Rylie smiled when she saw Asher walking through the door. She couldn't explain the sudden happiness that washed over her. Maybe it was because he showed up when everyone thought he wouldn't. Killian stepped aside when he saw that his master was walking toward his wife. When Asher got to where Rylie stood, he took her hand and after a small nod, he led her to the table. Nobody could open their mouths to say anything anymore and Rylie liked that.'Way to go, Asher.' She beamed inwardly as she drew closer to the table. The palace maids walked in with different plates of food and dishes. The aroma made Rylie salivate. Everything smelt nice. "I'm sorry for being late." Asher apologized to Rylie in a low tone. For a moment, she felt he was being too nice. His actions were too good to be true. "I didn't know you were coming." She whispered back. "Well, I got off work just in time. Did anyone say anything mean?" He inquired as the maids served him. Rylie looked briefly at the older woman
Rylie sat at the table, eating breakfast alone that morning. The words of Elina kept ringing in her head. Was that how she went about displaying her foolishness to the previous mistresses of the house? They must have been pained and also wanted to leave but unfortunately, died. Nobody knew why they died. But Rylie was sure Elina had something to do with it. Her obsession with Master Asher was enough proof. She heard footsteps descending the stairs. Since it was just she and the master that slept in the building, she thought it was just him. As she turned around, she saw him coming down with Elina trailing behind him. When their eyes met, Elina smirked victoriously. The kind of smirk that says, 'I slept with your husband last night and there is nothing you can do about it.' Just behind Elina was Killian who shot her a smile. She smiled back at him and asked him to join her for breakfast, completely ignoring the first two. "I'm sorry Rylie but I can't." He refused gently. She was d
"The king has sent for you." Killian broke the news to Rylie as she ate. She almost choked on her food when she heard the news. He quickly gave her water to drink and rubbed her back gently. "Why? What have I done?" She questioned frantically."I haven't done anything, I swear." Killian chuckled and stood erect after making sure she was alright. "He just wants to meet his daughter-in-law, is that so bad?" Rylie coughed a little and shook her head. "It's not bad at all. When am I supposed to go and see him?" "I will tell you but for now, finish eating. Do you need anything?" "No, I'm fine. Thank you." "That's good. There's something I need to talk to you about." He spoke. Rylie stopped eating and looked at him. "Your tone sounds like it's an emergency. Have a seat while we talk." She offered but he bluntly refused. "You shouldn't speak to strangers, Rylie. Master Asher doesn't like it and you have to stop it."Just as his words dropped, Elina began descending the stairs. "A
"Rylie!" Killian stormed into her room to check up on her. She was fast asleep when he found her. His heavy heart became light when he saw she was safe. He heaved a breath of relief as he walked closer to her. He was worried sick when he heard something had happened to her. "Thank goodness you're alright." "You told her, didn't you? Now you have to punish her." He heard his master's icy voice behind him. "She needs to learn this particular lesson the hard way. This way is too easy." He ambled away, leaving Killian troubled."Why didn't you ever listen, Rylie?" He stared into her peaceful face. He went outside the room and shut the door behind him. On his way out, he saw Elina. He frowned upon seeing her. "Is it that you don't heed orders or what? Why can't you respect yourself and the dignity you don't have? Rylie made it clear that she doesn't want to see you here in her home." He fumed. "I'm just here to see how she's doing." She hissed and left the building. Killian instructe
Asher couldn't find Elina anywhere and so, he ordered one of his guards to send her to him whenever she got back from where she went to. "Master, the mistress is missing." One of the guards informed him. "She's not in her room and not around the pack house.""I have a more pressing matter at hand. Now, get Elina for me." He growled, ignoring the report that was just given.Killian stood beside Asher, hoping that Rylie would be found as soon as possible. "Have guards dispatched in groups. Make sure to search the entire place house and community, leave no stone unturned." Killian ordered. The guard bowed and left the room. "Master, we need to find her before anything bad happens to her. She's not strong enough to protect herself." Killian spoke frantically, already imagining all the bad things that could happen to her. "She could have thought about that before running away to wherever place she went. Has she no idea how dangerous this place is? The world of the werewolves is not so
"So much for a welcome." Nathan scoffed as he looked at his assignment and the package that was sent to him a few minutes after he stepped his feet into the pack house. "Really Asher? Is this how you choose to welcome me?" "Well, Killian is busy with other matters. In other words, you're the only available person for the job. Bring her back, dead or alive." He whispered the last path. "And when will you ever take off that stupid mask?" "Are you going to speak to your master that way?" Killian interrupted him with a scowl on his face. He was stepping in to report an issue. "You should show some respect, regardless of your personal relationship." "He isn't complaining, so why should you?" Nathan rolled his eyes and huffed. "What? You want to give me another life lesson?" He mocked Killian who just narrowed his eyes at him. "If that's my destiny in this world, I would gladly accept. Clearly, you need some years of training. Boorish, crude, unsophisticated people like you do not d
"Ouch!" Rylie exclaimed as Asher slowly applied a healing balm to her wound. After he had picked her up from the field, he took her to the room, made her sit on the couch, and began applying treatment to her injury. "I'd advise you to brace yourself. The healing process can be quite... painful." He cautioned. "The process has already started then." She looked at her leg. "Hmmm... Not quite." He dropped the balm on the table and sat beside her. "You're quite lucky it wasn't poisoned. They did carry out their assignment very well." "I didn't know what I was getting into. Why didn't you tell me?" When he looked at her from the corner of his eyes, he found her sobbing. 'Is the medication already taking effect or...' His thoughts trailed off. One thing Asher wasn't was romantic. After the death of his wives, his emotions completely went dead. "Werewolves? Rogues? Amanatha? Moon goddess? How in the world did I get here?" She wiped her eyes and sniffled. "You should have done your
*Slap* Her cheek stung from the brutal slap that was given to her by her stepmother. Rylie Novikov stood in the presence of her stepfamily, a helpless expression on her face. Her step-sisters laughed at her vulnerability. Her father was away at war and left his second wife in charge of the family. "Did you really think you'd be the one to marry the crowned prince? Just because you're the alleged first daughter of that woman?" Rylie's chest rose and fell rapidly. They were taking everything from her; her birthright and the man she was supposed to get married to. Her tears began to pour. This prompted her sisters to raise a roar of laughter. They mocked her weakness. "Be a good girl and just maybe, I won't cut your mother's hospital bills. You either choose a man or the mother you so cherish." Rylie watched her childhood best friend, Ian, smirking at her. His hand was wrapped around Anita's waist. He even kissed her forehead to spite Rylie the more. She shut her eyes as more tears