Asher;For the first time in my life, I felt fear as I watched my mate seize helplessly and foam at the mouth. All I could do was hold her down to prevent her from hurting herself, while confusion, worry, anger, and, most of all, fear mixed into one dangerous concoction."What the hell is happening?" I screamed at no one in particular, barely registering the shuffle of feet behind me."Aphrodite," I called, touching her face with a shaking hand as she continued to seize in my arms. Her eyes rolled to the back of her head, and she stopped seizing abruptly, going limp in my arms."No, no, no, wake up!” I shook her limp body violently, but when I didn't get a physical response, I screamed."Get the doctor!" I yelled at a maid, who jumped in fear and rushed out. I looked down at my mate, terrified that I might lose her. I could hear her heart, but it was faint. I didn't know if it would last, but the thought of losing her made me want to pull my hair out in frustration.The memory of losi
Aphrodite:Prying my eyes open took more effort than it should, but when I finally managed, I realised I was lying on a bed as soft as clouds. The only sound I could hear was the steady beeping of a heart monitor. As my gaze roamed the room, I recognised it as Asher's bedroom.The realisation made me sit up so fast that I felt dizzy for a second, but it quickly cleared. I looked around in confusion, wondering how the hell I had ended up in his room and on his bed. The last thing I remembered was drinking coffee while watching Asher flirt with Sophia on their stupid date. Nothing else.The door opened, and I snapped my attention to it. Asher walked in, his eyes widening when he saw me. He rushed to my side, enveloping me in a hug that left me both speechless and breathless at the same time.He pulled back and held my face with both hands, his eyes searching mine as if to make sure it was really me. He smiled tenderly, and I furrowed my brows in confusion."You're awake. How?" he mumble
AsherThe moment Aphrodite fainted in my arms, I roared in fury. My wolf growled angrily as I scanned the crowd, which had stopped to watch the scene unfold with shocked faces.“You!” I snarled at Harold; he was the community council head, and I knew he'd instigated this whole thing. I wanted to wring his neck so badly, but I couldn't leave my unconscious bleeding mate.“M—my King,” he stuttered, falling to his knees and shaking in fear.“Arrest him now,” I growled at George, who quickly sprung into action, ordering a warrior to take him away. Two warriors grabbed Harold by the arms, dragging him away as he continued to stutter out excuses and pleas.“Get the Devil Wolf out of here to a secure room,” I ordered, quickly lifting my mate and heading straight to my parked car.What was Aphrodite thinking when she decided to protect the Devil Wolf? She'd refused my offer to go out, but at the mere mention of Devil Wolf, she changed her mind.I glanced at her unconscious form in the passeng
AsherI almost bumped into Matilda on my way to the front door; she looked surprised by my abrupt departure, and I had to mask the seething rage that was simmering just beneath the surface of my skin. "You're leaving so soon?" She asked, frowning, her brown eyes dropping in disappointment. I gritted my teeth in anger at the fact that dinner could have ended a lot better, but as usual, the old man had to ruin it."I'm so sorry, Matilda. I have an emergency that requires my immediate attention," I lied smoothly. She nodded in understanding. I felt guilty for lying to her, but I couldn't stand being under the same roof as the man I called my father without wanting to break something."Just take care of yourself, my boy," she said with a warm smile, adjusting the collar of my dress shirt. I could feel the warmth radiating off her in waves, and it made me feel oddly safe."And Hilda too; I know she's always been obsessed with following you around, even as a child, but she'll outgrow it,"
AphroditeI watched with satisfaction as Asher agreed to my claim, turning to Sophia with a smirk. Even though I couldn't be with Asher due to my circumstances, I was determined that making Sophia my replacement would never happen.Over my dead body, would I let that happen.Sophia’s face twisted into a knowing smile, as though she had thought of something deviously clever. “Since other ladies are competing, I will be the best of the candidates and compete for a place by Asher's side,” she said, her eyes gleaming with malice as she sized me up, and I nearly scoffed.“I’m staying either way, and there is nothing you can do about it.” Her tone was laced with venom as she glared at me, daring me to counter her. She wasted no time in snatching her hand luggage off the floor and intentionally bumping my shoulder as she stormed up the stairs.I gritted my teeth in anger, suppressing the urge to go after her and drag her back by her hair, screaming. My gaze snapped back to Asher's, and I gla
Asher. It had been an eventful day, and exhaustion was slowly creeping into my bones. From personally making sure that Sarah, the she wolf whose daughter was the Devil Wolf Aphrodite saved, were safe to rushing back to the pack to meet with my damned date.I could have ditched it, but that would have breached the contract my mate and I agreed to.I slammed the car door shut behind me and jogged up the stairs to my bedroom to freshen up and change before the next meeting.As I worked on the buttons of my dress shirt, I thought about Aphrodite's attitude towards Sophia's abrupt arrival and chuckled. I knew exactly what Sophia was up to, and what fun would it be if I stopped her when I could use her to simultaneously rile Aphrodite up and hasten the process of winning her heart?I was almost giddy at the thought of the impending drama that was sure to ensue today. Humming under my breath, I jogged down the stairs to the grand room, where I knew my date was waiting.As I pushed the door
Aphrodite:I walked past Sophia without even sparing her a glance, a deep satisfaction growing in me as I sensed her fuming rage, knowing there was nothing she could do about what she'd walked into.By the time I reached the door, Sophia had dragged me back by my arm. I wrenched my arm out of her hold in disgust as I faced her.She raised her hand to slap me, but I caught it mid-air, flinging it back down and pointing my index finger in her face.“Don't you dare!” I growled in warning as we stood eye-to-eye.Sophia was shaking with pure rage as she sized me up, probably weighing her options on whether or not to fight me. She chose the wrong one when she lifted her hand to strike me again, but this time she was stopped mid-air by Asher.“Enough!” he said through gritted teeth, pulling her back from me. She scoffed, snatching her hand out of his grip and glaring at him.“You bitch!” she screamed at me. I just stared at her with a bored expression, which seemed to irritate her even more.
Three Hours Earlier:Asher As soon as Aphrodite walked out of my office, I turned to face Sophia with a deep frown, biting my lips so hard in irritation that I could taste my own blood. The fucking bitch just had to come in and interrupt the perfect moment I was having with my mate.“I don’t appreciate you lecturing me on what I should or shouldn’t do. If you value your life, then learn to respect yourself.” Her eyes widened at my tone, and she took a step back, fear evident in her expression.“I won’t be so lenient next time,” I sneered in warning, my voice cold and sharp. Her lips quivered as she tried to form a response.“B-but,” she stuttered, but I cut her off with a withering glare.“Get out!” I barked. She jumped, her eyes filling with tears, which only irritated me further. Without another word, she scurried out of my office.I sighed, massaging the bridge of my nose. It was only three in the afternoon, yet I’d already witnessed enough drama to last a lifetime.My patience wa
Aphrodite Our wedding reception was going in full swing, with the ballroom lit with crystal chandeliers hanging overhead and music blasting from the speakers with a never-ending flow of food and drinks.The reception itself was an open invitation for anyone who wished to attend and celebrate with us, making it a lively and joyous occasion.Asher held me close to his chest as we swayed to the rhythm of the song playing softly in the background. His hand tightened around my waist as the song reached its climax. The moment the song ended, we bowed, and the guests went berserk with cheers. I was smiling so broadly that my cheeks began to ache, and I could barely feel them. I turned my attention back to my husband when he placed a hand over the small of my back and began leading us back to our table after our customary couple's dance. "Should we leave?" Asher murmured in a raspy tone, leaning down to my ear. I tried to stifle a laugh at his impatience as I met his gaze."We just got her
Aphrodite It was the morning of my wedding, and I sat staring into space, my heart racing as my mind conjured up various scenarios where the wedding wouldn't be a success. I exhaled a slow, shaky breath, trying to calm the fast palpitations of my heart that made me feel sick to my stomach.The urge to vomit surged within me, but I pushed it down, determined not to let anything ruin this special day.The team of stylists behind me moved in a muted frenzy, trying to get last-minute things in order, making me feel like I was in a movie. The stylist gasped the moment she finished her work and stepped back, cupping her hand over her chest.“My queen, you look breathtaking.” I blinked back the haze from my eyes at the sound of my stylist's voice, whose name was Alice, and focused on my reflection in the mirror.A beautiful woman stared back at me, and I blinked in surprise at how different I looked, almost not recognising myself. My makeup was flawlessly done, with smoky eyes and lips lined
Aphrodite“You're late,” I spoke in a bored tone. He chuckled, pushing back the dark strands of hair that fell over his forehead with his fingers.“I’m so sorry for keeping everyone waiting. I got stuck in traffic,” he replied, walking over to the table and pulling out a seat for himself. I snickered, looking away from him and down at the documents spread out in front of me on the table.I paused when that weird scent wafted into my nostrils. There it was again, and this time I was sure it was from Elijah, but the problem was why it smelled familiar and why I couldn't remember it. I blinked, clearing my head to focus on the task at hand.“Now that we're all here, let's get right into it,” I said, quickly handing out the questionnaires Brielle had insisted I distribute to the candidates.The rest of the meeting went by at a snail's pace until Brielle finally narrowed her choices down to Beta Conor and, unsurprisingly, Elijah. For some reason, she was completely besotted with him. I cou
Aphrodite Ronan strode confidently into the party like he owned the fucking place, a condescending smile stretching tightly across his lips. He approached our table without a word, pulled out a chair, and sat down, arching a brow as his gaze swept across the table to mine before locking onto Asher's gaze.“Isn't it funny that I had to hear the news of my son's mating ritual from a different source?” He chuckled dryly, picking up an empty wine glass and uncorking the wine bottle in front of him to pour himself a drink.“Oh, I'm sorry, I didn't feel the need to inform you of every single thing I decide to do, Father,” Asher responded, his tone dripping with sarcasm. Ronan scoffed, taking a leisurely sip of his wine before turning to me, his hardened gaze locking with mine.“I don't know what it is about her that you find appealing enough to want to taint our bloodline,” he seethed. Asher almost stood, but I placed a hand over his thigh under the table, calming him down—if only a little
Aphrodite The second I walked into Asher's office, I jumped straight into his arms, clutching onto him like a lifeline as I tried to calm down and process my thoughts. He sensed my distress and held me tighter without question, his hands running up and down my back in a soothing motion as he whispered sweet nothings into my ear.I pulled away when I'd calmed down, and he caressed my cheeks, his arms tightening around my waist as I straddled his lap.“What's wrong, my love?” He murmured gently, his eyes filled with warmth as they searched mine. I exhaled a shaky breath.“I met someone tonight,” I whispered, and his brows scrunched up in confusion.“Who did you meet?” he echoed, and I braced myself for his reaction. Even though I'd told Asher all about my past, he still hated the thought of what the human I’d loved did to me.“It was Elijah,” I said, and he stilled at my words. I clutched the material of his shirt, waiting for his reaction.“How and where did you meet him?” he asked a
Aphrodite I finished up my work for the day and walked out of my office, shutting the door behind me before heading down the corridor to Lara's office. I found her arranging the open files sprawled haphazardly on her desk. She smiled when she saw me walk in, and I returned it with a wave.“Are you ready?” I asked, leaning against the door frame with a raised brow.“Yep,” she replied, stacking the last file in its place in the cabinet. She picked up her handbag and rounded her desk, and I walked out with Lara in tow. I nodded at the security on my way out, and we headed to our parked car.“We should drop by the mall on the way; there's something I want to get,” she said. I arched my brow at her but mumbled an "okay" before pulling out of the driveway.I glanced at my side mirror, noting the tinted SUV filled with pack warriors trailing behind us for security. I rolled my eyes and looked away, but said nothing. Even though I wasn't comfortable with the entourage, I understood it was fo
Aphrodite: The past week with Asher has been spent in ignorant bliss. Despite the threat looming over my head, it took a while to come to terms with the fact that I literally had a bounty on my head. Asher's presence and support helped me momentarily forget about it. I dropped the book I'd been staring at absent-mindedly and walked into the open bathroom. Asher glanced at me when I walked in and smiled before looking back in the mirror, proceeding to drag a razor down his jawline, which was covered with shaving foam. “Let me,” I mumbled, taking the blade from his hand. He conceded, his hand snaking around my waist and pulling me flush against his chest. I stood on my tiptoes and planted a kiss on his lips before reaching up and gently dragging the razor across his jawline. I rinsed it under the running tap and repeated the process. “I have to go into work today,” I murmured, watching his reflection as his brows furrowed in concern. “So soon?” he asked, and I chuckled, nodding slo
Asher I narrowed my eyes at him, but his gaze was fixed on my mate, staring at her with a condescending air. It made my blood boil with anger, but I held back from lashing out. I bit down on my tongue so hard that I tasted blood and clenched my fists until they turned white.“She’s not a bitch, Father. She’s my mate. Show some respect,” I growled, my eyes flashing with anger.Father's gaze flicked to our joined hands, his expression hardening at the sight of my mother's ring on Aphrodite's finger.“Respect? You threw away a perfectly good alliance for her,” he sneered, taking a slow drag from his cigar.“What you did yesterday has cost us an important alliance, and the only way you would marry this woman is over my dead body,” he seethed, and I scoffed.“Look at her. She was your matchmaker, and now she's your mate,” he chuckled dryly, his eyes devoid of mirth.“I don't smell her rank. Are you sure she's not just a conniving bitch using you for your power?” He snapped, his eyes zeroi
Aphrodite I sat by my windowsill, staring into the mysterious woods that remained undisturbed by the ills of this world. The tree branches swayed gently in the wind, which caressed my cheeks.I sighed in contentment as I inhaled the sweet morning air, the rays of sunshine casting a warm glow over my fingers resting on the rim of the window.I jumped in surprise when droplets of water fell over my skin and gasped, turning back to see a wet Asher smiling down at me. He had a white towel wrapped around his waist while his dark hair dripped water over his hard chest as he hovered over me.I squealed when he shook his head again, droplets from his hair spraying across my face.“Asher,” I whined playfully, and he chuckled, leaning down and pulling my body flush against his.“You're going to get me wet,” I complained, and he smirked down at me mischievously.“Am I? Can I see for myself?” He rumbled in a deep baritone that sent heat travelling down south instantly, and I gasped.“Not here,”