Ashley's POVDavid's words landed in the pit of my stomach, confirming the worst damn nightmare I'd ever had. My mind went back to when I'd last seen my triplets—little wiggling hands, their laughter echoing in my head. My chest tightened, heart racing so hard it would burst. I held my hand around David's arm, my nails biting into his flesh. "Tell me this ain't real, David! Tell me it's just a sick fucking dream!” I screamed, my voice raw and trembling.He slapped his hand across my mouth in an instant, his eyes huge, gazing frantically around the dark courtyard as if someone was about to pounce. "Shh, Ashley, shut up," he panted, his voice firm but soft. My wolf was seething with rage at me within, snarling to break free, but I tamed it, trying to compose myself." My breathing steadied, and David eased his hand, looking at me warily, as if he wasn't sure I'd be able to hold it together.“You know I'd die before I'd let anything happen to your kids, okay?" he asked, that low, smooth v
Ashley's POVThe pounding on the door would not cease, echoing and relentless, shaking me from my sweat-soaked daze. I stumbled to my feet, legs shaking from that disgusting nightmare still ravaging my mind—John tied up, my triplets wailing. The door swung open before I could reach for the handle, and two guards stood in the doorway, faces expressionless, eyes blazing into me as if I'd done something abhorrent."What the hell is happening here?" I growled, voice rough, trying to be stronger than I was. They just stood there, speechless, staring at me as if I'd done something wrong."Alpha Jayden wishes to see you, Ashley," one of them finally said, voice toneless, eyes never once breaking from mine. Ashley? They addressed me by name, not some kind of formal designation. I was taken aback, but I pushed it aside, more concerned with the here and now."Why? And what, no breakfast here?" I snapped back, trying coolness, but my mind was a whirl, heart thudding like a mad drum. The guards d
Ashley's POV"Drag her ass back in here!" Jayden's voice boomed from the council room, shaking the walls like a cursed earthquake. The guards didn't hesitate, their hands grabbing my shoulders, spinning me around so fast I nearly stumbled. My cheek still hurt from Ella's slap, and my head was spinning, trying to get its head around that trashy accusation against David and me.We stormed back into the room, the chaos from before now settled into an unnatural stillness. David crouched in front of Jayden, his wrists bound tightly with rope, his face impassive but his eyes screaming betrayal. My stomach turned at the sight—David didn't deserve this.“This whole mess is a damn mystery," Jayden started, his voice heavy with disillusion, like he himself'd been stabbed in the back. "I relied on my beta not to pull this kind of crap."I couldn’t just stand there and watch David take the fall. I yanked against the guards’ grip, desperate to break free, to scream that this was all lies, but thei
Ashley's POV"A message for…" the messenger started, but his voice was cut off like someone ripped out his tongue. He looked over at David, who still lay on the ground, bound hands behind him. I saw David's rapid shake of his head, a silent order to keep quiet. My stomach twisting—what was he hiding?"Spit it out, boy!" Elder Thamon bellowed, his loud voice in the council hall, his own patience clearly exhausted.The envoy simply stood there, sweat dripping from his forehead, numb as a deer caught in the headlights. His eyes never wavered from David, as if begging for a lifeline. Jayden was elsewhere, staring into space, his face vacant. Either he didn't care or was too high to bother. The Jayden I knew would've gone wild if he saw his beta treated this way, bound and on his knees like some sort of common criminal."My lord, let me handle it," David said, his voice steady as the ropes bit into his wrists. It hurt to see him like this, the pack beta reduced to this because of Ella's ac
Ashley's POV"Alpha Jayden!" I shouted, my voice breaking with him giving the order to lock David up. My heart pounded, shock and fury swirling around inside of me like a poison mix.“You heard me, damn it!" he growled, spinning on his heel and striding towards his gaudy-ass throne, his boots echoing off the stone floor. His blond hair glowed in the light of the torches, and for a moment I remembered playing with it, back when he wasn't such a cowardly punk.“You don't mean this, Jayden!" I shouted, closing in on him, my fists so balled up that my nails dug into my hands. "You're actually doing this to him?""Hey, Ashley, stay calm," David shouted softly, as two guards moved in, their chains jingling like a funeral march. His calm voice angered me even further.“Why the hell are you defending him?" Jayden snarled, reclining in his seat, his sharp blue eyes narrowing. "He should be locked up for what he did!The healers and elders simply sat there, completely quiet, their eyes switchin
Ashley's POVJayden's expression twisted, all pissed off, when I dared confront him about Daisy. His blue eyes flamed, and he leapt to his feet as if I'd struck him. "You don't dare question me in my own damn council, Ashley!" he bellowed, his voice ringing from the stone walls. "You're done here—you and all the healers, out!”I had turned, and I was seeing healers swaying nervously, robes unfolding as they fled towards the doorway, heads held low like little children being rebuked. But I wasn’t moving. I planted my feet, glaring at Jayden, my heart pounding with defiance. "You asked me one question, and I need to have one replied," I gritted roughly, cutting through the room. "Where is Daisy, the Luna you picked over me?"Jayden's head snapped up, his mouth opening to spit out some retort, but one of the elders intervened, his voice slicing. "The pack's dwindling out there, Ashley. Drop the bull about dumb questions and move!" The others snarled in concurrence, their faces twisted up
Ashley’s POV“How often does he scream like that?” I asked the healer next to me as we hustled toward Zane’s room, the echo of his cry still rattling in my head. The air was thick with the smell of herbs and sickness, making my stomach churn.“This is new, Ashley,” she said, squinting, her voice low and uneasy. “Never heard him make a peep like that before.”I reached Zane’s bedside and grabbed his hands, his skin clammy and cold. “Hang in there, Zane,” I said softly, squeezing tight. “You’re gonna pull through, I swear.” He tried to sit up, his frail body trembling, but I pressed a gentle hand to his chest, easing him back down. His heartbeat was sluggish, barely thumping under my palm, and I knew we were racing against time.“Get me a tray,” I barked, keeping my hand on him, feeling the weak pulse. A memory sparked—an old Alchemy trick to check his condition fast. I closed my eyes, steadying my breathing, blocking out the room’s noise. My fingers stayed on his chest, anchoring me as
Ashley's POV"Ashley?" one of the healers stopped me, cutting into my discussion with the guard. "You all right? Something is bothering you?" Her forehead creased with worry, her eyes wide.My gut twisted. Jayden and Ella plotting to steal my triplets, John hanging on by his nails, David starving in a cell—nothing was right. My head was a goddamn whirlwind, racing a mile a minute with fear for my babies, their tiny faces seared into my mind. I gritted out a pale nod, struggling to paste on a fake smile. "Yeah, I'm fine," I lied, turning to Sarah, the senior medic. "Keep Zane stable, do your best.""But Ashley…" she started, her voice rising in protest."I'll be back soon," I interrupted her sharply, turning to the guard. He steps aside, freeing me from the room, the door creaking shut behind us. The damp coolness of the passage closed round me, full of the smell of wet stone and dry earth, making me shiver as we walked off.I stared hard at the guard, trying to crack him. "You know wh
Ashley's POVI went back to the pack house, my head spinning from all that David had left on my plate. Liam, the Alpha of another pack, wasn't going to let Daisy's murder slide—hell, I wouldn't if someone killed the girl I was in love with. My instincts were screaming he'd be seeking vengeance, and Jayden's smug face sat near the top of his list. The thought sent shivers down my spine, but another part of my mind didn't give a care. Let this damned pack burn to the ground for all I cared, after they had discarded me five years ago like so much trash.Before the pack house's massive door, I stood stock-still, drinking it in. Workers strode by, carrying equipment, their boots kicking up dust. Warriors marched past in tight formation, swords clanking, beads of sweat falling as they practiced. The building hummed, noisy and alive, as if nothing was out of place. I knew better than that. Somewhere deep inside the plague ravaged the Oakwood Pack, infecting it from within, and no work could
Ashley's POVWorry creased lines on my face as David faced away from me, his eyes vanishing into the darkness of his cell. I reached my hand out through the chilled metal bars, my fingers tracing his cheek, lightly, as if to pull him back from where he'd been. "What is it, David?" I breathed, my voice soft, hardly audible.The moment the words were out of my mouth, I cursed myself. Stupid question. The man was locked up, thrown into this damp, rotting cellar for Ella's fabrications that we'd screwed in the garden, painting us as some nasty pack sluts to get us out of the way. Of course everything was terrible—his life, his freedom, lost. My stomach twisted, rage and humiliation churning like a nasty cocktail.David's eyes became foggy, as if he were seeing something I was not. He breathed in deeply, then looked at me, his eyes still fixed somewhere over my shoulder. "There is a darkness smothering the pack, Ashley," he whispered, his voice barely making it past his lips. "The pack we
Ashley's POV"Ashley?" one of the healers stopped me, cutting into my discussion with the guard. "You all right? Something is bothering you?" Her forehead creased with worry, her eyes wide.My gut twisted. Jayden and Ella plotting to steal my triplets, John hanging on by his nails, David starving in a cell—nothing was right. My head was a goddamn whirlwind, racing a mile a minute with fear for my babies, their tiny faces seared into my mind. I gritted out a pale nod, struggling to paste on a fake smile. "Yeah, I'm fine," I lied, turning to Sarah, the senior medic. "Keep Zane stable, do your best.""But Ashley…" she started, her voice rising in protest."I'll be back soon," I interrupted her sharply, turning to the guard. He steps aside, freeing me from the room, the door creaking shut behind us. The damp coolness of the passage closed round me, full of the smell of wet stone and dry earth, making me shiver as we walked off.I stared hard at the guard, trying to crack him. "You know wh
Ashley’s POV“How often does he scream like that?” I asked the healer next to me as we hustled toward Zane’s room, the echo of his cry still rattling in my head. The air was thick with the smell of herbs and sickness, making my stomach churn.“This is new, Ashley,” she said, squinting, her voice low and uneasy. “Never heard him make a peep like that before.”I reached Zane’s bedside and grabbed his hands, his skin clammy and cold. “Hang in there, Zane,” I said softly, squeezing tight. “You’re gonna pull through, I swear.” He tried to sit up, his frail body trembling, but I pressed a gentle hand to his chest, easing him back down. His heartbeat was sluggish, barely thumping under my palm, and I knew we were racing against time.“Get me a tray,” I barked, keeping my hand on him, feeling the weak pulse. A memory sparked—an old Alchemy trick to check his condition fast. I closed my eyes, steadying my breathing, blocking out the room’s noise. My fingers stayed on his chest, anchoring me as
Ashley's POVJayden's expression twisted, all pissed off, when I dared confront him about Daisy. His blue eyes flamed, and he leapt to his feet as if I'd struck him. "You don't dare question me in my own damn council, Ashley!" he bellowed, his voice ringing from the stone walls. "You're done here—you and all the healers, out!”I had turned, and I was seeing healers swaying nervously, robes unfolding as they fled towards the doorway, heads held low like little children being rebuked. But I wasn’t moving. I planted my feet, glaring at Jayden, my heart pounding with defiance. "You asked me one question, and I need to have one replied," I gritted roughly, cutting through the room. "Where is Daisy, the Luna you picked over me?"Jayden's head snapped up, his mouth opening to spit out some retort, but one of the elders intervened, his voice slicing. "The pack's dwindling out there, Ashley. Drop the bull about dumb questions and move!" The others snarled in concurrence, their faces twisted up
Ashley's POV"Alpha Jayden!" I shouted, my voice breaking with him giving the order to lock David up. My heart pounded, shock and fury swirling around inside of me like a poison mix.“You heard me, damn it!" he growled, spinning on his heel and striding towards his gaudy-ass throne, his boots echoing off the stone floor. His blond hair glowed in the light of the torches, and for a moment I remembered playing with it, back when he wasn't such a cowardly punk.“You don't mean this, Jayden!" I shouted, closing in on him, my fists so balled up that my nails dug into my hands. "You're actually doing this to him?""Hey, Ashley, stay calm," David shouted softly, as two guards moved in, their chains jingling like a funeral march. His calm voice angered me even further.“Why the hell are you defending him?" Jayden snarled, reclining in his seat, his sharp blue eyes narrowing. "He should be locked up for what he did!The healers and elders simply sat there, completely quiet, their eyes switchin
Ashley's POV"A message for…" the messenger started, but his voice was cut off like someone ripped out his tongue. He looked over at David, who still lay on the ground, bound hands behind him. I saw David's rapid shake of his head, a silent order to keep quiet. My stomach twisting—what was he hiding?"Spit it out, boy!" Elder Thamon bellowed, his loud voice in the council hall, his own patience clearly exhausted.The envoy simply stood there, sweat dripping from his forehead, numb as a deer caught in the headlights. His eyes never wavered from David, as if begging for a lifeline. Jayden was elsewhere, staring into space, his face vacant. Either he didn't care or was too high to bother. The Jayden I knew would've gone wild if he saw his beta treated this way, bound and on his knees like some sort of common criminal."My lord, let me handle it," David said, his voice steady as the ropes bit into his wrists. It hurt to see him like this, the pack beta reduced to this because of Ella's ac
Ashley's POV"Drag her ass back in here!" Jayden's voice boomed from the council room, shaking the walls like a cursed earthquake. The guards didn't hesitate, their hands grabbing my shoulders, spinning me around so fast I nearly stumbled. My cheek still hurt from Ella's slap, and my head was spinning, trying to get its head around that trashy accusation against David and me.We stormed back into the room, the chaos from before now settled into an unnatural stillness. David crouched in front of Jayden, his wrists bound tightly with rope, his face impassive but his eyes screaming betrayal. My stomach turned at the sight—David didn't deserve this.“This whole mess is a damn mystery," Jayden started, his voice heavy with disillusion, like he himself'd been stabbed in the back. "I relied on my beta not to pull this kind of crap."I couldn’t just stand there and watch David take the fall. I yanked against the guards’ grip, desperate to break free, to scream that this was all lies, but thei
Ashley's POVThe pounding on the door would not cease, echoing and relentless, shaking me from my sweat-soaked daze. I stumbled to my feet, legs shaking from that disgusting nightmare still ravaging my mind—John tied up, my triplets wailing. The door swung open before I could reach for the handle, and two guards stood in the doorway, faces expressionless, eyes blazing into me as if I'd done something abhorrent."What the hell is happening here?" I growled, voice rough, trying to be stronger than I was. They just stood there, speechless, staring at me as if I'd done something wrong."Alpha Jayden wishes to see you, Ashley," one of them finally said, voice toneless, eyes never once breaking from mine. Ashley? They addressed me by name, not some kind of formal designation. I was taken aback, but I pushed it aside, more concerned with the here and now."Why? And what, no breakfast here?" I snapped back, trying coolness, but my mind was a whirl, heart thudding like a mad drum. The guards d