Alethea
I know that if I stay in Asher’s arms any longer, I won’t be able to leave the Redwood Pack. The memory of our passionate night burned into my soul. But I have to go. I gather what little strength I have left, along with the last shred of my dignity, and quietly slip out of his room, tiptoeing like a thief in the night.
Xena growls in my head, her voice desperate and pained. “Don’t leave. Please don’t leave him.” But I ignore her. I have to. No matter how much it hurts, staying will only make it worse.
As I walk toward the exit of the pack grounds, I feel everyone’s gaze on me-his gaze. I don’t dare turn around. If I do, I’ll drown in those eyes of his and lose the will to walk away. So I keep going, each step heavier than the last.
But then… something strange happens.
Just as I reach the edge of the territory, I notice movement around me. I pause, as I blink in confusion. Every pack member-young and old-is suddenly down on their knees. My breath catches in my throat as I look around.
What’s going on? Why are they kneeling?
I slowly turn around, and the moment my eyes land on him, my heart stops. There he is- Asher on both knees, his head bowed low, his presence commanding yet so heartbreakingly vulnerable. The entire pack follows his lead in complete silence.
“No…” I whisper, my voice trembling. Oh Asher, why are you making this so hard for me?
Before I know it, my legs are moving on their own, shaky and unsteady, and I’m rushing back to him. I drop to my knees in front of him, my hands cradling his face, lifting it so I can see into those tortured eyes.
“Oh, Asher… why are you doing this?” I whisper.
I can feel the eyes of the entire pack on us, probably forming their own ideas about what this means: their Alpha on his knees for a woman. They might see it as a weakness, a threat to their strength, and that scares me.
I force a shaky laugh and say quickly, “Your Alpha probably just has a stomach bug. That’s all. Everyone, please, get up before you start thinking crazy thoughts!”
But even as I speak, my heart pounds, because I know this isn’t just about a moment of weakness. This is love, desperate, and real; it terrifies me just as much as it pulls me in.
“What were you thinking, Asher? Going down on your knees in front of your pack?” I ask through our bond, my mind still spinning from everything happening around us.
A broad, boyish smile stretches across his face as he helps me to my feet. “At least I got your attention,” he says. “Now everyone knows I tried my best to stop you from leaving.”
“You’re such a dickhead, Asher,” I shoot back, trying to stay mad-but it’s impossible.
“Only for you.” And just like that, he pulls me into a kiss.
His lips crash onto mine, and I can’t help but smile into it. I kiss him back with everything I have, the emotions too strong to hold in. Around us, howls and cheers break through the air. The pack watches in awe, witnessing how their Alpha-powerful, feared, respected-is completely vulnerable with me.
“Thank you, Ally,” he whispers between kisses, his voice is raw with emotion.
Then he pulls back, resting his forehead gently against mine. His soul is wide open, and I feel it the love, the fear, the longing. He’s lost, searching for direction, and he’s calling out for me to help guide him.
“I am nothing without you, Ally,” he murmurs.
He turns me gently so that we’re now facing the pack. Then he lifts our joined hands high into the air, his voice deep and full of pride. “I present to you all… my mate, and your Luna-Alethea Weaver!”
“All hail the Luna!” he roars, his growl shaking the air.
The pack echos him with booming voices, “All hail the Luna!”
Tears sting my eyes, but I don’t let them fall. My heart swells as I look around at the joy on their faces. They welcome me, celebrate me-and for the first time, I feel like I belong.
I glance at Asher, and he’s looking at me like I’m the only thing in the world. His eyes sparkle like diamonds, full of pride and pure happiness. He mouths the words again, Thank you, Ally, and my heart melts.
The pack surrounds us, forming a circle. Laughter, music, and dancing erupt all around. Everyone is smiling, and so am I-so much my cheeks hurt.
“Let the celebration begin!” Asher calls out. “We now have our Luna!”
“All hail the Luna! All hail the Alpha!” they chant again and again.
And just like that… I know I’m home.
Just then, Asher scoops me into his arms, carrying me gently as the pack members step aside to let us through. Their eyes follow us, but I barely notice them-I’m too lost in him.
My cheeks ache from how much I’ve been smiling. Still, I can’t take my eyes off him. He walks us into his office, calm and confident, and sets me down softly on the edge of his desk. Then, without a word, he picks up a notebook and starts writing.
I watch him in silence, curious but not ready to ask what he’s writing. Instead, I let my eyes trail over the way his muscles flex with each movement, how his pen glides across the paper with ease, and how his left-hand handles the pen so gracefully?
When I finally lift my gaze from his hands to his face, my breath catches. How can a man look so dangerously beautiful? His jawline, his eyes, even the soft curve of his lips-it’s almost unfair.
A wide smile spreads across his face. He feels my stare and doesn’t bother hiding how much he loves it.
“Drink me in, my Luna,” he says smoothly.
Heat rushes to my cheeks. My Luna. I still can’t believe I’m being called that. I’m not sure I’ll ever get used to it but I know with time, it’ll start to feel like mine.
“I want to see the girls,” I say softly, standing to my feet.
To my surprise, he stands up just as quickly. I blink, confused.
“Why are you standing?”
He shrugs, walking toward me. “Your girls can wait,” he says with a playful smirk. “I want to spend more time with you.”
I raise a brow at him. “Oh, my Alpha,” I tease. “You want me to stay… or are you scared I’ll take off again in the next minute?”
He slips one hand into his pocket and uses the other to scratch the back of his head, looking sheepish. I smirk- he’s cornered, and he knows It.
That’s when I noticed his shirt. It fits him perfectly, stretching slightly over his chest. The top two buttons are undone, and I catch a glimpse of the soft hair peeking out from his chest.
“Damn… hot,” I murmur, fanning my face without shame.
He growls low in his throat, his eyes narrowing with amusement. “Stop putting ideas in my head.”
“I don’t mind the ideas,” I purr back.
Something is stirring in me. I know this warmth, this pull-it’s more than attraction. The mini heat I felt before… it wasn’t random. It was my emotions, how deeply I feel about Asher. And it scares me a little, how my body reacts to him so easily-so naturally-without me even trying.
Within seconds, Asher closes the space between us. His lips crash onto mine with a hunger that steals the breath from my lungs. My knees go weak, and I cling to him, losing myself in the heat of the kiss. Right then, I know beyond any doubt-I’m exactly where I’m meant to be. With him.
“Don’t ever leave me,” he growls against my lips, his voice low and full of need. The vibration from his chest rumbles into mine, and it sends a wave of heat through my body.
Without breaking the kiss, he sweeps his arm across the table, sending everything tumbling to the floor with a loud crash. Then he lifts me effortlessly and places me on top of it, his eyes locked with mine-dark, wild, and burning with desire.
I shift my hips, trying to find comfort beneath the fire building inside me. “I always wondered,” I whisper, voice breathy, “what it would feel like to be taken right here…”
A wicked grin spreads across his face. “My filthy, beautiful mate.”
He makes quick work of my pants, tugging them down with a sense of urgency. I gasp as the cool air meets my heated skin, but then all thought is gone. Thrusts into me with one powerful motion, filling me completely. My body arches, welcoming him, craving him.
“Asher…” I moan, lost in the sensation, lost in him.