Chapter 4: The Possession

The knock on Alpha Asher’s bedroom door came at exactly 8:00am, sharp and urgent.

Luna woke with a start, her heart pounding. She was still in Alpha Asher’s bed, wrapped in his clothes and his scent, and for a moment she forgot everything that had happened. Forgot the rejection. Forgot the pregnancy. Forgot the danger they were in.

Then the door opened and Alpha Asher walked in, dressed in a black fitted suit that made him look more powerful and dangerous than ever. His dark hair was perfectly styled, his gray eyes were cold and alert, and his jaw was set in a hard line.

Alpha Asher stopped when he saw Luna sitting up in bed, her dark hair a mess around her shoulders, wearing his white dress shirt that hung loosely on her small frame. The shirt came down to her knees, and the top two buttons were undone, revealing a glimpse of pale skin and the faint curve of her collarbone.

Alpha Asher’s eyes darkened and his jaw clenched. His wolf stirred inside him, possessive and protective and wanting to mark what was his.

“Luna,” Alpha Asher said quietly, his voice rougher than he intended. “You shouldn’t be sitting up. The doctor said you need bed rest.”

Luna pulled the blanket tighter around her shoulders, suddenly feeling exposed and vulnerable. “I couldn’t sleep anymore,” she said quietly, avoiding his gaze. “And I need to talk to you.”

Alpha Asher walked to the side of the bed and sat down on the edge, close enough that Luna could feel the heat radiating from his body. “What is it, Luna?” he asked quietly, his voice softening slightly when he saw the worry in her gray eyes.

“The pack,” Luna said quietly, looking up at him. “They’re going to find out about the pregnancy soon. What are we going to do when they do?”

Alpha Asher’s jaw clenched and his eyes flashed red for a moment before he regained control. “We’ll handle it together, Luna,” he said quietly but firmly. “I won’t let anyone hurt you or our child.”

Luna nodded slowly and looked down at her hands. “I’m scared, Alpha,” she admitted quietly, her voice trembling. “I’m scared of what they’ll say. I’m scared of what they’ll do.”

Alpha Asher reached out and gently took Luna’s hand in his, his thumb brushing across her knuckles in a soothing motion. Luna’s breath caught in her throat at the contact, and she looked up at him in surprise.

“I know you’re scared, Luna,” Alpha Asher said quietly, his gray eyes intense and serious. “But you don’t have to be scared anymore. Not while I’m here. Not while you’re under my protection.”

Luna stared at him, and for a moment she saw something in his eyes that made her heart race. Something that looked almost like tenderness. Like care. Like love.

“Thank you, Alpha,” Luna said quietly, her voice barely above a whisper.

Alpha Asher nodded once and released her hand, standing up from the bed. “Eat breakfast, Luna,” he said quietly, gesturing to the tray on the bedside table. “Then rest. The doctor will be back this afternoon.”

Luna nodded and watched as Alpha Asher walked toward the door. Just as he reached it, he stopped and turned back to look at her.

“Luna,” Alpha Asher said quietly, his voice serious. “Stay in this room. Don’t go out. Don’t talk to anyone. The pack is already starting to talk, and I don’t want you hearing the rumors.”

Luna nodded silently and watched as Alpha Asher walked out of the room, closing the door softly behind him.

The moment the door closed, Luna let out the breath she’d been holding. She looked down at her hand, where Alpha Asher’s thumb had brushed against her skin, and felt a warmth spread through her chest that had nothing to do with the fever.

Luna shook her head and tried to focus on eating breakfast. She needed to keep her strength up. Not just for herself, but for the baby.

As Luna ate the warm oatmeal and drank the herbal tea, her mind kept replaying the way Alpha Asher had looked at her this morning. The way his eyes had darkened when he saw her in his shirt. The way his hand had felt when he held hers.

Luna tried to ignore the flutter in her chest and the warmth spreading through her body. She couldn’t afford to feel this way about Alpha Asher. Not after what he’d done to her. Not after he’d rejected her in front of the entire pack.

But the mate bond didn’t care about her pride. The mate bond didn’t care about her hurt. The mate bond was still there, faint but persistent, pulling at her heart and making her want things she shouldn’t want.

Luna finished breakfast and lay back down on the bed, pulling the blankets up to her chin. She closed her eyes and tried to sleep, but sleep wouldn’t come.

Her mind kept racing with thoughts of Alpha Asher. Thoughts of his touch. Thoughts of his voice. Thoughts of the way he’d protected her in the forest.

Luna sighed and rolled onto her side, facing away from the door. She needed to get her emotions under control. She needed to remember that Alpha Asher had rejected her. That he didn’t love her. That he was only protecting her because of the baby.

But even as she told herself that, Luna couldn’t deny the way her heart beat faster whenever Alpha Asher was near. Couldn’t deny the way her body responded to his touch. Couldn’t deny the way she felt safe and protected when she was in his arms.

Luna closed her eyes and took a deep breath, trying to calm her racing heart. She needed to focus on the baby. She needed to focus on surviving this pregnancy. She couldn’t afford to fall for Alpha Asher again.

Because if she did, and he rejected her again, it might kill her this time.

Two hours later, the door opened again and Alpha Asher walked in, this time carrying a stack of books and a tablet.

Luna sat up in bed and looked at him in surprise. “What are you doing here, Alpha?” she asked quietly, her voice still hoarse from sleep.

Alpha Asher walked to the side of the bed and set the books and tablet down on the bedside table. “I thought you might be bored,” he said quietly, his gray eyes softening when he saw Luna’s confused expression. “So I brought you some books to read and a tablet so you can watch movies.”

Luna stared at him, stunned. No one had ever brought her books before. No one had ever thought about whether she was bored or lonely or scared.

“Thank you, Alpha,” Luna said quietly, her voice filled with genuine gratitude. “That’s… very kind of you.”

Alpha Asher nodded once and sat down on the edge of the bed again. “You don’t have to call me Alpha when we’re alone, Luna,” he said quietly. “You can call me Asher.”

Luna’s eyes widened in shock. “I… I can’t do that, Asher,” she said quietly, using his name for the first time and feeling her cheeks heat up at how natural it felt on her tongue. “You’re my Alpha. I have to show you respect.”

Asher’s lips curved into a small smile, and Luna’s heart skipped a beat at the sight. She’d never seen him smile before. Not really. Not like this. Not with warmth and affection in his eyes.

“You can show me respect in other ways, Luna,” Asher said quietly, his voice low and intimate. “And I want you to feel comfortable with me. Especially now.”

Luna nodded slowly and looked down at her hands, trying to hide the blush that had spread across her cheeks. “Okay… Asher,” she said quietly, testing his name on her lips again.

Asher’s eyes flashed with something dark and possessive at the sound of his name on her lips, and Luna’s breath caught in her throat.

There was a moment of silence between them, heavy and charged with tension that neither of them knew how to address.

Finally, Asher cleared his throat and stood up from the bed. “I have pack business to attend to this morning,” he said quietly, his voice returning to its normal cold, authoritative tone. “But I’ll be back this afternoon to check on you.”

Luna nodded and watched as Asher walked toward the door. Just as he reached it, he stopped and turned back to look at her.

“Luna,” Asher said quietly, his voice serious. “If anyone bothers you. If anyone says anything to you. You come to me immediately. Do you understand me?”

Luna nodded silently and watched as Asher walked out of the room, closing the door softly behind him.

The moment the door closed, Luna let out a shaky breath and pressed her hand to her chest, feeling her heart racing.

Asher. She’d called him Asher. And it had felt right. It had felt natural. Like she’d been calling him that for years.

Luna closed her eyes and took a deep breath, trying to calm her racing heart. She needed to get her emotions under control. She needed to remember that this was complicated. That this was dangerous. That this could end badly for both of them.

But even as she told herself that, Luna couldn’t deny the way her body responded to Asher. Couldn’t deny the way she felt when he was near. Couldn’t deny the way she felt when he touched her.

Luna reached for one of the books on the bedside table and opened it, trying to distract herself from her thoughts. But her mind kept wandering back to Asher. Back to the way he’d looked at her this morning. Back to the way he’d said her name.

Luna sighed and closed the book, setting it aside. She couldn’t focus on reading. Not when her mind was full of thoughts of Asher.

Luna lay back down on the bed and closed her eyes, trying to sleep. But sleep wouldn’t come.

The afternoon passed slowly, and Luna spent most of it lying in bed, reading and resting as the doctor had instructed. The fever had broken, and she was starting to feel stronger, but the morning sickness was still there, making her stomach churn and her head spin.

Around 3:00pm, there was another knock on the door, and Dr. Williams walked in carrying his medical bag.

“Good afternoon, Luna,” Dr. Williams said kindly, setting his bag down on the bed. “How are you feeling today?”

Luna sat up in bed and smiled weakly at the doctor. “Better, thank you, Doctor,” she said quietly. “The fever is gone, and I’m not as dizzy anymore.”

Dr. Williams nodded and began his examination, checking Luna’s blood pressure and listening to her heart and lungs.

“The baby’s heartbeat is strong, Luna,” Dr. Williams said quietly, a small smile on his face. “Everything looks good so far. But you still need to rest and take it easy.”

Luna nodded and looked down at her stomach, where the doctor’s hand was resting. “Thank you, Doctor,” she said quietly. “For everything.”

Dr. Williams smiled and packed up his bag. “I’ll be back tomorrow to check on you again, Luna,” he said kindly. “And remember - if you feel any pain or discomfort, you call me immediately. Do you understand?”

Luna nodded and watched as Dr. Williams walked out of the room, closing the door softly behind him.

The moment the door closed, Luna let out a sigh of relief. The baby was healthy. The baby was safe. That was all that mattered right now.

Luna lay back down on the bed and closed her eyes, trying to rest. But sleep wouldn’t come. Her mind kept racing with thoughts of the future. Thoughts of the pack finding out about the pregnancy. Thoughts of Asher claiming her as his mate.

Luna sighed and rolled onto her side, facing away from the door. She needed to stop worrying. She needed to focus on the present. She needed to focus on keeping herself and the baby healthy.

The door opened again around 5:00pm, and Luna looked up to see Asher walking in, carrying a tray with dinner.

Luna sat up in bed and smiled at Asher, feeling her heart warm at the sight of him. “You didn’t have to bring me dinner, Asher,” she said quietly, her voice soft and gentle. “I could have gone to the kitchen.”

Asher set the tray down on the bedside table and sat down on the edge of the bed. “I know you could have, Luna,” he said quietly, his gray eyes softening when he looked at her. “But I wanted to.”

Luna stared at him, stunned by his words. No one had ever wanted to do anything for her before. No one had ever cared about her comfort or her well-being.

“Thank you, Asher,” Luna said quietly, her voice filled with emotion. “For everything.”

Asher nodded once and reached out, gently brushing a strand of hair away from Luna’s face. Luna’s breath caught in her throat at the contact, and she looked up at him in surprise.

Asher’s eyes darkened at the sight of Luna’s face, and his jaw clenched as he fought to maintain control over his wolf. Luna was beautiful. Even pale and tired and vulnerable, she was the most beautiful woman he’d ever seen.

“Luna,” Asher said quietly, his voice rough with emotion. “I need to tell you something.”

Luna looked up at him, her gray eyes filled with curiosity and a hint of fear. “What is it, Asher?” she asked quietly, her voice barely above a whisper.

Asher took a deep breath and let it out slowly, trying to find the right words. “The pack knows about the pregnancy now, Luna,” he said quietly, his voice serious. “The doctor told the beta, and the beta told the pack. It’s spreading through the packhouse like wildfire.”

Luna’s eyes widened in shock and fear. “What are they saying, Asher?” she asked quietly, her voice trembling. “What are they saying about me?”

Asher’s jaw clenched and his eyes flashed red with anger. “They’re saying you seduced me, Luna,” he said quietly, his voice low and dangerous. “They’re saying you used the pregnancy to trap me. They’re saying you’re not worthy of being my mate.”

Luna’s face went pale and tears welled up in her eyes. “That’s not true, Asher,” she said quietly, her voice shaking. “I would never do that. I would never try to trap you.”

Asher reached out and gently took Luna’s hand in his, squeezing it gently. “I know it’s not true, Luna,” he said quietly but firmly. “And I won’t let anyone say those things about you. Not while you’re under my protection.”

Luna stared at him, tears streaming down her face. “What are you going to do, Asher?” she asked quietly, her voice filled with fear and uncertainty. “What are you going to tell the pack?”

Asher’s expression hardened and his eyes flashed with determination. “I’m going to claim you as my mate, Luna,” he said quietly but firmly. “I’m going to claim you in front of the entire pack. And I’m going to make it clear that anyone who disrespects you will answer to me.”

Luna’s eyes widened in shock. “You can’t do that, Asher,” she said quickly, shaking her head. “The pack will riot. They’ll demand you step down.”

Asher’s lips curved into a small, dangerous smile. “Let them try, Luna,” he said quietly, his voice low and confident. “I’ve been Alpha for ten years. No one challenges me and survives.”

Luna stared at him, fear and admiration warring in her eyes. “You’re risking everything for me, Asher,” she said quietly, tears streaming down her face. “You’re risking your position. Your power. Your life.”

Asher reached out and gently wiped away Luna’s tears with his thumb. “You’re worth the risk, Luna,” he said quietly, his voice filled with emotion. “You and our child are worth everything.”

Luna closed her eyes and leaned into Asher’s touch, feeling safe and protected in a way she hadn’t felt in years. “Thank you, Asher,” she said quietly, her voice barely above a whisper. “Thank you for believing in me.”

Asher nodded once and pulled Luna into his arms, holding her tightly against his chest. Luna didn’t resist. She didn’t pull away. She just melted into his embrace, feeling safe and warm and loved for the first time in her life.

Asher held Luna tightly, breathing in her scent and feeling his wolf purr in satisfaction. Mine. Ours. Protected.

“I won’t let anyone hurt you, Luna,” Asher whispered into her hair, his voice rough with emotion. “I swear it on my wolf. On my pack. On my life.”

Luna closed her eyes and nodded, feeling tears streaming down her face. “I trust you, Asher,” she whispered back, her voice filled with emotion. “I trust you.”

Asher held Luna for a long moment, savoring the feeling of having her in his arms. Savoring the feeling of having her trust. Savoring the feeling of having her love, even if she wasn’t ready to admit it yet.

Finally, Asher released Luna and pulled back slightly, looking down at her face. “Eat dinner, Luna,” he said quietly, his voice soft and gentle. “You need to keep your strength up for the baby.”

Luna nodded and wiped away her tears, picking up the spoon and taking a small bite of the food. Asher watched her eat in silence, his gray eyes never leaving her face.

There was something between them now. Something that hadn’t been there before. Something that went beyond the mate bond. Something that went beyond duty and responsibility.

Something that looked almost like love.

Luna finished dinner and set the tray aside, feeling full and content for the first time in weeks. Asher picked up the tray and set it on the floor, then turned back to face Luna.

“Luna,” Asher said quietly, his voice serious. “I need to go to the pack meeting tonight. I need to address the pack about the pregnancy and about you.”

Luna’s eyes widened in fear. “What are you going to say, Asher?” she asked quietly, her voice trembling. “What are you going to tell them?”

Asher walked to the side of the bed and sat down, taking Luna’s hand in his. “I’m going to tell them the truth, Luna,” he said quietly but firmly. “That you are my mate. That you are carrying my child. And that anyone who disrespects you will face my wrath.”

Luna stared at him, fear and worry evident in her eyes. “Are you sure about this, Asher?” she asked quietly. “Are you sure you want to risk everything for me?”

Asher nodded once and squeezed Luna’s hand gently. “I’m sure, Luna,” he said quietly but firmly. “I’ve never been more sure of anything in my life.”

Luna nodded slowly and looked down at their joined hands. “Okay, Asher,” she said quietly. “Okay. I trust you.”

Asher leaned forward and gently kissed Luna’s forehead, his lips soft and tender against her skin. Luna’s breath caught in her throat and her heart raced at the contact.

“Rest, Luna,” Asher said quietly, standing up from the bed. “I’ll be back as soon as the meeting is over.”

Luna nodded and watched as Asher walked toward the door. Just as he reached it, he stopped and turned back to look at her.

“Luna,” Asher said quietly, his voice serious. “I love you.”

Luna’s eyes widened in shock and her heart stopped. “What?” she whispered, her voice barely audible.

Asher smiled softly and nodded once. “I love you, Luna,” he said quietly but firmly. “I’ve loved you since the moment I saw you at the mating ceremony. I just didn’t know how to admit it to myself.”

Luna stared at him, tears welling up in her eyes. “I… I don’t know what to say, Asher,” she whispered, her voice trembling with emotion.

Asher nodded once and smiled gently. “You don’t have to say anything, Luna,” he said quietly. “Not right now. Just know that I love you. And that I’ll spend the rest of my life proving it to you.”

With that, Asher turned and walked out of the room, closing the door softly behind him.

Luna lay there in bed, stunned and overwhelmed by Asher’s confession. She couldn’t believe what she’d just heard. She couldn’t believe that Alpha Asher Blackwood, the most powerful and feared Alpha in Colorado, loved her. Loved her, a wolfless omega who had nothing to offer him.

Luna closed her eyes and placed her hand over her heart, feeling it racing in her chest. She didn’t know what to feel. She didn’t know what to think. She didn’t know what to do.

But one thing was clear.

Luna Monroe was falling for Alpha Asher Blackwood.

And there was nothing she could do to stop it.