Three Hours Earlier:Asher As soon as Aphrodite walked out of my office, I turned to face Sophia with a deep frown, biting my lips so hard in irritation that I could taste my own blood. The fucking bitch just had to come in and interrupt the perfect moment I was having with my mate.“I don’t appreciate you lecturing me on what I should or shouldn’t do. If you value your life, then learn to respect yourself.” Her eyes widened at my tone, and she took a step back, fear evident in her expression.“I won’t be so lenient next time,” I sneered in warning, my voice cold and sharp. Her lips quivered as she tried to form a response.“B-but,” she stuttered, but I cut her off with a withering glare.“Get out!” I barked. She jumped, her eyes filling with tears, which only irritated me further. Without another word, she scurried out of my office.I sighed, massaging the bridge of my nose. It was only three in the afternoon, yet I’d already witnessed enough drama to last a lifetime.My patience wa
Asher:After Sophia's delusional outburst, she locked herself up in her bedroom and wasn’t seen for the rest of the day, which was a goddamn relief.I contemplated for a while how it was even possible for one she-wolf to overpower two of what Sophia claimed were the best warriors her father had.That was impossible, so either Sophia had gone insane or, as usual, she was trying to discredit Aphrodite in my presence, which, to be realistic, was impossible because she was already perfect in my eyes.The idea that Aphrodite could be capable of such violence was absurd, yet the image of Sophia's terrified face haunted me.It was almost time for my scheduled meeting with Hilda. If I were being honest, I hated the thought of seeing the vermin who tried to kill my mate without taking action. My wolf howled for me to end her existence. It angered me, but I had to remain civil for Matilda's sake. The thought of her always seemed to calm me, if only a little.There was a knock on my office door,
Aphrodite The next few days were surprisingly peaceful, as Sophia wouldn't even breathe the same air as me or be in the same room.It was quite hilarious watching her unravel because of the fear I'd instilled in her. Her reaction was entertaining, but she remained obstinate.I guess showing her a glimpse of what I was really capable of wasn't enough to have her packing and running back to whatever hole she'd crawled out of.The first face that greeted me when I opened my bedroom door that morning was Hilda's. I was momentarily petrified in shock, but quickly shook it off when she smiled cunningly at me before walking off with a feather duster in hand.A barrel of questions swarmed my head about how it was possible she was back in the mansion. Maybe I had overestimated how much Asher cared about me or the significance of everything Hilda had done to me in the past.I marched towards his office, hurt blooming in my chest at the thought that he had brought her back here despite everythi
Aphrodite:The evening of Asher's anniversary ball was a whirlwind of activity, with caterers and decorators bustling around the mansion, making last-minute preparations before the guests arrived.Lara and I were in our bedroom, sifting through dozens of dresses delivered by Asher's personal designer. It wasn't surprising that he had a personal designer—he was the king, after all—but I somehow kept forgetting that detail.My goodness, my mate was the king.The dresses were all stunning, making it hard to choose just one, but eventually I settled on a shimmering grey evening gown with a vine-like lace bodice that flared down from the waist."So, Lara, I take it George is your date for the ball?" I murmured, twirling in front of the mirror. She smiled sheepishly, trying to hide her reddened face behind her makeup palette."He asked, and I said yes," she replied after a moment, returning to the finishing touches of her makeup."He's been a wonderful mate to me, Aphrodite," she said dream
AphroditeThere was an eerie silence in the restroom as I tried to compose myself before facing Asher at the party. The necklace he'd gifted me had been taken away forcefully, and I wasn't sure how he'd react.I sighed in relief as I stared at my reflection in the mirror. The fire-like sensation under my skin seemed like a figment of my imagination now, but I knew better. It was real, and it only stopped when Hilda disappeared with the necklace.I picked up my purse and exited the restroom, knowing I'd been gone for far too long. As I walked back into the party, my eyes searched for Hilda, but I sighed when I couldn't spot her and headed back to Asher's table.As I approached the table, I found George and Asher in deep conversation while Lara sat by herself, sipping champagne. Her eyes lit up when I took the seat beside her.“What happened? You're red in the face,” she asked, her brows furrowing in worry as she scanned my face.I laughed nervously, waving off her concerns. "Oh, it's n
AsherI trudged up the stairs towards my bedroom, angry at myself for not being able to protect my mate—not yet, at least.Loosening my tie in frustration, I turned the knob to my bedroom door but paused when I sensed someone else inside. I growled and pushed the door open with force, my nostrils flaring as I barged in.I stopped short in the middle of the room when I found Hilda sprawled out on my carpet, coughing up blood and clutching her neck. I rushed to her side without thinking and fell to my knees beside her, holding her up.“Hilda!” I barked, shaking her shoulder. She kept clutching her neck like she was choking, and as I looked closer, I recognised Aphrodite's necklace around her neck, now covered in blood.How did she get her hands on Aphrodite's necklace? Did she pick it up somewhere? I wasn't sure what to think anymore.“Who did this to you?” I panicked, picking her up in my arms without wasting a second and rushing out of my bedroom and down the stairs.“Asher.” Aphrodit
Aphrodite I stood in a corner of Hilda's hospital room, watching silently as Matilda gently tended to her unconscious daughter. It was a shame and quite unfortunate that Hilda had to bear the brunt of Sophia's schemes, but I wouldn't say she didn't entirely deserve it.It would be cruel of me to find happiness in another person's death, but I still couldn't bring myself to feel sympathy for the woman who tried to kill me.Asher had been gone for quite some time, and I was beginning to wonder if he'd left me all alone in the pack hospital, still wearing the same dress I'd had on all night.Frankly, I was exhausted, and all I could think about was tearing off this dress and enjoying a long, hot shower before reacquainting myself with my bed. But I couldn't leave Matilda all alone.Even though we'd just met, I had taken a liking to the kind old woman. It was quite unbelievable that Hilda, who I could have sworn was the spawn of the devil, was her daughter.The door was pushed open rathe
Aphrodite After our talk, Asher decided he couldn't leave me in that cell, as it was unfit. So, he suggested I be taken to a VIP cell.I was shocked that such a thing even existed, but when I saw it for myself, I understood why it was called that, although he wouldn't tell me exactly why it even existed in the first place.It was a cosy room with a small square window, a heavy metal door, a bed, a heater, and a little bathroom attached. He brought extra blankets, clothes, food, and water, so I was comfortable.Everything was moving so fast, and I still knew nothing of the reason he put me in here, but I was at ease knowing that everything he was doing was with pure intentions.My first night in the VIP cell, I could hardly sleep. I tossed and turned the whole night and was only able to catch up on sleep in the early hours of the morning.I was flipping through a book Asher had brought me that morning when I heard the sound of footsteps outside my cell door. I perked up, closing the b
Aphrodite "Did my husband put you up to this?" I asked, narrowing my eyes in suspicion. I knew Asher was perfectly capable of orchestrating something like this. Sebastian’s eyes widened at that while he quickly shook his head in denial."Of course not, my queen. I’m here of my own volition," he assured me. I still wasn’t convinced but remained silent."So, why now? Why apologise all of a sudden? Is there a reason you decided to apologise now?" I asked, tilting my head slightly, my hand resting on my bump for support. He sighed deeply."I was foolish, and I realise that now," he admitted. "When I saw the way you spoke during the meeting and how confident and strategic you were, I felt... threatened. It unsettled me that a She-wolf had a better grasp on war tactics than I did. But I know better now," he confessed, his voice tinged with regret. and I stared up at him in silent surprise.His admission surprised me. It took a man who was secure in himself and masculinity to acknowledge hi
Aphrodite Asher hadn’t shown up the night Brielle and Conor arrived, but he had come that morning, just in time to witness Councilman Everest’s attempt to attack me. If I hadn’t been there, I was certain Asher would have killed him on the spot.Even after Councilman Everest apologised profusely for his actions, Asher wasn’t having it. He made it clear that a mere apology wasn’t enough. He was enraged that, after threatening me, the councilman had still dared and had the temerity to attack me unprovoked.I knew Everest had no right to do what he did, but I also understood he was angry about his daughter’s abduction. Still, it didn’t excuse the way he had threatened me and reacted earlier.With my intervention, Asher finally let him off the hook, but not without a warning. We still had more pressing matters to deal with, particularly the fact that Elijah had escaped after being wounded by Conor. The involvement of Halflings in Elijah’s escape confirmed his connection to them, making th
Realization struck Everest like a cold wave of fear, making him come back to his senses, but before he could utter a word in his defense and beg for his pathetic life, Asher’s hand clamped around his throat, squeezing the life out of him. The Alpha King’s face was a mask of fury, his voice a menacing growl that reverberated through the room.“How dare you!” Asher snarled menacingly, his grip tightening to the point where Everest’s face began to turn red from the lack of oxygen. “You dare lay a hand on your queen, who is pregnant. You’re a disgrace!”Everest’s mind raced as panic set in. The power radiating from Asher was overwhelming, and in that moment, Everest knew he had overstepped his bounds. But his anger still burned, and with what little strength he had left, he spat out his bitter accusations.“It’s all her fault!” Everest choked out, his voice strained. “That matchmaker… She’s the reason my daughter was ruined! She’s the reason Brielle ended up with that monster!”Asher’s ey
Conor sat there, stunned, his mind reeling from Brielle’s revelation. He opened his mouth to say something, but no words came out. His heart pounded in his chest, and he felt as though the wind had been knocked out of him. The thought of Brielle carrying Elijah’s child was almost too much to bear, and a part of him struggled to grasp the reality of it.His hands, resting in his lap, clenched into fists as a storm of emotions welled up inside him. Anger, sorrow, and an overwhelming need to protect Brielle battled for dominance. He looked at her, her delicate frame trembling with fear and vulnerability, and he felt his resolve solidify. But when he tried to speak, his voice faltered, stammering out broken words.“Brielle, I—I don’t know what to say. I—” he stuttered, his voice catching in his throat. He wanted to tell her that it didn’t matter, that he would stand by her no matter what, but the weight of the situation made it hard to articulate his feelings.Just as he was gathering the
Her head was lowered, her hair concealing most of her facial features as Elijah twisted the dagger in her and yanked it out, expecting the rush of blood.But instead of the warm, crimson liquid, a strange gush of water soaked his hand. He staggered back, his eyes wide with shock, staring at the clear liquid dripping from the blade. His gaze flicked to the dent in her stomach, and his confusion deepened.Slowly, she raised her head, a wicked grin spreading across her face. With one swift motion, she yanked off the blonde wig, revealing a completely different woman beneath.“What the—” Elijah stuttered, but his words were cut off as she delivered a powerful roundhouse kick that sent him crashing to the ground.Before he could recover, she was on him, straddling his chest and raining down blows with a strength that shocked him. He barely managed to block a few hits, struggling to shove her off.Finally, he pushed her away and scrambled to his feet, fury boiling in his veins. He snarled,
The maid hid behind a stone pillar, watching as Aphrodite walked out the door and slipped into her car before driving off. Her dark, beady eyes followed the vehicle until it was out of sight.Satisfied, she pulled a burner phone from her apron pocket and quickly typed a message: _She left, alone._After hitting send, she tucked the phone back into her pocket and returned to her duties, a satisfied smile playing on her lips. No one suspected a thing—she was just another maid, going about her work as if nothing had happened.Back at Elijah's hideout, he pulled out his burner phone as it vibrated with an incoming message. A slow, devious smile crept across his lips as he read the content sent by his pawn.It was a delight to see his long-awaited plan falling into place, and he couldn't wait to have her in his hands. She would be far more useful to him than she ever was to that pathetic excuse vermin of an Alpha she was mated to; he was certain of it.Elijah strolled into the holding cel
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,