6: You Should Say Yes

FEYRE

“What?” I stutter out. Alpha Lucien stands straighter.

“I know a lot of people, Feyre, and it would be easy to track them. Just give me your word. Just a month, be the luna and give my son his heir. Then you can leave with your information and my son can have a semblance of normalcy in his life,” I shake my head. It sounds too good to be true.

We have tried, multiple times, to bring the killers of my parents to justice but you can’t kill someone for their crimes when you don’t know them. It was like it never happened, and for the longest time, I have wanted to do everything I can to find out who killed them and get my revenge. My parents deserve it. They did nothing to anyone and they got killed. I’ll have to avenge their deaths.

But how does he know? I don’t think the details of the murder were broadcasted so much that people outside of the pack knew.

He seems to know everything. My inner voice muses and I agree. How does he know everything? I should be extra cautious. Asher’s father has always said the man with the most information is the one man the world should fear because he can destroy it with a word. Alpha Lucien is giving off that kind of dangerous and knowing energy.

“Wait, let me get this straight,” I state, folding my arms across my chest. “You want me to marry your son, that rejected me,” I felt the need to add that bit of information. “Not only that, I should give him an heir too?” I want to laugh, except I don’t find it funny.

“In a nutshell, yes.” I can’t help it, a small chuckle makes it past my lips.

“Technically, I should mate with your son, be the luna and then leave? What makes you think I’m that desperate for information?” I try to keep my voice low. Even if what he is sounding is crazy, I can’t disrespect him outwardly.

“It would be a win-win situation,” his tone is so business-like. It certainly doesn’t sound like someone that is telling me to uproot my life and do something so crazy as to have a child with a man that I quite frankly hate, just because he wants to fix him.

I’m not a freaking correctional facility, which is what his son needs.

“No.” I shake my head, tired of hearing about this. “I cannot and will not have a child with your son to fix him.”

“Just for a month. I’m not asking to fix him, I know asking for you to make him feel again might be taking it too far.” I chuckle. Having his child isn’t taking it too far? Did I break my head and wake up in a fucked-up world? “Having a child might let him see that the world doesn’t have to be so gray every time. Please, as a father I feel terrible to ask you to do this, but I don’t have any other option. You’re the only hope my son and my pack have.” I open my mouth to tell him the same thing but he raises a hand up.

“Just think about it, you don’t have to say yes now.” He reaches into his pocket and pulls out a business card. “Here, think it through and give me a call when you decide what you do.” I try to shake my head. “Not immediately. Just think it through.”

I sigh and reach for it. I promise myself I’m not going to dial it, he doesn’t need to know that either.

“Alright then, I’ll think about it and give you a call.” Lies.

“Have a great day Beta,” he smiles, his face lighting up with the act. I stare at his back as he walks to the door, he stops before opening it and spins on his heels. “And Feyre, this should stay between us please. I don’t want anyone else to know.” I give him a single nod and he walks out of the door. 

I release a heavy breath and lean against the table, the paper in my head feels heavy. All of this is weighing me down. I close my eyes and look up at the white ceiling, thinking of what to do about this. I should just burn it.

I reach a conclusion and start walking out, the doors get pushed open before I can walk out. Asher jumps back a little when he sees me, he pauses.

“I just saw Alpha Lucien, what happened?” he asks, coming into the room and closing the door. I follow him back and he pulls two chairs out for us. He drags them a little far back so we can sit and face each other without being blocked by the table.

I’m still in a bit of shock so I‘m  quiet for the first five minutes. Asher is there with me, not rushing me to tell him what the old alpha said. He has always been patient. The alpha said not to tell anyone, but Asher is not anyone. Before I can stop myself, I find myself telling him about everything. What the man said, what I replied with. By the time I finish, his jaw is slack with shock.

“Wow,” he breathes out. I huff and look up at the ceiling. “I don’t even know what to say,” he mutters, turning to look at me. 

I lift both of my shoulders in a shrug. The man really knows what he is doing and he knows this is an offer I can’t refuse. The one thing I would kill for, is getting the person that killed parents and bringing them to justice. It is making me think of how bad it would really be to stay with the man for a month. Sleeping with him wouldn’t be the worst thing, would it?

Yes. The still rational part of my head that is still working, and I’m very grateful for that. Shutting every other thought off. I purse my lips and uncross my arms, that seems to pull Asher from his stupor too.

“When are you leaving?” Asher asks and I stare at him with my brows reaching my hairline. What is he going on about?

“What are you talking about?” The confusion is clear in my voice. Asher stares at me and shrugs his shoulders.

“You’ll have to tell him yes, Fey, this is the one thing you have been wishing for all your life. We did everything we could but couldn’t get the information and the right person, if Alpha Lucien says he would, then he would. I have heard of his connections,” I shake my head.

“That is not going to happen, I’m here and you need me of course. Who will I leave you to work with?”

“I’ll figure it out.” I roll my eyes.

“No, you won’t.” I reply and he grumbles something I don’t really understand under his breath.

“Feyre this is not an option. It is just a month and you get the one thing you have always wanted,” he pushes off his chair, reaching for my hand. He gives it a squeeze. “Don’t think about me or the pack, think about yourself for once Fey, put yourself first. You more than deserve it.”

“Asher,” I mumble in a low voice. Something is clogging my throat. I clear my throat a few times before returning his sentiment and giving his hand a squeeze. I need to remind myself all that is at stake here. I won’t just leave my pack and everything I have known because of one man’s word. 

Asher looks hopeful when I lean forward, he probably thought I would just agree, “I’m not going.” He groans out loud and I can’t help it. I laugh. Not that anything about anything is funny.

“Feyre, why are you like this?” he grumbles like a disappointed child.

“I’m being logical. He just gave me a word and I don’t know if to trust him. I want to find out my parents’ killer more than anything, you know that.” he nods, I breathe out and tug on his hand. “But to have a child?” I shake my head. “If it was just the luna bit, I would have managed. It is just a month. A child, Asher. It isn't going to just disappear after that month, no, when I have that child with him, there won’t be any way to undo it and for the rest of my life, it is going to be part of it.”

That gives him pause and he nods, retracting his hands. I’m glad that he is finally seeing things with a clear head.

“Okay, I see where you’re coming from.” He gets up and I follow suit. 

We still have that meeting, I remind myself. Though this talk has made me forget most of the things I wanted to address and the plans I’d thought of a few nights ago.

We start walking to the door, our steps in sync. Asher opens the door and I step out first. We both pause in the hallway, not knowing where exactly to go next. There are still a few minutes left till our meeting.

“Wanna get lunch?” Asher throws me a side glance. My stomach grumbles, reminding me the only thing I took all day was that coffee we shared in the morning.

“Sure, let’s go.” I drag him by the arm and lead him to the kitchen. A few teenagers lurking around, trying to find what to eat and from the smell of sweat mixed with cologne and food, they just came back from training and are literally wolfing down anything they can find in the kitchen.

They all greet us as we try to find an available spot to sit.

“I’ll get us the leftover lasagne from last night.” I hum and drag a high stool to the side of the kitchen they aren’t standing in. They always hoard the side of the fridge because it is more convenient.

I watch them as Asher fixes our lunch, seeing them laughing and picking at each other reminds me of Asher and myself when we were their age. That was before he’d become the alpha though he was still training and I was training to be the beta. They were good days, albeit I wasn’t as carefree then. I was too hung up on my parents’ death, I was only given the full story when I turned thirteen. Not because they wanted to, but I overheard someone talking about how I would make a great beta and it was a shame my father will never be here to see.

I knew my parents died, no one hid that from me. I just thought they died of natural causes and not as a result of someone being evil. I’d spent the next five years trying to find out everything I could. It took a lot from my childhood years but I don’t regret it. The times after training or during training where I got to sharpen my skills were the best part of my day. The lunch after at the pack house was close up there.

Asher returns with our plate, pulling me from my sweet memory.

“I miss doing this,” I motion with my fork toward the kids who are now packing their things up and strolling out of the room. He throws his head back and laughs.

“The best years of our life,” I hum and take another bite, nodding.

“Definitely the best.”

“You should call him and tell him you agree. I’ll be fine and you can negotiate the terms.” I groan loudly when he starts again but he raises a hand up when I try to interrupt. “You’re just staying there a month, do you think that is enough to get the alpha who is nicknamed the cold alpha to name you his luna and try for an heir?” he doesn’t wait for me to answer. “It’ll be a win-win for you. You can get your payback for the way he treated you while you’re there and when you leave after a month, you come back with the one thing you’ve always wanted.”

He picks up his plate and stands. “Think about it, Fey. I trust you.” With a wink, he walks out of the door, leaving me with my unfinished plate and multiple thoughts running through my mind. 

It does sound so easy. I know it wouldn’t be. But is that a risk I’m willing to take?