"Torture hall?" Cassie whispered to herself wondering if she had heard it right. The torture hall was a place where no one should be. She hadn't been there but she had heard stories about it, the dripping water, the muffled voices, and even cries that sounded just like that of a baby and were haunting to the ear and she wasn't comfortable with anyone going through that, no she wasn't going to allow it. Most people she saw who went in there, never came back the same, most of them lost their senses and they couldn't remember anyone anymore."All of this just for Ashina?" She turned her gaze to Hrolf and asked him. Was he seeing how he was changing so fast because of Ashina? He had been lenient enough with her then because the worst he had done was to take her to the dungeon and leave her there for weeks and most times her companion was the dark she later found solitude in.She came to love the dark as much as she loved the light, and although she had come out of the dungeon not the s
Hrolf pulled the intruder into his arms, hugging him tight to himself. "How have you been?" He asked as he patted the stranger gently on the back. " My little cousin, did you miss me?" He asked fondly, with his eyes shut. He has missed Hrolf a lot. In all of his travels, no matter how hard he tried, he couldn't stop thinking of his little cousin and seeing him standing before him, causing a smile on her face."Don't do that, not now" Hrolf scolded him when he attempted to pull his cheek. He didn't like that, he was now a leader and he wasn't the little boy anymore. "Now, tell me how have you been?" He placed a hand on Hrolf's shoulder, leading him away. "Gravon, stop this, people are watching" he scolded. Gravon smiled at Hrolf before turning around, not minding the gaze that he was receiving. "This is my little cousin everybody and I gave him a huge smack when we were young" he announced proudly while taking a look at the people around. He froze when he saw someone he wasn't
"That cannot be, not Ashina" Hrolf shook his head at what Gravon had just said, not wanting to believe a word of it. Gravon smirked, before staring at Hrolf. "All I heard was the young healer from the white moon, what did you say her name was again? Ashina? That is it right?" Gravon asked, with concern written on his face. " Ashina Tala" Hrolf repeated Ashina's name but he was ready for the reaction that he had gotten from Gravon."That cannot be, don't tell me she is the daughter of Sebastian Tala?" He didn't want to believe what he was just being told. " Is there someone else bearing that name? I heard he had a daughter who he didn't want anyone seeing and he treated her like a pearl, do not tell me she is the one?" Gravon questioned, while grinding his teeth furiously."She is Tala's daughter" Hrolf answered him, he watched as Gravon's eyes widened as he frowned. "This cannot be true, not after all you went through in the hands of her father, not after all of that" he spoke ou
"Don't" Ashina wrapped her hand gently around Hrolf's arm, pulling him back. "No, let him do whatever he wants especially when his son is here watching him," Gravon said teasingly to Hrolf who took a step back."I think I know you" Ashina uttered shockingly while racking her brain, trying to remember where she had seen the man standing before her. "You are Sebastian's daughter, aren't you? The one he kept around him not letting her move an inch away from where he was?" Gravon asked her annoyingly. Ashina gazed at him trying to connect the dots before it finally clicked."You were one of the suitors who I rejected, aren't you?" She questioned Gravon who almost cowered down his head in shame when he saw the look on Hrolf's face"What are you talking about?" He asked Ashina who scoffed at Gravon. " You were the one who I rejected outright that I do not think I have a future together with you" she tilted her head as she reminisced on what had happened. Her father had insisted that sh
"What exactly do you mean?" Hrolf asked, running his thumb gently on his forehead, as he stared at the scar on Gravon's arm. If he could remember, he had grown up seeing Gravon count his scars as part of his achievement but not this, he hadn't seen this and he wondered what Ashina had to do with this. Gravon shut his eyes tight before forcing them open, he stared at me without an expressionless face as his finger ran through his hair. "After I was ordered out of the Sussex pack by the guard, I lurked around still, searching for a way that I was going to go in and attack Sebastian Tala or better still, his daughter for how she humiliated me" he shook his head," At midnight, when everyone was asleep, I watched two lone figures sneak into the pack, holding a long dagger. I was stunned at what I was seeing and I stood up abruptly, deciding to go after them" Gravon exhaled sharply, as the memories came hitting him. "I was taken aback by what they did next as it seemed that they could
"Don't leave me" She pleaded immediately as he attempted to get her hands off his robe, her eyes were red from crying and Hrolf wondered how long she had been there. "I never meant to eavesdrop on your conversation, I was scared, scared that you will end up fighting with your cousin for my sake and that was the reason why I came back" she explained sincerely while fidgeting. " Shush" Hrolf could see that she was panicking and anytime she did that, it didn't help at all."You know that I wouldn't ever blame you for anything Ashina, I wouldn't do that and not now, when you aren't guilty," Hrolf said gently to her while pulling her closer to him. He had decided that he was going to be her safe place no matter what it was that she was going through and he wasn't going to change now. "Come with me" he wrapped his hands firmly around her wrist, pulling her with him. Ashina sniffed as tears threatened to drop, her mind was a mess and she could feel it.Different memories that she knew we
Ashina stared at Hrolf like he had lost his mind because she couldn't understand what exactly he had just said, a bounty on her head. Why? What was happening?" She wondered as she allowed her mind to run wild." You do not believe me, do you?" Hrolf questioned her when he saw the look on Ashina's face and he palmed his face. He had been deadly serious when he told her that and he had tried as hard as he could not to scare her in the process of letting her know but still, she didn't even believe him."Will I ever lie to you?" He looked dead into her eyes, asking. Ashina tried averting her gaze but it wasn't even possible, she couldn't rebut the fact that Hrolf had never lied to her before but still, she couldn't stop thinking of why exactly a bounty had been placed on her head."No" she shook her head at Hrolf, he had never lied to her before at least if he had she hadn't found out yet. "But why me? Why do I have a bounty on my head? Perhaps is it because of the people that my fathe
"You wouldn't like whatever it is that I found out about you, by this," Gravon pointed at his arm which the scar was on. "It will be a constant reminder that I met you at a point, I am here to see my cousin and of course, when I heard a lot the news that a healer had been found and was in the same pack that my cousin ruled over, I was intrigued by it," he said to Ashina" And I got disappointed when I found out that you were the daughter of Sebastian Tala, I was planning on taking you and getting the bounty anyways until I found out that my cousin was head over heels in love with you, isn't Selina messing with our mind?" Gravon asked jokingly." You didn't just say that," Hrolf said to him, with a stern look on his face, he couldn't believe what he had just heard. "What? What did I say? Did I say anything?" Gravon questioned Ashina who had a stunned look on her face. "You had the intention of selling me off just to get a bounty? A human? How could you think of something like that a
"Helena" Ashina screamed out loud with a hand placed on her chest when she tripped on the floor. "Shush" Gael carried her up, patting her gently on the back, Ashina let out a sigh of relief when she saw Gael patting her gently. "Mother, she is fine, you do not have to worry about her" he said to her with a smile on his face.Ashina nodded at him before walking forward with her bulging stomach, a hand around her waist.Hrolf had been so scared when she had given birth to Helena so he had told her that he didn't want any more children and that Gael and Helena were enough but somehow, he had ended up getting her pregnant. She could remember the reaction he had when he found out what he had done and had apologized profusely for making her go through pain again but Ashina had dissuaded him, letting him know that it was fine."Mother," Helena called out to her with misty eyes, while stretching both of her hands out but Gael held her firmly. "You wouldn't want to hurt Mother now, would y
Hrolf stood with sweaty palms and his heart beating fast when he gazed at himself in the mirror. It looked just like a dream which he didn't want to wake up from.The door was pushed open slightly and Gravon walked in, staring at Hrolf, he placed a hand over his mouth, a smile on his face "You look..." his gaze wandered over Hrolf as he tried to find the right word to say. "You look handsome" he finally managed to say, while walking toward Hrolf. " Thank you" Hrolf patted both of his hands together trying to think properly. This was a lot but knowing that Ashina was the one who he would be walking down the aisle with was worth it.Letting out a sigh from his lips, he turned around, meeting Gravon's gaze. "Is everything ready?" He asked again, making Gravon roll his eyes at him. "All preparations have been made, Alphas from different packs are seated already, you aren't having cold feet, are you?" Gravon asked, wanting to be sure because Hrolf was acting in such an awkward way tha
The cheering of the crowd as Cassie and Erik was brought in, pierced through Hrolf's chest as he tried to think, faced with a lot of uncertainty and the fact that he had to mete out judgment on them. Clutching the arm of his chair tightly, he turned his head around to see Ashina gazing straight at Erik, with a blank look on her face."Are you okay?" He asked her, her face was pale and recently, she had been under a lot of pressure with merging her pack with his. Smiling back at him Ashina nodded at him, showing him that she was okay.She placed a hand over her mouth, trying as hard as she could not to gag. "Are you sure you are okay?" Hrolf asked again, with concern on his face. He was ready to pass out judgment next time if she wasn't okay. "I am fine" Ashina repeated, her voice firm and strong, she flipped her head to the side where Cassie was glaring at her but she couldn't care less."The people await your judgment" Hrolf let out a sigh as he stood up from the chair that he w
"You got to be joking" Hrolf said to Gravon who gazed at him. If there was something he loved doing, it was ruffling his emotions and he loved that look on his face that showed that he was tense."She is okay, but.." he pulled Hrolf with him to the side. Taking a look at the old man at intervals. "Do you think handing her over to the old man is the right thing?" He wanted to know. " Gravon" Hrolf placed a hand on his shoulder, " Someone has to put her down, she has to pay for all of the numerous things that she had done and I do not want to be the one who will do that for her,"Gravon nodded agreeing with what he had just said but still," Wouldn't you be affected? We grew up together and besides, she is Gael's mother,"" I have made my decision and I am not going back on my word," Hrolf said firmly, not wanting to repeat himself anymore. Letting out a sigh, Gravon pondered on what was happening. If this was what he thought was best, he was going to go along with it. "Take him al
Although it had taken a lot of convincing, Ashina knew that she would have gone with Hrolf even if he hadn't done so much, with how much she missed Gael and how she wanted to be by his side, she would have gone with him.With one hand wrapped around her waist, he kissed her gently on the cheek before yanking on the reins of the horse to move. Picking up the chase and running through the thick forest, Xeva, Hrolf's horse drove like lightning through the thick bushes.Ashina had talked to her pack members and the elders, letting them know that she would be back soon, after settling whatever it was that she had to do at the white moon pack. And at almost dusk, Gravon's men, who he had placed at the boundary of both packs, waved earnestly, cheering him happily. Hrolf flashed a smile at them before donning a blank look as Xeva ran toward the pack house and at every pace it took, Ashina's heart beat faster than the last. Knowing that she was coming back here evoked nostalgic feelings in
Hrolf caressed Ashina's hair gently which was sprawled out, her chest heaved up and down, showing that she was fast asleep.Stroking her hair gently, he let out a sigh of relief, he was sure that they were back to how they were before and he was ready to do right by her. Exhaling sharply, he stood up gently, placing Ashina on the bed before standing upright. He had intended to saunter toward the window when he felt a hand wrapped around his wrist. Turning back, he flashed Ashina a smile."Where are you going?" Ashina asked, trying to sit upright, when she finally did, she ran her gaze at Hrolf who was naked, making her gulp in her spittle. Although they had gone on and on, she still found herself wanting him. Again."I guess I didn't do a nice job there" Hrolf's gaze darkened as he walked back toward the bed, taking in Ashina's appearance as he walked closer. Her hair cascaded down giving her ample coverage over her perfect boobs, licking his lips, he thought of how they had fitte
Ashina pulled open the door to her room gently before stepping in, running a finger on the chain lying by the side of the bed, she shut her eyes, before flicking them open, it had happened in the blink of an eye. From being recaptured to being chained to her bed and Hrolf barging into the pack to rescue her, finding out he had been in cahoot with Zeeb from the onset and then Zeeb's death. She would have argued blindly with anyone who had said Erik was betraying Hrolf because she knew that he wasn't like that but this has taught her a lesson. To vouch for who she knew very well. She had been betrayed also even when all she had done was being kind and she could understand the turmoil Hrolf was in, he was trying to be strong, losing both Cassie and Erik at the same time but he had no other choice.Standing up she sauntered across the room, toward the window, it was dusk already, and now, she had gotten back her pack. She was the rightful heir of the Sussex pack and now it was in her h
Erik grunted lowly when he was forced to stand up, with his head pressed against the wall, Ashina had walked away, intending to address her pack. She felt relieved at the fact that the pack had been handed over to her and this time, she was going to do whatever it takes just to make sure that nothing happens to her people. Hrolf stood by the side watching with admiration at how vocal she was with letting everyone know about her intention, she wasn't avoiding any questions that were being thrown at her and he was glad to see her do that. Ashina could feel a heated gaze behind her and she knew who it was, there was just a man who was capable of stripping her naked with just his gaze. Hrolf. And this time, she was going to make sure that he didn't have it the easy way. She was going to make him plead for a long time before accepting his apology even when it didn't look genuine. The cheers of the pack members caused a smile on her face as she glanced at them, knowing that she was thi
Waves of emotions swept through Hrolf who was contemplating what he had just heard, although he knew that Cassie had done a lot and angered a lot of people still, he was trying to think of a better punishment. "What do you intend to do to you?" He asked although he knew what it was. Ashina glared at him. "He wasn't seriously thinking of saving her now, was he?" She wondered, she hoped that he wasn't going to do that. If he wanted her, he had to show that he wanted her in his life and the first thing was to hand Cassie over. "That isn't yours to find out, Alpha Hrolf, I have heard of your splendid deed and I must tell you that I am mesmerized by your deeds, unlike my son here" he gestured at Zeeb. " Although I wasn't any better than him, days alone in that dungeon taught me a lot of things and when I found out that Ramon was dead" he shut his eyes as though he was honoring his dead son's image before flicking them open. " It shattered my life, Ramon was the apple of my eye, my hei