Steven’s POV
“Breakfast, Liam,” I said, settling down at the dining table.
“Good morning, Steven. How was your night?” Liam greeted, as the workers placed my breakfast in front of me.
“My night was okay,” I replied absentmindedly, shoveling food into my mouth.
“Really? Mine wasn’t,” he said, a hint of seriousness in his voice. “I kept seeing myself dead in my dreams.”
“Not now, Liam. As you can see, I’m having breakfast, and I certainly don’t want to be disturbed.”
He looked at me, exhaling a frustrated sigh, before joining me at the table.
“Good morning, Alpha,” someone said, breaking through my thoughts. I looked up to see Williams, the human I had turned yesterday.
“Williams.”
“There’s someone looking for you, Alpha. He’s one of us, but the guards outside said they’ve never seen him before. He’s brutally injured and wants to see you urgently,” Williams explained.
“Really? Did he mention his name?” I asked, my interest piqued.
“He said he’s one of your betas,” Williams replied, and I shot up from my seat.
“Take me to him.”
My betas were specially trained werewolves I had turned, hidden around the world. Some disguised as humans, others as members of different clans. They were my spies, my secret weapons.
“What happened?” I asked, my heart racing as I saw one of my betas, Roy, lying on the floor, badly wounded.
“Alpha,” he gasped, trying to rise upon seeing me.
“Stay down, Roy. What happened? How did you end up like this?” I knelt beside him, my concern deepening.
“I infiltrated the River Moon Clan successfully. I became part of them, but then I received word from a fellow beta that someone was targeting us. Someone has been killing us off. I was perplexed because no one knew about our identities-who could be targeting us? I decided to meet up with the beta who sent the message, George. He was among those disguised as humans. It was from him that I learned we were the only two remaining betas. The others have all been killed. We decided to meet with you and deliver the message, but on our way back, we were attacked.”
“By who?” I asked, my voice cold as ice.
“I don’t know, Alpha. I just saw a shadow and a long arched blade. It moved so fast. I’ve never seen anything like it. George sacrificed himself so I could escape. I am the last of your betas,” he coughed, blood spilling from his nose.
“Why aren’t your wounds healing?” I pressed.
“The blade the shadow used was laced with wolfsbane, so I haven’t been able to heal,” he explained, and I nodded, fury simmering beneath my skin.
“Thank you for surviving, Roy. Thank you for bringing me this news.”
“It’s my honor, Alpha.”
“Take him to the infirmary for treatment,” I instructed Liam, who nodded and moved to help Roy.
“Williams,” I called, and he bowed, awaiting my command.
“Inform the priestess that if she wants her heart to remain in her chest, she should be here in no more than ten minutes.”
“Okay, Alpha,” he said, dashing off.
I slowly sank into the couch, staring blankly into the distance.
“Roy is being taken care of, Steven. I’m sure he’ll be fine,” Liam reassured me.
Moments later, Williams rushed back to the mansion.
“The Priestess is on her way,” he reported.
“You summoned the priestess?” Liam asked, a note of concern in his voice, but I ignored him.
“I know what you’re thinking, and I know you’re furious right now, but don’t do anything crazy, Steven. I don’t think the Moon Goddess is responsible for killing your betas,” Liam said, but I continued to ignore him.
I caught a whiff of the priestess’s scent and bolted outside to meet her.
I stood before her, and she frowned at me.
“The only reason I honored your request is because you are the Alpha of the…” I cut her off, digging my hand into her chest, encircling her beating heart.
“What the hell are you doing, Steven?” Liam yelled, while the priestess gasped, blood oozing from her mouth.
“Did your goddess kill my betas just to force me to obey her? Lie to me, and I’ll pull out your heart right now,” I growled, my grip tightening.
“The… the goddess doesn’t… doesn’t kill… her own,” she stuttered.
“Give me a straight answer, priestess. I won’t ask again,” I hissed, squeezing her heart, making her cough.
“Just stop it, Steven! According to Roy’s story, the killings started long before the goddess brought up the issue of your mate, so it can’t be her, can it?” Liam shouted, his voice shaking.
I slowly withdrew my hand from the priestess’s chest, and she crumpled to the ground.
Liam rushed to her side, looking up at me with fury in his eyes. “How could you do this to the priestess, Steven?”
I glanced down at the priestess, who was still breathing, albeit shallowly.
“She’ll heal,” I said, turning to leave.
“Wait!” the Priestess called weakly, and I turned back.
“The goddess isn’t responsible for the killings, but she can help you find out who is. But first, you have to obey her and do what she’s asked you to do. Take the human girl as your mate. You have five days left,” she said.
******
I pulled out my phone, dialing Debby’s number.
“The lady I dismissed a few days ago, you still have her application form, right?” I asked as I drove.
“Yes, sir,” she replied.
“Forward it to my email.”
“I’ll do that right away, sir,” Debby replied.
Debby forwarded the application form, and I found Ashley’s address on it.
I stopped my car in front of a small bungalow and knocked on the door.
“Who is it?” she asked, her footsteps approaching.
She opened the door, and her eyes widened in disbelief.
“Mr… Mr. Steven? What are you doing here?” she stuttered, taken aback.
“To keep my promise,” I said, and she stared at me, shocked.
“What promise?”
“The promise of marrying you,” I declared.
“Ma… what?!” she gasped, astonished.
“Marry me, Ashley Green.”