Chapter 3

Keithera felt angry and surprised at the same time when she heard the name, but she had to adjust her expression so Ashley wouldn’t notice and fortunately for her, she was still staring blankly into space.

Why would this happen, how could the moon goddess do this to her and bless Ashley with the destiny she could have by becoming Luna. She remembered the words of rejection from Xavier and came back to her senses.

‘I can’t let this happen, I am the one meant to be Luna’ Keithera declared to herself inwardly, with a forced smile planted on her face, she looked at Ashley.

“Ash, that's wonderful news, you will become the Luna of our pack” Keithera spoke up with a face now full of happiness.

“What are you saying, don’t you know he would reject me like the others, what makes me any different?” Ashley scolded her friend as she tried to implant false hope in her mind.

Keithera wanted to be supportive and at the same time stop her from being his mate. She had to use the right words to convince her.

“Yeah you’re right, he hasn’t changed his ways, but he may call on you for a one-night stand, just be careful Ash”  Keithera stated as she hugged her and proceeded to leave.

Ashley was deep in thought so she walked out of the house to clear her mind. As she was entering the garden nearby she was stopped by a voice calling her name.

“Ash! Ashley!” the familiar voice called out to her.

Ashley turned around and her eyes were wide in shock as she laid them on the person calling her name. It’s been 4 months since she encountered Davian, and she never expected to see him again.

“What are you doing here?” Ashley questioned in a cold tone, trying to hide the weakness she felt inside. 

“I know I shouldn’t show up here like this” He began and let out a small laugh which didn’t seem to shake Ashley out of the cold demeanor she gave off.

His smile immediately went dim as he noticed Ashley wasn’t reciprocating it.

“Yeah Uhm.. look.. I just” Davian stammered as he couldn’t get the words out of his mouth. He was ashamed and didn’t know how to tell her what he wanted to say. 

“Can we sit down and talk?” He asked but Ashley quickly turned it down.

“No I’m fine, say whatever you want to say, I have somewhere to be so talk fast” Ashley lied as she couldn’t think of a better excuse to leave his presence.

“Okay sorry, It’s just that, I want to say I’m sorry Ash, I made a terrible mistake rejecting you, I should never have left you like that” Davian expressed with sadness in his eyes.  

“You’re sorry? Does this seem like a joke to you, you think you can just reject me and come back telling me you’re sorry, what the heck is that?” Ashley fumed not holding the anger that overtook her.

“Please just listen to me, I feel really stupid for rejecting you over someone who cheated on me in the end,” Davian told her.

Davian married his newfound love after rejecting Ashley only to realize that the baby she was carrying wasn’t his. His life has been miserable since then, realizing the mistake he made.

Ashley didn’t feel a single remorse for him as she walked out on him saying “serves you right” and with that, she ran back home and started sobbing.

Ashley was devastated, she felt lost and confused as to why all this was happening to her. She doesn’t want to go back to Davian but deep down she still cares about him.

Her mind goes to the alpha king as she fantasizes how good it will be to become his Luna, but that’s all it was a fantasy. ‘He would never accept me’, she thought to herself, and with that, she drifted to sleep.

The next day, while she was asleep on her bed, she perceived a familiar scent around her that made her open her eyes in an instant.

Nothing could prepare her for the person she saw sitting at the edge of the bed staring at her subtly. She frowned as she set eyes on him, wondering how he got into her room.

“You look so pretty when you sleep Ash” Davian commented as he ran his eyes through her half-naked figure, regretting deeply how he fumbled such a beautiful girl.

She was putting on a tank top and underwear, and noticing his actions, she hurriedly put a blanket over herself, to cover up from his peering gaze.

“How the heck did you get in here, who gave you permission to?” Ashley questioned in annoyance, wondering what gave him the balls to enter her room unannounced.

“You remember I still have that spare you gave me when you would always sneak me in” Davian chuckled as he remembered the good times he had with Ashley. 

“And your parents aren’t around so I just let myself in” He continued trying to defend himself from invading her privacy without permission. 

“It still doesn’t give you the right to enter my room like that” Ashley frowned as she walked to her closet to put on something less revealing. “Why are you here exactly?” she started.

“I’m sorry, I should have asked for permission” He apologized. “ If you would just give me a chance, I promise we will make it work,” Davian begged, replying to her question.

“There is nothing to work out Davian, the deed has already been done, so if you would just do me the favor of getting out I would appreciate it” Ashley replied while searching for her phone.

She didn’t want to have any conversation with him. It’s not easy for her to just move on from rejection so easily.

“Ash please just give me-“ He was cut off by Ashley pointing at the door signaling for him to leave.

“I won’t stop trying to win you back,” He said and immediately shut the door before Ashley could throw a pillow at him.

The next day in the palace, Xavier was lying on his bed when he had a dream. The moon goddess appeared and spoke to him.

‘Xavier you must accept Ashley as your mate, and turn from your philandrous ways if not you will die a slow and painful death, heed my words or face death.’ and with that, she disappeared.

This was the first time she had appeared to him in his life but he didn’t want to take her words seriously.

He decided to ask for advice from someone who had a lot of experience with the moon goddess, his mother.  

He walked down the hallway to her room and knocked on the wide doors until he heard ‘come in’. He strutted towards his mother admiring her strong yet old stature from afar. 

“My son how are you, did you sleep well” Rosalie questioned as she observed his tired eyes which showed he had just gotten out of bed.

“I’m fine mother,” Xavier replied as he sat on the chair opposite her.

“So is there a problem” Rosalie asked as she could tell something was bothering her son from the way he stared into space after sitting down. 

“Mother I believe I have found another mate” Xavier started, observing his mother to see her reaction.

“Well I see no point in telling me when you’re going to reject her eventually” Rosalie replied indifferently. She never interfered in his love affairs. She felt he would someday grow out of his philandrous ways.

“That’s the thing Mother, I can’t” He retorted and proceeded to explain the dream he had earlier.

After hearing everything he said, Rosalie was ecstatic that her son would finally change and have a mate, but she didn’t show it as she kept a blank face.

“You have to accept that girl at once, my son,” She concluded, grinning to herself as Xavier stepped out of the room.

He ordered the royal guards to go to Valta’s house and bring their daughter to the palace. 

The royal guards got to the Valta house and asked the parents of Ashley for their daughter. Isabel swiftly rushed to her daughter’s room only to find her fast asleep on the bed.

She tapped her severally until Ashley finally opened her eyes “Ashley get up you have been summoned by the alpha”. Isabel announced.

The words of her mother got in her head and she jumped from the bed “Why does he want to see me?” Ashley asked.

“When you get there you will know, now hurry up and get ready” Isabel urged.

Ashley got prepared fast enough and joined the royal guards in the car as they made their way to Xavier’s mansion.

Entering into the mansion Ashley couldn’t help but gape at the luxurious building before her.

The architecture of the mansion was elegant, and the sweeping stairs of the entrance gave a sense of royalty with its manicured gardens. She was awestruck as she had never set foot in the place.   

The workers led Ashley to a room where she would wait for the alpha. Xavier was about to open the door but he could already smell her scent.

He walked in, and the sight before him was nothing like he had seen before. He gushed at her emerald eyes that glowed beautifully and her thick black wavy hair he couldn’t wait to lay hands on.

Ashley immediately bowed when he stepped into the room, and her eyes met his radiant amber eyes, she wanted to melt just looking at his charming face.

Xavier approached her and touched her by the arm when he felt an unexplainable feeling in his chest. “Do you know why you’re here?” he asked seductively as he couldn’t contain his arousal. 

He placed his hand on her cheek before she could respond and his life instantly flashed before his eyes as he saw Koa dying subconsciously.

‘Heed to my words Xavier or face a painful death by the end of the day’ the moon goddess warned in his head.