Asher
Instead, I turn slowly, with a sharp gaze as I approach the figure standing a little too comfortably in my territory. She straightens up slightly but bows her head in respect.
Alpha Asher, good to see you again.
“What’s the point of seeing you now?” I growl with a low voice, but you can tell that it’s laced with restrained fury; my alpha aura seeps into the air, but Selena stands unfazed.
Something is unsettling about her, something that makes my wolf restless. I’ve run background checks on her before she’s from a powerful alpha bloodline, but there’s no mention of her pack. That omission alone makes her a mystery I haven’t fully unraveled.
“We don’t have time to waste if you want to save your mate,” she replies with a teasing, calm voice that irks me even more.
My breath catches for a moment. She knows. The way she said it so confidently sends a ripple of surprise through me. But I refuse to let it show.
“Oh, so you know,” I say, my tone cold, masking my unease.
Selena’s smirk deepens as if she’s playing a game only she knows the rules to. “There’s a lot I know, Alpha Asher. And if you’re smart, you’ll listen. Time is running out.”
I grit my teeth, torn between wanting to demand answers and knowing she might hold the key to saving Ally or ending her right now.
“Why did you leave without informing the pack authority?” I ask, with a cold voice ignoring her comment about my mate.
Selena lowers her head slightly in what seems like respect or perhaps guilt. “There was a threat to Ally’s life, Alpha. I couldn’t risk staying back.”
A threat to her life? You should have told me. I’m the Alpha; I should’ve been informed.
She lifts her gaze with a calm expression. The way she is so calm makes me furious.
“In my office. Now.” I growl,
Turning on my heel, I didn’t bother checking if she was following. I can hear her footsteps behind me.
The moment the door shuts behind her, I turn swiftly, grabbing her by the neck. My claws come out slightly as my grip tightens, not enough to harm, but enough to make my dominance clear.
“You don’t get to decide what concerns me,” I say with the authority of an Alpha. “You endangered Ally by running off without my knowledge. That alone is reason enough to question your loyalty.”
Selena doesn’t flinch. Her calm demeanor only infuriates me further. She locks her eyes with mine, her voice steady even with the grip on her neck.
“Alpha Asher, I did what I had to do to protect her. If I’d informed you, it might’ve put her in greater danger.”
My wolf, Kaidos, growls in my mind, urging me to dig deeper into her intentions. I release her with a low snarl, taking a step back but keeping my piercing gaze locked on hers.
“You’ve got one chance to explain everything, she’s my fucking mate! It’s only normal that you’d inform me,” I growl through gritted teeth, my claws itching to resurface.
Selena lets out a humorless laugh, loud and mocking. I release her neck slowly, watching her with narrowed eyes. Selena is a woman of few words; seeing her laugh like this is deeply irritating.
“Your mate?” she sneers, tilting her head. “Is it the mate you rejected after you fucking made love to her? Is it the mate you didn’t acknowledge because of that dumb Maya?”
Her words hit like a punch to the gut, but I don’t let it show. Instead, I take a step closer to her, my voice dangerously low.
“What I do with my mate is none of your fucking business,” I growl, my voice low and dangerous. My aura seeps into the room, thick and suffocating. So you shut the fuck up right now.
Selena doesn’t flinch, though. She tilts her head, a knowing smirk playing on her lips.
“Oh, you lie, Alpha,” she says, her tone laced with defiance. “That your so-called mate is…” She pauses dramatically, raising a hand to push back her hair, revealing an expression that’s half amusement, half frustration.
“Is what?” I demand, stepping closer, my wolf clawing to the surface, demanding answers.
I narrow my eyes, studying her. Selena’s sudden defense of Ally, the fury in her tone, and the way she speaks of my mate… it doesn’t add up. They aren’t related by blood, so why this unwavering loyalty?
I step closer to Selena, my eyes narrowing as her hesitation fills the room. She’s holding back, and it’s starting to test my patience.
“Say it, Selena. My mate is who?” I demand, with a low voice but filled with authority.
Selena looks up at me, with an unreadable expression for a moment before she speaks. “Oh no, Alpha. You need to hurry. Time is running out-you need to save Ally,” she says, her voice trembling slightly as if she’s desperate.
Her words only fuel my frustration. “Why do you care, Selena? And how do you even know she’s injured?” I fire back, with a sharp tone.
Selena looks away, her usual composure slipping. “Let me go check on her, Alpha. Please,” she pleads softly.
I cross my arms, refusing to budge. “You’re not answering my question, and you want me to entrust my mate to your care? Explain yourself first.”
Selena sighs deeply, her shoulders sagging as if the world rests on them.
“I knew you’d recognize her eventually,” she begins, her voice barely above a whisper. “I knew you’d see through her disguise, that you’d know Zoe is Ally. And there’s nothing I can do to stop her from coming back to Redwood Pack.”
Selena continued, her voice gaining strength, but I could sense the vulnerability.
“She’s at the peak of her career, Asher. She’s finally shining, finally living the life she deserves. I wanted to protect her, to keep her away from this chaos. But now… now you’ve found her. You have to protect her. Keep her safe. Keep her a secret, at least for now.”
For the first time, I see a crack in Selena’s usually impenetrable armor. Her resolve crumbles before my eyes, and the fierce doctor I’ve always known looks… vulnerable.
It dawns on me at that moment. She’s not just protecting Ally because of duty. She’s protecting Ally because she cares.
“You…” My voice falters as the realization hits me like a tidal wave. “You’re Ally’s mother?”
Selena flinches but doesn’t deny it. Instead, she meets my gaze, her eyes filled with a mixture of pain and pride. ,” Yes, Alpha,” she admits. “Ally is my daughter.”
I take a step back, trying to process everything. Selena watches me closely, her vulnerability replaced by a steely determination.
I can’t imagine having a child and not wanting to protect them with my life. Selena’s words strike a chord deep within me. Slowly, I let go of her without asking any more questions.
For a long moment, we just stood there, staring at each other, both of us lost in our thoughts.
I should have claimed Ally the moment I recognized her. I should have stood firm and been the Alpha she deserved. Instead, I let my fear and confusion get the better of me. I allowed Maya into my life, complicating everything and ruining what could have been.
And now, here I am, facing the consequences of my choices. Ally, my true mate, lying injured and poisoned because she risked everything to warn me about something she didn’t even get the chance to say.
I run a hand through my hair, guilt pressing down on me. I can’t lose Ally, not now, not ever.
But Selena continues, “There’s something you need to do to save her life.”