Ashley’s POV
Freya and I paced restlessly around the living room, my thoughts racing.
“Where is he?” Freya’s voice trembled with concern, her eyes darting toward the door, her anxiety palpable in the air.
“He’ll be back soon, Freya,” I said, trying to reassure her, though I wasn’t entirely sure myself. “Maybe he just went to the woods, working off some of his anger. You know, punching it out on a few trees.”
Before she could respond, the door suddenly slammed open, sending a chill through the room. Steven stepped inside, his presence dominating the space. His suit, once pristine, was now soaked with blood, and in his grip, he dragged Maya’s lifeless, mutilated body across the floor. The sight was horrific.
My heart stopped.
Maya’s body was barely hanging on, blood dripping from her wounds, and I felt my stomach churn with fear. But then, everything shifted in a flash, and before my eyes, Steven’s hands were buried in Maya’s chest. He pulled out her still-beating heart, the raw brutality of the act leaving me breathless.
A cold, venomous voice echoed in my mind, sharp and foreboding.
“Each life he takes draws him closer to his dark end. When The Demon Wolf arrives, Steven Blackwood shall meet his doom.”
I screamed, my body trembling, and forced myself to snap my eyes open.
I was panting, covered in cold sweat, my mind racing as I tried to piece together what had just happened.
It was just a dream. A horrifying nightmare. Thank God, it wasn’t real.
“Did you see me in your dream?” Steven’s voice suddenly cut through the silence, smooth and casual. I turned to see him slipping on his jacket, his expression unreadable. “I heard you shout.”
“Apparently, I did,” I responded, my voice shaky as I steadied myself. “It was a really bad dream, Steven. You… you were about to kill Maya.”
“And you call that a bad dream?” His tone was almost amused, but there was something dark lurking beneath it.
“Killing someone is always bad, Steven.” My voice trembled with the weight of the words, but I couldn’t back down now.
“Even if that person is as vile as Maya?” he asked, arching a brow.
“If anyone deserves to be killed for their badness, it’s you,” I muttered, my anger flaring.
Steven’s eyes narrowed as he finished adjusting his jacket. “Maybe you aren’t aware, but werewolves have super hearing too,” he said, his voice dropping to a dangerous whisper.
“What?” I froze, realizing my mistake. “I didn’t say anything.”
“So, my super hearing lied?” he challenged, his gaze piercing.
“No, your super hearing heard wrong,” I quickly corrected myself, my mind racing for an escape. “What I meant was… I should probably go with you to work today. I’m your personal assistant, after all.”
He scoffed, clearly not buying it. “You’re still terrible at lying.”
“I’m not lying!” I defended, stepping closer. “I really should go with you. I’m your assistant, right?”
Steven sighed, his patience thinning. “I’m leaving in five minutes. Don’t keep me waiting.”
With that, I hurried to the bathroom, my heart pounding.
Liam drove us to the company, and as we entered, we were immediately greeted by Audrey, who approached Steven with an unsettling smile.
“Hey, Steven,” she greeted, her voice sugary sweet.
“What are you doing here?” Steven asked, his tone sharp, like a predator eyeing its prey.
“I’m a contracted model for your company, remember?” Maya responded, her words dripping with venom.
“Then you must be eager to die,” Steven said, his voice low and dangerous.
“Oh, it’s not my death you should worry about,” she replied, a grin curling on her lips. “I heard you’re having some problems with your company. You’re supposed to release a Ladies Clothing line in three days, but all your designers have quit. Your fashion design manager can’t even get new ones. If you don’t meet your deadline, your company’s reputation is finished, Steven. That’s what you should be worried about. Not my death, but your company’s downfall.”
Maya’s words were a direct hit, and I saw the flicker of rage in Steven’s eyes.
“You had a hand in this, didn’t you? You got my designers to quit,” Steven said, his voice cold as ice.
She shrugged casually. “Who knows? Maybe I did, maybe I didn’t.” Her grin widened as she turned to walk away but paused. “Oh, I almost forgot. How is Freya? Is her leg okay? I fractured it pretty badly when we fought a few days ago. Just wondering if she’s healing.”
She walked off, leaving us standing in silence, and I could feel the anger radiating from Steven, hot and intense. His fists clenched at his sides.
“Steven?” I called softly, but he didn’t acknowledge me. Without a word, he stormed toward one of the cars in the company’s parking lot and got in. I had no choice but to follow him, my heart hammering in my chest.
“Steven, where are you going?” I asked, but he didn’t answer. His eyes were locked on the road, his grip tight on the wheel as he sped off, the engine roaring like a beast in pain.
He drove us back to the mansion, barely slowing down, before he stormed inside. “Freya!!!” His voice thundered, and I winced at the force of it.
“Steven, I was about to call you. I haven’t seen Freya this morning. She didn’t-” Freya started, but her words faltered as she saw the fury radiating from him. “Are you okay? You look… angry.”
“Did you fight with Maya?” Steven demanded, his voice icy, cutting through the tension.
Freya remained silent, avoiding his gaze.
“I asked you a question, Freya,” he growled, his tone laced with impatience. “And I hate repeating myself.”
“Yes, we fought. Maya and I,” Freya finally admitted. “It happened the night Luna ran out of the hospital.”
“What did she do to you?” Steven’s voice was low but laced with an edge of something darker.
“It was just a fracture, Steven. Liam saved me in time,” Freya explained, her voice softer now.
“And you didn’t think it was necessary to tell me this?!” Steven’s voice boomed, his anger erupting like a volcano. “I wouldn’t have been this furious if you’d just told me!”
“I didn’t tell you because I knew you’d go into your protective brother mode and do something you’d regret,” Freya said, her eyes filled with concern.
“Maya hurt you. She touched you. And no one hurts someone I care about,” Steven growled, his jaw clenched in pure fury. Without another word, he stormed out of the room.
“Where are you-” I didn’t finish my sentence as he suddenly disappeared, his speed too much for my eyes to follow.
“He’s going to do something bad, Luna. That’s just how he is,” Freya said, her voice heavy with worry. “That’s why I didn’t tell him.”
“I think he’s just upset he couldn’t protect you,” I said, trying to reassure her.
“No, Luna,” Freya countered, her voice filled with sadness. “This is more than just that. Ever since my mate died during Steven’s battle to become Alpha, he’s carried the weight of that death on his shoulders. He blamed himself for it. It’s why he’s like this now. He’ll do anything to make sure no one hurts the people he cares about-even if it means destroying them.”
I stared at Freya, shocked by what she was saying. “What are you saying?”
“One time, I was in a coffee shop, and a bartender spilled coffee on me,” Freya continued, her voice distant, as if reliving the memory. “Steven broke the bartender’s arm for being careless around me. If I hadn’t stopped him, he would’ve killed him.”
My mouth went dry. “He would’ve killed him?”
Freya nodded grimly. “This isn’t the first time, Luna. He’s gone to do something reckless. Trust me.”
I took a deep breath, praying Freya was wrong. “Let’s just hope you’re wrong.”
An hour passed, but Steven still hadn’t returned. Freya and I continued pacing, both of us restless and anxious.
“Where is he?” Freya asked, her voice trembling with worry.
“He’ll be back soon,” I said, trying to sound confident. “Maybe he went to the woods to work off his anger. Maybe he’s just punching trees.”
But deep down, I knew I was lying to myself. Steven wasn’t the type to just punch trees.
Suddenly, the door burst open, and there he was. Steven strode in, dragging Maya’s bloodied, almost lifeless body behind him.
His suit was soaked in blood, his eyes burning with a dark, dangerous intensity. Maya was barely conscious, her body mangled beyond recognition.
“Apologize!” Steven’s voice was cold, commanding. He shoved Maya to her knees before Freya.
I could feel my heart hammering in my chest. The nightmare was coming true. His dark side was growing stronger with each passing day.
He was going to kill her.
And there was nothing I could do to stop it.