Ashley’s POV
The morning sunlight poured through the window, its gentle warmth coaxing me awake. I squinted, the brightness overwhelming at first, and gradually opened my eyes.
It was eerily quiet-too quiet.
I scanned the room and noticed I was alone in the enormous bed. Steven was absent.
Turning my head toward the mirror, I spotted him, standing there, fixing his tie. His movements were meticulous as always, but there was an unmistakable tension in his stance that made me curious if something was amiss.
“Are you going to the office?” I inquired, propping myself up on the bed, still feeling drowsy.
He glanced over his shoulder, a slight smirk playing on his lips. “Isn’t it clear?”
“Nothing is clear when it comes to you,” I shot back, arching an eyebrow. “Who says you can’t sport a suit while going to eliminate people? That’s what you’re best at, right?”
He laughed softly, but the humor didn’t reach his eyes. “I’ll take that as a compliment,” he said as he struggled with his tie.
“Let me assist you,” I offered, getting out of the bed. I approached him, carefully taking the tie from his hands. As I smoothed it out, I wrapped it around his neck and began tying the knot, a special one I learned from Mabel.
I felt his intense gaze on me, sharp and uncompromising. I tried to avoid meeting his eyes, concentrating on the task, but the weight of his stare was impossible to ignore.
“Ummm…” I faltered, attempting to break the heavy silence. “About what you mentioned… regarding your mother and her death… I-”
Before I could finish, Steven seized my wrist with a grip that startled me. I gasped as his expression turned cold.
“I don’t want to discuss my mother. I’d rather not relive how she died!” His voice was icy as he yanked my hand away.
I blinked, taken aback by his abrupt reaction. “Fine,” I replied, trying to hide the hurt of his dismissal. “If you prefer not to talk about your mother, then let’s discuss mine. She warned me about some people who would come after me-the Sisters, she called them. If I hope to survive all this, I need to be tough. I need you to teach me strength.”
He raised an eyebrow, his demeanor inscrutable. “You want me to teach you resilience?” he echoed, the words heavy in the air.
“Who better than the mightiest, most feared Alpha?” I asserted, my voice unwavering even though the seriousness of the moment loomed between us.
He exhaled softly before responding. “Do you know the first rule of strength?” His tone was calculated, as if he had been anticipating this moment.
“No,” I replied, eager for his guidance. “Please tell me.”
“Simple,” he said, completing his tie and donning his jacket. “Solve your own problems.”
I blinked, perplexed. “What does that mean?”
He glanced at me for a moment, his expression inscrutable. “Be self-reliant. Resolve your problems independently. No one’s coming to rescue you, Luna.”
I swallowed hard, digesting his advice. The ensuing silence felt dense, almost stifling.
Then Steven’s voice pierced the silence. “I’m actually surprised. I thought you’d still be fixated on your father and the fact that he’s alive. But you didn’t even bring him up.”
“I’ve moved on from him,” I replied, my tone resolute. “I have no desire to meet him. Ever.”
His expression changed, a brief look of astonishment flickering across his face. “I figured you’d want to discover who you are and what makes you unique.”
“I do,” I stated, locking eyes with him. “But the priestess shared something else as well. She said the day I meet him will be the day you’re doomed. I can’t take that chance. I’ll find out who I am in other ways, but I will never meet my father.”
Steven narrowed his gaze, a hint of something-concern, perhaps?-crossing his features. “Are you… worried about me now?” His voice lowered, revealing his suspicion.
I paused. “Well, you might be this merciless Alpha now, but you used to be my childhood friend. No matter how much I disdain you, I wouldn’t wish death upon you.”
He scoffed, his tone harsh. “That’s why you’ll never possess true strength, Luna.”
He moved closer, his presence suffocating. “Rule number two for being strong: When you desire something, you take it-at any cost. If you want to meet your father, you go meet him, regardless of the consequences. That’s how you obtain what you want. That’s how strength is achieved.”
I shook my head. “That isn’t strength, Steven. That’s a lack of compassion.”
He shrugged, apathetic. “To me, it’s the same.”
I inhaled deeply, my thoughts racing. “If roles were reversed, would you sacrifice my life just to meet your father?”
His stare remained unyielding. “Yes. And I wouldn’t think twice.”
I was taken aback. “How did you become this, Steven? My Leon would never inflict pain on an animal. But you? What happened to you?”
For a lengthy moment, he remained silent, his face shadowed. Then, with a voice laced with bitterness, he finally replied.
“You want to know how I turned into this? Ask the Moon Goddess. She shaped me into who I am.”
He turned sharply and left, leaving me there with a swirl of confusion and hurt.
—
Later, inside the Mansion
Brie entered, her expression marked by concern. “What occurred? Steven looked… furious when he walked out. Did you two have a fight?”
I called for Freya. “How do I communicate with the Moon Goddess?”
She stared at me, taken aback. “Why do you want to speak with her?”
“I need to comprehend what happened to Steven. What altered him so drastically,” I said, my voice charged with an unusual resolve.
Freya shifted nervously. “The Moon Goddess? You just need to meet with the priestess. She’s her earthly representative.”
I nodded, assembling my thoughts. “I must know what turned Steven into the monster I now see.”
—
I exited the Mansion, my mind a tempest of questions. After some time, I finally came across the goddess’ shrine. The priestess awaited me, her eyes serene and understanding.
“Luna,” she greeted softly.
“I must speak with your goddess,” I stated, my voice firm.
The priestess nodded. “When you address me, you engage with her.”
I took a steadying breath. “What did the goddess do to Steven? What caused the transformation from that innocent boy to someone I can barely recognize?”
The priestess’s expression shifted to one of sympathy. “I regret to say, Luna. That’s not my story to relay.”
Frustration welled within me. “So you’re just going to keep quiet? You won’t reveal anything?”
“It’s the Alpha’s journey,” she spoke softly. “When the moment arrives, he will share it with you himself.”
I tightened my fists, struggling to suppress my frustration. “Fine. I’ll find another way.”
She halted me with one final, mysterious statement. “The goddess chose you as his destined mate for a purpose. You alone have the power to illuminate his path. You are the only one who can rescue him from the darkness.”
I hesitated, my heart racing. “But how can I assist him when he despises me so deeply?”
The priestess offered a sorrowful smile. “Oh, he doesn’t despise you, Luna. You are his first love. The cruelty, the hardness-it’s merely a front. He requires you to uncover the goodness within him. There remains goodness in him.”
I shook my head, unconvinced. “As a child, Steven sparkled with light. But whatever you and your goddess did, you extinguished that. Now you expect me to rectify your error? To restore him?”
“Nothing is out of reach,” she replied softly.
I laughed bitterly, my voice trembling. “It’s out of reach! You do not comprehend the animosity in his gaze. When he spoke of your goddess, I witnessed anguish-sheer, unfiltered anguish. And when I mentioned his mother…” My voice trailed off. “What became of his mother?”
The priestess’s expression darkened, and she spoke in a lower tone. “As I mentioned, Luna, that story is not mine to share. But understand this: Hatred can only be subdued by love. Only love can restore the boy you once recognized. And you must act swiftly. The demon wolf is approaching, and only Steven’s inner light can overcome it. If he remains engulfed in darkness, he will perish. And so will we all.”