(Anna's Pov) I was still reeling from Asher's words. How could he bring it up like it meant nothing? Fixing my blurry gaze on the projector screen which I wasn't even seeing anymore, shivers racked my body.All I could remember were the days I'd been bullied...by the nurses back at the hospital, by the waitresses in Westside before I became the manager and the parents in my children's school. Asher had no idea how it felt to hear people whisper and call my children bastards, unable to do anything about it. I was shocked by his question, and a chill ran down my spine as memories of those brutal days came flooding back. The pain of being bullied, the sting of rejection, the ache of loneliness - it all came flooding back. And to make matters worse, my physical wounds were still tender, a constant reminder of the brutal attack I'd survived from his evil step mother. I felt myself shivering, and before I knew it, tears were streaming down my face. I tried to get up and walk away, but As
Asher's P.O.VI glared at my phone, my thumbs hovering over the screen as I debated my next move. I needed to take responsibility for Anna, and that meant dealing with Black Rose. I sent the text, my jaw clenched in anticipation."Meet me at the bar. Now."I hit send and waited, my phone clenched in my hand like a lifeline. But a response never came.I glanced over at Anna, her pale form sleeping on the bed. Guilt gnawed at my gut, but I pushed it aside. I had to do this. I had to take care of her and prove to Anna that I could be what she needed even if it meant leaving her alone for a few hours.After checking the kids to see they were asleep and their new nurse was taking care of them, I grabbed my keys and headed out into the midnight air, the cool breeze a welcome respite from the stifling atmosphere at home.Just as I started the car, my phone pinged and it was a text from black Rose.--Ok.That was her only response. I shook my head at the incredibly arrogant woman and slid in
(Asher's Pov)Something wasn't right. There was something sharp digging into my back, instantly telling me I wasn't on my bed. I let out a groan and tried to turn to my side, but then—"Fuck," I muttered, my body abruptly meeting a hard, unyielding surface. The impact sent a shockwave through my skull, and I felt a jolt of pain as my head bounced off the floor.I groaned, my eyes fluttering open to find myself staring at a thin, brown leather couch hovering above me. As I struggled to sit up, my hands scrabbled against the cold, smooth floor, trying to find traction. The room spun around me, and I felt a wave of dizziness wash over me.I blinked hard, my head throbbing in protest. The couch creaked and groaned as I pulled myself up, its worn springs digging into my back like a rusty nail. I winced, my body aching all over.I must have fallen off the couch in my sleep, and now I was paying the price. As I finally made it to my feet, my eyes scanned the room, taking in the drab gray wa
(Anna’s Pov) I was utterly tired of being bed ridden but Sen was playing devil's advocate. he stationed himself right outside my room, stopping me from leaving. Even when I'd tried to trick him by claiming I needed the sun, Sen wheeled me to a park and kept a very close eye on me.To make matters worse, Ivan and Evan were in on it. They also made sure I rested and healed.Closing my eyes in annoyance, I tried to close my eyes when when the silence outside my window was broken by the crunch of gravel beneath tires. The sound echoed through the stillness, a low rumble that grew louder before fading into the quiet once more. I opened my eyes, my gaze drifting to the window above my bed. The trees outside cast dappled shadows on the glass, their leaves rustling softly in the breeze. But my attention was fixed on the sound that had pierced the calm - the unmistakable crunch of a car parking on the gravel driveway below. Was Asher back?I pushed myself up, my body protesting with a wave o
"Sen!" I whispered urgently, but he ignored me. "Let go of her hand!Oh goddess, he's going to be in so much trouble after this. Even while Asher was the Alpha of the Silver Moon pack and Sen, his Beta, Former Luna Camilla was the Queen of the entire Kingdom. If Asher uses his powers to nullify allegations against Sen in his pack, he was powerless when it came to the law of the Lycan Kingdom.Sweat pooled on my brow and nausea flooded my belly. This was bad. so so bad."Unhand me!" Camilla screamed and I could see the veins beginning to pop on her neck. She was red with rage and I could only watch in terror.Sen said through tight lips, "I will let you go once I can trust that you won't attack my alpha's Luna."Camila scoffed and then a low hiss ripped out of her lips. With a hoff, she raised her other than to probably smack Sen away."What are you doing here Camila?" A deep baritone voice that shook the room from top to bottom echoed and I froze.if nausea was pooling in my belly ea
(Anna's Pov) I sought Asher's gaze but he refused to look at me, sending more daggers into my heart. why the hell was he like this? in private, he claims to want me back. and yet publicly, he'd never stood up for me. Now that there was a sneaking suspicion that he might not be the father of the twins, he'd instantly changed towards me. What hurts the most was that HE HAD ALREADY CONFIRMED HE WAS THEIR FATHER THROUGH THE SCENT MARKING. if they weren't his, they wouldn't easily let him scent mark their wrist, nor would their familial bond be created almost immediately after that wrist marking. Gritting my teeth, I looked away from Asher and turned to his mother. "That recording doesn't prove anything and if at all, it only shows how terrible and evil you are!" She opened her mouth to speak but I cut her to it, raising my voice. "I was young, orphaned and with nobody but stain and stigma to my name! After you beat me up and then threatened to abort my babies with abortion pil
(Asher's Pov)The hurt look on Anna's face tugged at my heart but I was doing this for her and for our children.I'd taken the quickest flight from NYC as soon as Sen called me and informed me of the shitshow that was my house now.I'd been filled with a mix of shock and rage when he informed me that my father and his wife was in the house, threatening Anna.Without a single doubt, I knew it was Vira Kuznetsov that put them to this after our encounter two nights ago.Running a hand through my hair in frustration, I instructed Sen to see Derek and Camila into separate rooms as we waited for the doctor's arrival to come take the cotton swabs necessary for the D.N.A test.Once I could prove that the kids were mine, I'd be able to claim Anna before those two crazy people and return to our pack with my family.Sen's voice suddenly echoed from the hallway, "The doctor has arrived."I rose to my feet and darted a glance at Anna. She hissed like a snake once our eyes met and I gritted my tee
Anna's P.O.VWe were all gathered in foyer downstairs and not even a knife could cut through the tension in the room. It was like everyone was sitting on eggshells as we waited for the talk to commence."The results are here and...." The pudgy looking doctor passed around a printed paper, stopping before me last. I shot him an unwarranted glare and grabbed it from his hands. Actually the glare wasn't unwarranted--i was the mother of these children and yet last to be handed the result.He swallowed once, his eyes not catching mine as he moved to stand by Asher like he did since he'd come into the house. As I moved my eyes back to the paper, I wondered why the doctor looked so nervous and sweaty. The time he'd been here to take the tests, he'd been rather confident. The next breath punched out of my lungs when my eyes caught the bottom of the paper. --Positive.It had been proved that Asher was the father of my babies and any doubts they had that the rumors about me in the past were
ASHER'S POV~“Let me go! Let me go, you stupid disgusting things! I'm going to ruin you! You're going to regret putting your disgusting hands on me!" The guards dragged Vira towards me as I say quietly in the dark room, my cold eyes on her. Her struggle against their hold was ferocious. Snarls ripped from her throat, her body writhing and twisting, her muscles tensed and coiled like a feral beast. But the guards were impassive, their faces stoic as they held her securely in their grasp.“Here you are. I've being wanting to meet you… step mother.” My lips curved upward, the corners of my mouth stretching into a sadistic grin. I watched as the guards hauled Vira towards me, a low, guttural chuckle rumbling in my chest.She gasped in shock before faking a broken expression. “Asher… what's the meaning of this? You asked these cruel assholes to hurl me like a criminal just for us to talk? Couldn't you send a text or something?” Her voice quivered. What a cunning bitch! Her eyes kept dar
ASHER'S POV~Finally, the day had arrived. Yet again, I didn't seem to sleep a wink. I kept turning on the bed, sending several messages to Anna who in turn returned all of them. She was anxious like I was. She was my perfect fit. I watched how the sun slowly began to rise in the sky and for the first time in my life, this was the first time I acknowledged the sun was indeed beautiful. It helped to light up my day.It didn't take me up to an hour to get dressed. I already gave an earlier instruction to Anna's stylists to dress her up quickly, I wouldn't want anything to delay my bride from coming on time. I was fucking dying to see her. I made sure every single thing in the venue was the best. Made from the very best.I wouldn't mind taking a drive to the hotel where she's been dressed up but Sen kicked against it and mentioned it to be a taboo for a groom to see a bride before their wedding day.Finally, I arrived at the venue. Sen made sure to scatter the guards at every station, m
ASHER'S POV~Last night I couldn't bring myself to sleep a wink. Tossing and turning in the bed, I fought against the grip of sleep. Anger, disappointment, and confusion mingled within me, keeping me wide awake.I couldn't think straight. No, I just couldn't. I thought about the several possibilities of me not appearing on time, what could have happened? Anna would have said yes, wouldn't she? My heart instantly clenched, I groaned while I pulled some strands of my hair in anger. Last night, I couldn't face Anna, not now, not while I was still struggling to make sense of it all. So I avoided sleeping in the same room as her. Someone suddenly knocked on the door. My eyes that were shadowed with dark circles lazily made their way to the door before I began to rise. My movements were sluggish and unfocused. “You look like shit, to be honest." I heard Sen mutter the very moment I let the door open for him. I rumbled under my breath, “So you came to taunt me about that?” I raised a br
ANNA'S POV~“For fuck's sake, Anna you're going to get me killed!" Tony groaned, pulling his hair as he turned around and refused to stare at me. I grinned, my cheeks widening and I went ahead to poke Tony's back which faced me but he softly slapped my hands away. “Heavens bear me a witness that I'm clearly the one chasing you away, Anna." The thought of seeing Asher storm into this place like a bull, his face set in a fierce scowl, his brows furrowed, his nostrils flaring, and his steps heavy to come ruin this playdate made adrenaline to curse through my veins. It made me so excited and I was looking forward to it. “Come on… Asher doesn't bite!” I brushed past him, only coming to stand right in front of him and I saw him turn around again from me, giving me his back and I barked out a laugh. “Jeez, Anna, go away. Asher would think you're dressed sexily for me when in reality this is just a prank. Go away! I don't want to lose a tooth.” He whined and I giggled more. I intentional
A year laterASHER'S POV~My mind was a swirl of thoughts, each one circling back to Anna. No matter how much I tried to make it stop, try to even focus, my thoughts kept drifting back to her—especially when she declared she was going for a vacation which was absolutely weird. I hated how suspicious it made me feel. I didn't sleep a wink last night and had spent the entire late hours of the day to search on several search engines on their search bars on ‘WHY WOULD A WOMAN SUDDENLY DECIDE TO GO ON A VACATION ALONE WITHOUT HER PARTNER.’My heart kept pounding in my chest as I waited for the results to load. As page after page revealed the same terrifying possibility, my face had gone pale and my fingers trembled. The realization that she might be losing interest in me, that she might have someone else, had filled me with dread and despair.The silence of our room was deafening, every tick of the clock in our room was a cruel reminder that my girl was about not to return to me anymore.
(Anna’s Pov) Darkness. Stifling, all-encompassing darkness. My lungs burned, a primal panic clawing at my throat. I was trapped. A metal cube, cold and unforgiving, held me prisoner, stealing my air bit by agonizing bit. This was it. This was how I'd die. They locked me in this cube that didn't have oxygen in it.As I tried to give up, my fist suddenly tightened around the object in my hand and I froze..A crazy idea, born of desperation, took root. My breath hitched, but not from lack of air. This time, it was anticipation.With trembling fingers, I flicked the lighter and the gas ignited in a blinding explosion, fire and debris hurling me through the air.Pain exploded in my limbs as I hit the ground and the force of the blast turned the room into a chaotic inferno, flames licking the walls.But I forced myself to move, crawling through the debris, my lungs burning with each gasps of smoke filled air. The acrid scent of burning metal and plastic filled my nostrils. Suddenly, a b
Asher’s P.O.VThe crisp white tux felt suffocating as I fumbled with the buttons, my reflection in the mirror absolutely mocking me. Was this really happening? Was I about to marrying a monster? How none-the wiser everyone would be, blind to the truth unfolding beneath their champagne flutes.Just then, a knock on the door startled me. “Alpha.” Came the voice through the heavy wood.“Come in, Sen.” I called in a rough voice.The door creaked open, revealing my Beta’s stoic face. He scanned the room, his gaze landing on the hidden remote nestled right under my sleeve. A flicker of understanding pasted between us and he gave me a curt nod.“Everything is in place, Alpha.” he reported. “The projector and screen are set up in the main hall, discreetly hidden behind the floral arrangements.”I nodded curtly and my stomach tightened in worry. This was the only way to do this. The door cracked open without an introduction this time and Vira appeared at the doorway. In a white silk lace dres
Anna’s P.O.VDrip, Drip, Drip.That’s the mix of sweat and blood running down my spine from where I was hung. Trying to move sent pain like a million darts ripping into my skin. So with gritted teeth, I stood on tiptoes, tears burning behind my lids.Vira was a crazy psychopath, no doubt, but what if her words had some truth to them? After all the million ways her team of doctors had tortured me to activate my phantom powers, I was starting to believe it.But why? Why won’t the so called fucking powers manifest so this torture could end? All my fucking life, I’d felt useless, hating myself for not having a wolf when my peers got theirs. I only had a useless shapeshifting ability. Now I was told I had such great powers at the tip of my fingers and I still couldn’t save myself, my babies and the others.The tear I’d been holding since I was locked in a tube without oxygen poured down my eyes and choked sobs seeped out of me. Goddess, please save my babies. I cried to myself as my sh
Asher’s P.O.V: My knuckles were white-hot around the steering wheel, the leather cool and slick beneath my clammy palms. Every muscle in my body felt coiled tight, a knot of churning anxiety that had taken root in my gut and refused to loosen it grip. It had been days since Anna’s kidnap, days that had stretched into an agoninzing eternity. To make matters worse, the wedding loomed ahead on my calender, a fucking deadline that mocked my helplessness. Marrying Vira. The very thought made my stomach churn. The woman was a viper, a fucking sicko and the last person I’d consider spending the rest of my life with. But what choice did I have? It was the only leverage I had, the only flimsy thread keeeping Anna and the kids alive. Tony had mentioned a possible lead but said I had to come to a hidden location to speak to him. It was a long shot, but fuck, it was all i had. The city soon gave way to sprawling surburbs as I droce, then slowly dissolved into a desolate landscape that h