Alethea
I think about Asher’s request, and deep down, I know I should be there for him. He needs me now, and no matter what has happened between us, I can’t turn away. I don’t know what this means for us, and I refuse to get my hopes up only to have them crushed later. But my gut tells me I need to go back to Redwood Pack with him.
And now, here we are, standing on the front porch of Tarship, ready to leave.
Selena had opposed the idea at first, making it clear that she didn’t think it was a good decision. But to my surprise, she eventually gave in.
Maybe she thought it through and realized it was necessary. Still, she had one condition: Declan stays with her until she’s finished with things here. Then, she would bring him over.
“No. My son comes with me,” Asher had said firmly when Selena first objected.
I could see the frustration flash in her eyes, but she took a deep breath, clearly trying to stay calm.
“Alpha Asher, listen,” she said, her tone measured but serious. “You’ve been away from the Redwood Pack for too long. You don’t know the state of things there. Bringing Declan with you at such a sensitive time and introducing him as your son isn’t a wise move. What if enemies are already inside the pack, just waiting for the right moment to strike? Your sudden return, with a child they never knew about, could set off chaos.”
Asher’s jaw clenched, his possessive nature fighting against reason. But after a long moment, he exhaled sharply and gave in. He agreed to let Declan stay, at least for now.
And though I know it was the right decision, I see how much it affects him.
Declan has been glued to his father’s side for days, and they’ve bonded so much in a short time. I’ve even noticed the improvement in Declan’s health, he no longer wakes up crying in the middle of the night like before.
It won’t be easy for either of them to separate.
But if Selena is right, and danger is lurking in Redwood, then leaving Declan here might be the only way to keep him safe.
Selena spreads out her arms, and I rush into them, holding on tightly.
“Remember what I told you,” she whispers, her voice barely audible. “None of us could ever reach our full potential because we were never with our mates. Fight your way into his heart, no matter how many women throw themselves at him.”
Her words settle deep within me, but my eyes flicker to Asher in concern. Did he hear that? His wolf hearing is sharp, but when I glance at him, his expression remains unreadable. If he did hear, he’s giving nothing away. I sigh in relief and nod at Selena before pulling away.
She turns to Declan and gently takes him from Asher’s arms. Asher ruffles Declan’s hair one last time, and my boy giggles.
Asher moves ahead and opens the car door for me. I hesitate for a moment before stepping in.
He had spoken to the police chief handling Maya’s case, and they assured him they would call him if any questions arose.
“Thank you,” I mutter as I settle into my seat.
The drive is quiet, each of us lost in our thoughts.
“I don’t know if I fit into Redwood Pack anymore,” I finally admit, breaking the silence. “It’s been so long.”
Asher glances at me for a second.
“Three years is a long time, Asher.”
He smirks. “Nope. It’s barely been six months since you came back as Zoe, remember?” He winks.
I narrow mine at him, resisting the urge to punch that smug look off his face. I don’t know if we’re there yet.
“Don’t hold back. You can punch me if you want,” he teases, his smirk widening.
I groan as I realize that I forgot to close off my mental link. That’s why he’s able to read my thoughts so easily.
“Fuck you, Asher,” I mutter, though I can’t stop the small smile tugging at my lips.
He chuckles, his voice low and teasing. “I’d rather fuck you, Ally.”
My mouth drops open in shock.
“Ew, Asher!” I exclaim, pretending to gag. “That’s gross! Especially when you have so many women practically throwing themselves at you.”
Instead of responding, he lets out a deep, genuine laugh, tilting his head back slightly as his grip on the steering wheel tightens.
I frown, confused. “What’s so funny?”
“You, Ally-” Asher chuckles, shaking his head. “You should have seen your face.”
I glare at him, knowing he’s enjoying this way too much.
“You want to be the only one I fuck, right?” He smirks. “Goddess, that would be an honor. No one tastes as good as you, Ally. I swear, I’m addicted to you.”
I groan, rolling my eyes. “Asher, can you be any more insufferable?” I shake my head in frustration. “I knew coming with you to Redwood was a bad idea. I should have stayed at Tarship. Is this how you’re planning to torture me the entire time?”
He tilts his head, watching me with amusement. “Don’t you want to fuck me, Ally?” he asks, as casually as if he’s talking about the weather.
I let out a loud, exasperated sigh. “Goddess, Asher, what am I going to do with you?”
“Fuck me,” he whispers, his voice thick with desire.
My breath catches. My body reacts before my mind can shut it down. I force myself to look away, but my eyes betray me, as I look downward, straight to the hard bulge in his pants.
He notices.
“You like what you see?” He licks his lower lip, his emerald eyes darkening with heat.
My wolf, Xena, purrs in satisfaction. ‘Touch him. Feel how hard he is for us.’
I squeeze my thighs together, resisting the urge. The air in the car is suffocating, charged with an electric tension I can’t ignore.
“Asher…” I warn, but it’s weak.
With one hand on the steering wheel, his other suddenly moves, resting on my thigh.
I gasp, jerking at the contact.
Sparks shoot through my skin, spreading like wildfire. The mate bond roars to life, drowning out every logical thought in my head.
I know I should push him away. I know I should set boundaries.
But damn it, I don’t want to.
I gasp, my breath hitching as Asher’s hand lingers on my thigh. The heat of his touch burns through my jeans, sending waves of desire straight through me. My traitorous wolf, Xena, purrs in satisfaction, urging me to close the gap between us.
“Asher…” I manage to say, my voice barely above a whisper.
He hums in response, his fingers tracing lazy circles on my thigh. His eyes stay on the road, but the smirk on his lips tells me he knows exactly what he’s doing to me.
“Tell me to stop, Ally,” he murmurs. “And I will.”
I swallow hard, my mind is at war with my body. I should tell him to stop. I should push his hand away and set some boundaries. But my body betrays me, pressing slightly into his touch instead.
His grip tightens. “That’s what I thought,” he says.
Damn him.
I force myself to grab his wrist, to push him away, but instead of moving his hand off me, I just… hold it there. My fingers brush against the roughness of his skin, and for a moment, neither of us says anything.
He continues to move his hand slowly up and down my thigh, his fingers barely grazing my skin, yet the tingling sensation spreads like wildfire.
I feel like liquid metal-hot, melting, completely at his mercy.
This isn’t good. Not when I know he can smell my arousal. Not when his gaze darkens, those wounded green eyes searching mine, as if I hold the answers to something he can’t even voice.
Then, suddenly, the car jerks to a stop.
My head snaps toward him. “Why did you stop the car?”
“You,” he says, with a rough desperate voice.
My heart pounds as I stare at him, my breath coming in shallow gasps.
Me? What about me?