A Tempting deal

Malia

”Shut up! All of you!” Nina barked, her eyes locking onto mine with disbelief. Her grip on my collar tightened for a moment before she hesitated, glancing at Asher standing like a barrier between us. Finally, she released me. My knees buckled, but Asher caught me before I hit the floor.

His touch was steady, more comforting than expected. I didn't want to lean into him, but his firm arm held me up. His scent surrounded me, making it harder to stay angry. He set me upright, his grip lingering as our eyes briefly met, his hazel gaze softening.

“Everyone get out!” Asher's voice cut through the room, and within seconds, it cleared, leaving just the three of us.

Nina crossed her arms and glared at Asher. "You can’t be serious about her, Asher. A beta like her? You think this is funny, humiliating me like this when we were supposed to have a future together?!”

I froze. What future was she talking about?

“My parents mean well, but I can’t have you as my Luna. You’re a friend, not a lover.” Asher said, folding his hands while his uniform stretched over his muscular build.

Her eyes filled with tears. “Even if you don’t want to be with me, why her? Do you know how humiliating this is for me?”

“No one but our parents knows about our possible engagement. There's nothing to be embarrassed about,” Asher replied coolly.

“Still! Why her?!” Nina’s voice cracked.

Asher glanced at me. “I guess it just shows how much I hate the idea of being with you. I’d rather be with someone beneath your status than be with you.”

His words sliced through me like a blade. Even though I knew this was an act, hearing him say that he was doing this just to insult Nina was awful because I knew there was some truth in his words.

“You’re disgusting,” Nina spat. “The fact that you would do this just to hurt me is insane.” In an instant, her gaze shifted to me, filled with hatred. “You! You’re nothing but a pawn in his game. But you’ll still suffer for this.”

I opened my mouth to respond, but no words came out. Asher stepped closer to Nina, his voice dropping to a dangerous whisper. “Leave Malia alone, Nina. I won’t ask again. And if you so much as think about laying a hand on her again, I’ll make sure everyone knows all your dirty little secrets.”

Nina’s face drained of color, her eyes widening in shock. Whatever Asher knew, it was enough to terrify her. She blinked, biting her lip as though trying to hold back a retort, but in the end, she spun on her heel and stormed off without another word.

The silence that followed was thick and suffocating. I was still shaking, but now it was from the rage bubbling inside me. I turned to Asher, my hands clenched into fists.

“What the hell is wrong with you?” I snapped, my voice shaking with anger.

His eyes narrowed slightly like he hadn’t expected me to lash out. “What do you mean? I just saved you from getting your head bashed in,”

“Yeah, but you're only doing this because you want to keep using me to avoid marrying Nina!” I said, glaring at him, furiously. “Since the first day I met you, all you've done is to make my life worse!”

His jaw tightened, the calm façade cracking slightly. “Do I need to remind you that none of this would've happened if you never came in that room and asked me to kiss you to make your boyfriend jealous?!” He shot back. “If you want to blame anyone, blame yourself. I'm only trying to protect you!”

“Protect me?” I laughed bitterly. “You’re protecting yourself. You dragged me into worse lies without even asking me - at least I had the decency to ask you before I did anything crazy! Now everyone thinks I’m pregnant with your child - and you don’t even care how that affects me!”

His gaze softened, his eyes searching mine. “I do care, Malia.”

I was about to snap back, but the sincerity in his voice stopped me short. For the first time, he looked almost… vulnerable.

“It’s just that I really need this act of ours to work,” he continued, his voice lower now, almost pleading. “I’ll do anything to avoid marrying Nina.”

“Well, I’m done,” I said after a while of thinking, but my voice lacked its former bite. “I’m not playing along with this anymore. I’m telling everyone the truth.”

Asher’s gaze darkened, his expression hardening as he looked at me. “Malia, trust me. You don’t want want to do that. If this lie falls apart, the Lycans will turn on you. You’ll be finished here.”

He was right. As much as I hated to admit it, I couldn’t afford to let the truth come out. My survival here depended on this lie. But that didn’t mean I was going to let him off the hook.

“You don’t get to decide what I do,” I hissed. “I’m not your pawn.”

Asher stepped closer, his chest brushing mine. The heat of his body made my pulse quicken, and I could feel the tension blazing between us. “No, you’re not my pawn,” he whispered, his voice low and husky. “That’s why I’m offering you a deal.”

I swallowed, my heart racing as I looked at him. His proximity was making it hard to think straight. I could smell the faint scent of cedarwood on his skin, the warmth radiating from his body sending my thoughts into a whirlwind. “What kind of deal?”

“We keep up the act—the fake relationship, the pregnancy story—and I’ll help you with something you actually want…Revenge on Avan and Savannah.”

The mention of their names jolted me back to reality. Anger boiled within me, overpowering the attraction I felt toward Asher. “Revenge?”

His lips curved into a small, knowing smile, but his eyes were dark and calculating. “I can help you make them pay for what they did to you. Together, we can make them regret ever crossing you.”

My mind raced, torn between the desire to end this lie and the temptation he was offering. Asher’s hands slid around my waist, pulling me closer, and I was struck by how perfectly his body fit against mine. His lips grazed the sensitive skin of my neck, sending a jolt of electricity down my spine.

“What are you doing?” I asked, trying to steady my voice.

“Avan’s watching us,” he murmured, his breath warm against my ear. “Look.”

I turned slightly, my heart skipping a beat as I saw Avan lurking around the corner, his expression dark and furious. Asher’s hands tightened around my waist, and despite myself, I leaned into him, feeling the tension between us thicken.

“He’s jealous,” Asher whispered, his lips brushing my earlobe. “This is what you want, isn’t it?”

Asher’s hand slid up my back, his fingers teasing the nape of my neck. I swallowed hard, trying to keep my composure, but the feeling of his touch sent shivers through me. His lips grazed my skin again, and this time I couldn’t stop the quiet gasp that escaped my lips.

“Asher… I don't know if I can…” I mumbled, unable to form the sentence in my head. Asher's touch and kisses were consuming me.

Asher shifted, pressing himself closer. I could feel the hard muscles of his chest through his uniform, his heartbeat steady against mine. It was maddening, how close he was, how my body reacted to him despite everything.

“I can make him suffer,” Asher whispered, his lips brushing my jawline. “We can make them both pay. All you have to do is keep this up.”

“And what do you get out of this?” I asked, my voice barely above a whisper. I could feel my heart pounding in my chest, betraying my growing interest in what he was offering.

“I get to avoid a future with Nina,” he said bluntly, his lips moving down to my shoulder, trailing soft, teasing kisses along the way. “And I get to show everyone that I’m in control of my own life. So Malia, what's it gonna be?”

Just as he leaned in to kiss me again, a loud thud echoed from the corner. We both turned to see Avan stumbling to the floor, his face red with anger and humiliation. His eyes were locked on me and Asher, filled with a mix of rage and something else - something that looked like regret.

“See?” he murmured, his voice a low rumble. “He’s losing it.”

I glanced back at Avan. His fists were clenched at his sides, his face twisted with fury and frustration. The sight of him like that stirred something inside me—something I hadn’t realized was still there. A bitter satisfaction mixed with the intoxicating feeling of Asher’s hands on my body.

“We’ve already got him on edge. Say something, Malia,” Asher urged, his voice low as Avan stormed out.

I watched Avan disappear, my thoughts swirling. I had loved him for so long, even before he became my mate. But after he cheated on me, I wanted revenge so badly and used Asher to satisfy my anger. Now my life was a mess.

What if agreeing to continue down this path was just another mistake? The thrill was undeniable, but was it worth it? Was this the right choice?

Asher released me, his eyes locked on mine, waiting for my answer. I knew what I was going to say, but I wasn’t sure which was worse—saying yes or no.

I met his gaze and finally said…