2. Asher

Chapter two

Asher

As Tayla danced before me, her graceful movements mesmerized me, holding me captive in her enchanting spell. Her hair flowed like silk, framing her face in a halo of beauty that left me breathless.

Unable to tear my gaze away from her, I felt a primal urge stirring within me, my instincts awakened by her seductive presence.

My wolf prowled beneath the surface, restless and eager to claim her as our own. She was a thing of beauty.

With each sensual movement she made, I felt myself growing more and more consumed by desire. Thoughts of possessing her, of exploring every inch of her body, flooded my mind, igniting a fierce hunger that burned deep within me.

The image of her naked form danced tantalizingly in my thoughts, driving me to the brink of sanity. Tayla moved in time with the music, as she began swaying hypnotically. Sweat glistened on her skin, catching the flashes of colored light.

My fingers twitched, remembering the silk of her skin. The phantom taste of her lips lingered, sweet and intoxicating. My breath caught as she arched her back, lost in the rhythm.

The air felt thick, charged with electricity. Every move she made sent a jolt through me. I gripped my drink tighter, and drank it in one smooth gulp.

'She could be yours,' a voice whispered in my mind. My wolf stirred, restless and hungry.

Tayla's hips rolled in a fluid motion. Heat flooded my body, settling low in my gut. My jeans felt uncomfortably tight.

She glanced over her shoulder, catching my eye. A knowing smile played on her lips.

I swallowed hard. How long could I resist?

I could almost feel the heat of her skin beneath my touch, the taste of her lips on mine as I kissed her with unrestrained passion as she gasped in pleasure.

Lost in the depths of my thoughts, I yearned to make her mine, to lose myself in the ecstasy of her embrace. And as she danced on, I knew that I would stop at nothing to claim her as my own.

'Take her. Have her all to yourself.’ The voices in my head, fueled by my primal instincts, grew louder, urging me to grasp Tayla and claim her as my own. Her seductive movements made a heat pulse through my veins.

I watched her hips sway, and my body responded to her with an undeniable arousal.

I could feel the hardness of my member pressing against my trousers in pure lust.

My fingers twitched with the urge to touch her, to feel the softness of her skin beneath my fingertips. I envisioned pinning her down on the bed, our bodies entwined as I devoured her.

The thought of hearing her moans spurred another growl from deep within my throat. "Asher," she called out, her voice breaking through my lustful haze.

Blinking in confusion, I looked around, only to find her gone. Where had she disappeared to?

As I jolted awake, a wave of panic washed over me, my heart racing with fear and confusion. The vividness of the dream left me disoriented, struggling to distinguish between reality and the remnants of the images that still lingered in my mind.

Slowly, I scanned the vast bedroom; the soft glow of evening light filtered into the room.

The realization that it had only been a dream brought a sense of relief, yet the lingering unease remained. Why?

As I searched the room for Tayla, a sinking feeling settled in the pit of my stomach. She was nowhere to be found.

Anger simmered beneath the surface as I grappled with my little Bambi's absence. How could she just disappear like this? The realization that I had slept through the entire day only added to my frustration, leaving me feeling lost and alone in the empty room.

Regret gnawed at me as I cursed myself for my carelessness. How could I have let her slip away unnoticed? My mind raced, trying to piece together the events leading up to her disappearance, but all I could recall was the haunting dream that had plagued my sleep.

My thoughts drifted back to the ballet show, the memory fresh in my mind despite the haze of sleep. Tayla's performance captivated me, her grace and beauty standing out amongst the other dancers. I had been hesitant to attend, but now I couldn't shake the feeling that it had been fate leading me there.

As the bidding began, I felt a surge of possessiveness, determined to keep Tayla out of the hands of the other Alphas. The moment I saw her, I knew she was the one. Approaching the stage stirred something within me, a mixture of curiosity and desire that I couldn't quite understand.

The determination to find Tayla burned fiercely within me. I would search every corner of the Silvermoon pack property until I found her. What had started as a mere fling had turned into something deeper, a longing that I couldn't ignore.

Despite my initial intentions to forget her after the performance, Tayla's memory lingered in my mind, refusing to be cast aside.

The more I thought about her, the more I desired her, the image of her beauty etched into my thoughts like a vivid painting.

But alongside that desire came a pang of jealousy, knowing that she belonged to someone else.

My mind drifted back to the show last night in the castle and how she had danced so beautifully. It made me yearn for her more. At first, I had been hesitant about going to watch the ballerina show. But rumor had it that Silvermoon had good ballerinas, and the Elders had planned the big event for all us Alphas, a peace offering. I didn't think I would show and had already informed the Elders that I had important matters to address.

But an hour before the show, I changed my mind and decided to go. I would stay in town one more day. When I had first set my eyes on her, I thought the feelings I had for her would go quickly as it always did with other women. I thought it was a mere fantasy of mine to have her in my bed with me. But it felt like something more…

The more time I spent away from her, the more I wanted her for myself. I could feel the blood in my veins boiling with so much heat.

We had been together in the same room yesterday. I was sure of that. And then I had to address something downstairs. That’s when she must have drugged me.

My mind drifted back to her brown doe eyes and soft strawberry lips, which made me go insane when she bit on the bottom one. Her small, tender waist moved seductively with the music. She looked perfect.

My thoughts were suddenly interrupted by the distant tower bell, and I stood up groggily. The bell was ringing out for six in the evening. My God. I summoned one of my guards, a man named Dante.

“I need you to search for someone for me,” I began. “Go to the instructor in charge of all the ballerinas last night and find any information from him about the young woman I bid for. She hails from Silvermoon.”

The guard bowed his head. “I will do as you ask.” He turned around and walked out of the dining room.

As Dante left to fulfill my orders, a maid entered with a tray of tea, but my attention was elsewhere. The scent of the tea captured my senses, igniting a primal urge within me.

Without hesitation, I seized the cup from the maid's trembling hands and gulped it down. Still hazy from the sleep tincture, I had the cooks prepare a small meal and had it brought to my room. After eating, I fell once more into a deep sleep and dreamt of her.

…

One day later, back at my own castle in the Celoria Pack, while flipping through some books in the library, I heard the door open and saw Dante walk inside the room. I stood up immediately.

“Alpha Asher,” He bowed his head.

“Did you find anything about her?” I asked.

“Her name is Tayla Bennett, and she lives in a small cottage house with her father on the west side of Silvermoon pack,” Dante began. “She’s not a dancer, she signed up as a one time thing so she will not be available to dance again.”

“How long would it take us to get to her place?” I asked.

“Not long,” he replied.

“I think we should get a dancer as a souvenir. We leave immediately, pack our things,” I directed.

When we arrived at the edge of the Silvermoon pack, I watched as the small village transformed into thick forest. She lived in the thick of the woods that would only be in my favor. I stepped out of the carriage and found the house we were looking for down the dark path a bit further down.

Catching her scent upon the air, I followed it to a quaint cottage, my heart pounded with anticipation.

Her scent grew stronger around the cottage house, and I knew immediately that she was home. I caught sight of her walking to the house from where the laundry line hung in the backyard. The minute she saw me, a heaviness clouded her chest, and she took a step away from me.

“What are you doing here?” she asked, her throat moving up and down as she swallowed in fear.

“You disappeared without performing…ran away with my coins……” I trailed on, frowning slightly. “You were so well-behaved while performing in the ballroom.” I tilted my head as she took a few steps away from me.

“Don't even think about running—” but before I could finish the sentence, she turned around and started running.

I immediately followed, not wasting much time, as I beat her to the wall of the cottage house and grasped her forearm gently.

I felt the sting of wolfsbane leaves before I saw them, the burning sensation spreading across my face like wildfire.

"Let go of me, you brute!" she snarled, her voice a mixture of fear and defiance. The scent of lavender and adrenaline filled my nostrils as she wriggled free from my grasp.

As she dashed away, I cursed under my breath, the lingering burn of wolfsbane a reminder of her cunning. Ignoring the discomfort, I focused my heightened senses on her trail, her scent a beacon in the muddy forest.

With each step, memories of our first encounter flooded my mind. The way she'd moved on the dance floor, graceful yet untamed, had awakened something primal within me. I shook off the distracting thoughts, my determination growing with every footfall.

Deciding to outmaneuver her, I veered off onto a parallel path. The forest whispered secrets as I positioned myself behind a massive oak, my breath shallow and controlled as I waited.

She emerged from the shadows, a vision of wary beauty. Her eyes darted around, searching for any sign of pursuit. Finding none, she began to inch towards the cottage that lay beyond my hiding spot.

The soft crunch of leaves beneath her feet echoed in the silence, each step sending a jolt through my body. My heart raced, a war drum in my chest as her scent grew stronger, intoxicating me.

Just as I prepared to reveal myself, she froze, her head whipping around as if pulled by an invisible thread. I seized the moment, stepping out from behind the tree.

Our eyes locked, and I watched as shock, fear, and something else – something heated – flashed across her face.

"Are you lost, my Bambi?" I purred, my voice low and dangerous. In an instant, I closed the distance between us, my hands encircling her wrists like shackles.

Her pulse quickened beneath my touch, a hummingbird's wings against my palms. "I'm not going to hurt you," I murmured, surprised by the gentleness in my own voice. "But you owe me that dance, and debts must be paid."

The words hung between us, heavy with promise and threat. I yearned to see her move again, to watch her body twist and turn in that mesmerizing dance. But as I gazed into her eyes, I realized with a start that a mere dance might not be enough to quench this growing hunger.

Suddenly, she swayed, her eyes rolling back as she collapsed against me. Exhaustion etched deep lines on her face, and without thinking, I swept her into my arms. Her warmth against my chest sent an unexpected thrill through me as I carried her to the waiting carriage.

As we rumbled through the darkening woods towards my castle, I found myself captivated by her sleeping form. My chest tightened with conflicting emotions: desire warred with conscience, possession clashed with honor. I knew taking her like this would only breed resentment, perhaps even hatred. Yet I couldn't let her slip away—not again.

I told myself this was necessary, that I could handle whatever storm she'd bring into my life. After all, some treasures were worth the tempest that came with them. As the carriage swayed, I steeled my resolve, ready to face both the consequences of my actions and the fierce spirit of the woman beside me.