The Heartless Alpha's Beloved Luna Novel

Chapter 13 Avery's POV The woman screamed and hinged. Gideon grabbed me around the waist, swinging me out of the way. He tucked me against his side with one arm while his other hand darted out and captured the woman's wrist as she drove her killing blow towards me. There was a sharp snap, and the woman's wrist broke within Gideon's grasp. The long, wicked knite dropped from her hand as she screamed in pain. Gideon snatched the falling knife out of the air, flipped it deftly, and drove it upward. The point of the knife entered beneath the woman's chin and slid upwards with a sickening shick.

The woman dropped to the stage, dead. It all happened so fast. I stared at the still-twitching body in horror, feeling like I might pass out. Warmth seeped into me from Gideon's chest against me where he still held me tightly to his side. It anchored me to the physical world and I felt slightly less faint. He had moved so quickly and decisively to protect me. Only one other person had ever tried to protect me like that. I used to think Ryan was a good person because he was the only one who had supported me when the others in my pack would bully me.

But Ryan had known about how brutally my father treated me. He had seen the damage Zara had done, and he had still mated with her. His loyalty had never lasted when things truly got tough. If Zara had attacked me like that, Ryan wouldn't have lifted a finger to stop her. I reflected, watching numbly as Nightwolf warriors swiftly dragged the body of the rogue wolf away. "How much longer are you going to cling to me?" Gideon's voice rumbled under my chest. Startled, I pushed myself away from him. He sounded so cold and unaffected, like a little light murder was just part of his normal day.

Without another word, Gideon began the ceremony. I tried to focus on the formal speech, but I was rattled by what had happened. When it came time for me to say the traditional greeting, I messed it up. "We welcome you into our heart... hearths... and promise to offer protection and selfles -... safety, for so long as you pledge your loyalty to our pack." I stammered and winced. I had never had to do public speaking before. My voice sounded high-pitched and shaky. I found it hard to breathe in a full breath, my nerves were shaking so hard.

Back in Silvermoon, even minor mistakes were often severely punished. I had been beaten for saying the wrong thing in situations far less formal than this. Even after I had started dating Ryan, standard I was held to had only relaxed slightly. the I hate that I've become someone who is so fearful of making mistakes. I thought, stumbling my way through the next set of lines. It doesn't help that I have to do all this next to a cold-blooded killer. I could see Gideon out of the corner of my eye, and every time I messed up I fought the urge to turn to him and see his reaction.

1/2 Would he smack me here, in front of everyone? The thought made my knees shake as I finished my words and waited for a blow to fall. "For so long as the moon rises above Nightwolf, I prepar-... promise to be your Lady, providing letterin-... leadership and lenience for so long as our pack runs together." I finished in a breathless rush. To my surprise, Gideon said nothing. He merely turned to the table of ceremonial objects and began the next part of the ceremony, giving token gifts to the new pack members. The vise of anxiety clamped around my torso loosened somewhat.

When the ceremony was finished and the new members were being embraced by their pack, I climbed down from the stage and slunk towards a nearby dark corner. "Being in the spotlight is hard, but you did well." a girl sitting at a nearby table gestured me over. Gratefully, I sank into a chair at her table with a few other young pack members. They appeared to be a group of friends, and I felt briefly jealous for a pack life I never had.