19. Asher

Chapter nineteen

Asher

I entered the tower room, greeted by the soft morning glow seeping in through the window. As I walked in, my heart skipped a beat at the sight of Tayla peacefully asleep on the bed.

A gentle smile curved my lips as I inhaled her warm, floral scent, my inner wolf stirring with excitement as a low growl rumbled in my throat.

Approaching slowly, I sat beside her on the bed. Her gentle breaths filled the air. Her lips were slightly parted as she slept. I stretched my hand out to brush the strands of auburn hair from her forehead.

Just as I leaned in for a kiss, her eyes fluttered open, and I drew back.

“Good morning,” I whispered.

Her brows knitted together in confusion. “Why are you here so early?” she mumbled, rubbing the sleep from her eyes.

I ran a hand through my dark hair. “I just couldn’t stay away. Plus, you look like you could use a bath right about now.”

She gasped dramatically before sitting up on the bed. “I do not! I just woke up!” she protested.

“You really do,” I insisted, reaching out to tousle her messy hair, earning a frown from her.

“Well, I certainly don’t need your help,” she retorted, slowly getting out of bed and heading toward the mirror.

I stood and came up behind her, wrapping my arms around her waist. Gently, I brushed my lips against her smooth skin, eliciting a gasp from her as she looked at herself in the mirror.

She tried to resist, but my touch was too much for her to handle. Another gasp escaped her lips as I worked my magic on her body.

With a determined step forward, she pushed me away and began to slowly remove her silky night garment.

She let the dress flow down, and before she could react, I scooped her up in my arms and turned toward the bathroom.

“You know, I can manage on my own in here,” she teased, wriggling free from my grasp and entering the bathroom. I lifted the buckets of warm water the maids had heated and poured them into the tub.

Pouring vanilla-scented soap and herbs into the tub, I watched as she eased herself in, letting the water envelop her.

With her inside the tub, I neared to begin scrubbing her body. Her sharp intake of breath echoed in the room as my hands met her smooth skin, her heart racing beneath my touch.

Her cheeks flushed with pink color as I continued to gently wash her, trailing the soap across her slippery body.

Taking her slender hand resting on the edge of the tub, I began to wash from her shoulder down to her wrist. She leaned back against the tub, closing her eyes in relaxation. Moving to her other hand, I continued with gentle strokes.

As I washed her skin, my hands trailed down to her collarbone and over her pert breasts, stopping just before her hard nipples, eliciting a soft gasp from her.

Once I finished washing her entire body, I grabbed the shampoo bar and moved to her hair, massaging it into the silky strands.

As I gently rubbed the foamy, herbal shampoo through her hair, the bathroom filled with its delightful aroma of lavender and lemon.

Once her hair was thoroughly lathered, I pulled the bucket of water closer and rinsed away all the soap, ensuring her hair and body were clean and bare.

Moving to her front, I brushed the hair from her face, causing her to softly gulp as our gazes met. The intensity of her stare sent a jolt through me, causing my body to react in a way I couldn’t ignore. With a sudden movement, I dropped the half-filled bucket to the floor, spilling water everywhere.

Feeling her neck in my grasp, I pulled her closer, captivated by her doe-like eyes that stirred something deep within me. As she licked her lips, her gaze drifted to mine, causing tension to build between us.

Clamping my jaw shut, I resisted the urge to lean in further, though she attempted to pull away. Instead, I drew her closer until we were mere inches apart.

“Asher, I need to get out of the tub. I’m finished bathing,” she managed to say, breaking the silence between us.

“I think we still need some time here,” I murmured, cutting off her protest.

Before she could say anything else, I silenced her with a gentle kiss. I took my time, savoring the taste of her salty lips and tenderly trailed kisses along her neck, tilting it to one side.

As the moments passed, I felt her cool skin warming under my touch, the intimacy of our kiss deepening with each passing second.

As I withdrew from her lips, our eyes locked, and at that moment, we couldn’t tear our gazes away from each other.

Despite the recent misunderstandings between us, our connection remained undeniable. Against all odds, I had fallen deeply in love with her in such a remarkably short span of time. And I knew she loved me too—from witnessing her initial confusion and distance regarding our marriage to observing her falling in love with me bit by bit.

“Tayla,” I murmured, reaching out to caress her warm cheek. Her lips parted slightly, her gaze lingering on mine. Sensing her desire, I leaned in for another kiss, but she placed a hand on my chest, halting me.

“Don’t,” she whispered, shaking her head.

I exhaled slowly.

“Is this your strategy?” she inquired. “Are you trying to divert my attention and make me fall in love with you again?”

“Tayla,” I replied, my jaw tightening.

Her eyes brimmed with sadness.

“I don’t want to remain confined in this tower any longer. I’m not your captive,” she declared, her voice quivering with emotion. “I want to return to my childhood home—at least temporarily.”

A deep frown creased my brow. “Home?” I scoffed. “This is home. The Celoria pack is your home.”

She shook her head, tears gathering in her eyes. “Yes, Celoria is my home, but not this tower. Can’t you see that? And I want to go back to my father to see how he’s been doing since I left. I miss him.”

A burst of anger ignited within me, and I glared at her with annoyance.

“No,” I snapped, the word carrying the weight of my determination. “You are not leaving this tower. This is your home, where you belong.”

Unable to bear the sadness in her eyes, I rose from the ground, turned away, and strode out of the bathroom. I settled onto the sofa, the weight of my decision casting a heavy shadow in the room.

As I heard the soft patter of footsteps, I slowly pivoted to find Tayla making her way to the mirror. She settled in front of it, and I rose, stepping closer. I reached for the towel in her hand, but she instinctively resisted.

“Maybe you should refrain from assisting me,” she suggested, her glare directed at me.

“Tayla,” I called out, my tone soft yet pleading.

“I truly need to see my father. I miss life in Silvermoon,” she expressed.

“If you wish, I can send letters to your father to reassure him that you’re safe here,” I offered.

“No,” she shook her head adamantly. “I need to see him myself. Please, don’t send any letters.”

“Well, I’m not permitting you to leave,” I declared, crossing my arms firmly. I wasn’t going to lose her.

“Then what of our plans? Huh?” she reminded me.

“The plan was for you to stay, and I would assist in finding the witch. But if you leave, I won’t do any of that,” I asserted, watching the frown fade from her face.

She turned her head towards me. “Well, what have you done so far? Have you kept that promise at least?”

“We are going to head back to the house to see if we can open the coffin,” I explained.

“When, Asher?” she insisted.

“Soon. I’ve called for the strongest warriors in the pack. We’ll all do our utmost to open the coffin or even dismantle it, if necessary,” I declared.

“Do you really think it’ll be that simple for a coffin sealed with magic?” she asked, tilting her head skeptically.

“We don’t have any other options,” I replied firmly.

“The only way forward is to find a witch who can help us lift the spell around the coffin,” she suggested, her words slowly sinking in. She may be right about that. And deep down, I knew I couldn’t keep her from seeing her father forever. But for now, she’d remain under lock and key.