Chapter Five:

~ Asher~

“ You are proven to be so stubborn,” I smirked.

“ Well there’s nothing we can do about it yet to change the fact that …”

“ I know,” I interrupted her,“ We will have to devise a plan, till we find something else.”

“ Okay, what do you have upstairs,” she crossed her arms over chest and tilted her head to the side.

She really is so thick headed.

“ Well, we are going to act like we love each other in front of my parents and all other pack members,” I said.

She nodded.

At least she wasn’t opposing me on this one.

“ But when we are in this room, then we go back as normal, rejected mates.” I pinpointed.

“ I don’t agree,” she scoffed.

“ What!”

What is she going to come up with ? What is really with her?

“ I Will only agree to your plans only on some conditions, ” she said and started walking close to me.

What is she doing now, what does she want ?

“ Three conditions,” she said with a low voice while pointing three fingers up to me.

“ I’m not going to tell you all at once, but the first one is that you are going to make me always have my way,” she lowered her eye lid.

“ Okay…,” i Saïd, not sure what she really meant by that.

But all I care about is for us to make these plans work out, because I’m not going to stay away from the love of my life just because of some customs.

But there is one thing, I don’t know if I should let her know about my love life yet. Does it really matter?

What if she has a love interest too outside that she is not telling me about.

***

~Layla~

He left, saying he wanted to do something outside, but he didn't mention what it was.

I felt a dull ache in my chest, like I had hit my chest on a hard surface,which I hadn’t.

I place my palm on my chest and massage it a bit. The pain seemed not to go away but it was not something serious , so I just had to bear it, hoping that with time it would go away.

I felt my wolf stirred up inside me, like she was probing me to go after Asher.

But that is not something I want to do, I don’t care much about him.

My wolf kept stirring up inside me, but I ignored it.

I held my breath for a while and then tighten my fist and exhaled slowly releasing all the tension and also hoping that the full pain in my chest would go away.

Suddenly I heard the door creaking open slowly, it was Asher.

“ Oh, you are back,” I said.

He nodded, but his expression was giving him away, like he was nervous or something.

I tilted my head to the side, and my eyes searched his face for whatever he wanted to say.

He clears his throat,“ My parents want us to come have a grand dinner with them.”

What! Why so soon?

“ Is it a must I come, tell them I'm sick,” I said feeling a bit nervous.

I know we already make all our plans, but I can’t still fathom how I’m going to act fake in front of everyone. Maybe I need to practice.

“ Oh… what are you?,” he placed his palm on his forehead in frustration,"this is the time for us to play out our fake relationship or else there will be some suspicion.”

“ Yeah, you’re right,” I agree, blinking my eyelids rapidly.

“ Yes that is it, you and I pretend in public, , we act all lovey-dovey outside, you stay out of my way, I stay out of yours,”he said.

I nodded, hoping all of these worked out.

“ But one more thing,” I voice out.

He turned his gaze towards me, wondering what I was about to come up with again.

“ I’m not going to be your puppet,” I pinpointed .

He rolled his eyes and released his hands in the air sideways like he was about to release something,“ Oh Come on, let’s get this done.”

***

We went outside of our room and as we walked downstairs I could already see the Alpha king and Luna queen downstairs.

And I can tell they already saw us too, because the Luna queen was smiling tightly at us.

Asher quickly held my hands, and I almost rolled my eyes but then I remembered we have to play our games well.

We finally got to the dining table. Varieties of food were arranged on the table, from meat steaks, to fruits and all other things more than enough for what four persons can actually consume.

Asher pulled out a chair for me, and he kissed the back of my palm as I sat down.

Oh please!

Luna smiled at me , and from her expression you could tell she was so happy for me.

I fake a smile to her too to return her gesture.

And I shifted my gaze to smile at Asher.

I bow my head to greet the Alpha king, and he just returns a stiff smile to me.

We started eating and I have never tasted a steak so good as this in my entire life.

The chef that prepared this must be so good,I’m impressed.

So this is what these people that live here have been enjoying!

“ Enjoying the food?” The Alpha king asked.

“ Uh.. yes.. yes, it’s so good,” I chuckled nervously.

The Luna Queen cleared her throat and she took a wipe to dab her lips.

“ So how have you been getting along with each other?” She questioned, her eyes glistening with excitement.

I stared blankly at her and smiled softly to hide the nervousness going on with me.

Asher hit me softly with his legs from underneath the table and I turned to look at him.

We smiled awkwardly at each other.

“ We have been getting along so well,” Asher answered and I nodded.

She continues smiling at us, and I know what she is probing to ask which makes my nervousness hitch.

I sit up with my back straight, trying to distract myself.

She arched her brows, and lowered her head like she was about to whisper something.

“ Have you two..,”

“ Just let them enjoy the meal,” the Alpha king interrupted.

She sneered, but then she continued eating.

We finished eating and Asher and I started walking through the hallways to go to our room.

We held our hands together and we smile to any pack members we saw on our way as they greeted us.

As we continued walking, my eyes met someone, she was indeed glaring at me, us.

Her eyes were so cold, full of so many emotions I couldn’t quite decipher.

I couldn’t tell if she was angry or sad or both.

We held our gaze for just a moment, it was short and then she quickly looked away and walked away from there.

My gaze was fixed on there for a while, Asher turned to look at there and I could tell he caught a glimpse of her.

Our eyes met and there was a look in his eyes, one I couldn’t place.

Everything seems so strange !