Page 9 of Mated To The King's Gamma
“Your grandmother was supplying them with wolfsbane, and Sia worked alongside them. She was responsible for helping them scout out the packs. And when I met her, she was too eager to get into the castle. She got mad and told me her mother was getting old and dying and that I had to change her, so she could change your grandmother. She was my mate, but for some reason, something told me she was up to something. She kept insisting I get her a job in the castle, even insisted on asking the king for his permission personally,” I nod in understanding.
“And my grandmother?”
“They moved to Ravana Pack not far from here. I ran into her one day, and she threatened me. She then tried to follow through with that threat,”
“So you killed her?” I tell him, and he nods.
“And me?”
“You’re not like them.” I shake my head. I know I’m not like them, but I need to know if my family is the only reason he wants me in the first place.
“The fact I look like my mother, and Sia? Is that why you were interested in me?” I ask him.
“I told you at first, yes, you reminded me of her, but that wasn’t why, Abbie. I wanted you because you are everything she could never be. You are everything she never was for me,” Gannon told me.
“And what is that, Gannon? Because I am really struggling right now to believe I am nothing but a mirror of the past for you and an extra chance for you,” I tell him.
Gannon reaches for me, and I go to step back, but he grips the front of my shirt, pulling me to stand between his legs.
“You are not Sia. Sia was my mate, I was bonded to her, but the love I had for her is nothing compared to how I feel about you. I love you, Abbie; everything about you. If she were standing right beside you, I would choose you; without hesitation, I would choose you over her. I thought I loved her. But I didn’t even know the meaning of that word until I found you,” Gannon tells me. He wraps his arms around the back of my legs pulling me closer before pressing his head against my chest between my boobs. I sigh, running my fingers through his hair before hugging him back.
Some part of me still has some doubts, but I’m here. She isn’t, and I wouldn’t hurt him the way she did. But I also can’t give him what he needs. I know he speaks the truth as he says those words. Because what I felt for Kade is nothing compared to how much I love the brutish man who has his arms wrapped around me.
His hands on me don’t make my skin crawl the way Kades did; they don’t make me panic unless I’m not expecting his touch, but as soon as I realize it was him, that panic always dies down. Gannon calms me, keeps me here in the present. With Kade, I was always anxious, waiting, and fearful. He didn’t care for me. He didn’t even try to.
No, he was just another monster like the butcher or Kade, another torture I was forced to endure. Whereas Gannon is like fresh air, I don’t know what would have become of me if it wasn’t for him when I returned. My dependence on Gannon is as strong as it is with Azalea. It’s not that I just want him; I need him, need him in ways he will never possibly understand. He is my life jacket. He keeps my head above water and stops me from drowning in despair. He is the one person who makes the darkest part of me come alive again and gives it light, gives me a reason to keep living because I want to for him. Just like Azalea, he is more than my life.
Kade wasn’t even a quarter of the man Gannon is. He will never hurt me as Kade did. The mate bond told me I loved Kade, but it wasn’t love, just some twisted version of what, I believed, was love. Love doesn’t hurt. It doesn’t make you want to tear your own soul apart just to stop it from aching.
Love doesn’t break you. It rebuilds you, rebuilds the broken pieces that you thought would never be put back together. It makes you feel whole and valued. Even with Kade, my mind always went back to Gannon, despite the bond telling me it was wrong to want him; despite my beliefs, it always went back to him.
Hearing a knock at the door I glance over my shoulder to see Liam pop his head in, Tyson squirming in his arms, wanting to be set down on the ground, and the moment he does, he rushes toward us, climbing up into Gannon’s lap and forcing himself between us.
“Sorry, but I am supposed to be on guard duty. Dustin is covering for me,” Liam tells me, and I nod.
“Thank you, Liam,” I tell him, brushing my fingers through Tyson’s hair as he rubs his palms on Gannon’s face. Tyson likes his stubble, and one thing I love about Gannon is his patience; he never seems to run out with Tyson.
Most found his screeching and crying, the hand flapping annoying because they don’t understand it. I don’t understand him or what he is trying to say but Gannon and everyone here sees past all that. They see him. They saw the little boy I raised from the time he was born; they see our son. And nothing makes my heart swell more than seeing him smile up at the man he now thinks of as his father.
“Anytime, Abs,” Liam says, nodding and closing the door behind him.
“Some little boy needs a bath. What did uncle Lim feed you?” Gannon asks him, scooping him up and making his way to the bathroom, his entire face covered in sticky sweetness and chocolate. I smile, following behind him, knowing once I get him cleaned up, I’m supposed to meet Clarice and take him down to see the other kids for a play date.
4
As I awaken, the midday sun streams through the open drapes, casting a warm glow upon my eyelids and coaxing me to open them. Squinting against the brightness, I survey the room, my gaze drawn to the windows. The sun sits high in the sky, its rays illuminating the space, and a cool draft gently caresses my skin, sending a shiver down my spine. I notice the heavy drapes swaying in rhythm with the breeze.
Inhaling deeply, a sense of unease washes over me as I detect an unfamiliar scent in the air. It takes a moment for me to grasp the reason behind this disquiet, until it dawns on me that Kyson’s intoxicating aroma is absent. The silence enveloping my den, devoid of his presence, leaves me restless. With determination, I shove aside the blanket and force myself out of bed, rushing toward the window, slamming it shut with a low growl.
Why would he leave it open? I snarl inwardly, catching a glimpse of my disheveled reflection in the glass. My hair is tousled, and I stand naked, yet traces of Kyson’s scent linger faintly upon my skin. However, the den itself carries no hint of him, only my own fragrance permeating the space. An itch surfaces on my skin, amplifying my longing for my mate. With a sigh, I tear my gaze away from my reflection and startle when my eyes land on the grassy patch atop the hill.
Children are playing and rolling down the slope, having a rolling race to reach the bottom. I tug my lips into a smile as I observe Abbie and Clarice with the kids. Abbie sits at the top with Tyson nestled in her lap while Clarice joins in with the children, rolling down the hill along with them. Laughter rings loudly in the air, filling my heart with a longing to be down there with them.
Turning on my heel, I make my way to the closet, selecting a loose-fitting, long-sleeved dress from its hanger. Slipping into it, I relish the way the fabric cascades over me, concealing my growing bump. As I smooth my hand over my abdomen, I feel the firmness of my skin, evidence of the life flourishing within me.
Just as I finish dressing, the mindlink opens, Kyson’s voice filtering through my thoughts.
‘You’re awake. I can come back up,’ he offers.
