Alethea
My heart pounds loudly in my chest, a steady drum of anxiety and frustration. I don’t know if he’s about to ask the same question I’ve been avoiding, but I can already feel the tension in the air.
I roll my eyes upward, exhaling sharply as I stare at his back. His posture is stiff, his shoulders tense, like he’s carrying the weight of the entire world. But honestly? I don’t care what’s bothering him this time.
I watch as he opens the office door, leaving it ajar for me to follow. Slowly, I step inside and close it behind me, bracing myself for whatever storm he’s about to unleash.
“Were you fucking Xavier? And is he the father of your child?” His voice is sharp, laced with anger and something deeper-something I refuse to acknowledge. “You had no right to be with another man just because we aren’t together.”
My hands curl into fists at my sides, my nails digging into my palms. The audacity. The sheer arrogance of this man. He has no right to ask me that, no right to question my choices. After all, he has Maya as his Luna, the same woman he chose over me-the same woman he sleeps with while I suffer in the shadows.
I let out a bitter laugh, shaking my head. “Who I choose to spread my legs for is none of your damn business, sir.” My voice drips with sarcasm as I glare at him.
“You lost that right the moment you rejected me. You have Maya-your perfect little Luna-so why the hell are you so concerned about who I fuck?”
I step closer, my eyes burning with fury.
“And you know what? Fucking Xavier is just the tip of the iceberg. I love fucking any dick that isn’t yours.”
The moment the words leave my mouth, I regret them. Not because I don’t want to hurt him, but because of the way he smirks, like he sees right through my bullshit.
“Are you done?” he asks, amusement flickering in his eyes.
That smirk-it’s infuriating. It’s like he knows I’m bluffing like he knows my words are just a desperate attempt to push him away.
I didn’t respond. Not because I have nothing to say, but because I’m tired. Tired of this endless cycle, tired of fighting him, tired of pretending I don’t care.
And for a brief moment, I remember what Selena told me yesterday. She asked me to give him a chance. To try to see the man beneath the anger and the pain.
But as I stand here, trapped under Asher’s intense gaze, I wonder-does he even deserve it?
“Ally, how long will you continue to hate me?” Asher’s voice is quiet, but there’s an urgency in it that makes my heart clench.
His eyes search mine, and for once, I feel like I mean something to him. But I can’t let myself get lost in those eyes-not again.
He exhales sharply, his jaw tightening. “Do you hate me so much that it feels like a taboo to have my child?” His voice is strained as if the words physically hurt him. “More than anything, I wish I had a child with my mate. But right now, I don’t see the possibility.”
I scoff, shaking my head. “There is no possibility, Asher. If you want a child, you can have one with Maya. The pack is waiting for your heir, after all.”
My voice is clipped, my heart hammering in my chest. I just need to steer this conversation away from the truth-away from the child we both know he shouldn’t be asking about.
He stays quiet, his expression unreadable, and then suddenly shakes his head. “But I want you, Ally. More than anything, I want you. I just want to make things right. What will it ever take?”
I swallow hard, ignoring the lump in my throat. “I’m sorry, Asher. We can’t.” My voice is barely above a whisper. “Will that be all? I have work to do.”
He exhales and dismisses me with a wave of his hand. I turn toward the door, reaching for the handle when his voice stops me again.
“Wait.”
My hand freezes on the doorknob, my heart slamming against my ribs.
“What’s your boy’s name?”
I grip the handle tightly, my fingers turning white. My breath catches in my throat. He’s heard my son’s name before, many times-only he always mistook him for my boyfriend. But now, hearing him ask outright feels… different.
“Don’t bother answering if you’re not comfortable,” he mutters, but his voice holds something almost vulnerable like he’s bracing himself for what I might say.
I close my eyes briefly before turning around. “Declan,” I say, with a firm voice. “His name is Declan.”
Asher blinks as if the name finally clicks into place. “Oh.” His tone shifts, awareness dawning on him. He remembers now. He remembers mistaking the name before.
Then, the question I dreaded the most came next. “How old is he?”
A soft groan escapes me. I don’t want him doing the math. I don’t want him tracing it back to that night-the night we lost control and made a mistake that changed my life forever.
“He’s three.” I force the words out, with a tight voice. “Asher, can I go now?”
Just as I step forward, ready to leave, he speaks again-words that make my stomach drop.
“Can I meet him?”
I freeze. My blood turns cold. I didn’t turn around immediately because I knew-just one look at Declan and Asher would know the truth. There’s no hiding it.
“No.” I shake my head slowly, refusing outright. “I don’t want you to meet him.”
Asher exhales, but his next words make my breath hitch. “Very well, then. I have my ways. I think I’ll use one of them.”
My head snaps up. My heart slams into my ribs as fear grips me. He wouldn’t-would he?
I step closer, my eyes burning with rage. “If anything happens to my child, if you so much as try to take him from me, goddess knows I will hunt you down, Asher.” My voice is sharp, laced with unshaken fury.
“You don’t threaten me with my child. Do you hear me, Alpha Asher?”
He watches me, unreadable, but I don’t give him a chance to respond.
“If you’ll excuse me, I have a job to do.” I turn sharply, gripping the doorknob once more. “Have a good day, Alpha.”
Then, I stomp out of his office, slamming the door behind me. My whole body is shaking as I walk down the hall.
How dare he?
How dare he try to threaten me?
It’s not a must that I let him meet Declan. It’s not a must.
And no matter what happens…
I won’t let him take my son. I head to the kitchen, ready to start my day. As soon as I step inside, I spot Juliet, who greets me with a bright smile.
“Here’s table three’s order. Can you take it over?” she asks.
“Okay, Juliet,” I say, grabbing the tray and making my way to the designated table.
“Here you go,” I say with a polite smile as I set the plates down. Then, I turn to head back to the kitchen, but just as I take a step, my phone starts ringing.
I freeze. I hadn’t even realized I had it on me. Usually, I leave it in my locker to avoid distractions. But after my conversation with Asher, I must have forgotten.
Fumbling to retrieve it from my pocket, my breath catches when I see Selena’s name flashing on the screen.
My heartbeat spikes.
Declan.
Is he okay?
Is he asking for his dad again?
I answer the call quickly. “Hello?”
But before I can fully process what she’s saying, the tray in my hands slips, crashing to the floor with a loud clatter that silences the entire restaurant.
A sharp gasp escapes my lips. “No… this can’t be.”
A groan rips from my throat, raw and desperate, like a woman on the brink of losing her sanity.
Every pair of eyes in the restaurant was now on me, wide with curiosity and concern, but I didn’t care. I don’t have time to explain.
Without a second thought, I turn and bolt for the door, shoving it open as I race toward home.
Something is wrong.