Alethea
“I know… I know, Asher,” I mutter, my voice barely above a whisper.
Everything rushes through me at once as he lays his emotions bare, letting me see the truth he has been carrying alone.
He wasn’t trying to hurt me when he hit me, he was trying to save me.
Maya had a silver knife. I hadn’t seen it. I had lost all caution the moment I saw Declan with her. The only thought in my head had been to run to my son. Nothing else would have stopped me, not even Asher, not anyone. And Asher knew that.
That’s why he did what he did.
Maybe he shouldn’t have hit me so hard, but I’m grateful he did. Because if he hadn’t… I don’t think I would have survived it.
Asher had tried to reason with Maya after I passed out. He had tried to talk her out of whatever plan she had for Declan. But she was hurt, broken in a way that blinded her.
“So this is why you never wanted me,” she had said, her voice shaking with pain. “I wanted so badly to give you an heir, but what did you do? You said you didn’t have time, that you weren’t ready. I loved you all my life, Asher. Even when I found my mate, I didn’t want him. I only wanted you. I gave you everything. And what did you do? You pushed me away like I meant nothing.”
Asher had tried to reason with her. “I swear to you, I didn’t know about him until now. His existence was kept from me.”
He was trying to calm her, trying to stop her from doing something reckless. I know that. Because the Asher I know would have already acted if not for one thing, she had our son. And she had a knife.
Maya had laughed bitterly through her tears. “Don’t tell me that, Asher. You humiliated me. And now, I can’t even go back to Blood Moon Pack. I’m a disgrace to my family. I failed them. I failed myself. I was supposed to be your Luna.”
She had sobbed, heartbroken, and for a brief second, I had felt something almost like sympathy. Almost.
But should I feel bad for her? Hell no.
She made my life a living hell.
And through it all, Declan had been sleeping, unaware of the storm raging around him.
“What did she give my boy?” The thought flashes through my mind, but before I can say anything, I see the torment in Maya’s eyes.
“It was never my intention to hurt your boy,” she murmurs. “But I hate the fact that you could father a child with her and still want nothing to do with me-not even to give me the honor of carrying your heir.”
Her voice trembles with anger, and for a second, I see the depth of her pain. But then, her expression hardens, and her next words chill me to my core.
“Asher, I’m pissed. I’m livid. All I want to do is rip your head off your neck for denying me the right to have a child with you.”
She pauses, her eyes darting around as if sensing something or someone watching. Her voice drops to a whisper.
“But know this, Asher… There are powers at play here. You think I’m the villain, but you’ll wish I was still alive.”
And then, just like that, she shoves Declan toward Asher.
“Take him,” she sneers. “He’s useless to me anyway.”
The moment she releases him-
Gunshots.
A rapid succession of them.
Maya’s body jerks violently as blood blooms across her torso. Her eyes widen in shock before she crumples, but before she can hit the ground, Asher catches her.
His hands and fingerprints are all over her.
Oh, Goddess.
The evidence is glaring.
I watch in horror as he shakes her, desperation in his eyes. “Stay with me, Maya. Stay with me!” But she didn’t respond.
His head snaps up, his gaze sweeping the area. He fumbles for his phone and calls someone, I guess it’s Selena.
“I need you here. Now.” He says as he describes where he is.
But before she arrives, something shifts in Asher. He moves swiftly, carrying Maya’s limp body into another room and laying her on a table. He tries everything to stop the bleeding, his hands pressing against her wounds, his voice pleading with her to hold on.
But it’s too late.
The moment he realizes she’s gone, a raw, grief-stricken growl tears from his throat. The sound of pure anguish.
And then silence.
A terrifying silence.
I gasp, the truth crashing down on me. My legs buckle, my vision blurs, and before I can hit the floor, Asher’s strong arms catch me.
That damn familiar tingling shoots through my skin, making Xena giggle in excitement.
“Are you okay?” His deep, velvety voice pulls me back to reality.
I look up, and the moment my eyes meet his, I get lost.
Those green eyes-sharp, piercing-have always seen right through me, stripping me bare in a way no one else ever could.
A lump forms in my throat, emotions swelling inside me. “I know, Asher. I believe you.”
I swallow hard before continuing, my voice barely above a whisper. “Even before you let me into your memory, I believed you.”
Asher takes a step closer, his hands clasped behind his back, that infuriating smirk playing on his lips. His gaze is intense, and my skin prickles under his stare. I glance around the room, looking anywhere but at him, trying to ignore the way my body reacts to his presence.
“You do believe me, right?” he asks again, his voice softer this time.
I meet his eyes, wondering why he keeps asking. A dull ache starts pulsing in my head, making me sigh. “Goddess, Asher, you should have just explained instead of forcing me to dive into your mind,” I mumble, settling deeper into the couch, trying to get comfortable.
He suddenly crouches down in front of me, bringing himself to my eye level. His gaze flashes over my face, sharp and assessing. “Is that a headache coming?” he asks, with a low voice.
I lift a hand to my forehead and nod slowly.
“Wait here. I have something for you,” he says, standing up and walking away.
I watch him disappear into another room, my head still pounding. Moments later, he returns, with a small bottle in his hand. He kneels back in front of me, giving it to me.
“Here, take this.”
I eye the bottle suspiciously. “What is it?”
Asher tilts his head slightly. “Do you trust me?”
The question makes me pause. Do I trust Asher? After everything, after the secrets, the pain, the betrayal… I should say no. But deep down, I know the answer. I trust him more than I should.
I don’t bother answering. Instead, I take the bottle from his hand, uncap it, and down the contents in one go. The taste of peppermint and a hint of ginger lingers on my tongue.
“Thank you,” I murmur, handing the empty bottle back to him.
The silence between us is thick, the tension crackling like a live wire. I can hear his breathing, rough and uneven, and see the way his eyes darken as if he’s battling some inner war.
I’m still getting used to having a wolf inside me, but Xena is restless, pacing in my mind, urging me to close the space between us.
What was I thinking about coming here alone?
Then, without warning, Asher’s hand brushes against mine. A spark erupts between us, sending a shiver down my spine. I jerk at the contact, but he doesn’t let go.
His grip tightens, his thumb brushing over my skin. His voice is barely above a whisper when he speaks.
“Tell me to let go, Alethea.”
But I can’t. Because, deep down, I don’t want him to.