Chapter-3

                                                                                     Ivy

Mate,” Silver, my wolf, mumbled, giving me goosebumps all over as I aimlessly stared at the man in front of me. “Oh my, that’s him again!”

He was very tall, with dark eyes that seemed to pierce through my soul. His extremely sharp face was covered in a stubble paired with a shock of unruly, unkempt curly dark hair. And beneath his fitted white T-shirt, sticking to his body like glue, I could already see the fine line of muscles and abs and tattoos peeking out from the deep v-neck. He wore a diamond stud in his right ear and there was a piercing on his left eyebrow as well.

"Asher!” Alpha Noah called, strolling over to us while the two of us stared at each other like robots. Shock was an understatement for what I felt at the moment. Especially after knowing who this man was.

This was Alpha Asher Gray, the youngest Alpha of GrayCrest, one of the most powerful packs in the world.

This was…my mate.

And the man who ran away from me, from the bond two years ago.

“You!” I hissed, scowling at him. Asher blinked and after a moment, realization dawned on his face. And it surprised me a bit that he still remembered me. Just like I had remembered him all these years.

“Have you guys met before?” Noah demanded, looking a little lost, his gray eyes flitting between us.

“I…” Asher mumbled, looking blank.

“Yes,” I snapped.

“Where?” Noah frowned.

"Look, can we just talk first...?" Asher said to me, shooting a quick look at his brother. I was about to respond when a familiar feminine voice stopped me.

"Why are you guys hanging around here?” Noah turned around, and we followed him to see Luna Coraline approaching, along with Alpha Logan and Luna Rose. Behind them were Asher's parents and the former Alpha and Luna, Joseph and Grace.

Oh great, the whole pack has arrived.

“What’s going on?” Logan demanded.

He was the eldest among the three Gray brothers, followed by Noah and then Asher. Logan was tall and brooding with that intimidating aura to him that all three brothers seemed to possess. Noah was a gentleman, calm and kind and Asher…he was the player. The one with a questionable reputation. I have heard gossip from the pack members about him being a notorious womanizer. But never did I ever expect this manwhore to be my mate. But he was. I remember those eyes and the panic in them when my wolf claimed him as her mate. The memory made my scalp prickle with anger.

“Seems like Ivy and Asher know each other,” Noah said.

“You guys do?” Coraline asked, glancing at me. She was Logan’s mate.

“No,” Asher repeated, his expression strained.

“Yes,” I hissed. “Funny how you don’t remember me, Alpha, given how fast you ran away that night,”

“Ran away?,” Luna Rose murmured, looking lost. She was Noah’s mate, very young; even younger than me and easily the most beautiful woman I have ever seen in my life.

"Look…I don’t know who you are…” Asher grimaced.

“How about your mate, asshole?” I snapped. Asher’s eyes darkened, anger simmering in them.

“Mate?” everyone exclaimed in unison, eyes going wide.

“I…wait,” Logan interrupted, his eyes wide. “What exactly is going on? Ivy is your mate, Ash?” Asher shot me a look and gave a brief nod to his brother.

“At least that’s what my wolf thinks.” he looked repulsed at the idea, which just infuriated me further.

“Ivy?” Logan asked, raising a brow.

“Unfortunately, yes,” I scowled.

“Unfortunately? Do you even know who I am? I am the damn Alpha of this pack!” he snapped.

“You are an asshole,” I snapped back. “A bloody coward…”

“How dare you!” Asher growled, taking a menacing step towards me. I stood my ground, challenging him with my eyes. If he thinks he can intimidate me just because he was the Alpha of this humongous pack, he was so very mistaken.

“Calm down the two of you!” Logan interjected, gently pushing Ash away. “Ivy, what is going on?”

“And where did you meet him before?” Cora added.

“It’s been two years,” I said, shooting the douchebag a glare. “I went to a club for my friend’s bachelorette. We met there. He was sticking his tongue down some chick’s throat when we collided. And the moment my wolf claimed him as her mate, he ran. Literally turned on his heels and ran like a coward.”

“I didn’t run! I…” Asher retorted, looking frustrated. Of course, he had nothing reasonable to say.

“What?” Both Noah and Logan exclaimed, turning to his brother. “You what?”

“I had a lot to drink!” he protested. “I couldn’t understand. It all happened so suddenly and…and…I”

“Ran away,” I completed for him.

“I was drunk!” Asher snapped. “I tried to remember, but I couldn’t and neither could Mac. It was too damn dark. All I sensed was the…scent! I tried to remember and visited the club the next day but you were gone. I thought I was…dreaming.”

“What is going on?” Grace muttered under her breath.

“And you didn’t feel we should know?” Logan demanded. “You hid it from us for two years?”

“Because I wasn’t sure. I told you, I thought it was a drunk dream. I barely got a look at her before everything just spiraled out of my control. I tried to find her just to apologize if nothing else, but as I said…she was gone.” Asher repeated, his voice rising, and I noticed how the veins on his neck popped.

“Well, now she is here,” Noah said. “Apologize now and sort out this mess. After all, you two are mates. You have a long life together.” Both Asher and I blinked at each other and immediately exclaimed in unison…

“No way!”