20

CHAPTER TWENTY
ASHER’S POV
The morning didn’t start well on my side. Freya kept demanding to know why I was out so late last night, but I couldn’t tell her.
I know she’s eventually going to find out about Astrid’s presence in the pack, but I don’t want her to find out now. If she does, she is just going to make matters worse for everyone.
Ignoring all her questioning and blabbering was not an easy thing to do and the only thing that made me cheer up was the little time I spent talking with Astrid after that.
She looked so beautiful in the clothes I left for her in the wardrobe at night.
Yeah, I went into her bedroom again last night to keep the clothes, which happen to be mine. They looked oversized, but still cute.
Her wet hair indicated that she has just taken a shower and she smelt so fresh and nice that I almost lost control and hugged her.
She asked me if I was going to take her back to the Black Wood Pack, but I didn’t reply.
I don’t have any particular reason for that, but what I know is that I’m not taking her back there.
She is here to stay and that is final. Alpha Adolph had better find someone else to stick his old dick into, because it’s definitely not going to be in Astrid.
“Asher you need to stop with the sudden early morning meetings” Rowan grumbles as I step into my office. I smile and close the door behind me before walking over to them.
I asked them to meet me here so I can tell them about the latest developments.
They are the first people I discuss stuff with before anyone else.
I trust them with my life.
“Rowan, you should be used to this by now and for you Arya, this is payback for summoning me into your bedroom at six am just to whine about something you could have very well taken care of”
“Yeah, whatever!”
“Besides, it’s not even that early, it’s eight am in the morning”
“Don’t even do that!” Rowan warns as he slumps on the couch. “So, why are we here?”
“I hope you are not about to give complains about your fiancé”
“Definitely not!”
“Then, why are we here?”
“She is here?” I announce and they both give me confused glances.
“Who’s here?”
“Astrid”
“Who is Astrid?” Arya asks confused.
“No way!” Rowan exclaims in total disbelieve. “You scheming wizard! How the hell did you get her out of that pack?”
“I didn’t do it, she ran straight into my arms last night”
“Hold on, now I’m confused, what do you mean by she ran straight into your arms last night?”
“HEY!” Arya screams. “WILL YOU GUYS TELL ME WHAT’S GOING ON? WHO IS ASTRID AND WHY IS SHE HERE?” She asks fuming with rage. Her tiny fingers curled up in a fist.
“Come on sister, chill, I’m gonna tell you. Astrid is the rightful Alpha of the Black Wood Pack, but has been treated as a servant by Alpha Adolph and his entire family” Rowan explains.
“I see, so, how come she is here now?”
“That’s what I want to find out”
They both look at me with expectant eyes.
“Well, last night while I was on patrol, I felt someone intrude the pack and when I followed the direction of the strange smell, I bumped into Astrid. At first, I thought someone was chasing her, but I later on found out from her that she was running away from Alpha Adolph because he tried to rape her”
“Tss… that horny prick. He has no shame!” Rowan curses.
“Wow, she’s so brave. I wonder how she was able to escape from Alpha Adolph” That’s Arya.
“Remember, she is a true born Alpha, she’s got strength she doesn’t even know about and I’m going to train her to be able to use that strength”
“So, that means you are keeping her”
“Keeping her? She’s not some object that has to be kept, use the right statement Rowan!” Arya cautions.
“Sorry, so, you are letting her stay?” He corrects.
“Now, that’s better”
“Yes, I’m letting her stay”
“So, what will you do if Alpha Adolph asks you to send her back to his pack”
“About that, he already has, but I’m not gone send her back there. Astrid is out of that pack good”
“He’s gonna wage a war on us”
“No he won’t! Remember I’ve got his daughter with me, I could use her as leverage in this situation.”
“I see…”
“Now let’s end the topic about Astrid, there’s something else I want us to discuss.”
“Which is?” Rowan asks curious and I take out the dagger from my overall and hold out towards them.
“This!”
“A dagger?” Arya asks as she stretches her hand forward to touch it, but I pull back and she misses. “Come on!” She cries with a disappointed look on her and I shake my head.
“This doesn’t seem to be just any kind of dagger.”
“Why do you say so?” Rowan asks.
“Do you remember the forbidden locker on father’s table?”
They both look at each other and then look at me with their eyes wide open.
“No you didn’t!” They blurt out in unison and I silently nod my head.
“I had to. I wanted to see what was inside and this is what I found. A dagger and it has something imprinted on it which reads “Dagger of purity”. I wonder what this means”
“I don’t know what it means, but I’m positive that if Father forbade us from getting any close to this thing, it means there is more to it than what meets the eye” Arya mirrors my thoughts and I nod my head.
“You are right sis. Also, there are so many odd things happening this days. Like the fact that we cannot detect our mates, that is very abnormal for werewolves and the fact that Alpha Adolph who used to be a Beta was able to dethrone the real Alpha of the Black Wood Pack, that isn’t ordinary at all. What if this is a link to the answers to all our questions? What if this is some object that has to be used to redeem us.”
“Right now, my heart is beating abnormally guys. We need to find a way to figure out what this dagger is used for.”
“I know someone who might know” Rowan indicates and Arya creases hers brows at him and he does same.
They both start having an eye to eyes conversation and I’m totally lost.
“Guys, guys, spill it now”
“There’s this…” Rowan starts to talk but Astrid closes his mouth. “Let…” he fights her off. “We have to tell him.”
“Ugh!”
“There’s this witch…”
“A witch?” I ask aghast.
“Yes, she lives up the hills in a cottage.”
“A witch, that means she practices witchcraft?”
“Duh! Of course”
“Yes she does”
“And how come I have never known about this?”
“Bro, you’ve lived almost all your life in the human world, you just got back about a month ago, you couldn’t have known”
“A witch?” I mutter to myself in utter shock.
I have never known there was a witch in my Pack.
Wow!
“Don’t you worry, she’s nice, just a bit weird. I’m sure she might be able to help us”
“Are you sure we can trust her with this?”
“I don’t know, but she’s our best shot at the moment.”
“Alright then, let’s go”
“Can I not come?” Arya asks pouting her lips.
“You have to come Arya”
“I just want to check on Astrid, you know, to see how she’s holding up in her new environment”
“You will see Astrid when we get back. Now stop with the lazy comments and let’s go find the witch.”
“Yes Sir!”
“It’ll be unfair to go without Beta Kane”
“Ah Yeah, mind link him and ask him to meet us at the castle gate”
“I’m on it”
We all exit my office and make our way out of the castle.
The thought of going to meet a witch doesn’t sound very appealing to me, but right now, this seems to be the only way out.
I have to figure out what that dagger is used for and prepare for anything that’s coming ahead, but to be honest, I can feel a storm coming.