Aphrodite My mother went down on her knees in front of Asher, to my utter surprise and to Asher's horror.“Mom, what are you doing?!” I gasped, trying to reach for her, but she dodged my outstretched arm and clutched Asher's dress pants over his knee.“I beg of you, King Asher, don't hurt my daughter,” she cried desperately. The sight of my mother kneeling and begging for my life broke my heart into a million pieces.“Please!” she whimpered. “I... I will do anything!” she stuttered desperately. "It's all my fault. If only I hadn't persuaded her into seducing you, this wouldn't have happened. Please kill me instead, but don't hurt my daughter. She is still young and has her whole life ahead of her. Yes, she is a Devil Wolf, but I swear, my baby girl isn't a monster," she lamented.Asher, who had been stunned into silence the whole time, crouched down to her level, his gaze levelling with hers. He reached out, gently taking my mother's trembling hands in his."Mrs. Johnson,” he began,
Aphrodite I sighed contentedly as I admired the soft glow of the moon from my open window, its milky rays spilling across the windowsill, and the steady rhythm of Asher's heartbeat lulled me towards sleep.He held me so close, his fingers drawing lazy circles on my back as I stared ahead, deep in thought.“You're curious, aren't you? I know you have so many questions. I can feel it through our bond,” he murmured. I blinked slowly, clearing the haze of my thoughts, and looked up at him with my chin resting on his broad chest. He stared down at me, waiting for my response.“Yes. I'm curious how you found out I was a Devil Wolf and about the low possibility of me having children,” I murmured. He hummed, swallowing as he held me closer.“I suspected for a while," he began softly, "but I only found out when Sophia poisoned your necklace.” I gasped in realisation of his words; that must be why the poison didn't do as much damage as it did to Hilda.He paused, brushing a strand of hair away
Aphrodite I sat by my windowsill, staring into the mysterious woods that remained undisturbed by the ills of this world. The tree branches swayed gently in the wind, which caressed my cheeks.I sighed in contentment as I inhaled the sweet morning air, the rays of sunshine casting a warm glow over my fingers resting on the rim of the window.I jumped in surprise when droplets of water fell over my skin and gasped, turning back to see a wet Asher smiling down at me. He had a white towel wrapped around his waist while his dark hair dripped water over his hard chest as he hovered over me.I squealed when he shook his head again, droplets from his hair spraying across my face.“Asher,” I whined playfully, and he chuckled, leaning down and pulling my body flush against his.“You're going to get me wet,” I complained, and he smirked down at me mischievously.“Am I? Can I see for myself?” He rumbled in a deep baritone that sent heat travelling down south instantly, and I gasped.“Not here,”
Asher I narrowed my eyes at him, but his gaze was fixed on my mate, staring at her with a condescending air. It made my blood boil with anger, but I held back from lashing out. I bit down on my tongue so hard that I tasted blood and clenched my fists until they turned white.“She’s not a bitch, Father. She’s my mate. Show some respect,” I growled, my eyes flashing with anger.Father's gaze flicked to our joined hands, his expression hardening at the sight of my mother's ring on Aphrodite's finger.“Respect? You threw away a perfectly good alliance for her,” he sneered, taking a slow drag from his cigar.“What you did yesterday has cost us an important alliance, and the only way you would marry this woman is over my dead body,” he seethed, and I scoffed.“Look at her. She was your matchmaker, and now she's your mate,” he chuckled dryly, his eyes devoid of mirth.“I don't smell her rank. Are you sure she's not just a conniving bitch using you for your power?” He snapped, his eyes zeroi
Aphrodite: The past week with Asher has been spent in ignorant bliss. Despite the threat looming over my head, it took a while to come to terms with the fact that I literally had a bounty on my head. Asher's presence and support helped me momentarily forget about it. I dropped the book I'd been staring at absent-mindedly and walked into the open bathroom. Asher glanced at me when I walked in and smiled before looking back in the mirror, proceeding to drag a razor down his jawline, which was covered with shaving foam. “Let me,” I mumbled, taking the blade from his hand. He conceded, his hand snaking around my waist and pulling me flush against his chest. I stood on my tiptoes and planted a kiss on his lips before reaching up and gently dragging the razor across his jawline. I rinsed it under the running tap and repeated the process. “I have to go into work today,” I murmured, watching his reflection as his brows furrowed in concern. “So soon?” he asked, and I chuckled, nodding slo
Aphrodite I finished up my work for the day and walked out of my office, shutting the door behind me before heading down the corridor to Lara's office. I found her arranging the open files sprawled haphazardly on her desk. She smiled when she saw me walk in, and I returned it with a wave.“Are you ready?” I asked, leaning against the door frame with a raised brow.“Yep,” she replied, stacking the last file in its place in the cabinet. She picked up her handbag and rounded her desk, and I walked out with Lara in tow. I nodded at the security on my way out, and we headed to our parked car.“We should drop by the mall on the way; there's something I want to get,” she said. I arched my brow at her but mumbled an "okay" before pulling out of the driveway.I glanced at my side mirror, noting the tinted SUV filled with pack warriors trailing behind us for security. I rolled my eyes and looked away, but said nothing. Even though I wasn't comfortable with the entourage, I understood it was fo
Aphrodite The second I walked into Asher's office, I jumped straight into his arms, clutching onto him like a lifeline as I tried to calm down and process my thoughts. He sensed my distress and held me tighter without question, his hands running up and down my back in a soothing motion as he whispered sweet nothings into my ear.I pulled away when I'd calmed down, and he caressed my cheeks, his arms tightening around my waist as I straddled his lap.“What's wrong, my love?” He murmured gently, his eyes filled with warmth as they searched mine. I exhaled a shaky breath.“I met someone tonight,” I whispered, and his brows scrunched up in confusion.“Who did you meet?” he echoed, and I braced myself for his reaction. Even though I'd told Asher all about my past, he still hated the thought of what the human I’d loved did to me.“It was Elijah,” I said, and he stilled at my words. I clutched the material of his shirt, waiting for his reaction.“How and where did you meet him?” he asked a
Aphrodite Ronan strode confidently into the party like he owned the fucking place, a condescending smile stretching tightly across his lips. He approached our table without a word, pulled out a chair, and sat down, arching a brow as his gaze swept across the table to mine before locking onto Asher's gaze.“Isn't it funny that I had to hear the news of my son's mating ritual from a different source?” He chuckled dryly, picking up an empty wine glass and uncorking the wine bottle in front of him to pour himself a drink.“Oh, I'm sorry, I didn't feel the need to inform you of every single thing I decide to do, Father,” Asher responded, his tone dripping with sarcasm. Ronan scoffed, taking a leisurely sip of his wine before turning to me, his hardened gaze locking with mine.“I don't know what it is about her that you find appealing enough to want to taint our bloodline,” he seethed. Asher almost stood, but I placed a hand over his thigh under the table, calming him down—if only a little
Aphrodite I left the balcony with a spring in my step, feeling a surge of excitement. If I wasn’t so weighed down by my pregnancy, I might have skipped down the hallway in search of Lara to share my plans for the baby shower.As I rounded a corner, I nearly collided with a maid. I managed to stop just in time, but she looked mortified, her eyes widening in fear when she realised it was me she'd nearly bumped into."I-I'm so sorry, my queen," she stammered, bowing deeply, avoiding eye contact.I wrinkled my nose in distaste as I caught a familiar scent—the same scent I had detected on Elijah. I realised I had never seen this maid before in the mansion. Although I didn’t know all the servants by name, I was certain I would have remembered someone with that scent.“It’s okay,” I mumbled, still watching her with suspicion as she hurried down the hallway. I stood there until she disappeared around the corner.Something was off about her, and it wasn’t just the scent that unsettled me. It
Aphrodite I inhaled deeply in content, savouring the crisp autumn breeze that tickled my senses, making me grin in delight. The gentle feel of Asher's touch on my now noticeable bump had my eyes fluttering open, revealing him crouched on one knee beside me.“I didn’t hear you come in,” I murmured, and he smiled, leaning in to kiss my lips so softly that it left me wanting more.“My wife is so beautiful,” he said, a devilish grin spreading across his lips. “If you weren’t already swollen with our pup, I’d be tempted to bend you over the balcony railing and put another one in you,” he smirked, causing me to gasp as I playfully hit his chest, feeling the heat rise in my cheeks.He chuckled, rising from his kneeling position to join me on the lounge chair. He pulled my legs over his thighs and began to gently massage my feet. I moaned in delight, leaning back against the cushions behind me.I sighed as a sudden thought crossed my mind, and I blinked my eyes open, staring at the trees tha
AsherThe drive to the meeting felt like it took aeons, though in reality, it only took about half an hour to pull up in front of the building. I was both giddy and nervous with anticipation; my emotions were a mix of excitement and anxiety. Sensing my turmoil, Aphrodite squeezed my hand in reassurance.Benjamin came around to the back and opened the door for us. I stepped out first, then offered a hand to my mate as she gracefully followed. As the weeks passed, she had grown even more beautiful, her every change captivating me. She wore a loose-fitting dark green dress that accentuated the soft curve of her figure and the little bump that I couldn't seem to keep my hands off.We entered the one-story building, my hand gently guiding her with a protective touch at the small of her back. The automatic sliding glass doors whispered open, and the only sound echoing across the marble floors was the soft click of Aphrodite's kitten heels.The past month had been a whirlwind of activities,
Aphrodite Who was I kidding? Asher was dead serious about the guards. I thought he was bluffing and just being paranoid about my safety, but as always, I was wrong.It had been almost two weeks since the incident, and I had been cooped up in the mansion ever since. The goddess knew if I didn't get out soon, I was going to lose my damn mind.Asher was working tirelessly to find a way to free Brielle from that psychopath, but with little to no leads, there was nothing he or anyone else could do. I had tried to contact Elijah, but it seemed he didn’t want to be found or contacted.Today was like any other uneventful day. I was sitting at the window sill, a book I’d been reading for days by my side, while I stared out the window, lost in my thoughts.The sound of my cellphone ringing snapped me out of my reverie. I glanced at the screen and narrowed my eyes at the unfamiliar number flashing. Could it possibly be Elijah? After all this time? I quickly answered and held the phone to my ear
Aphrodite “Why the fuck isn't she waking up? Do something!” A familiar deep voice growled, his tone suggesting irritation.“I—I’ve done everything I can, Your Highness,” a shaky voice responded quickly, clearly unnerved by Asher’s fury. “It’s up to her now. She’s fighting, but it may take some time. Her body is making a remarkable recovery,” he added nervously under Asher’s intense aura.“That’s not good enough. I need her to wake up now,” he snapped, his voice filled with desperation as the tension radiated off him in waves. “I understand, Your Highness,” the doctor replied cautiously, “but these things can’t be rushed. Her vitals are stabilising, which is a positive sign. We just need to give her time.”“Time? She doesn’t have time! If anything happens to her or our baby…” His voice cracked, the anger giving way to fear. I sighed softly, fighting to pry my eyes open. The effort felt monumental, but eventually I managed to crack them open, only to wince when the bright white light
Aphrodite It had been a few days since I found Brielle's severed finger in my jewellery box, and the news of her kidnapping had spread like wildfire throughout the werewolf world.No matter how hard I tried to reach Elijah over the past few days, I failed. I was scared and confused, praying that Brielle was still alive.Brielle was like the super star of the werewolf world, so when I started receiving death threats at the office, I wasn’t too shocked. It got to the point where Lara and I could no longer show up at work because there was always an angry mob waiting for us. Somehow, they had found out that I had matched her with the psychopath responsible for her kidnapping—Elijah.The revelation caused a massive uproar in the werewolf community, leading to a campaign calling for the cancellation of my matchmaking app. I was devastated by the news, breaking down in tears as I was transported back to the day we received that lawsuit.The last straw was when I received a call from Briell
Aphrodite "Turn right to get to your destination." The GPS announced my arrival.I frowned at the sound of my car's GPS navigation pulling up to a stop in front of a narrow dirt road that led deeper into the dense trees.The road was almost invisible, a barely-there path cutting through the woods, and it was getting dark fast. I didn’t have much time before Asher would start calling, so I had to do this now. Pushing aside my unease, I turned onto the dirt road and drove up the hill at a cautious pace.I tried to convince myself that Elijah was just a puny human—there was nothing to be afraid of, but the quick palpitations of my heart told a different story.“You have arrived at your destination,” the GPS declared. I pulled into a small clearing where a quaint little cabin sat in the centre, surrounded by trees. The isolation was unsettling. I turned off the car, silenced the GPS, and stepped out, shutting the door behind me with a quiet click.“Hello?” I called out, spinning slowly t
AsherI walked back into the meeting room, only to find Aphrodite so deep in thought that she didn’t even notice my presence.“Hey, love,” I called gently, but she seemed too lost in her own world to hear me. I stepped closer and placed a soft hand on her shoulder. She jolted at the contact, her eyes snapping up to meet mine.“You scared me,” she breathed out, clutching her chest as she exhaled slowly. Concerned, I pulled back the chair beside her and sat down, facing her directly.“What has you so distracted that you didn’t hear me come in?” I asked softly, searching her face for any sign of what might be troubling her. She shook her head and forced a smile, but it didn’t quite reach her eyes.“It’s nothing,” she replied, but I wasn’t convinced. Something in her tone, in the way she avoided my gaze, told me it was far from nothing.“Are you sure?” I pressed, my voice gentle but firm. She nodded, her smile still forced.“It’s nothing, I promise,” she repeated, reaching for her purse b
Aphrodite Mom returned home hours later, grinning from ear to ear when she saw how Asher was glued to my side, fussing over the smallest things. I thought his constant fussing might irritate me, but instead, I found myself secretly loving it. Call me crazy, but getting attention from my mate felt like a drug I couldn't get enough of.When we broke the news of my pregnancy to Mom, she was both shocked and overjoyed. She was absolutely thrilled to be a grandmother, and it warmed my heart. She wouldn’t stop bragging about how the herbs she had given me worked wonders, even though, in truth, they had nothing to do with my miracle baby. Everything felt perfect, and I wished it could stay that way.We spent the night at Mom’s place and drove back to the pack the next morning. We decided to keep my pregnancy a secret, informing only a select few.Asher refused to tell Ronan the news, but I felt he deserved to know, even if he was a douchebag. It took a lot of convincing on my part before A