Lyra's POV I was stunned, looking around me only to find others looking around wondering who the slave was. I didn't need to wonder the same thing because I knew exactly who the slave was and it was me. There was only one reason why he would know it was me. He had met me before. Despite the makeup, he recognized me and he was calling me out for it. Calling Tristan out for it because it was an insult to him that I was seated at the same table he was. I was a slave and he was a master eating off the same table. "What?" Tristan stopped his speech as he glared at the man, "you interrupted me just to ask about a slave?" "Yes," the man rose up to his feet pointing right at no one else but me, "that's the slave. Underneath all that makeup I still recognize her". He looked at Tristan, blind to the frown on Tristan's face. "Last time i was here, you had called for her to entertain us, but she refused and then you had a guard whip her, I can't forget her face because I really wanted to fuc
Lyra's POVI froze.The same way everyone in the room did. I had my eyes pinned on Philip. I watched how he tightened his grip till the light in the man's eyes almost faded, before Philip released his fingers. Surely he broke the man's windpipe, we all heard it. But he refrained from finishing the job.The body fell to the ground with a thud which made me realize that whilst struggling him, the man had been lifted from the ground.Tristan suddenly turned to me, "This is the first time I've seen him hold himself back, you must have a huge effect on him". He smiled.I was confused, wondering what was so pleasing that he would smile about, wondering what about this whole situation was worth smiling for.Philip's eyes met mine, "no one, absolutely no one talks shit about my wife!" He orders."And what about the man who ordered her to get whipped?" It was Emily's question.Both Philip and Tristan glared at her, "how is that any of your business?" Trisran inquired.My eyes darted to the bod
Lyra's POVI didn't know what she meant by that but I surely was not interested in finding out. I turned to Philip who was at the moment glaring at Emily."Philip,"I called his name and in an instant, his gaze moved to me and he visibly softened, "we should leave".Tristan hastily shook his head, he took a step and moved to stand in front of Philip, "why do you suddenly want to leave? It's my birthday dinner, surely it's all turning out to be a bag of shit, but it's still my birthday and he's still my best friend"."You have no sort of respect for that friendship, you don't care about him". I said.He frowned, "what makes you think your opinion is valid?""Tristan..""Surely we've had bad days but we're moving past that, right?" He nudged Philip slightly.Philip looked like he agreed with what Tristan was saying. The look he had in his eyes told me so; that he was very much into this party, that he really wanted to spend some more time with Tristan. And the way he looked at me like h
Asher's POV"Lyra, let's stop moving for a while and just stay like this. In this moment where we both exist for each other".Those words had come from a place of fright. Seeing how boldly Philip defended her, seeing how her eyes shine in reverence and adoration when she watched him almost kill for her, I feared the possibility of her suddenly finding him attractive.If it had not already happened.She was looking at me strangely like she could not understand how I flowed. Her eyes were full of uncertainty and caution as they darted from my own then to her hands that I was holding.I could not see in her eyes nor her body language if she really despised being touched by me. Which made it quite difficult for me.I wanted to proceed, to touch her other places but I did not want to overstep, holding myself back from my pleasure and trying to be considerate of her own.However, it was really hard to consider her own when I had no idea how she was feeling about it. "What do you mean?" Sh
Asher's POV Fiona was standing behind me, her hands folded in front of her as she gave me a stare which made me wonder what I could've possibly done incorrectly towards her. Under the moonlight, her eyes seemed glossy, u didn't want to believe that it was because she was crying because that would be painfully absurd. What irked me was the fact that I had no idea how long she had been standing there and how many of those things she had heard. And that thought, that wonder took me back to Lyra's question: "can you say these words in the presence of other people?" At that moment when I had been met with the question, I was pretty confident in my answer, thinking I would not mind if anybody heard what I was saying to her. But the minute I turned around and wondered how long Fiona had stood there and what she had heard, I figured that Lyra was right to have left. I was fucked up. I wanted her. I wanted her so badly but there was something pulling me away from me and until I made
Lyra's POV I left Asher standing there with tears in my eyes. No matter how much I wanted his words to be true, it was impossible. He wasn't made for me and I wasn't made for him. Maybe he's just confused, maybe he does like me but there are things about me that he's fighting to accept. Thing about himself that he hasn't gotten a hold of at the moment. I know neither have I, but I'm with a man who was willing to work on it together, unlike Asher. Asher, who knows me, who rejected me before, who is ashamed of me, can never level up to the height that Philip stood. Asher didn't want to grow with me for as far as I knew, he wanted the pleasure that came with being with me. He has certainly realized that j was his mate and that was what brought about this desire to be with me but it still doesn't change the fact that being mates does not cover up the misunderstandings, the drama and the total oblivion of your partner's life. With Asher, it was more than that, he didn't accept me, he
Lyra's POV The following morning, I woke up to the smell of fresh fruits and hot pancakes set aside waiting for me. I looked around one but the person that had made these provisions was not there. I felt that maybe he was having a conversation with either Asher or Tristan and so I did not worry. However, I slightly wished that he would've waited to see me. I knew the fight we had last night was going to change a lot of things. However, i had no idea just how much it was going to change and how drastically it would. I wanted to preserve the softness of our relationship, the honesty that existed between us. I have done a lot of horrible things but he has not one day disrespected me. It made me feel like he was unreal. I had felt unworthy of the love he had for me and so many times I tried to run away and fortunately I did not get to achieve that. Philip was treating me better than any man would treat their women. For example, Asher. He would never treat a woman like this. A k
Lyra's POV. I froze as she said those words. I looked around as if searching for another person who had heard what she said but obviously there wasn't anyone in the room other than the two of us. She was standing there in the room with her hands on her waist and a triumphant smirk on her lips. But deep down in her eyes I could see that there was a trace of uncertainty and all it needed in order for it to disappear was for me to admit that her words were true. However, knowing that she had no sort of confidence in her deduction, that her words had merely been something guessed. I wasn't going to give her the pleasure of knowing that she guessed right. "That's a wild assumption, Fiona". She chuckled, "dont tell you're trying to lie your way out of this. Its pretty old school, don't you think?" I shrugged, "well, thank God I'm not lying". "What are you saying?" She asked. "I'm simply saying that the father of my baby is not Asher". I said to her. She shook her head, the doubt alr
Tessa's PovIt's been a month ever since what happened. Kura returned to the silver moon pack and from what the news said the economy of he place wss taking a turn for the better. Things were finally looking up for them.I wss still yet to be given a nate and so was Michelle, there wasn't anything better to do than to just continue with our relationshipsMatt as expected became the leader of the pack for a while till Keagan was old enough to return. We all wanted hom as the leader. Philip had seen something in hom, the something he saw in all of us. Other than the fact he was born an alpha, he probably had zeal, he had the strength of a leader.Michelle had gone to meet Lyra, sje had a particular liking doe the kids and loved that about her. There were news of lyra and Asher's relationship probably leading to marriage and I was happy for Gomez finally throwback going to be married to their mates and they were happy.We were all happy for them.The rest of the betas had gotten themselv
Asher's POV"No!!" Tesaa screamed.Emily smiled victoriously asbshe saw the small cottage engulf in flames, she had a satisfies smile on her lips and shebste the projectile weapon on the ground next tonher feetz unknown to her, she setbthe remote control as well."Thwn that's jt, they both are dead."The flames were intense bring everything in the cottage turning it all to crisp, inwas sure that Tessa ws on the verge of jumping intonthe flames asbshe grww sloser yknthe cliff onnher knees and so I quickly hekd her down. Inwraoed my hands around her and then whispered into her ears."You csn kill her now".Tesaa froze. She disnt react to what insaid by looking at me, but rather she just slithered outnof my hold and then rose tonher feeshe tuened to where Emily stood lookingbatbthe flames, haooy that she had brought suxh destruction.Tesaa smirked, "you must be proud"Emily clapped, "you cannot even begin to fathom how excited I am.about thism this is truly a miracle. Thjs js something j
Asher's POVI shuddered slightly at what she said and instantly just started the car. I drove the car and sped of so that I would be driving right behind Emily she was moving so fast out of town out of everywhere and towards the docks. She was going to take a boat sowmehre and there were a large number of boats available for use.She immediately stopped her car and then jumped into one of the baots there.I saw this from the windscreens and madensure that I caught up with her. Tessa was as impatient as I was because she didn't even wait foe.me tonstoo the car before she was already running out and running towards a free motorboat bjust like the one that Emily had taken.I quickly pulled over and huried to where Tessa was getting the boat into the water, I quickly koined her and mived to first start the motor engine. Then it roared to life, I looked behind me andnsaw Tessa's approving glance. We started driving l, as fast as we could so nthat we could be right behind Emily.Emily dorve
Asher's POV"What do you mean by that?" I asked her and i moved forward."Oh," she chuckled, "you didn't realize? I think the person who poisoned you was Steven."I shook my head as I began to feel by body vibrate with the sense of being betrayed. Incident know I'd trusting Devlin's words were the right thing to do but at the moment, it made sense.He was the one that the assasin hadbeen warning me about. He was the person that was close to me thst wanted me dead. I didnt know why hebwas behaving kike that. Why he had posioned me and started tk act like the ruler.I didn't know what j should be thinking about ir even feeling but I felt frustrated. I felt broken."It cannot be" I said to myself.Devlin laughed, "stop lying to yourself, you already knew abiut jt."Somehow, when I thought back, it really was the truth, he had in so many ways done a lot of things. Hehad been the one whonkeot pestering me to go out and get drunk and how can I have possibly slipped away from him and he just
Asher's POVAfter the confession last night, I didn't even know how I ended up on.my.bed, I didn't know how I even slept but as I stared at myself in the mirror, with dark circles under my eyes and a certain fatigue in my.bearing, I believed that I might not have had any sleep last night.I brushed my teeth, and then proceeded to take my bath before I went downstairs to keep searching for anything that woukd kead ne to Philip.But ko matter how I'd love to go over the issue with Philip, s that i can work my way around finding him, i just couldn't even think for a minute. I couldn't understand what was happening nor why it has to be.like this.If Lyra's babies were really mine, did Philip know? Did he decide to be their father regardless? Lyra hsd saud she thought I hated her and all, so was the reason she hid the children from me because sbe thought I was going to deny them? That it was not going you accept and love them?I couldn't helo but winder jow broken she must've bee to even c
Asher's POVI ran my hand over my face and steooed forward to where shebwaa standing, maybe it was the distance that made me hear incorrectly what shebhad just said.Maybe i had been imagining things that she just said that Philip wasnt home.Because if he wasn't here, then where was he?"Lyra, I am not joking"She frowned, "I'm not joking either. I suddenly got tired and then I left the party after searching around for the both of you. What would make you think I'm lying?"She suddenly went quiet and her whose focused somewhere else, "what are you saying?" She asked, "Philip isn't with you?"I shook my head, "he isn't, and if you say he's not here then I have no fucking clue where he is". I said exasperatedly."Thus was what Fiona had saud, she told me that there was nothing i could do to stop their fucked up plan from going into action". I said shaking my head and recalling every bit of my conversation with Fiona. "If I had known, I would've left instantly"."Left?" Lyra's eyes chan
Asher's POVI grabbed a drink off from the tray of drinks a waiter wss passing around. The spaces between people kept getting more narrow and weaving through them became a huge hassle.I downed the alcohol in a go and then kept the glass on a nearest table before finding a way to swim through the sea of people, so that I could use the bathroom.I didn't even know where the bathroom was located.I looked around some more. Everybody wore masks and I was sure even the celebrant had her own mask. I suspected this because everywhere I've looked, I haven't seen her face. Akk I could see were different colors, shiny or dull and just eyes.I wasn't particularly looking for her fir I had nothing to say to her, anybody that could lead me to the bathroom right now was going to do me a huge favour."Asher?"I immediately turned around and saw a woman standing behind me.She wore a silver dress embedded with stones that glistened under the light. Her hair was shirt and brown and so were her eyes.
Philip's POVThe party was all I thought it would be, soft music playing, people talking amongst themselves rather than dancing. Only a few people were on the dancefloor doing nothing really amazing.As we walked further into the place, a waiter holding a tray approached us holding a tray of masks and then presented it to us.Asher picked one and then Lyra did before i settled for mine.I looked at the two of them first and saw the design of their mask, Lyra's own had feathers, jt was blue with shiny stones and quite beautiful to look at.Asher picked something more manly, it was plain black and had nothing quite noticeable. He just tied it around hisbface and instantly he blended with the group. So djd Lyra.I did the same."Well," Asher said, "be careful". Again he was here with his advice. Something inwas not against.I gave Lyra a kiss on her cheek and then decided to go around the olace. We all knew what we wrre doing. We all knew our plans and showing affections or soending the
Asher's POVThe visit to Emily's place had been a waste of time. I had found out absolutely nothing about Tristan. The women kept talking about the upcoming party and the theme they were using and everything else that was no business of mine. Fiona even went as far as to show me all that she had prepared.And when I walked out of there, a headache was already spotting.I had no intention of ever paying a visit to a female friend just because. There was nonjoy from such an activity but only stress.When I returned to Philip's place, I was praying and hoping that hebhad sorted out whatever he needed to sort out with Lyra. I hadkeft thwn with a strangeness in the air. They were aost having a fill out fight iverghe fact that Philip had feelings. Over the fact that he was feeling guilty over betraying his friend.I understood jownhe felt, but unfortunately, Lyra was not even about to hear it. Hwr opinion of Tristan had never been the best but after what he did to her, she was not about to