Asher“I am glad you guys decided to visit at this time,” Jordan said as we headed to the infirmary once all the celebrations were done and things quieted down. Throughout the day we avoided talking about the vampire attacks even though, in all honesty, I wanted to dive right back into business.But it was Lia who made it firmly clear that the pack had been through enough shock in the past two days. She wanted them to have a reason to rejoice once again, regardless of what happened along with the shitty winter on the horizon. And what better than celebrating the newly crowned Alpha and Luna? But now that it was all done and both women had gone to bed, it was back down to business for the men.“It has been a long time and there are certain things that need to be discussed urgently,” I said.“Why don’t I like the sound of that?” Jordan grimaced.“Because you aren’t supposed to,” I muttered. We reached the infirmary, fog making it very hard to see anything and was greeted by two pack doct
With a heavy heart, I also headed back to my room, dearly hoping that Ivy would be fast asleep by now. I felt exhausted mentally and really didn’t want to deal with the uncomfortable silences and the pain we both were carrying at the moment.Halfway through the stairs that led to the second floor which was allocated entirely to us, a piercing scream halted me in my steps. The voice was so familiar that before I knew it, I was dashing up the stairs at top speed. Anxiety rushing through my veins, I slammed upon the door and before I could spot Ivy, another scream from her filled the silence in the room.“Ivy!” I cried out, rushing towards her.She was lying on the bed but it seemed like she was experiencing some kind of sleep paralysis. Tears pooled down her eyes and she screamed again, the sound filled with fear and pain.“Ivy,” I slapped her cheeks, trying to shake her awake. Her body was hard and cold as ice and she was struggling to breath, almost like someone maybe strangling her.
Asher“So who do I include in this meeting?” Jordan asked, crossing his arms across his broad chest. It didn’t seem like he got a lot of sleep last night.“Do you trust your Beta and Delta?” I demanded. “Like really trust.”“Of course. Cooper and Waylon are like brothers to me. You need not worry about them. I can assure you about that,”“Well, then, them and Lia, if you like. She is your Luna after all,” Jordan nodded and for a moment his face went rigid with concentration. I knew he was calling his Beta, Delta and mate through the mindlink. And I was right as a few moments later Cooper and Waylon arrived, followed by Lia. Her pretty face was etche
AsherApparently, the situation was much worse in WillowCreek. The damage done there was brutal, with the loss of a little boy barely older than eight. The motherfuckers had also done quite a bit of damage to the Willow Creek property, but thankfully they had been stopped, or they just left before they could enter the primary perimeter of the pack. Unlike Jordan, Alpha Archer wasn’t really in the welcoming mood.“My people are scared, Alpha,” Archer growled as we visited the families of the dead ones. “There is nothing I can do but watch them suffer miserably. Tell me, what should I say to that young mother who lost her son? Or any of the mothers and mates, for that matter.”He was angry. Not at m
Asher“Missing werewolves?” Logan muttered, his voice laced with irritation. “Isn’t that what Minister Ashford mentioned at the Council meeting?”“Exactly. We completely forgot about it,” I snapped, rubbing my face in frustration.“What’s Archer saying about this?” he asked.“I haven’t had a chance to discuss it with him yet. It’s too late, and we only arrived half an hour ago.” Logan sighed, and I could hear Cora lecturing Theo in the background. It almost made me chuckle.“This trip isn’t turning out to be much fun, is it?” Logan remarked.“I didn’t expect it to be,” I shrugged. “But things are getting more complicated than we could’ve imagined.”“Maybe the missing wolves have nothing to do with Killian. Remember, Minister Ashford mentioned it’s happening to other, smaller packs that aren’t part of GrayCrest,” Logan suggested.“Maybe, but Willow Creek is still a subsidiary of GrayCrest, so we’ll need to help however we can,” I muttered. “Archer isn’t as open as Jordan. Never has been
IvyThe morning air was crisp as Shae led me through the pack, giving me a tour since we arrived so late last night. I tried to keep up with what she was saying while jumbled thoughts swirled in my mind. Last night had been… difficult, to say the least. Asher’s touch still lingered on my skin, and I could almost feel the warmth of his breath against my neckI had felt his desire, his need, but the wall he had built between us seemed to be insurmountable. My betrayal still hung between us like a dark cloud, casting a shadow over every moment we shared. His absence made my body seem to crave his touch more than ever, a dull aching restlessness lingering through me. But there was no time to dwell on that now—not with the duties of a Luna pressing down on my shoulders.As Shae and I walked toward the gathering area where the pack awaited, I noticed how everyone’s eyes followed me, filled with awe and respect
IvyThe weight of the ring in my palm was heavier than it should have been. My mother’s ring—the one she always wore, the one I’d thought lost forever—now sat in my hand like a cruel reminder of everything I’d been robbed of. The smooth, cold metal against my skin sent chills through me. How had Killian gotten it? And why did he send it to me now?I couldn’t stop staring at it, even as tears welled up in my eyes. This wasn’t just a wedding gift; it was a message. A taunt. He knew something—something I didn’t. And maybe Asher did too.Killian’s words still echoed in my mind—Your mate can fill you in more. What had he meant by that? Why would Asher know anything about my mother? What could he possibly have kept from me? The thought twisted my insides with fear and anger. Had he known something all along and chosen not to tell me? Had he lied to me, too?Tears trickled down my eyes as I clutched the ring tighter, the
IvyI literally ran out, tears blurring my vision. My chest hurt, and I felt so sick that I needed to find a place to throw up. The truth about what happened to my mother, the fact that Asher knew and chose to hide it until he felt he could have the emotional capacity to console me…it was too much. Tonight I had reached my breaking point, and it was just not the pain in my chest, my entire body hurts, revolting against the haywire of emotions that tore through me.Ever since that night at the mating ground, Asher has said and done all he could have to hurt me. But I have silently endured it because I knew I had hurt him and if hurting me made him feel bett