Divorcing My Alpha King
Chapter 16
Gemma
1 min left
Cassian snakes his hand around my waist and pulls me against him. I find myself enveloped in his familiar, cool scent.
I shudder at his touch and try to pull away, but he holds me tight. Then he leans down, his lips and warm breath brushing the shell
of my ear and sending goosebumps down my back. “Grandpa’s here. You don’t want to disappoint him, do you?”
I grit my teeth, because he’s right. Those headlights belong to
Donovan’s car.
Thank goodness. I can’t have the Reyna argument with Cassian
again. Reyna and her mother–my father’s beloved mistress-
have built their lives around manipulating men.
I’ve tried to tell Cassian about her before, but she got to him first.
Now he thinks I do what she does. But I don’t care. Thanks to my
father, I decided a long time ago to stop trying to convince men
about Reyna.
The car slowly pulls to a stop next to the curb, and Donovan gets
out.
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Chapter 16
Lucky Draw
In his prime, Donovan was a huge man. One of the most dominant
Alpha wolves the world has ever seen.
He still has much of that in him as he looks down at me,
white–haired but oozing power.
What I like best about him though, is that whenever he looks at me, his smile is kind.
“Alpha,” Cassian says respectfully at the same time I say, “Hello,
Grandpa.”
Donovan comes to me and pulls me into a hug, then looks over my shoulder to nod at Cassian. He takes me by the shoulders and pushes me back a little to examine my outfit, then looks at Cassian again.
This time, there’s disapproval in his eyes. “Cassian. Why is Gemma dressed so lightly? It’s chilly tonight. You need to take better care of her. Give her your coat.”
“Yes, Alpha,” Cassian says. He slips out of his suit coat and drapes it over my shoulders.
“Good,” Donovan says. “You have no idea what a treasure she is, Cassian. You must take care of her.”
“Of course. I do treasure her.” To illustrate his lie, he bends down
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Chapter 16
Lucky Draw
In his prime, Donovan was a huge man. One of the most dominant
Alpha wolves the world has ever seen.
He still has much of that in him as he looks down at me,
white–haired but oozing power.
What I like best about him though, is that whenever he looks at me, his smile is kind.
“Alpha,” Cassian says respectfully at the same time I say, “Hello, Grandpa.”
Donovan comes to me and pulls me into a hug, then looks over
my shoulder to nod at Cassian. He takes me by the shoulders
and pushes me back a little to examine my outfit, then looks at Cassian again.
This time, there’s disapproval in his eyes. “Cassian. Why is Gemma dressed so lightly? It’s chilly tonight. You need to take
better care of her. Give her your coat.”
“Yes, Alpha,” Cassian says. He slips out of his suit coat and drapes it over my shoulders.
“Good,” Donovan says. “You have no idea what a treasure she is,
Cassian. You must take care of her.”
“Of course. I do treasure her.” To illustrate his lie, he bends down
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HEIGH
Chapter 16
and kisses me on the cheek.
Lucky Draw
It’s all I can do to clutch the edges of his coat instead of slap him.
His coldness hurts me, but this? This false care? It hurts a million
times worse, because it shows me what I could have if Cassian.
Blackwell did love me.
“I’ve brought you the new potion,” Donovan says. He reaches into
the back seat and then pulls out a small, white paper bag, which
he hands to me.
“Thank you,” I say, taking the bag. “Would you like to come inside
for a bit?”
Donovan waves one of his big, wrinkled hands. “No, I just came to
check on you. By the way, remember to keep next week open for
family dinner.”
“Family dinner?” I ask, blanking for a moment.
Damn! That is coming up. Once a year, the whole senior family of the Smokewind Pack gets together and has a big, fancy dinner at
Blackwell Mansion.
It’s supposedly because they want to see each other, but I know it’s more about Donovan and Cassian reminding the rest of the family to stay in line, and to remember what they owe to the
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Chapter 16
family.
Lucky Draw
With everything going on lately, I totally forgot that it’s next week. Usually, I wouldn’t mind, but since I’m trying to get a divorce, going doesn’t really seem appropriate.
“Oh, Grandpa, I just remembered, on that day I-”
“Will be there,” Cassian says, cutting me off. “We’ll both be there,
of course. Nothing is more important. Gemma knows that.”
I gape at Cassian, but Donovan just nods. “I’ll see you both then.”
Before I can work up the courage to correct him, he gets back in his car and is gone.
A weight settles in my chest. As soon as the red taillights of
Donovan’s car disappear around a corner, I whirl on Cassian and jab an elbow into his side.
I take him by surprise, and even though there’s no way I could
ever really hurt the Alpha, I get the satisfaction of a quiet grunt.
It improves my mood instantly.
“Gemma, what the hell?” Cassian barks.
“I’m not going to dinner with your criminal family anymore!” I say.
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Lucky Draw
“You better make up an excuse, because you’ll be the only one
there to explain why I’m gone. Also, sign the divorce papers!
Neither of us want this to go to court.”
“Gemma!” Cassian barks again. This time, I can hear true anger in
- it. The violence. The command.
In the past, that would have made me crumble instantly. This is
the unrelenting Alpha side of Cassian. The side that rules the
underworld of mafia packs with an iron fist.
The side that makes me afraid.
No longer.
I straighten my spine. “I’m getting a divorce one way or another.
It’s up to you whether it’s easy or not.”
Then I turn and stride away, even though my legs are shaking.
I’m so tired of waiting for someone who doesn’t love me to
change.
Romance novels are such bullshit.
*****
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Chapter 16
Cassian
(Lucky Draw
I watch her go, her mouth–watering curves swaying as she disappears into the dark. Zephyr growls and curses me for
screwing things up again.
Nothing Gemma has ever done has ever registered to me beyond
imitation. She’s a fly, buzzing around in the background of my life. When she gets too annoying, I just swat her down without thought.
She’s got me thinking about her now, though.
I’m starting to suspect she’s serious about this divorce.
But that doesn’t make any sense. She went through so much trouble to con her way into this marriage in the first place.
I’ve put up with her buzzing for my grandfather’s sake, but this time she’s actually pissing me off.
I pull out my phone and dial my assistant Adam. “Put Seaside Manor up for sale.”
Next time Gemma shows up, it will be to beg my forgiveness.
I’ll make sure of it.
It’s time to remind her who she’s dealing with.
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Divorcing My Alpha King.
