Zander’s POV.
The suite was completely silent now, so quiet that it felt like the walls were closing in on me. The air was heavy, suffocating, and it felt like I couldn’t breathe properly. My wolf was restless inside me, pacing back and forth, snarling at the chaos and destruction I had caused.
He was angry with me, angry with what I had done, and I couldn’t blame him. My hand still throbbed from the slap I had delivered, the sting sharp and unrelenting, but it was nothing compared to the ache deep in my chest. The pain there was unbearable, like my heart had been shattered into pieces that couldn’t be put back together.
I had broken the bond between us. The sacred connection that tied us as mates was now gone. I had ripped it apart with my own hands, with my own words, and there was no way to undo it. The weight of what I’d done was unbearable, crushing me from the inside. It was supposed to be unbreakable, but I had severed it in a moment of rage and pain. Now, the emptiness left behind was like a gaping hole inside me, one that I knew would never heal.
Her scent still lingered in the room, faint but unmistakable. It was fading quickly, but it was strong enough to torment me, to remind me of what I had just lost. Every breath I took was filled with the memory of her-her warmth, her presence, her love. I could still see the tears in her eyes, the way they streamed down her face as she begged me to believe her. Her voice echoed in my mind, pleading with me to listen, but I hadn’t. I had refused to listen, too blinded by my anger and my pride to even consider her words.
And now, she was gone. She had left, and I had no one to blame but myself. The realization was a bitter pill to swallow, one that made my stomach churn and my heart ache. I had destroyed what we had, and there was no taking it back. She was gone because of me, and I didn’t know if I would ever see her again.
A bitter laugh suddenly broke through the suffocating silence, low and mocking. It cut through the stillness like a knife, and my entire body tensed at the sound.
I turned sharply, my eyes narrowing as I saw Asher leaning casually against the wall. He looked completely at ease, his arms crossed over his chest and a cocky smirk plastered across his face. That smirk was enough to make my blood boil, my wolf snarling in rage at the sight of him. He was enjoying this, reveling in my pain, and it made me want to rip him apart.
“You’re a fool,” he said, his voice dripping with satisfaction and mockery. There was no regret in his tone, no remorse for what he had done. “She never wanted to come here. I told her you were with Lyra, so of course, she came running. And now…” He straightened up, his grin stretching wider as if he had won some game. “Now I’ve achieved exactly what I wanted. I’ve ruined your marriage.”
His words hit me like a thunderclap, sending a surge of fury through my entire body. My fists clenched tightly, my nails digging into my palms as I fought to keep control of myself.
“What?” I growled, my voice low and filled with barely contained rage. The sound was more of a snarl than a word, my wolf growling along with me.
Asher shrugged, completely unfazed by the anger radiating off me in waves. It was as if he didn’t care that I was moments away from tearing him apart. “I sent her that message, Zander,” he said, his voice calm, almost casual. “I lied to her. I told her you were with Lyra, and she believed me. She thought you betrayed her, that you were sneaking around behind her back. So, of course, she came here to see for herself. She didn’t trust you-because why would she? And now…” He gestured around the room, his smirk never faltering. “Look where we are. She’s gone.”
My fists clenched tighter, my knuckles whitening as my wolf roared in my chest, demanding action. “Why?” I demanded, my voice shaking with barely restrained fury. “Why the hell would you do this? I never did anything to you! What reason do you have to destroy my life like this?”
Asher’s laughter grew louder, crueler, as he pushed himself off the wall and stepped closer to me. His eyes gleamed with malice, and his tone was mocking as he spoke. “Never did anything to me?” he repeated, his voice dripping with venom. “You really believe that, don’t you? You’re so blind, Zander. So self-righteous. You think you’re the great Alpha King, untouchable, perfect. But you’re nothing. You’ve always been nothing.”
I took a step closer to him, my entire body trembling with the urge to attack. My wolf was clawing at me, begging to be unleashed, to tear him apart for what he had done. “Tell me why,” I snarled through gritted teeth. “You owe me that much. Tell me why you did this.”
Asher smirked again, his eyes glinting with hatred. He leaned in slightly, his voice dropping as he spoke. “You want to know why?” he said, his tone venomous. “Fine. I’ll tell you.”
He paused for a moment, his expression hardening. “You knew I loved her,” he said, his voice sharp and bitter. “You knew Lyra was my true mate. But you stole her from me. You took her, knowing she was mine.”
His words stunned me into silence, the anger in my chest momentarily replaced by shock.
“She was never yours,” he continued, his voice filled with bitterness. “She was mine. But she refused to marry me because of you. She left me because *you* were next in line to be the Alpha King. She wanted power. She wanted the crown. And you gave it to her.”
I stared at him, my mind racing as his words sank in. “Lyra…” I said slowly, my voice barely above a whisper. “She never loved me?”
“She never loved *you,*” Asher spat, his words filled with venom. “She used you, just like she used me. But you were too blind to see it, too caught up in your own arrogance to notice. She only cared about what you could give her, and you fell for it like a fool.”
My chest tightened painfully, memories of Lyra flashing through my mind-her smiles, her promises, her betrayal.
“You think I don’t hate her too?” Asher continued, his voice rising with anger. “She betrayed me, just like she betrayed you. But you… You’re the one I can’t forgive. You should’ve known. You should’ve left her alone. But you didn’t. And now…” He gestured toward the door, his smirk returning. “Now I’ve taken something from you. Now I’ve made you pay.”
The weight of his words settled over me like a crushing blow. He had done this out of revenge, out of spite, and I had fallen right into his trap.
“You ruined my marriage,” I said, my voice trembling with fury. “You lied to her, manipulated her-”
“I didn’t have to try very hard,” he interrupted, his smirk widening. “You did most of the work for me. You’ve been pushing her away since the day you married her, haven’t you? You made it easy for me to plant that seed of doubt. And when the moment came, she believed me.”
I stepped closer, my wolf snarling louder, his rage echoing in my chest. “You’re lucky I don’t kill you where you stand,” I growled, my voice low and dangerous.
“Go ahead,” Asher taunted, spreading his arms wide as if daring me to attack. “Kill me. But it won’t change anything, Zander. She’s gone. And this time, it’s your fault.”
His words were like a dagger straight to my heart, the truth in them cutting deeper than I wanted to admit.
I didn’t wait for him to say anything else. I spun on my heel and stormed out of the suite, my mind spinning with everything he had said.