Asher
I stood in front of the woman who had given me a sleepless night all these years. I wasn’t moving, and all I could do was keep staring at her while her words kept replaying over and over in my head. I was torn between doing what would make her happy and what my heart wanted.
She kept staring at me, her face crippled, as if she was having some bizarre thoughts.
I could see the hurt and disbelief in her eyes when I refused to give her an answer and it didn’t bother me as much as it would have done in the past.
“Asher.” She snarled. The pain in her astute brown eyes was now replaced with a dangerous glow of rage in them. “Why aren’t you saying anything? Or has she made you become so frail that a simple question now makes you speechless?
Then it’s time for you to throw her out before she strips off the beast in you and turns you into a gutless wimp.
I can’t even stand her and I don’t want to see her around you anymore.
Have you ever thought about what the council of elders would say if they found out that you are still spending your awakening moment with her even after knowing that your mate was alive and also living in the castle with you? Have you thought about that Asher Pendragon? All you have to do is send her out of the castle at the first light of dawn and I will have you in my arms to make up for the lost moments.”
Her words caused a churn within me. Did she really think that I cared about the council’s opinion? I have lived the past four years like a blood-sucking demon and ruled with an iron fist, and the council of elders couldn’t do anything about it. So I see no reason why they would want to meddle in my affairs now.
I stared at her for a brief second, and I knew there was no way I could succumb to her request. As much as it was difficult for me to admit, I couldn’t let go of Kayla. I was already deeply attached to her in an unexplainable way. When she asked me what was going to happen now with Emily here, I knew without a doubt that I wouldn’t be able to let her go. I didn’t even have to think twice or question myself about it, I already knew the answer.
But the strange question buzzing in my head like an incessant fly still remained whether the same solution applied to Emily. Would I be able to let her go after yearning and finding her back after all these years?
Everything was so messed up that I couldn’t think clearly at the moment but one thing that felt different and unique was the time I pulled Kayla into my arms earlier tonight and I could tell that I would fight and kill anyone that tried to take her away from me. She was so delicate, charming, and precious. Kayla Wright was my rarest diamond, my luster charms, my priceless unique gem, one that I was deeply fascinated about.
Emily sighed and waved her hand in my face, bringing my attention back to her. Her hand gripped my arm, forcing my amber pair to fall directly into her brown brown eyes. We stared deeply into each other’s eyes for a few seconds but it didn’t feel like it once did. But why?
We once had a strong connection, I mean there was still a spark there but it felt distant, unlike the powerful bond that was binding us together back then.
“You are yet to say anything or consent to my request mate,” Her voice was now breaking, and instantly tears gathered in her eyes.
“I need some time to think about this Emily but I can’t just throw her out like she means nothing to me. She-”
I didn’t know how to explain my feelings to Emily. She was my mate and here I was about to confess how I felt for another woman that wasn’t her.
That only sparked another question in my head, how was it even possible for me to have feelings for another woman when my mate was present and here with me?
What was wrong? I shouldn’t be able to feel this kind of pull for another when I was already bonded to Emily.
I needed to figure out what was happening and why I felt so deeply attached to Kayla.
Whatever I felt for Kayla was too strong to be just nothing and she deserved to be treated the right way even though I have been a jerk and never treated her well. One thing I was certain of was that I would never throw her out of my life when she has been nothing but good to me. She was the reason I was able to laugh again these past few months. She gave my life a purpose and a reason to live again after I lost Emily.
Kayla was a name that threatened my peace of mind. Every time I closed my eyes, her face came into view, the way she looked at me, her deep glowing oceanic eyes, her angelic smile, and her alluring scent.
I couldn’t help but admit that despite spending just a few months with her. She had succeeded in quenching the furious volcano in my heart and restored a peaceful warmth within me.
Damn it!!!
I didn’t want to admit this to myself but it was my reality and my truth. I couldn’t stand here and keep lying to myself. She meant a lot to me. So much more, that I was finding it hard to let her go when my fated mate was in front of me.
“I can’t believe you would betray our bond like this?” Emily pulled away from my grip, stepping a few steps backward. “You have deliberately kept your distance away from me and you barely say a word to me. Her words came out in between sobs. She wrapped her hands around her arms. “I thought you cared about me. I thought you loved me but I was wrong. Maybe returning back here was a huge mistake on my part.” She broke further into tears.
Her last words pierced my heart and I closed my eyes when she turned to leave.
I opened my mouth to stop her but closed it again. There was nothing I could say to make this any better.