1

ASHER POV

I felt the chill of the night seep into my bones as I stood motionless in my dark room, gazing out the open window. The moon was concealed behind the clouds, leaving the sky a vast void that mirrored the emptiness in my soul.

"Kiara, Kiara, where are you?" I whispered as I gazed at the dark sky still. The moon was hiding, just like she was. I felt a tear roll down my cheek, but I quickly wiped it away. I had to be strong for her and us. I couldn't let anyone see me break down. I had to find her, no matter what.

 

She was my mate, my soulmate, and the love of my life. She was everything to me, and I was nothing without her. Her eyes that sparkled like emerald still hunt me in my sleep each night, and those freckles on her cheeks where the stars that light up my life.

Kiara has the most beautiful smile I had ever beheld, and my love for her surpassed everything else in this world. However, she was gone; she was whisked away from me by an unknown force. I was left without any inkling of her whereabouts or the reason behind her sudden disappearance.

 

They said she was dead, but I didn't believe them. I knew she was alive somewhere, waiting for me to rescue her. I could feel her in my veins, in my mind, and in my soul. She was an extended part of me, and I would never give up on her. She was my Luna, my moon, and I would do anything to see her melt my heart with her smiles again.

 

I was so lost in my thoughts that I didn't hear the door open until it was too late. I turned swiftly around and saw Scarlett, the red-haired woman who had been keeping me company in Kiara's absence.

She was aware of the situation. She knew that I didn’t love her and that my only interest in her was sexual. Despite this, she claimed to be okay with it.

 

"Hey, Asher. How are you feeling?" She asked, walking towards me.

 

"I'm fine," I lied, turning away to hid my tears.

 

She wrapped her arms around me, pressing her body against mine. "You don't have to be alone, you know. I'm here for you."

 

I sighed, feeling a stab of guilt in my chest. Scarlet was a nice person, but she was not Kiara. She was just a distraction, a way to cope with the pain. She knew that, and yet she stayed with me.

 

"Scarlet, please. Not now," I said, gently pushing her away.

 

She pouted but did not insist. "Fine. But can we at least talk? You've been so quiet lately."

 

I shook my head. "There's nothing to talk about."

 

She frowned, yet refrained from arguing, aware of my stubborn nature. Releasing her hold on me, she moved towards the sofa and perched on the edge. Her eyes, filled with hope, were fixed on me, silently inviting me to join her.

 

My bed was off-limits. Kiara was the only woman I had ever lay with on that bed, and I intended to keep it that way. Scarlet knew better than to even glance at the sheets, let alone lie on them.

 

I followed her reluctantly. I sat down on the sofa as she dropped to her knees, facing me. She snuggled up to me, resting her hand on my waistband as she slowly undid it. Her touch ignited a feeling in me, arousing both me and my wolf.

Scarlet might not have access to my heart, but she had full control over my body. She knew exactly how to manipulate my desires, compelling me to do things for her. Her warm, succulent lips nibbled on my skin, trailing wet kisses across my bare chest.

 

She inched lower, her hand hovering across my stiff erection. I growled under my breath, noticing the little devilish smile on her face as she grab my shaft and squeezed slightly.

“Scarlet!” I warned, not sure I was in the mood for her teasing.

 

“Shhhhh, relax, Asher. Let me take care of you, just like always.”

 

I mentally forced myself to relax as I felt her warm lips wrapped around my tip before taking me in completely. A pleasurable moan escaped my mouth. “Yes, Asher. Just relax”

 

For a moment, I could only imagine my sweet Kiara in her place, but the case would have been reversed. It would have been me, kneeling before her as I ate her up over and over again while she moaned and squirmed in my grasp.

 

Scarlet continued to suck me off as much as she could, but my mind was far from accepting all of it. It felt wrong and disgusting, but I needed the distraction. It was better than gulping down alcohol.

 

"I love you, Asher," she whispered.

 

I closed my eyes, feeling a surge of anger. How dare she say that? She didn’t love me. She couldn’t love me. No one could love me except Kiara.

 

I opened my eyes, grabbing at her hand and pausing her movement. "What did you just say?."

 

She looked hurt, but I remained indifferent. "I do love you, Asher,” she said. “I know you better than anyone else does. I understand that you’re in pain, and I want to help you through it."

 

I pushed Scarlet away and sprang back to my feet. "You can’t help me, Scarlet. No one can," I said, pausing to swallow hard. "The only person who could have helped me was Kiara, and she’s gone."

 

"She's not gone, Asher. She's dead. You have to accept that."

 

"Don't you ever say that! She's not dead! She's alive, and I will find her!"

 

"Please, Asher. It's been six months. You can't keep doing this to yourself. You need to move on." Scarlet reached out to touch my shoulder, but I shrugged her off.

 

“Don’t touch me,” I snapped, my voice cold and harsh. “Don’t you dare dictate what I need to do. You can’t understand. You have no idea what it’s like to lose your mate, your soulmate, your everything”

 

Scarlet flinched, but she didn't back away. She was persistent; I had to give her that. She had been by my side since Kiara disappeared, offering me her support and comfort. She was a good friend, maybe more than that. But she was not Kiara. No one could ever replace Kiara.

 

“I know, Asher. I know you love her. I know you miss her. But you have to face the truth. She’s gone. She’s not coming back. Yet, you’re still here. You’re still alive. You have a life to live, a pack to lead, and a future to build. You can’t let her go, can you?”

 

I clenched my fists, a surge of anger and frustration coursing through me. How could she say that? How could she expect me to let go of the one person who completed me? How could she ask me to forget the one person who gave my life purpose?

 

"She's not gone. She's still alive. I can feel it. I can feel her in my heart, in my mind, and in my soul. She's out there, somewhere, and I'm going to find her. I'm not giving up on her. I'm not giving up on us."

 

Scarlet sighed, shaking her head. She looked at me with a mix of sadness and disbelief. "Asher, you're deluding yourself. You're holding on to a false hope. You're wasting your time and your life. You need to accept reality. You need to let her go."

 

I turned to face her, my eyes blazing with fury. "No, I will never let her go. I refuse to accept reality because it feels like a lie. It’s a nightmare—a hell without her. I won’t live in that hell, and I won’t let you or anyone else drag me into it. Do you hear me? Do you understand?"

 

Scarlet nodded, tears streaming down her face. Her expression was one of defeat, as if she had given up on me. "I hear you, Asher. I understand you,’ she said. “But I don’t agree with you. I don’t believe you’re doing the right thing. I don’t think you’re being fair to either yourself or me."

 

She paused, taking a deep breath. She wiped her tears and composed herself. She looked at me with a determined look, as if she had made a decision. "But I'm not going to argue with you anymore. I'm not going to try to change your mind. I'm not going to force you to do anything you don't want to do. I'm going to respect your choice, even if I don't agree with it."

 

She walked past me, heading towards the door. She opened it and turned to look at me one last time. She gave me a sad smile and said, "Goodbye, Asher. I hope you find what you're looking for. I hope you find your happiness. I hope you find your Kiara."

 

She left, closing the door behind her. I was alone again, in the silence of my room. I felt a pang of guilt and a twinge of regret.

 

I dropped to my knees, a wave of despair washing over me. I let out a heart-wrenching wail, pleading to the heavens for Kiara’s forgiveness. I was tormented by the guilt of not being there to protect her when she needed me most.

 

The pain was unbearable, but it was a burden I had to bear, a punishment for my failure. I deserved to suffer and die.

 

But I could not die. Living to find Kiara and bring her back was the only thing that kept me going—it was the only thing that mattered.

 

I crawled to the window, looking at the sky. I prayed silently, hoping that Kiara could hear me and that she could feel me but all I got was silence.