Ashley’s POV
I lay in bed, wide awake, staring at the ceiling as the hours ticked by. My mind was a storm, churning with thoughts and fears. The wedding was set for tonight. And there was no escape.
Marrying a man as ruthless as Steven felt like plunging into darkness. The kind of darkness you don’t come back from. I hadn’t told anyone-not even Mabel, my best friend. Keeping it all hidden felt like carrying a weight too heavy to bear.
The door creaked open, and Mabel’s face appeared in the dim light.
“Still awake?” she asked, slipping inside without waiting for an answer.
I nodded, shifting to sit up. “Yeah… seems sleep doesn’t want to visit me tonight.”
She sighed, moving to sit beside me. “I get it. Tonight’s… a lot to handle, Ash.” Her voice softened. “I still don’t understand why you’re doing this. But I’m here. I trust you.”
Her words pierced through the fear, leaving a bittersweet ache. I wanted to tell her everything, but I couldn’t. Not now. Maybe not ever.
“Thank you, Mabel,” I murmured, leaning into her comforting presence. “For being here. I’m sorry I can’t explain, but one day I’ll tell you the whole truth. I promise.”
She squeezed my hand, her own eyes misty. “I know you would if you could. And I’m not going anywhere, Ash. Not now, not ever.”
I hugged her, letting the silence settle between us, feeling her warmth and strength. She might not have known the whole truth, but knowing she was on my side made facing tonight a little easier.
“Since I’m moving out tomorrow… will you stay here with me? One last sleepover?” I asked, hoping for just a few hours of normalcy.
Mabel chuckled, wiping a tear from her cheek. “Like old times, huh? You don’t have to ask me twice.”
She lay down beside me, and for a moment, we were just two friends sharing quiet moments in the dark. She yawned, a little smile playing on her lips. “Just don’t snore, okay?”
“I don’t snore!” I protested, grinning for the first time all night.
She rolled her eyes. “Sure you don’t,” she whispered as she drifted off. I closed my eyes, wishing for peace to find me as well, even as my heart pounded, dreading what the day would bring.
******
Steven’s POV
The air was cold, and the forest shadows danced around us as we moved. Roy and the others followed closely, each of them tense, alert. Tonight, we hunted more than just a shadow-we hunted a killer hidden among us. And that killer had a name. The Demon Wolf.
“Tonight, we end this game,” I said, my voice like steel. “Our one mission is to find him and end him. No mercy. The Demon Wolf won’t see tomorrow if I can help it.”
Roy nodded, his loyalty unwavering, as were Liam and Williams. They were the few I trusted with this. Each of them was a warrior-strong, fierce, and committed. But they needed reminding of what was at stake.
“Williams,” I said, locking eyes with him. “You’re still new, still learning our ways. Tonight, you’ll face the truth of what it means to be part of this pack. Watch your back, and stay ready. We’ll need every bit of strength you’ve got.”
“Yes, Alpha,” he replied, pride in his voice.
Suddenly, Freja and Freya burst into the room, their faces set with defiance.
“Why are we not included in this?” Freja demanded, her gaze fierce. “We’re part of this pack too. You should tell us about any threats.”
I raised a brow, unamused. “Eavesdropping now?”
Freja shrugged, smirking. “Let’s just say we happened to overhear a few things.”
I dismissed the others with a nod, but as they moved to leave, I stopped Liam. “Don’t forget to pick up Ashley on the way,” I ordered.
He nodded. “Understood, Alpha.”
Freya grinned, a spark of mischief in her eyes. “Your wedding day, brother. You must be thrilled,” she teased.
“Hardly,” I replied, my tone sharp. I turned to leave, but Freja’s words stopped me.
“Steven, what is it?” she asked, her gaze narrowing. “You’re on edge. And it’s not just because of the Demon Wolf, is it?”
I gritted my teeth. “My only concern is that killer. Tonight, he’s in my territory. Tonight, he’s finished.”
Freya crossed her arms, a smirk tugging at her lips. “Oh, come on, Steven. We know you better than that. Something else is on your mind.”
“What could be wrong?” I shot back, voice cold. “Aside from the fact that I’ll be bonded tonight to a fragile human while our enemy roams free?”
Without waiting for an answer, I stormed out, their laughter echoing softly behind me.
*****
Freja’s POV
Freya shook her head as Steven left, a mix of worry and exasperation in her eyes. “He’s wound so tight, he’s practically a storm waiting to break.”
“Can you blame him?” I replied, my own chest tight with unease. “He’s an Alpha. Bound to protect us, yet tonight he’s tied down by a forced mate bond. And not just with anyone-a human.”
Freya sighed, crossing her arms. “I don’t know who to feel sorrier for-Ashley or Steven.”
“Both,” I replied, thinking of Ashley’s quiet resolve. “They’re both caught in a trap neither one set.”
Freya’s gaze grew distant, a shiver running through her. “Doesn’t this feel like a funeral, not a wedding?”
I nodded, glancing toward the darkening horizon. “Maybe it will be. If Steven’s right about the Demon Wolf showing himself tonight… who knows how far this could go?”
Freya fell silent, and together we stepped into the shadows, each of us bracing for whatever was coming.