Aphrodite My mother went down on her knees in front of Asher, to my utter surprise and to Asher's horror.“Mom, what are you doing?!” I gasped, trying to reach for her, but she dodged my outstretched arm and clutched Asher's dress pants over his knee.“I beg of you, King Asher, don't hurt my daughter,” she cried desperately. The sight of my mother kneeling and begging for my life broke my heart into a million pieces.“Please!” she whimpered. “I... I will do anything!” she stuttered desperately. "It's all my fault. If only I hadn't persuaded her into seducing you, this wouldn't have happened. Please kill me instead, but don't hurt my daughter. She is still young and has her whole life ahead of her. Yes, she is a Devil Wolf, but I swear, my baby girl isn't a monster," she lamented.Asher, who had been stunned into silence the whole time, crouched down to her level, his gaze levelling with hers. He reached out, gently taking my mother's trembling hands in his."Mrs. Johnson,” he began,
Aphrodite I sighed contentedly as I admired the soft glow of the moon from my open window, its milky rays spilling across the windowsill, and the steady rhythm of Asher's heartbeat lulled me towards sleep.He held me so close, his fingers drawing lazy circles on my back as I stared ahead, deep in thought.“You're curious, aren't you? I know you have so many questions. I can feel it through our bond,” he murmured. I blinked slowly, clearing the haze of my thoughts, and looked up at him with my chin resting on his broad chest. He stared down at me, waiting for my response.“Yes. I'm curious how you found out I was a Devil Wolf and about the low possibility of me having children,” I murmured. He hummed, swallowing as he held me closer.“I suspected for a while," he began softly, "but I only found out when Sophia poisoned your necklace.” I gasped in realisation of his words; that must be why the poison didn't do as much damage as it did to Hilda.He paused, brushing a strand of hair away
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,”
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: 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
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 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 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 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,”