CHAPTER THIRTY-ONE
ASTRID’S POV
For the first time in many years, I had a good night’s sleep.
Last night was such a peaceful night and I’m grateful to the moon goddess. Just when I was about to go to bed, Alpha Asher came in and told me everything was settled with Adolph and that I could stay in this pack for as long as I wanted. As first, I thought he was bluffing, but the look on his face and the tone in which he spoke with made me understand that he wasn’t. He refused to explain any further when I asked him about the issue that had been settled and I didn’t want to push it, so I let it be. I didn’t want him to get angry and throw me out of his pack. Right now I’m not very ready to become a rogue.
He also told me about the punishment he gave to the maid who treated me badly. At first I was guilty that someone had been punished because of me, but deep down in my heart, I was touched that someone had stood up for me after such a long time. Right now I’m used to being defenseless against people stepping all over me and it really did warm heart that Alpha Asher defended me.
He is such a sweet man and I swear, I cannot deny the fact that I’ve got a fat crush on him.
Apart from the fact that he has such a beautiful soul, he is quite an attractive young man. His facial features are perfectly sculpted and he has the hottest jawline I have ever seen in my entire life. His Alpha voice is calm and soothing and every time I converse with him, blood sings in my veins as that soothing voice of his touches my ear drums. When he smiles, I blush so hard that my cheeks turn a beet root.
He is very handsome and I’m jealous of Freya for being engaged to such a beautiful soul.
If I were to be honest with you, I don’t think she deserves him. Alpha Asher is too good for her, but what can I say? The Rich always get the best of everything, even if they don’t deserve it.
I finally decide that’s much fantasy for the day and step down from my bed.
My bed?
Yeah, my bed. I guess I can address it as mine now since my stay is now an assured permanent stay.
I yawn lazily as I flex my muscles and when my mother’s words replay on my mind, I laugh hard. When I was still very young, she would tell me to make sure I yawn and flex my muscles every time I wake from bed so that I will grow very tall. I have been doing that for as long as I can remember, but I don’t think that’s the reason for my height.
I’m five feet, nine inches tall and quite slender, but I don’t think it’s because I stretch my muscles every morning when I wake up from sleep. I got my tall genes from both parents. They were such tall people.
As I’m about to walk into the bathroom to do my morning business, I hear a loud knock on my door that causes me to jump in fright.
Who the hell could that be?
It couldn’t be Alpha Asher, he never knocks on my door in such a manner. I gently walk over to the door and open it up with the key. Before I can open it wide, the person outside beats me to it and I go mute when I see Freya, my all time bully.
She pushes me into the bedroom and bangs the door hard behind her. The look on her face is terrifying and don’t know what I did to earn her wrath this morning.
“Good morning Freya” I greet nervously and she casts me a deadly stare as she steps closer to me.
“How dare you?” She sneers in anger and I look at her confused.
How and when did I dare her?
“I… I…” I stutter nervously as I take a step backwards. Right now my heart is palpating in my chest like I just returned from a marathon race. An angered version of Freya is that last thing I want to encounter this morning. “Freya I don’t understand what you mean by that” I spill out and she chuckles.
You know the kind of chuckle which makes you understand that all is not well, right?
“I don’t know what it is you are doing, but just know it’s not going to work!”
“Freya, I’m not doing any…”
“Shut your mouth you worthless tramp! I need you to stop all this drama you are creating. I need you to leave this pack!” She scolds in anger and her nostrils start flaring. When her nostrils flare, it means she’s super angry, which is not a good sign. I’m going to be receiving a smack anytime soon.
“Freya I’m not creating any drama.”
“Why the hell did you have to lie to my fiancé that my father and brother tried to rape you. Was that the motive you used so he could let you stay?” She says shouting. The entire corridor must be blasting with her squeaky voice right now.
Why the hell is she even shouting?
“That wasn’t a lie and neither was it a motive. Your brother and father did try to rape me, that’s what gave me the courage to flee in the first place. I don’t expect you to believe me, but it’s the bitter truth”
“You shameless whore ! How dare you…” She says as she raises her hand up to hit me as usual but the door immediately swings open.
“Stop right dare Freya!”
That Alpha voice!
Today it’s not calm at all, but it’s still shooting. From his tone, I can tell that he vexed and I prove myself right when I look up to his face and see the frown on it. He walks between us and turns to face Freya who is fuming in anger.
“Freya, what are you doing here so early in the morning?” He asks giving her a piercing gaze and her angry look intensifies.
“I’m here to teach this tramp a lesson. First she lies about my father and brother trying to rape her and now, she has managed to convince you to let her stay her. She needs to be punished”
“I will never let such a thing happen! Freya you need to stop a this drama you keep causing here and day every blessed day. Don’t you ever get tired?”
“Tired? Me get tired? Never! I won’t stop until I get this tramp thrown out of this pack. She doesn’t deserve to be here, she doesn’t deserve to be treated like a princess, she deserves to be at my father’s pack, serving like the slave she is!”
“You mean her father’s pack that was stolen by your father?” Alpha Asher asks provocatively and she gives him a stern look, but stay quiet. “Freya, just go back your room and never come in here again. That’s an order!” He orders and she stomps her leg on the marbles tiles and angrily storms out of my bedroom. When she bangs the door behind her, I let out a heavy breath I didn’t realize I was holding and Alpha Asher turns to face me.
“Sorry about that” He apologizes in a calm tone and I shake me head as I look up into his beautiful eyes.
“It’s okay, I’m used to her by now”
“I’m going talk to her and I’ll make sure she restrains from coming here to bother you. I promise!”
“Thank you” I say with a smile and he smiles as well.
“So, how was your night?” He asks nicely and I suddenly get all shy. I bow my head and play with my fingers as my cheeks start heating up.
“It was peaceful. Had a beautiful dream?”
“Can you tell me about it?” He asks and I abruptly look up at him but the moment our eyes meet again, I tear my gaze away from his.
“No, I can’t. It’s nothing worth talking about.”
How can I start telling him that I dreamed he proposed to me?
I step away from his closeness so I can think properly. Standing so close to him hinders my brain from thinking straight and all the words in my mouth have almost flown away. His intoxicating smell makes my heart beat abnormally. His entire presence does naughty things to my body as a whole, things I can’t control and I don’t like it.
“I need you to do me a favor Astrid” He asks after a long moment of silence. I jerk my head to look at him.
“What favor?”
“I need you to defend yourself against Freya”
“I … I … don’t think I can do that?”
“Why not?”
“She is your fiancé and the soon-to-be Luna of this pack. I can’t disrespect her”
“Defending yourself against a bully is no form of disrespect Astrid, it’s your right to do so”
“I know that, but it’s not easy as it seems. Freya has been my superior for more that fifteen years. I have served her for that length of time and I’m used to her oppressing me. I want to, I really want to defend myself against her, but I don’t think I can because the only thing that rings on my mind when she’s around me, is the word submit. I can’t help but submit to her.” I explain and he looks at me long and hard, probably wondering what it is I’m talking about.
Growing up as an heir, he probably doesn’t have the word submit in his dictionary. He has always been superior to everyone around him and he wouldn’t understand what I’m talking about.
“I understand what you are talking about Astrid” He speaks and look at him in horror.
Did give just read my mind?
“Whoa! Why the look? Did I just say what was on your mind?”
“Yeah and it’s terrifying”
“Don’t you worry, I can’t read minds. I just guessed you would be thinking I probably don’t understand what you are talking about, but I do and I promise you that’s going to change”
“How?” I ask curious and he smiles.
“Do you trust me?”
“I have never trusted any one before”
“Oh, okay, that means I’m going to try my best to earn that trust. I want you to start with your training”
“What training?”
“Every kind of training an Alpha needs”
“An Alpha?”
“Yes, your father was an Alpha Astrid and that makes you an Alpha and you have powers you don’t even know about. That’s why I want you to be trained properly so you can become the Alpha you are. My younger brother, Rowan, will be in charge of that”
“Is he going to teach me how to fight?”
“He’s going to teach you how to do anything honey, juts anything at all” He confirms and my eyes light up in excitement.
“I have always wanted to learn how to fight, but Adolph wouldn’t let me”
“Of course he wouldn’t, he’s scared you will one day rise against him. But not to worry, you will be in good hands. I’ll come in once in a while to teach you a few things as well.”
“Got it.”
“Alright then. Get yourself ready, I will be taking you to the training ground after breakfast”
“I will”
“See you later” He turns and starts walking away and just then, a thought crosses my mind.
“Alpha Asher” I call and he stops on his tracks and slowly turns to face me.
“Yes, Astrid”
“I just wanted to say thank you. It’s been a while since I had someone talk to me nicely, or even defend me. Thank you very much for everything” I thank him with all my heart and he nods his head and smiles.
“Just don’t try to escape again” Then he exits the bedroom.
I yelp joyfully as I bolt into the bedroom to get myself ready.
I can’t wait to get strong enough to kick ass!