Lahat ng Kabanata ng Fated bonds: Her Cure, His Regret: Kabanata 1 - Kabanata 10

Ashley’s P.O.V. “Ashley? It’s you?” The tinge of shock in that shrill voice swiftly turned to anger as King Ralph’s wife, Sara, processed the sight before her. She growled at her husband. “What are you doing, Ralph?” King’s spouse seemed like the Moon Goddess’s help in this dire situation. I seized this opportunity and freed myself from the dumbstruck king’s hold, kneeling on the floor. “Please save me, my Queen. He was forcing himself on me.” My truth was countered by King Ralph’s claim, he spluttered. “This lowly maid threw herself on me, Sara. You know I only love you!” It was a well-known fact that King Ralph was a womanizer, sleeping around despite being married. He was hiding his true face behind the happy marriage’s façade. I was certain that Sara would confront her husband; however, the one eighty-degree change in her attitude took me aback. She directed her rage at me and hollered. “How dare you dream about my mate, slut?” Sara’s false accusati

Ashley’s P.O.V. I drifted in and out of consciousness, unable to make sense of the voices around me. It was like someone was screaming at the top of his lungs to keep me awake. But the warmth of darkness lured me into sleeping, embracing my wounded existence. “The patient is weak, malnourished, and traumatized. How is she alive?” These incoherent murmurs resounded in my ears as I woke up to softness slowly. The smell of medicines and bleach in the air immediately made me aware of my surroundings. I was in the hospital. But how? The medical facilities were nonexistent in rogue packs; injuries were the sign of weakness there. So, after years of cold and rot, how could I be in a proper hospital? My eyelids fluttered, heavy as stone, but the fluorescent light over my face stabbed into my skull like a blade. I jerked up, trying to sit and check my surroundings. But the pain tearing through my bones was sharp enough to make me gasp. My head spun as the pieces of memories came

Ashley's P.O.V. The honesty of Vincenzo’s tone directly hit my heart. But I couldn’t react to this unexpected situation as the cold seeping through my fevered skin made me shiver. My every nerve felt raw, as if I had been dragged naked over the snow. It was the first time I felt like dying from pain. Desperate for a moment of relief, I curled closer to the only source of heat beside me. A whimper escaped my mouth as I tried to move. Vincenzo saw me struggling and instantly wrapped his arm around my waist, careful but firm, grounding me against the storm of pain. His warm scent of pinewood filled my lungs, reminding me of that maddening undertone of musk I had missed for five years. “I am here!” He whispered hoarsely, “I swear I won’t let you go through this alone.” I let out a breath that shook. “You already did!” The mention of that brutal rejection wasn’t to hurt him, but a reminder to myself that whatever this was, it was dangerous. That breakup had left deep wounds

Ashley’s P.O.V. The sharpness of that feminine voice cut through my heart, but I didn’t have to turn to recognize her. Vincenzo got up right away, lowering his head a bit. “Good morning, mom.” Rose Anderson, Vincenzo’s mother, and the Luna of the Eastern Garden’s Pack stood in the doorway, dressed in slate-gray silk. Her mouth curled in a smile that didn’t reach her eyes. She moved into the dining room like a queen returning to court. Her gaze flicked to Lilly in Vincenzo’s arm, then to me, lingering with disdain. “I should have known that you’d find your way back, like a weed between cracks.” Rose’s voice was smooth, yet her each word was a needle stabbing in my chest. As she didn’t consider her son’s greetings and addressed me directly, I straightened my spine. “I am only a maid here, Luna.” Rose laughed, soft and bitter. “Is that what you guys are calling it now?” She stepped closer, narrowing her eyes. “You were rejected and banished, Ashley Miller. This man

Ashley’s P.O.V. “What?” I stumbled a step backwards as an involuntary gasp spilled my lips. Vincenzo’s bizarre command shifted the ground below me. Wrapping my arms around my body protectively, I asked him. “Why are you giving me such an odd order?” Standing beside the window, Vincenzo was here like he had every right to be. He stuffed his hands in his pockets and turned his head towards me, appearing perplexed. “It’s simple. What’s wrong with my command?” Goddess, how could he say that with a straight face? Taking a deep breath, I tried to calm my racing heart. It was so difficult to point out the obvious for more elaboration. “You are ... asking me to strip? Why?” Vincenzo raised his brow. “So, what? Do you shower with your clothes on?” Well, it was my turn to be hell embarrassed as his statement jogged my memory. “You need to take a medicinal bath daily before bed. Don’t you remember what’s written on the prescription?” My cheeks burned as I lower