Asher
My gaze flicked outside through a large window. I was not even aware that it had already begun to grow dark. The faint outline of the moon was peeking out from the clouds. As I thought about the way Emily had stormed out of the ballroom.
Her anger was understandable and there was nothing I could do to help her. I have hurt Kayla enough already and all I want to do now is to live in such a way that only brings laughter and happiness to her. I wanted Kayla to be as happy as possible. I turned and found her looking at me. I could tell that she was worried that I would still go to Emily after confessing my feelings to her. I needed to prove to her that my heart only belonged to her from now on. I walked towards her and gently took her soft hand in mine.
“Alpha Asher-”
I glared at the wedding officiant and he immediately shut his mouth. I wasn’t finished with the council yet. I would come back to deal with them in a minute but now all I wanted was to take Kayla back home first.
I didn’t want her to witness any more of this uproar. She needed to go back to the castle and rest since we still needed to perform the marking rituals while surrounded by all my pack members.
I didn’t stop walking until it was just Kayla and I alone outside the council’s walls.
She peered up at me and touched my cheek lightly. I leaned into her soft touch and felt immense happiness seep into my body. My eyes fell to her neck and I couldn’t help but draw more to it. I was just too happy to see that I’d finally claimed her to be mine forever. My mate. My girl. My everything in the truest sense. I could not get enough of this feeling, I could not get enough of her.
I gently traced the mark with my fingers. Her body was beautiful and the mark I had given her was a beautiful addition.
Kayla leaned forward and bumped my nose, I studied her expression and there was a glint in her eyes. We stood in silence for a while, just looking at each other and smiling. And I leaned my head to the side, drinking her features. She looked just as beautiful as ever, maybe a little more. I looked at her eyes which were smiling radiantly at me.
And I leaned into her and took her lips in a deep sensual kiss. I felt warmth as her body immediately arched into mine, it was something that I often looked forward to whenever I held her. A low growl tore from my throat at that instant, I needed to bury myself inside her. I groaned, the beast inside of me was always hungry for her, and now that I had marked her the feelings had only intensified.
“I have some unfinished business with the council, and I don’t want to stress you,” I told her after breaking the kiss. “Some of our warriors will take you home safely. Rest and wait for me, we have a lot to catch up on.”
She smiled and nodded her head. I was surprised that she didn’t insist on staying with me but I was happy that listened without questions.
———-
Kayla
The soft clicking of the nightseed’s hooves against the forest ground and the soft rustling of leaves in the forest was like white noise. I inhaled a breath, I could still smell the scent of Asher around me.
I kept blushing from ear to ear on my trip back to Asher’s castle. Our home… I still couldn’t believe that he had marked me in front of the crowd. He even made it clear in front of everyone that I was the only woman for him.
Now everyone in the supernatural would know that Asher was mine. I closed my eyes and replayed every single detail of it in my mind. I felt like I was falling in love with this man all over again. My heart swelled with a complex blend of emotions. Joy, love, and the weight of our shared moments came crashing down on me, leaving me breathless. If this was not peace and happiness, I did not know what else was.
“What’s that?” The coachman shouted. My heart began thudding wildly as our carriage crashed into something hard and came to an abrupt stop. I shifted uncomfortably in my seat, my heart beginning to race.
“Protect the Luna,” one of the warriors next to me shouted to the others.
“What’s going on?” I inquired, as I felt nervous and tried to peer outside through the small window. The scene outside was pretty much the same. Vivid shades of green were everywhere in the dark, gloomy forest. I could hear the rustling of leaves and the sound of twigs snapping as I slowly opened the carriage door and stepped out. I tried to stay calm but my mind was racing with all sorts of possibilities.
Dread began to fill my heart when I heard one of the warriors cry out in pain. I ran to the front of the carriage but there was no sign of the warriors, and neither was there any sign of violence nor did I see blood spilled on the carriage or the forest ground. I did not even hear any noise of a scuffle. How on earth did all the warriors suddenly disappear without leaving a trace?
Oh my god!!
This was definitely an attack and whoever it was. It was obvious they had come for me. I clutched my chest and gulped nervously wondering what to do next.
I gathered my dress and was about to run when I suddenly felt my knees quake and my vision blurry. I felt dizzy and wanted to lean on the carriage for support but before I could step back, my vision tunneled and the next thing I knew, I fell on the ground as darkness consumed me. The last thing I heard was a female voice cackling like a hyena.