Chapter 62

Claire’s POV

Daphne has finally shown her true colours not just in front of me but in front of Gideon as well. She was no longer acting like the perfect Luna who used to smile and act sweet in front of everyone. Her eyes were full of malice, glittering like shards of glass, and her lips curved into a smile that promised only destruction.

“Well, Raven,” She sneered, her voice filled with venom, “You are very stubborn, aren't you? Holding onto something that doesn’t belong to you.”

Her gaze turned towards Gideon as she looked at him with hunger of lust. “Hand him over. Now. Or I’ll rip you apart piece by piece until you beg me to take him.”

I froze, my body going taut. My back was pressed against the wall as Gideon had trapped me in between the wall and him as if he was trying to protect me. His heat radiated through my skin, suffocating, and though his body begged to move toward me, his eyes—those storm-dark eyes—flickered with something else.

Something that startled me.

Even in his poisoned haze, even with the aphrodisiac burning through him, Gideon looked at me—not Daphne.

And in that fleeting moment, I saw him. The real Gideon, buried beneath the fire consuming him. His gaze locked on mine, desperate, pleading. He opened his mouth but no words came out. His hand, trembling faintly, clutched me tighter as if to say, don’t you dare let her take me.

I held my breath. Why?

Why was he fighting her? Why was he resisting when all logic—and everything Daphne had ever claimed—said she was the one he loved?

I looked at both of them confused about what I should do in this situation. Daphne, standing there, full of fury, declaring him hers. Gideon, pressing closer to me, clinging, his eyes silently begging me not to surrender him.

It didn’t make sense.

He was supposed to want her. He had chosen her as Luna, hadn’t he? He had left me broken all those years ago, left me to raise my son in shadows, believing Daphne’s lies. And yet—here he was, holding on to me, refusing her touch.

The air felt tense, the tension almost made me feel difficult to breath as I felt very anxious. “Raven!” Daphne snapped, her voice was sharp and loud, getting me out of my daze. “Don’t play games with me. Give him to me! He belongs to me!”

Her voice was firm and commanding like she was going to make sure that I would obey her order.

But I didn’t move. I couldn’t.

Then I looked into Gideon’s eyes—dark, desperate—held me there.

I searched in his gaze, the truth I had tried so hard to forget. Was it possible? Did he really like Claire who is now gone from his life?

“No, this is not possible…” I whispered to myself while shaking my head as I tried to convince myself. “It can’t be it.”

Daphne looked at me annoyed as if she was running out of patience. “Do you really think he wants you? Look at him, Raven. He’s burning. He needs to have his release. He needs a mate. And that mate—” she jabbed her chest with a finger “—is me. Not you. You will never be.”

Her words were like a stab of a knife, my wolf was so angry that she wanted to take over and show her who the real Luna is but I calmed her down.

I looked at Gideon helplessly, it hurts to see him in a situation like this, he was hardly able to speak but the way he held onto me was like he was protecting me from Daphne but as well as begging me to not let him go as he looked at me with determination and desire.

“Don’t give me to her.” he whispered softly but there was desperation in his voice.

My wolf stirred inside me, sensing the war raging within him. The Alpha part in him demanded strength, control and respect. While the other part held onto me in his most vulnerable moment.

But Daphne’s poison still coiled through his blood, twisting his body against his will. His body trembled with need, his breathing was short and ragged, his muscles were tense. I could tell he was trying his best to restrain himself.

My heartbeat increased with tension.

I was standing between the two most important choices that could make a huge impact on our lives.

If I gave up Gideon to Daphne maybe all this madness will stop. Maybe his body should get the relief his poisoned body needed. Maybe she’d win, but at least… at least he’d survive.

But if I didn’t—if I resisted her—then I risked becoming the target of her wrath, risking letting Gideon spiral further into the fire consuming him.

And yet…

Something in my mind and soul, something I had tried to bury and hide from for years, told me that surrendering him now would be the greatest betrayal he will have from me.

I knew I wasn’t just protecting myself anymore. I wasn’t just protecting Leo, or Nova, or the pack. I was protecting the Alpha himself.

And maybe, just maybe, I was protecting him for the feelings I had for him in the past.

I took a deep breath and my heartbeat increased. I looked at Daphne with determination even though she tried to intimidate me.

“No I won't.”

Her eyes widened with shock, her eyes darkened with fury. “What did you just say? Say it again, I dare you.”

I swallowed nervously but I held onto Gideon to control him as much as myself. “I said no. I will not give him up to you.”

Daphne's fury finally reached its peak as she finally lost her cool. “You insolent whore!”

She stepped towards me, her aura completely changed as her wolf ran towards us ready to strike me. The sheer force of her malice made the hallway quake with tension.

Gideon growled low in his chest at her approach, the sound guttural, primal. His grip on me tightened, dragging me closer, his body positioning itself between me and Daphne. Even poisoned, even burning, he shielded me.

Tears pricked my eyes at the sight.

Why? Why would he protect me like this if she was the one he wanted?

“Gideon,” I whispered, almost too softly to hear. “Why are you?”

He leaned close as our foreheads connected. His eyes were glassy because I can tell he is suffering a lot. His lips trembled as he whispered three words, hoarse and broken:

“Because it's you.” The world stopped.

I stood frozen in the same place as I felt breathless.

I thought he was speaking in the heat of the moment but then I looked into his eyes and saw no lies in them, but I saw the honesty and truth in them. Even the way he held onto me was like he was protecting me from Daphne. The person he wanted was..

It was me. Not her.

Always me.

Daphne let out an angry scream shattering the moment.

“You are lying to me!” she cried out, her face twisted with pure rage. “He doesn’t want you! He never wanted you! He loves me only! I am his Luna!”

Her words lashed out like claws, but they only made my wolf rise stronger inside me. I looked at her defiantly as I looked at her ready to fight, I looked at Gideon and nodded as if to say I will protect him no matter what.

I stood in front of Gideon and stepped towards her with resolution and determination, not scared of Daphne’s fury.

“No, Daphne, you are wrong.” I spoke calmly but my voice was firm enough to ring through the hallway echoing the truth I speak. “You stole a title. You manipulated people with lies. But you never had his heart. Not then. Not now. Never did.”

She looked at me with murderous intent, her eyes blazed with pure rage. She looked as though she would tear me apart right there, and maybe she would try.

But I was no longer afraid of her anymore. And I will never be.

Not after Gideon showed me that he trusts me.

I got ready to fight whatever challenges Daphne throws at me. I will fight back with the same strength she will unleash.

Because this time, I wasn’t fighting for survival. I was fighting for him.

For us.

No matter how many schemes she uses, no matter how many times she tries to poison us, no matter how many times she tries to manipulate us with lies, Daphne will not win. I will make sure of that.

Not while he looked at me like that.

Not while the truth is right in front of me.