14. Asher

Chapter fourteen

Asher

As I waited in the garden for Tayla, I gritted my teeth. How could she leave the castle without guards, ignoring my warnings? Each minute felt like an eternity, my anger simmering barely beneath the surface.

The memory of her previous disappearance haunted me. Seeing her disobey me ignited a fiery rage I couldn’t extinguish. I could almost imagine burning the guards for allowing her to leave without my consent.

Storming out of the garden, I made my way to the entrance of the castle, where two guards stood.

“Alpha Asher,” the guards said, bowing their heads. All I could feel right now was anger and the urge to tear them apart.

“Which of you had prepared the carriage for Tayla?” I asked, and one of the guards quickly knelt down in front of me.

“Al….. Alpha Asher, please don't kill me,” he pleaded, rubbing his hands together. “I did not know she wasn’t allowed to leave.”

In one swift motion, I drew the sword from his belt and pressed it against his neck. The guard remained silent, head bowed, awaiting his fate.

"How could you let her leave without my permission?" I demanded.

Without hesitation, I swung the sword, severing his head from his body. I felt the splash of his blood on my face. I dropped the sword and removed a kerchief from my coat pocket to wipe it off. A gasp echoed through the air as his body thudded to the ground.

As I turned, I saw Tayla and a maid standing before me. Their shock was evident as they stared at me with widened eyes.

“You!” I bellowed. My eyes moved to the maid, who was now shaking in fear.

“You killed him,” Tayla said, taking a step backward.

I turned to the other guard, who was still standing there.

“Lock her up in the dungeon,” I ordered, pointing toward the maid.

“What….. No…. No…. Don’t take her,” Tayla tried to block the guard from taking her, but I grabbed her wrist and pulled her into the castle with me.

“Wh–where are you taking me to? Let go of me!” she yelled, pulling herself back. “Asher, what is wrong with you? You killed a guard and locked a beloved maid in the dungeon? Why? Explain yourself!”

But I was consumed by rage, and Tayla's egging me on only fueled it further. As she pulled away, I turned with furrowed brows, my frustration evident.

“Don’t come closer,” she warned, taking a step backward.

I hissed in anger and grabbed her wrist again. I pulled her upstairs. I was firm but knew I wasn’t physically hurting her.

With a push of the door, I ushered her inside, my expression stern.

Her cheek flushed with embarrassment at being so easily navigated. She pleaded, “Release the maid. Release her now, Asher!”

"Neither of you will be released until I say so," I asserted.

“This is wrong, and you know it!" she cried out, her voice trembling. "No wonder everyone sees you as a monster; no wonder there’re afraid of you. Thank you for instilling that fear in me, too."

At her words, I locked the door and stormed to my chambers. Sinking into the bed, I closed my eyes to calm myself down. Taking a deep breath, it didn't take long before I fell into a disturbed sleep.

In a dream, I saw myself standing in front of Tayla's room, pushing the door open only to find it empty, the bed neatly made as though untouched. Panic gripped me…coursed through my veins as I searched the room frantically.

My eyes landed on a small parchment paper resting on the table. With trembling hands, I reached for it, unfolding the note. The words blurred before me, cutting through my heart like a sharp knife.

Dear Asher,

"I can't stay here any longer. Living under the same roof with you has become unbearable. Each day, you grow colder and more brutal toward me.

Worse, I've regained my memories. I remember the pain and torture I endured from you. I can't continue pretending you didn’t steal my freedom.

I deserve better, and the pack deserves peace—and a compassionate Alpha. So, I've made the decision to leave the Celoria pack, far away from you. You won't see me again, and please, don't try to find me."

Goodbye Asher.

Tayla.

I crumbled the letter into a ball and threw it across the room.

I jolted out of sleep, breathing heavily. My eyes moved around the room looking for the balled up piece of paper. It had just been a dream. What kind of dream was that? It was horrible.

Did Tayla really see me as a monster? Shaking the thoughts out of my head, I got out of bed and made my way to her room.

I didn’t even bother to knock as I unlocked the door and walked inside to see her sitting on the edge of the bed, freshly changed into a soft aubergine dress and cloak.

"Tayla," I whispered, feeling a sharp pain in my chest. Her eyes were swollen, evidence of tears shed throughout the night.

The events of last night replayed in my mind, a harsh reminder of the monster I had become. She was right, wasn’t she? Despite my changed appearance, deep down, I knew this was who I truly was. It dawned on me that while I relished being feared by others, seeing Tayla afraid of me brought no satisfaction, only remorse.

Before I could take a step forward, she raised her hand to stop me from going further.

“Go!”

“Tayla…”

"Just leave me alone," she pleaded, her hand still raised defensively. "I can't endure this pain any longer. I'm tired of your behavior," she continued, her voice heavy with anguish. "Just yesterday, you killed a guard because I was late, and you imprisoned my maid!" Her words pierced through me, each one a reminder of my cruelty.

I saw the hurt in her eyes and heard the pain in her voice. Yet, despite it all, I couldn't bear to let her go, not after everything. I loved her. Needed her.

"If your intentions are for good, then why don’t you release me to someone else who will cherish me?" she implored, tears threatening to spill from her burning eyes.

Go to another man? I felt my anger rise up again. Never in my entire life would I allow Tayla to go to another man. She should be ready to see the head of that man then chopped off as well. But I also felt…sadness.

“Don’t tell me you are planning to leave?” I asked.

Seeing her lack of a response, I gritted my teeth angrily before deciding to take a breath and calm down. Instead, I approached her and wrapped my arms around her body.

“Let go of me now!” she screamed, fighting and kicking me. We fell down on the bed, but I didn’t move an inch from her. I continued to hold her down, though now it felt more playful and loving than angry.

“I am not letting you escape from my sight,” I frowned, leaning closer. I pressed my lips over hers.

I kissed her lips sweetly and tried to slip my tongue into her mouth. I could feel her body slowly succumbing to the kiss. Even though her mind didn’t want to agree to it, her body was slowly giving in.

Before I knew it, she pushed me away, her eyes burning with anger again.

“Tayla,” I called out, but she turned her head away from mine.

Seeing her hurt and sorrow made my heart clench with agony as if a knife were piercing through it. Her pain was palpable, and I couldn't bear to see her like this. I knelt down before her.

"Tayla, you must understand that my love for you surpasses anything in this world. When I look into your eyes, I envision a future for us, with children by our side," I confessed, laying bare my heart's desire. "No matter that you perceive me as a cold monster, I can’t let you go, we were meant to be together. I know you feel that too."

I leaned closer, turning her head to the side and pressing a kiss to her forehead.

“I could never get tired of looking at your beautiful face. I adore you. I love you. I know sometimes I can be mean and stubborn, but I love you,” I said.

I saw her slowly lift her head, her face soaked with tears.

"For years before I met you, I believed I was incapable of love. I thought my heart would remain frozen until old age. But since the day I met you, you've begun to thaw the ice around my chest. Your warmth is slowly melting away the coldness within me," I confessed softly.

“But you killed a guard,” she said firmly.

My eyes darkened. “He failed in his duty by letting you leave. He had to be punished.”

“No…. No … I snuck out of the castle. I didn't have permission from anyone,” she shook her head.

“I know you might see me as a cruel man, but I did it for my love for you. I don't want to lose you again, and I will do whatever it takes to keep you safe,” I said.