Gideon

Chapter 1 Different Worlds POV: GIDEON ARCHER “Lord Archer!“ I turned at the sound of my name. Alistair Pembroke faced me, looking flushed and probably a little drunk. “Fancy meeting you here,” he said, like he was trying to be cute. Or maybe just a prick. Alistair was a social climber and a billionaire. He wanted desperately to be my friend to get closer to the royal family. He’d s**t his pants if he knew the crown prince was here in California. He takes my hand and pounds me on the back while we shake, like we’re old pals. I can’t stand guys like him. “Ms Helen Aristophanes,” he says to my date, “the pleasure is mine.” The f****d-up part is I know he’s had s*x with her. More than once. While she was mine. “Mr Pembroke.” Helen gives him one of her sultry and seductive smiles, offering him her hand. He scans her body and lifts her hand to his lips. “So what brings the legendary Lord Archer here tonight?” he asks, holding her hand for way too long. “I never expected to see you among humans.” He finally lets her go. I dig my hands into my pockets and glance around at the party. Let him wait for my response. The gala is in full swing; champagne, live music, men in thousand-dollar suits and women in designer dresses. The place is crawling with humans. I’ve counted two other lycans here tonight. Pembroke probably brought them himself, part of his security detail. Possibly friends of his. “I’m here the same reason we all are,” I say, “to support the charity.” “Of course,” he says, sounding a little disappointed. “There you are!” A woman sidles up next to Pembroke. “Alistair, honey, aren’t you going to introduce us?” She plants her eyes squarely on mine. “Lord Archer, let me introduce you to my beautiful date, Ms Juana Vega. Juana, this is Lord Archer and his stunning date, Ms Helen Aristophanes.” “His stunning partner,” Helen corrects him. She curls her fingers around my arm. “Oh my, ~you’re~ Lord Archer,” Juana breaths. Her eyes brighten. She looks to Alistair. “You never told me you knew Lord Archer.” “A pleasure to meet you, Ms Vega.” I shake her hand. She looks starstruck. She gushes, “The pleasure is ~all~ mine!” Helen’s hand tightens around my biceps. I have to resist the urge to shake her off. Helen and I need to have a talk soon. “You must come sit with us.” Pembroke gestures to the VIP section at the front. “I’m afraid we won’t be staying,” I tell him. “Oh, do stay, please. The dance floor will be cleared soon for dancing.” Pembroke must have a hard-on right now, he thinks he’s so close to getting an introduction to the royal family. “I wish I could, but I have work to do.” I say. I’m such a c**k-tease. “Darling, you’re always working,” Helen says. “The party looks like fun.” She’s making that pouty face I’ve grown to despise. Pembroke probably finds it a turn on. “You know very well we have a reservation,” I tell her. Conversation over, I excuse us. In the restaurant, while we wait for our food, Helen pouts. I made her my companion nearly five years ago, no promises about the future. She was entertaining back then. But even then I made it very clear that, if I ever found my erasthai, our relationship would be over. No bad feelings. It’s not like we’ve even been all that close these last five years. She’s often away for months. Once, for nearly a year! She says she likes to spend time in Mykonos where her parents live. I doubt that but I don’t ask her where she goes and she doesn’t ask me where I go. That part of the relationship has always worked well. She’s so irritating now. I can’t remember when exactly she stopped being entertaining but it was a long time ago. But the last straw came recently, when she started getting flirty with the crown prince. I take my job very seriously. Messing with my job is the one thing I won’t tolerate. The crown prince is happily paired and that’s not going to end on my account. I may have given up hope of ever finding my erashtai, but I do need to find someone I can trust. Someone I genuinely like. For a lycan, an erasthai is more than your other half. She is the one your instinct calls for. She is your match, mentally, emotionally, physically. Even if it’s not love at first sight, you feel the pull deep inside and you know she is the one you will develop a love for, so deep, it’s a life bond. Your obsession. Your life. Your everything. “I heard there will be a mating ceremony at Banehallow,” Helen interrupts my thoughts. “And the crown prince is flying his pack back to Russia. I’m sure we’re invited. It’s going to be a ball to die for.” “I don’t think we’ll be going,” I say. She pouts again. “You’re such a workaholic.” I sip my wine and try to pick up my thoughts from where I left them but she interrupts me again. “It’s just as well. I also heard he’s going to reject her. Qunicy’s not pretty enough to be a queen. Don’t you think?” The thought is laughable. Helen knows Quincy St. Martin is stunning. In fact, she was the only woman I found intriguing enough to consider as a mate. Too bad she’s the crown prince’s erasthai. My future queen. “I’m bored,” Helen whinges. “We’re in LA; I want to go out.” “Very well,” I say. “When we’re done, take the car. I’ll get a ride to the house.” I have no doubt she’ll go to Alistair. I’m relieved to be rid of her. I could use some time alone. I consider telling her to not bother coming back. But that would create a scene. Helen is not someone who will take getting dumped well. I have to find a way to do it without her going crazy. Maybe I can sweeten her up with an expensive gift first. She loves expensive gifts.