Chapter 248

(Olivia’s POV)

I was stunned as Matthew’s lips captured mine. His kiss was lingering and full of affection, his Alpha scent of cedar and steel enveloping me completely.

The world around us seemed to fade away. Only his warmth remained, pressing against me with desperate intensity.

After a moment, I came to my senses and pressed against his chest, trying to push him away. As he paused for breath, I gasped in a low voice, “Matthew, our Partnership Termination Agreement…”

But before I could finish, he captured my lips again. “Hush, be quiet,” he murmured against my mouth.

His hands moved to hold my waist and the back of my head, trapping me in his passionate and domineering embrace. I had no room to resist.

My eyes grew wide.

“You’re dating your gamma?”

She nodded, nibbling her lower lip. Nan looked around with a frown.

“Then where is he?” She asked.

“He took an earlier flight with a group of his friends,” she murmured. “I was left behind. But I’m going anyways.

“

Over the loudspeaker, I heard our section of the plane being called. I glanced at Nan who gave me a head nod, indicating that she too heard it.

“We have to go,” I told her, standing to my feet. “But maybe we will see you there?”

She nodded, giving me a small smile.

“Yeah,” she said softly. “Maybe.”

On that note, Nan and I walked towards the terminal gates and handed our tickets to the stewardess before we boarded the plane.

“Next stop, tropical paradise!” Nan announced, tugging me along with her.

Third Person POV

Back at the villa, Irene went to her brother’s room to check on him.

She had just got off the phone with Ethan and he was about to come over. She needed to speak to him about that woman she saw at his house. She wasn’t going to feel better until she got to the bottom of it. However, she took her father’s words to heart. She can’t just be mad at Judy; Ethan also lied to her.

He was just as guilty if not more.

She knocked on Matt’s door and when there was no answer, she pushed the door open. Matt was seated in his bed, playing video games. Of course, that’s what he was doing.

“Hey,” she said, stepping into his room.

“What do you want?” He asked without even looking up.

The bitterness of his tone took Irene by surprise, and she froze.

“What’s with the attitude?” she asked, folding her arms across her chest as she stared down at him.

“I heard what you said to Judy yesterday,” he muttered, shaking his head as he finally pulled his eyes away from his video games to glare up at her. “You were horrible and blamed her for my accident.”

“Because she shot you,” Irene said, pointing to his healing leg. In another day or so, it would be completely healed thankfully. “It was her fault.”

“It was my fault. I moved in front of the target because I saw something on the ground I wanted to pick up,” Matt surprised her by saying. “Judy always told me never to move from my current location if someone is shooting because they aim according to placement. I threw her off balance by moving my position. I wasn’t thinking straight. It was a rookie mistake.”

Irene was stunned, speechless. She did see Matt moving from his current position, but Judy still should have seen him before releasing the bow.

“She wasn’t even aiming for me,” Matt continued. “She was showing me a trick shot. The arrow happened to be going in the same direction I moved to.”

“A trick shot?” Irene asked, furrowing her brows.

“You know nothing about what Judy can do,” Matt said through his teeth. “She’s an incredible archer and combater and can do things you could only dream of. This accident was not her fault. I wanted to tell her that last night, but everyone was yelling and then Dad listened to you and kicked her out. He Alpha commanded her, Irene and it’s your fault.”

“Everything okay?” He asked, stepping into the room.

“The accident wasn’t Judy’s fault,” Matt repeated. “I moved from my original location after she told me countless times not to do that. If anyone is to blame, it’s me. But please, don’t be mad at Judy anymore. I don’t want her to quit or get fired… I don’t want her to leave.” (

Tears welled up in Matt’s eyes and Irene felt a ping of guilt in her chest. This was her fault completely; what kind of monster had she become? And for what? All for Ethan? Was he even worth it?

“Thank you for telling me that,” Gavin said, placing a hand on Matt’s shoulder.

“Dad… you aren’t going to fire her, are you?”

Gavin shook his head.

“No, I’ve been trying to get a hold of her though. Her phone’s off. It’ll have to wait until I come back. I was coming in here to tell you that I’m leaving now, and I’ll be gone for a few weeks.”

“Are you going straight to the Gamma competition?”

“It doesn’t start for another couple of days. I’m going to check in at the resort and then possibly meet some of the competitors for dinner this evening,” he explained. “Behave while I’m gone. Both of you. Call if you need anything. Be good for Beta Taylor.”

“Okay…” they both said at the same time.

Gavin left and Irene glanced back at Matt who still had tears in his eyes.

“Everything okay?” He asked, stepping into the room.

“The accident wasn’t Judy’s fault,” Matt repeated. “I moved from my original location after she told me countless times not to do that. If anyone is to blame, it’s me. But please, don’t be mad at Judy anymore. I don’t want her to quit or get fired… I don’t want her to leave.” (

Tears welled up in Matt’s eyes and Irene felt a ping of guilt in her chest. This was her fault completely; what kind of monster had she become? And for what? All for Ethan? Was he even worth it?

“Thank you for telling me that,” Gavin said, placing a hand on Matt’s shoulder.

“Dad… you aren’t going to fire her, are you?”

Gavin shook his head.