Chapter 165

Valeria pov

I sat on the edge of Alpha Gideon’s big bed, my hands shaking as I ran them through my hair. My chest rose and fell in uneven breaths.

The storm inside me refused to calm down. No matter how hard I tried to block the images, they came back like a bad dream on repeat: his cold stare, his harsh words, the sting of his hand across my face, and the way he looked at me like I was nothing. I