CHAPTER FIFTY
ASHER’S POV
If I tell you I got any sleep last night, then I would be lying big-time.
There was no way I could sleep when I had the love of my life sleeping in my arms. I took that opportunity to hold her tight and feel her presence all night.
The fever I felt suddenly disappeared and my temperature was back to normal, just because she was by my side.
I don’t know how she found out that I needed her, but I’m glad she came and most of all, I’m glad that Freya stayed the night at her father’s place, else I would have missed out on this great opportunity.
Henceforth, I will talk her into spending more time at her father’s house.
By dawn, I had to leave Astrid against my will to go for my usual morning runs. I also didn’t want things to get awkward when she wakes up and finds herself in my arms.
I said a lot of cheesy things to her last night and right now I don’t even know how I’m going to face her.
Oh, Moon goddess. I love that girl called Astrid and I wish someday in the future, when everything has been settled, I will be able to make her mine. I don’t see myself spending the rest of my life with any other girl, but her.
“I thought I asked you to signal me so I can accompany you for your morning runs” Kane speaks through mindlink and I turn behind, only to see his big grey, beta wolf standing before me and snarling in anger.
“How many times do I have to tell you that I’m not a baby and I do not need your protection” I reply through mindlink as I stand still on the spot with my eyes glued to his wolf-self standing before me.
“Not only babies need protection, Alpha Asher. As it is now, you are being targeted by that tyrant called Alpha Adolph. Who knows what stunt he’s going to pull one of these days. You need to be protected everywhere you go!” He explains and I internally roll my eyes, but he has a point.
I have stepped on Alpha Adolph’s very last nerves and I’m very positive that he has something up his sleeves. I need to be more cautious about the way I move around these days.
“Yes, father. I have heard you and I promise to let you know next time I’m going out for training. Now will you stop giving me that scary look already?” I ask as I walk past him.
“Where are you heading to?”
“The castle” I reply curtly as I walk on and he follows closely behind me. I can smell other soldiers around the bush and I just shake my head and sigh within.
Kane actually invited an entire army just to come protect me, what exactly am I going to do with that man?
I couldn’t wish for a better Beta than him.
“Did you really have to bring the entire army with you?”
“I didn’t bring the entire army, just a few soldiers”
“Oh Kane, what would I do without you?”
“Nothing, absolutely nothing my dear Alpha ” He replies and the words are encoded in enormous pride. I internally roll my eyes once more as I walk on.
The walk back to the castle is a quiet one. Once I get to my chambers, I walk straight into my bedroom, where I take a cold bath and dress up for Alpha duty. As I am about to leave the bedroom, my cell phone which I rarely use chimes on the bedpost and I sigh in frustration when I go to check and see Freya’s name, indicating I’ve got a text from her.
I don’t bother reading. I turn on my heels and head out of the bedroom. I careless about what she has to say.
Once I arrive at the diner, I see Arya, Rowan and Astrid already seated waiting for me. The moment my eyes meet with Astrid’s, she instantly bows her head down and plays with her fingers.
Shy pants.
I smile and make my way over to my head seat where I sit on it and look at everyone, still smiling and that’s strange. It’s been a while since I ate breakfast in a good mood. Freya had a special talent of always spoiling my mood early in the morning.
“What’s with the foolish smile?” Arya asks in disgust, just as expected.
“Well, good morning to you too” I greet as politely as I can and turn to face Astrid. Her eyes are still glued to whatever it is she is looking at on the door and she’s still playing with her fingers. Her hair is concealing the entire left side of her face much to my disappointment.
I want to look at her beautiful face throughout this time before I leave for work.
Without uttering a word, I gently stretch my right hand over her face and bundle up the chunk of hair that’s concealing her gorgeous face and try to put it behind her left ear. The moment my fingers make contact with her bareskin, it seems like it sends electric shocks all over her body because she jumps in fright and whimpers like a scared kitten. I stop my attempt to pull the hair behind her ear and wait for her to calm down.
“It’s just me” I whisper and she quietly nods her head.
From my peripheral view, I can see both Arya and Rowan trying very hard to hold back their devious chuckles as they keep giving me obscene glances.
Idiots!
I push all the hair covering Astrid’s face behind her ears and give a gentle pat on her left cheek which causes her to smile.
She looks so innocent and when I think of how I had her wrapped up in my arms all night, how much I inhaled her sweet womanly smell, how much the warmth from her body did all sorts of things to my body, I feel like floating.
The Moon goddess knows how much I held myself back from doing naughty things to her last night.
Man, I love Astrid.
That is a fact that’s undebatable!
“I made you the chicken soup I was talking about last night” She announces as she opens a bowl of steaming soup before me and immediately, I begin to salivate.
I had totally forgotten about the soup. It’s a good thing she has a good memory.
“You guys spoke about chicken soup last night? How odd” Arya pokes in and I just shake my head as I lean backwards as I watch Astrid serve me the soup.
“Actually…” Astrid starts talking as she picks up a spoon and starts serving the soup in my soup bowl. “Alpha Asher had a fever last night. It was a good thing I found him. He was almost suffocating in his duvet”
“You had a fever and you didn’t tell me?” Arya asks concerned and I can tell from her voice that she is disappointed by the fact I didn’t tell her.
I always go to her whenever I’m sick at night.
“I.. I…. Actually…” I stutter nervously, as I scratch the back of my head. “Astrid came and she seemed to handle the situation pretty well, so I didn’t want to bother you as well” I explain, hoping that she understands and she suddenly lets out a wide smile.
“That is so sweet to hear. So, what exactly did Astrid do?” she asks, averting her gaze to Astrid who placed the bowl of soup before me and rubbed her palms together, probably unsure of what to say.
A Lot of things happened last night.
A lot of embarrassing things to share.
“Well, when I got into the bedroom, I noticed he was kind of suffocating in the duvet so I took it off. I then noticed he was sweating profusely and when I touched his forehead, his temperature confirmed my suspicion of him having a fever. I then brought some cold water and a towel so I could pat his forehead for his temperature to step down and that’s when he asked me to get him the first aid box. When I did, he took a pill from it and then I patted his forehead with the towel…. And then, the rest was history”
“The chicken soup discussion is missing” Arya points out and Astrid nervously bites her lips and that’s when I come to her rescue.
“The chicken soup discussion is none of your business. She has told you what needed to be said, now the rest is not something either of you should know. Now, enjoy your meal” I cut her off and she frowns as she begins serving herself some food.
I know I’m dead meat because after this she’s going to barge into my office and make me say everything, whether I like it or not!
“Oh my God Astrid! This soup is delicious!” I cry as I eat more of the soup.
“Is it?”
“I swear to the moon goddess, it is. Your mother must be very proud of you wherever she is right now”
“Can I get a taste of it?” Rowan speaks for the first time. I give him a solid slap on the back of his palm when he tries to carry the bowl and he instantly withdraws.
I greedily carry the bowl of chicken soup and place it before me, making Arya and Astrid burst into laughter.
One of these days, I’m going to get a very painful comeback from Rowan for this. That I know for sure.
“So, when is Freya coming back?” Arya asks and I immediately know the question is for me.
“Don’t know, don’t care” I reply frankly with all my attention on my soup before me and no one says another word for a long time.
One day, it’s going to be like this everyday! Breakfast without Freya, but it will be more cheesy because I will be able to kiss Astrid passionately when I take my seat by her side and I will be able to tell her how beautiful she looks every now and then without any fear.
Everything is going to fall in place, eventually. That I very much believe!