A loud kick against the door and the gates fell open. Mr. Wulfric barged into the Rhys compound. Parking his car with a loud screech, He stepped down along with his wife and daughter.
It surprised the guards to see what was going on. 'Was he chased?' They pulled back in dismay.
"Where is he?" A masculine voice thundered.
Asher came out of his room into the living room, stunned at Mr. Wulfric's action. They were close to an extent. Why the misunderstanding?
"We don't need understanding because you are a chameleon! A reptile!"
"What are you talking about?" Asher looked more puzzled.
"You mean you don't know? The gods made us half human, half beast. But it seems you're completely a beast because how can one be two-faced?"
"But father-in-law, we don't quarrel the last time we met. We had an understanding." Asher made it clear.
"Don't call me father-in-law! I'm not interested in being your father-in-law."
Just then, Amaya Rhys, Asher's mother, stepped into the living room. She was having a nap in her room when she heard the noise.
"Mr. Wulfric, what happened? You sound so disturbed?" Amaya frowned.
"I came to report your son to you, Mrs. Rhys!"
She looked confused at both of them. Then Benita and Lilah calmly walked in.
"What happened?" She asked Asher, and she gave an empty look. "I do not know."
"Asher claimed he loved Asena, my daughter. And barely a few months after she died, you went to lie with her sister and got her pregnant!"
"Ah!" Amaya exclaimed, placing a hand on her head in confusion. "Oh my God! How did that happen?!"
"Ask your son!" Rafael snapped at her. Pissed at both of them.
Asher turned to Lilah who was still behind her mum, and she looked away. His heart shattered at the news. But he realized she was holding the tears back. She must have cried a lot by the redness of her face.
"Do you sleep with Lilah? Tell me it's a lie! Knowing the position you hold within this territory! How do you expect others to react?"
"It.... It was a mistake." He tried explaining, but Rafael cut into his words aggressively.
"Don't tell me it was a mistake! I trusted you, knowing you were a good leader in our pack. You are someone of honor, but you've brought shame and disgrace to my family. You don't deserve any respect.... All I want is for you to make the proper rites. Marry her and take this shame off our faces!" He hissed and turned his back to him. Leaving in disappointment.
"What you did was wrong... Who would have thought that you would have been so heartless? I'm leaving this case to you, Mrs Rhys. What would you have done in my position?" Benita asked before walking away with her husband.
Lilah stood there, lost for words. She looked up at Asher and a solemn tear rolled down her eyes. As if she wanted to say something. It still pissed her about how he humiliated her in front of her parents a month ago.
And now, this.
"Lilah!" Benita turned back to her daughter. Let us go. "Or do you want to marry him already?"
She nodded her head negatively and looked at both mother and son before walking away with her parents.
"What have you done?" His mum gestured with open arms and a plastered face. A lot was going through her mind at that moment.
"It was a mistake... I did not know. I just woke up, knowing I'd done something wrong." Asher rumbled under his breath. "I wanted to tell you but... It meant nothing. I wanted it to pass. All of it."
"What are you saying? That you were forced or charmed? How did it happen and when?"
"When you traveled." he wanted to explain but stopped because of the sudden shame that clouded his face.
Asher slowly walked away but stopped in between, staring back at his mother. He looked so heartbroken seeing himself in the state. She deserved better.
"You didn't just disgrace yourself. You disgraced our whole family. I've never felt so defeated in my entire life and right now... You leave me speechless at who you truly are. Who are you, Asher? And what do you plan to achieve by sleeping with Asena's sister?"
Amaya queried him as the news dampened her spirit.
Asher looked at his mother, his lips mumbled difficultly under his breath. "Nothing...I did not know."
Amaya placed a hand on her chest and sadly walked back into her room. She looked so hurt and miserable. Screaming was pointless.
Trying to calm down, an infuriating sigh escaped Asher's lips. He just walked into his room. Shutting the door at himself.
Closing the door behind his back, Asher placed his head against the door in confusion. His muscled hands held onto his head as he closed his eyes. Trying to remember what had happened that day, but nothing came. Instead, a thought clouded his mind.
Everything about her was perfect. The sheer softness of her brown, silky hair running through his hands felt like water running through a stream. The feel of her lips on his was just like the first one they both shared.
Asena and Asher grew up as childhood friends, then lovers. Asher loved the way she didn't want to do this and how she passionately kissed. He gently leaned against her lips and he could sense this was what she wanted, not needed.
The pressure of her lips was pushing him slowly towards the edge of the couch. Her skin was cool, like the air on an early morning walk.
"I love you so much, Asena." He muttered under his breath, but she pulled away, knowing she was about to fall off the couch.
Asher grabbed her arm and pulled her into the dark corner because that was where it was about to get even better.
"Oh, mate... You're so naughty. You won't let me go." Asher heard her moan.
All he was focused on was her beautiful body. He dragged her arm towards the corner while still caressing her shoulders and neck. Dabbing her against the white-painted wall.
Lilah pulled away to tell Asher something, but he just held her and pressed his full lips against hers, even harder to silence whatever she was trying to say.
"I don't even know at this point. It's so overwhelming I can't remember what I was going to say." Asher told her. "All I can think about is how much I've missed you. Everything about you and, of course, your food and presence. Let's get married by month's end." He opened his alluring eyes as she pulled away.
Asher's words stunned her. "What? Do you mean it?"
"Yes... We are adults now. Let's get married. What do you say?" His eyes glittered into hers. Earnest about what he just said.
"Yes! Yes, Asher..." Asena pulled him in a tight hug as tears of joy welled up in her honey-brown eyes. "I love you."
"I love you too." He replied to her with a kiss and she pulled out of it.
"What's it? Is something wrong?" Asher pulled in, closely listening to her racing heartbeats.
"No, nothing. It's just that... We'll have to wait until after they complete our bonding process."
"Ugh... Fine." Asher huffed. A genuine smirk spread across his lips as he watched her.
"You've waited for forever. What is waiting a month for you?" she held him in a gentle hug, then placed her hands on his bare chest. "Don't worry, mate. We will get married and nothing will drag me away from you except destiny. Nothing."
"Not even destiny." Asher interfered, but she shushed him with another kiss.
Waking from the thought. Asher pursed his lips. Clenching his fists into tight balls. Trying as he might, but could not contain himself. A single tear lingered in his eyes. Holding back the tears, he walked towards his majestic bed.
"I still love you, Asena. Where is your love?" Asher muttered to himself amidst the awkward silence of the room.
A burning sensation filled his lungs as he fell back to bed. And this time, he couldn't hold it. More tears lingered in his eyes.
Lilah was on her bed when Eliana paid her a visit home. They haven't met for a while and Lilah hasn't been able to go out because she got pregnant with her sister's mate.
"It's okay, Lee. Stop crying. Stop beating yourself up on this issue because feeling guilty would not solve this issue. The deed has already been done. Stop tying up yourself and this and move on with life. We know it was unplanned but there's nothing anyone can do about it. You can't change the hands of time and destiny, please..."
Lilah sniffed silently and turned her gaze to her friend. "I wanted to end the pregnancy, but my dad said he would disown me. The members of our hierarchical were-pack have sent my parents out of our pack. And they'll have to close their restaurant and quit their jobs. This betrayal threatens Asher's position. I can't even face him right now." Lilah explained, leaving the tears to roll freely while sitting upright.
"You don't understand, Elie. I've betrayed myself, my sister, my family, my pack, and, most of all, my mate. My parents haven't said a word to me in days. They're so disappointed, I can't eat or sleep."
"Oh, goodness. You need to stop doing this to yourself. This wasn't intentional, make them understand. If both of you weren't drunk, this wouldn't have happened. Perhaps you did not know that there was wolfsbane in the drink, so why would they blame you?"
Lilah nibbled on her lower lip to stop it from quivering. She heaved softly on her breath, thinking about it.
"Don't kill yourself on this issue, please. Difficult times will come and pass." she pleaded.
"Really?" Lilah wiped her tears, sitting up.
"Trust me. You'll overcome this." Eliana assured.
"Then what happens to Conan? I mean, how do I explain things to my mate? That I got pregnant with my late sister's man?" Lilah paused, listening to her words. She never expected things to go this bad.
"How do I face him? How am I going to tell Conan that I'm carrying a child for another man? I hate myself for being so stupid!" More tears spilled from the side of her eyes.
"It's okay... You can't keep it away from him forever. Eventually, you will have to face him and tell him. You guys have been my couple's crush, but I'm sure Conan will understand. The longer you keep it away from him, the more he's going to feel betrayed."
A great tremor overtook Lilah as she imagined Conan's reaction. They've been through a lot together... This would break his heart. It would shatter him more than Asher, who lost his mate.
Eliana felt water creep out of her eyes as her mouth went salty-watery. Her friend's story is so unfortunate. Eliana couldn't help but break down in tears too but she sniffled softly. She wiped away the tears immediately, hiding it from her friend with a soft cuddle.
Lilah held onto Eliana's shoulder as a flood of grief poured out of her in the form of uncontrollable tears.
'How do I prove my love to Conan? How do I tell him I still care?'
Asena and Asher