Ashley POV Really, I had no idea what to say. This could have been an opportunity for me to tell him the truth, that the two of us had been engaged and mated since the age of eighteen. But then, he had cheated on me and I had called off the engagement and rejected him. Now I might have to change all that. Frankly speaking, I did not hate the idea of it anymore. I was the only person he trusted and, as I admitted a few hours ago, I felt that I was starting to really like him, perhaps because of the bond that still lingered between the two of us or because it was only me who was there, no matter how scary it was. And I will keep my promise to him - I will help him get through the amnesia. But I still could not get the image of him and her out of my head. So, despite it hurts more than anything in the world, more than when I break my collar bone falling down a hill or more than all the words and "jokes" from my friends, I decide to lie. "There was a girl who visited you earlier," I st
Ashley POV I stared at him incredulously. "You have got to be kidding me, right." "I don't think so," Clark replied, sipping his cup of coffee unwillingly. "I will help you as much as I can, but it all depends on you." "I... I..." I trailed off. Hesitating. "You hesitated?" "That does not even come close to describing how I feel," I admitted and nervously scratched my arm. "I... I will try my best, I really will. But..." I cut myself off right then and there. I had only promised Jayden that I would help him through his amnesia. I did not need to bring him back to the top of the music industry again. But I knew he had suffered and worked hard and spent too much time in his life to lose it all just because he was ignorant and impulsive enough to run drunkenly through the streets at the wrong time. On top of that, I also felt a little guilty. Despite him - or rather, I could call him an asshole scumbag. If only I had never let him down so much, he probably would not be in such a de
Ashley POV However, then I remember Jayden's face when he looked at Clark. I recall the anxiety creeping into his voice as he spoke to me, and he looked so desperate as he tightly held my hand. He had become someone entirely different. Afraid and vulnerable. So close to his dreams yet suspicious, confused, and alone. Now, he only trusts me. Of course, I couldn't forget how his eyes were fixed on his dear girlfriend as well. As that scene replays in my mind, my wolf, Lea, starts to whimper and feels a sting. Eva had been discussing her favorite solo performance as I reminisced when she said something that caught my attention. "'Tyler James'?" I repeated. "Who is he?" "Are you serious, Ash?" Eva exclaimed. "I have been talking about BHB for years, and you're just now paying attention?" "Sorry," I said nonchalantly as I checked the time on my phone. It seemed like the class would start soon. "You never listen to me when I talk about my interests." "Oh, is that so? Okay, I will kee
Ashley POV "Sweetie? We are so sorry that we have not been able to call you back until now. Jayden's parents have been in a frenzy since noon, trying to find a cheap ticket back to Beverly. We did not worry you, did we?" As it turned out, it was my parents who called me. My dad's gentle, low, humming voice comforted my ears. Truth be told, I was a little worried when they did not answer my phone calls even during lunch. I had left a voicemail that I had something important to tell them but had no time to think about it anymore because of school matters and battle plans. By battle, I mean the battle against Jayden's amnesia. "Did you know that their son had an accident last night?" The piercing voice of my mom pierced through the phone line, making me wince. She was a beautiful, strong, determined woman, and the woman I admired most in the entire world, but her voice could cut through diamonds. "Yeah," I said, holding the phone slightly away from my ear and turning down the volume
Ashley POV Not even bothering to say goodbye, I simply ended the call abruptly. But still, I could hear my mom's voice, like a spell being cast inside my skull. Her words felt coiled around me and pierced my skin, like cold metal razor wire, and I felt like I really wanted to punch one of the mailboxes around the building. Seeing that it would cause ten times more damage than I could ever hope to, so I better leaned my forehead against the cold concrete wall and tried my hardest not to scream out in anger, frustration, or whatever you want to call the swirl of emotions churning inside my stomach. Just around the same time, there was the sound of the double glass doors opening behind me and two to three pairs of feet rushing inside, probably because they wanted to get away from the cold immediately. I did not pay much attention to the faint familiarity of their voices as they promptly started whispering loudly. I did not even notice anyone approaching me until they touched my shoulde
Ashley POVI was surprised by the offer at first, but I quickly turned it down. I know it sounds crazy that I was asked to have dinner with the most popular Pop Idol Boy Band currently in the world and I turned it down. Even a lot of people out there are dying for it. But here I am turning it down.Hunter shook his head with a slight smile. "I think it's time we got to know each other. Or what do you think, Jamie?"Jamie who was standing beside Tyler, chatting quietly, when he turned around. "Did we really buy enough food for all of us?" he asked hesitantly."We did buy the usual amount," Hunter replied. "And I highly doubt that she will eat more than Jayden."It seemed Tyler wanted to open his mouth to make a remark but Hunter quickly shut him up. "You are not allowed to say anything," Hunter chimed in. "What do you think Jayden would say or do if he saw the way you treated Ashley?""There is nothing. She doesn't even like us," Tyler said in a cold voice. "Jayden told me that she wou
Ashley POV So I followed them into their apartment. Frankly speaking, I had not expected that this house inhabited by seven dudes might be the cleanest house in the world, but it turned out to be much worse than I had imagined. What used to be used to take care of the needs of a family of four or five people, had now turned into a home for seven hotties and handsome bachelors, to be frank. I could only imagine how often they ordered delivery food like pizza or Chinese food if they liked or fought over the two bathrooms that I could see at each end of the narrow hallway that spanned the apartment. Tyler was the fastest to kick off his sneakers and hurry down the hallway, with Hunter following close behind. "Hello? Is everyone home?" "We are home!" Hunter called out cheerfully. "And we have a guest!" As I tried not to stare at the floor-to-ceiling shelves full of shoes and various beauty products that completely covered the east wall of the hallway. They were lucky that there were n
Ashley POV "That doesn't make sense," Tyler said as he crossed his arms over his chest. "Jayden told me that you guys don't like each other, and you can't even stand him. So tell me why?" "I just..." I was trying to find the right words. And yet, my mind was a mess, so I had no choice but to follow the second commanding voice, which was the heart and feelings of the wolf inside me. "If you were me," I started gingerly, "would you let the son of your parents' best friend lose sight of his childhood dreams? I have known Jayden pretty much my whole life - we grew up together, spent every vacation together, and celebrated everything from birthdays, life, and death together. He can be a jerk at times, you could say, but he was always there for me when no one else was. You might think that my family's wealth and good name earn me friends wherever I go, but it's the opposite. It wasn't. All my life, I have always felt like I lived by myself." To tell you the truth, I had not intended fo
Ashley POVMonday was chill. I spent the day wandering around the area near my hotel, snapping pictures of the city. Somewhere along the way, I stumbled upon a hobby store packed with all kinds of trinkets and ended up buying some dolls and tiny figurines for Eva before heading back. I also swung by a small shop to grab some snacks.A hot shower melted away my exhaustion, and soon enough, I was lounging on the bed in a ridiculously oversized bathrobe, binge-watching Netflix for hours. I meant to change into my pajamas, but I crashed before I even got the chance.For a moment, I floated in darkness— no real-life drama, no danger, just peace.Then, a buzzing noise across the room yanked me out of my sleep. Still half-asleep, I clumsily rolled out of bed and made my way to the desk where I'd left my phone charging. My eyes fluttered as I tried to shake off the drowsiness. It was bright outside, but I didn’t really stop to think about it.Not until I, still groggy, picked up the call and
Ashley POVIt wasn’t jealousy or some masochistic urge that led me to my newest idea. No, seriously, it wasn’t. Honestly, I just wanted to know more about her, because she was the reason behind everything that happened that night at the stadium back in February. Because I could swear she had planned every single one of those so-called coincidental meetings between me and Jayden, which eventually led to the accident and his amnesia.I mean, I had no solid proof, but judging by the way she acted and spoke… something felt off. My gut just told me so.I didn’t think Blair had planned for Jayden to go on a drunken rampage afterward and get hit by a car— especially judging by how damn annoying she was in the Silvercross Healing Center parking lot— but she sure as hell wasn’t innocent, either. But I also knew she hadn’t known about my engagement to Jayden at the time, which was obvious from Jayden’s own words and what she said to me after he kicked her out of his hospital room.Besides, I st
Ashley POVThe streets weren’t exactly empty, but David had been circling the block for the past half hour, worried about my safety. That’s why he managed to pull up right where he had dropped me off just a few minutes later. Before getting into the car, still a little tipsy, I waved goodbye to the BHB band members— except for Jayden and Jamie, who were still upstairs looking for something they’d left behind.Even though it felt kinda weird leaving without saying goodbye to everyone, maybe it was for the best that I didn’t see Jayden again. At least, not that night.I had to wipe my eyes more than a few times on the way home. Not even the alcohol could numb the sharp ache in my chest.The moment I got back, I collapsed onto my bed and passed out.The next morning, fighting off a pounding headache, I came to the conclusion that my trip to Milan needed to be about more than just Jayden’s concert. I had to make this trip for myself too. And since Eva was too busy to come along and Jared
Ashley POVIf my brain wasn’t so clouded with exhaustion and alcohol, I might’ve reacted properly to what he just said. But right now, I was way more drunk than I wanted to admit. I pushed aside every thought fighting for space in my head, whether real or not, because his body heat and the scent of white musk, soap, and just him made something inside me shiver with longing. I didn’t trust myself in this state. I didn’t trust myself when my lips were this close to his neck, where his scent was strongest.So instead, I focused on one thing— holding on."Ash, I have a question."He had already reached the second floor, adjusting his grip on me. I glanced at him, curious, urging him to continue. "Shoot.""I was wondering if you’d come to our show at the end of May," he said quietly as he stepped onto the last staircase. "I know it’s around finals, but..." I felt him swallow hard. "I want you to be there. To see us, to see me... perform."I pretended to think about it for a second, but hon
Ashley POVAll the attention from seven pairs of expectant eyes suddenly weighs me down. I rub my palms together, trying to shake off those stares, and then it hits me.I give Jayden a simple smile and bump my head against his. "Something embarrassing from your childhood, Jayden."He narrows his eyes, snorting. "That’s like a double-edged sword you’re playing with, Ash."I shrug. "I’m not the type who can’t tell the difference between fairies and dwarves in the Lord of the Rings trilogy.""Seriously?" Jax asks."Plenty more," I reply."Ash," Jayden says, his tone carrying a warning, yet there's a hint of embarrassment and worry in his caramel-brown eyes."If we drink, we’ll figure it out," Jean says flatly, not at all impressed by my suggestion. "That’s a bad bet, Miles. Don’t even think about it.""Not at all," I replied coolly. "I can handle my drink better than anyone at this table, I promise. So you’re not gonna get something from me that I don’t wanna share.""Sounds almost like
Ashley POV“Hey,” I said as I sat down beside Miles— the seat that had indirectly become my choice simply because it was the closest to where I had been standing near the door. Besides, I felt like I knew him better than anyone else here— except for Jayden, of course.Jayden had just taken a seat across from me when an argument broke out between him and Jean over what to order and how much. Miles set his half-empty drink down on the table and was forced to lean in closer to me just to be heard over their rapidly escalating banter— or rather, a full-blown dispute.“Did something happen on the way here?” he asked.“Just the usual traffic,” I said with a grimace. “For some reason, today felt unbearably long.”“We started without you two.”“Yeah, Jayden already told me. It’s fine.” I rubbed my arm. It wasn’t surprising that Miles smelled faintly of beer and food, but that scent was only temporary, merely clinging to him. This close, I could pick up a mix of coconut, aftershave, and the fr
Ashley POVIn the end, they won the award. I found out about it as I was stealing glances at Eva, who was watching the live broadcast in one of my classes, and almost cried when the winner was announced. She was so overjoyed that even when Jayden called during lunch to update me with the situation there, she was even bold enough to congratulate him, albeit timidly, which amused me. Since he was in a hurry, he hung up as soon as he told me about their victory... Needless to say, I had to mention it though, and as much as it left a bitter taste in my mouth, my mood turned to joy as I recalled Friday.The rest of the week passed by in a blur and before I knew it, it was time for me to meet the band members of Boyz Hits Bullet on May 26th.Four days left until the show began.Four more days until everything I had been putting in would come to fruition.Four more days until my place in Jayden Keller's life would be wiped out.It was between half past seven and eight in the evening, with tr
Ashley POVAfter hearing the sound of the front door key, I nearly snapped the pen in my mouth out of sheer frustration. But I didn’t. Instead, I put the pen down and took a long, deep breath. Pushing the pain in my heart out of my mind— something that felt both easier and harder to do each time.Easier, because I knew I could suppress the pain with sheer willpower, and willpower was something I rarely lacked. Harder, because a part of me, the part buried deep within my wolf, actually wanted the suffering to stay. It was masochistic, purely so, but the act of stitching my shattered heart back together was starting to feel comforting, even satisfying.Anything to fill the void Jayden left when he returned to the apartment he shared with his friends.Days turned into weeks. News about Jayden and Blair’s relationship swept through the entire city and the international world— Hollywood. The night their Instagram post went viral like wildfire. Before long, fans of both pop stars gathered u
Ashley POVFor a while, it was eerily quiet. The weather had changed, from cloudy to sunny, and a gentle breeze caressed my cheeks. As I sat there, I couldn't believe that I had told Eva everything. Nevertheless, an overwhelming sense of relief filled my chest as I reflected on my decision. For two and a half months, I had kept my thoughts and actions to myself with no one to talk to... and now, finally, I had her to share them with.I couldn't help but wonder, would I feel relieved by making a decision with Jayden after everything was over?Out of the blue, Eva got up from the bench, rubbing her back simultaneously. “Get up,” she demanded. “Why don't we grab some lunch?”“We should probably call the professors first and tell them about why we skipped class,” I replied as I looked at the campus building, guilt weighing on my shoulders.“Fine, do that while walking. I'm starving.”As I made the call, she took me to a cheap Chinese restaurant near the university. The restaurant was too