Page 59 of Claimed By the King's Gamma

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Isit with Ivy on the pier that overlooks the man-made lake by the stables.Ivy eats very little despite my trying to encourage her to eat.We enjoy the morning sun, enjoying the rays heating my cold skin.I tell her everything that happened in the castle last night.Though I don’t think she is really listening; she seems stuck in her head no matter how hard I try to pull her back to the present moment.I hate seeing her like this.

Ivy leans against one of the logs on the pier, watching me, yet I draw closer to the water.I wish I was swimming with Gannon or even just going for a run; it is strange to me to have the freedoms we have here.Another thing I haven’t told her about.I want to tell her, yet I can’t bring myself to because I don’t want to risk upsetting her more.

“Abbie!”Ivy hisses as I sat on the edge and tossed my legs over the side and into the water.

“Gannon is right there,” I tell her, pointing him out, and she lets out a sigh.I wade my feet through the water, loving the feel of the water between my toes.Peering up, Gannon is smiling at me, and I can’t help the blush at the knowing look on his face.However, what impresses me most is that he kept his word and didn’t leave Ivy’s side all night, as he said.She was supposed to shift, but now doubt has crept in.I believe, along with Ivy, that the king is wrong about her birthday.But still the question remains: if that were true, how could she recognize him as her mate?

More shocking was learning of Della’s crimes.Della was Ivy’s mother before Alpha Dean’s pack killed her.Though now we have learned that wasn’t even her real name.And that Della Hunley was, in fact, Marrissa Talbot.

A notorious hunter and the woman responsible for not only killing the king’s sister but also an entire kingdom that used to reside in the mountains.The Landeena Kingdom.Knowing this information and realizing her childhood was a lie—that her mother was a monster—I could see weighed heavily on Ivy.It broke her, a woman she loved.Her mother was a monster and serial killer.Accused of unspeakable crimes, and now Ivy was paying the price for them.

I hope there was some mistake.The Della I remember was kind, loving, and doted on both Ivy and me.She was strict, but protective of us growing up.She was my mother’s best friend.We had stumbled upon their little camp after my mother fled the pack we were part of.

I have no memory of being in a pack, though I do remember having a bigger family once.My mother was a twin, and we were forced to go into hiding after her twin and my grandmother died.

Hiding from the man who killed them, my mother never spoke of it, but I had heard whispers when a child who will forever remain with me.

“I have to head back soon.I have to go into town with Clarice to grab some supplies,” I tell Ivy, not wanting to go.Tears fill my eyes, not knowing when I will get to see her next, but I have chores to do, so I know I need to leave her.

Lifting my legs from the water, I wander over to her, lean down, and clutch her fingers gently.

“Maybe I could ask if you could come?”I tell her hopefully, but I know it will never be allowed.Ivy doesn’t get the chance to answer when we hear screaming from the castle’s direction.My head whips toward the direction of the woman’s screams, and I see Ester thrashing and screaming her head off while two guards drag her across the manicured lawns.I try not to smile.Well, they finally found her!I stand, and Gannon turns to stare up the hill in the direction of the castle, a glare on his face.

“Ha, it serves her right,” I huff, and I curse at myself when I turn back to see Ivy watching me.

“What did she do?”Ivy asks curiously.I can’t believe how stupid I was to say that!I peer down at Ivy before her head turns to Ester, still thrashing as they lead her toward the front of the castle, toward the enormous iron gates.

“I worry it may upset you, but nothing happened.The king woke up before she could do anything,” I tell her while staring down at my hands, picking at my nails.Nervously I steal a peek at her, hoping she doesn’t ask more.

“Before she did what?”Ivy asks.I chew my lip, not wanting to answer, but I won’t lie to her, and she will eventually find out.I just wished it wasn’t me giving her the news.

“The king woke early this morning in his office to Ester fondling him,” I tell her.Ivy pales, almost turning green at my words, and my eyes widen when she sucks in a breath, a look of pure panic on her face.She gasps as if she can’t catch her breath, and her eyes prick with tears.

“Hey, hey.Nothing happened, I promise.I heard the guard talking this morning.When he woke, he was livid and tossed her out.He then banished her from the castle, so I guess they finally found her.He didn’t do anything with her, Ivy.I promise you,” I tell Ivy, moving quickly to grab her face in my hands.She sucks in a breath, and I breathe with her, trying to calm her.

“That’s it.Breathe, Ivy.He didn’t betray you,” I whisper to her repeatedly as I try to stop her panic attack.When she calms, I brush my hands over her face to clear her tears.Why did I stupidly say something?I mentally scold myself.

“So he didn’t sleep with her?”Ivy asks, letting out a breath finally.

“No, she ran naked from his office crying like her bum was on fire,” I tell her remembering the sight making her snicker.She really took a walk of shame, and she should feel shame because not a single person was happy with her little act.

Yet the look on her face tells me she doesn’t see any funny side.I’m about to say something else when a whistle catches our attention.We look to the hill, and saw Clarice wave to us.

“I gotta go, but I will try to visit you later,” I tell Ivy as I lean down, briefly hugging her before rushing off back down the pier and up to Clarice, who is waiting for me.

After my heartbreaking visit with Ivy, I leave to grab the few groceries Clarice has ordered from the grocer.It’s a beautiful day as I go over the mental list of chores I still need to complete before the guest Alpha arrives.As I walk toward the main gates, I notice the king talking to a man whose back is to me.But as the breeze shifts, every muscle in my body tenses, and I find myself unable to move.My body goes into some sort of shock.

“Abbie, are you okay?”Liam’s voice reaches my ears, yet I still can’t bring myself to move.My heart leaps in my chest when his hands gripping my arms jolt me out of the odd state I am in.Liam turns me so I face him.

But my eyes automatically go to the stranger standing with the king.His suit is a light gray, his jacket open, and he has his hands in his pants pockets.My eyes roam over his body.The white shirt he wears fits his body in a way that I can see the outline of his abs pressing tight beneath it.

When his eyes meet mine, he appears curious.

“Abbie?”Liam’s voice says, and I notice the man’s eyes go to Liam’s hands gripping my arms.His lips move in a way that tells me he doesn’t like Liam touching me.I shake my head, coming out of my daze and staring at Liam, who stares back worriedly at me.He glances over his shoulder at the man the king is with.

“Sorry, I forgot what I was doing,” I tell Liam before quickly rushing out the gates while every part of me screams I should be running toward that mysterious man… toward… I gulp…my mate… not away from him.He makes no move to stop me, and once I am trudging down the road, I shake my head, thinking I must have imagined the feeling I had heard about for so long.I make my way into town, but that nagging feeling in the pit of my stomach never dwindles.If anything, it only gets worse.I’ve always heard when you lay eyes on your mate, you just know.And in that crazy moment, it felt like I just knew.As the time passes, it feels harder and harder to conjure up the initial feeling.All I know is something is off.

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