Alethea
I’m in shock. My mind is racing, trying to make sense of everything.
Who could have planted Asher’s cufflink at the murder scene?
Selena’s voice pulls me out of my thoughts. “Talk to me, Ally.”
I blink rapidly, trying to focus. “That day at the abandoned building… When we went to rescue Declan, Asher wasn’t wearing a dress shirt or anything formal. He was in jeans and a T-shirt.”
My voice grows stronger as the realization sinks in. “There’s no way his cufflink could have ended up at the crime scene unless someone put it there on purpose.”
I suddenly feel an urgent need to see Asher, to hear his side of the story. There are too many unanswered questions. “I need to see him,” I say, with a firm voice.
But then another thought hits me-how did I even get here? How did Declan make it home safely? I turn to Selena, hoping she has the answers.
“Mum, how did I get back home? And how did you find Declan?”
She exhales slowly, her eyes filled with concern. “I got a call… Someone told me to come to an abandoned building. They gave me just enough details to help me find you. I followed your scent and when I got there…” She pauses, her face tightening. “You were lying on the floor, unconscious. Declan was beside you, crying. But Asher and Maya were gone.”
I swallow hard, trying to process her words.
“Both of you were my priority,” she continues. “So I called for help and brought you home. I did everything I could to figure out what happened, but before I got any answers… I heard the news about Asher’s arrest.”
Silence settles between us. My heart pounds in my chest.
Then Selena adds something that sends a chill down my spine. “But something baffles me, Ally. Before anything like this happens…”
She hesitates like she’s unsure whether to say it out loud.
I step closer, my voice barely a whisper. “Before anything happens… what, mum?”
“Whenever something is about to happen to you or Declan, I see it in a vision. But this time…” She pauses, shaking her head. “Everything is a blur. I can’t see anything. I can’t place what went wrong.”
Her words make my stomach twist with unease. Selena’s visions have always been reliable. If she didn’t see this coming, does that mean something is blocking her?
I study her closely, searching her face for answers. “What could be wrong, Mum?” I ask, my voice barely above a whisper.
She looks just as unsettled as I feel. Her eyes darted around the room as if trying to connect the missing pieces. I can tell she’s deep in thought, struggling to make sense of it all.
“I don’t know,” she finally admits. “But something isn’t right. I can feel it.”
Her words send a shiver down my spine. “I need to see Asher. I need to hear the truth from him.”
Selena meets my gaze, with concern in her eyes. “Be careful, Ally. Whatever is happening… it’s bigger than we think.”
Selena’s words echo in my mind as I rush inside to get ready. We are in Tarship, not pack territory. Here, human laws reign. The supernatural holds no power in this kind of justice.
I bite my lower lip, as my nerves tighten in my chest. This won’t be easy, I whisper to myself, but I push forward.
Just as I step outside, I freeze. Harvey is standing near the car, his hands in his pockets, watching me closely. My heart pounds. I know better than to trust him-he had a hand in everything that happened.
Alethea, did you see the news? He asks, with a calm voice.
I nod slowly, watching his expression carefully. He looks sincere, but I can’t afford to let my guard down again.
“I’m on my way to see him now,” he says carefully. Then, before he has a chance to respond, I add, “Let’s go together. Maybe there’s something you want to tell him… or ask him.”
I don’t trust him near my son, and I don’t want him inside my house. Selena has installed a security system, but Declan was taken before, just like that, in the blink of an eye.
One minute, he was inside, and the next, he was gone when Selena stepped into the backyard. The thought makes my stomach churn.
I follow Harvey to the car and slide into the passenger seat. The moment the door shuts, I grip my phone tightly. Goddess, what am I doing? Getting into a car alone with Harvey?
To be safe, I bring the phone to my ear and pretend to make a call.
“Hello, Selena. I’m in a car with Harvey. Yes, it’s a black Corolla. It’s just me and him.” I sneaked a glance at Harvey, who didn’t seem to notice.
Then, as we start moving, I frown. Something feels off.
“Selena, we’re heading to see Asher, but… this isn’t the way to the station.” I reach out and tap Harvey’s arm. “Where are we going?”
“I’m taking you to his actual location,” he says smoothly. “Isn’t that what you wanted?”
“I thought he’d be at the station.”
“Nope.” He pops his gum, with a casual tone.
I stretch out the word, “Okay…” but my suspicion deepens.
A few minutes later, Harvey pulls up in front of a hotel. He gives me a glance before suddenly backing out.
“Aren’t you coming?” I ask.
“Nah, I just remembered I have something else to do,” he says with a forced smile.
That’s when it hits me-Harvey never planned to see Asher. He just wanted to drop me off.
Something isn’t right.
I sigh in relief when I finally reach the front desk. The receptionist directs me to Asher’s room, and as I make my way down the hall, my nerves build. My hands tremble slightly as I reach for the doorknob.
What if he doesn’t want to see me? What if he’s given up on me?
I take a deep breath and knock.
I slowly knock on the door, my heart pounding in my chest.
“Come in,” his familiar voice calls out.
That voice alone does something to me-it makes my stomach flip in ways I can’t explain. I take a deep breath and step inside.
Asher is seated, his arms crossed over his chest, staring off into the distance. He doesn’t even look at me. The coldness in his posture makes me feel like I’ve made a mistake coming here, like he’d rather be anywhere else but in this room with me.
His expression is unreadable, his gaze sharp and distant. I try to smile, but it comes out forced. My feet feel rooted to the spot as I stand there, feeling an uncomfortable nervousness settle over me.
Then, without a word, he uncrosses his arms and gestures to the couch opposite him.
“Sit. Are your legs not aching?” His voice is cold, carrying that unmistakable authority that always sends a shiver down my spine.
I shift uneasily before finally sitting down.
“How is my son?” he asks.
I stiffen at his words. Will I ever get used to the fact that he knows about Declan?
I press my lips together, unsure of what to say. His eyes are on me, but they show no emotion. It’s unsettling. I still can’t wrap my head around why he’s here, in a hotel, when he’s being accused of murder. And despite everything, he looks as put together as ever-strong, powerful, and infuriatingly attractive.
My mind wanders to Kayla, the only family of his that I know of.
“Are you just going to sit there and stare?” His voice cuts through my thoughts, edged with impatience.
A sudden wave of frustration washes over me.
“This was a bad idea,” I mutter, pushing myself up from the seat.
I don’t know what I expected from this meeting, but whatever it was, I’m not getting it. Before I can take a step, his hand wraps around my wrist, holding me firmly in place.
A jolt of electricity shoots through me, tingling down my spine and spreading through my veins. It’s a feeling I’m still not used to, no matter how many times I’ve felt it. For a moment, everything else fades away. The accusations, the confusion, the anger of it disappears as I meet his gaze.
His green eyes aren’t cold anymore.
Instead, they are open, raw, and filled with emotions he’s letting me see. And in that instant, I understand.
I see it the moment he struck me, the regret that followed, the chaos that spiraled out of control. He lets me dive into his mind, allowing me to witness everything as it happened. It’s so overwhelming that my knees weaken.
I stagger, but before I can fall, Asher catches me.
His arms wrap around me, steady and secure. His scent surrounds me, calming and intoxicating all at once. My head spins, but one thing is clear.
“I know, Asher,” I whisper. “I know.”