that your family heirloom?”

He was quiet for a moment, as if trying to figure out how much he should tell me or not. I adjusted myself so my arms were free of him, and I was cupping his face in my hands, forcing him to look at me.

“Tell me the truth, Gavin. Is the Gem a family heirloom?” I asked him, my words coming out slowly and carefully.

He stared at me for a moment longer.

“I’m not sure anymore,” he whispered. “I wanted to say yes… I wanted to say that my father didn’t lie to me about it. But I’m no longer sure.”

“What did Levi say?”

“Levi told me that the gem was never a part of our family,” he answered.

“And you believe him?”

He didn’t have to answer me to know what he was thinking; he could always tell when people lie, and in this case, he knew that Levi was telling somewhat of the truth, even if he was still withholding information or not giving him one hundred percent of the truth.

“How much trouble are we in?” I asked him instead, my voice dropping slightly.

“If what Levi is saying is true, then it means my father stole something from the Blackwells…” he said, swallowing hard. “And if that’s the case…”

“We are in deep shit.”