9. Tayla

Chapter nine

Tayla

I woke up to the gentle sound of rain falling outside. Blinking the sleep from my eyes, I gazed up at the high ceiling, taking in the soft gray light filtering through the windows. My eyes wandered around the room before I let out a tired yawn, feeling the weight of last night's events still lingering in my mind.

Deciding not to dwell on it any longer, I rose from the bed and made my way to the window. From my vantage point, I spotted Asher pitching hey shirtless in the distance.

As I watched Asher tending to the horses, lusting over his body. I noticed his mud-covered boots and the sight triggered a flash of memory from yesterday. The boots of the man, the forest. I closed my eyes, hoping to recall more details, but nothing came to mind.

Frowning, I opened my eyes again and focused on the boots. They looked familiar, and a sense of uneasiness settled in my stomach the longer I stared at them.

My mind started racing with different thoughts. Was I hallucinating? Was everything I had thought of as my lost memory a result of being paranoid? Tall black boots were common; perhaps I was just thinking about it too much.

I shook my head, trying to convince myself I was just imagining things. But it felt so real; everything I saw felt like it had only happened yesterday.

I recalled what Asher had told me at the garden. What if I was just making things up? I was creating phantom memories to fill the gaps. I must be delusional…or I had an overactive imagination….

As if sensing my gaze, Asher turned and looked at me with a smile. I feigned a smile back, trying to shake the terrible feeling I was experiencing. I needed to get a way so I walked to the bathroom to get ready for the day.

After bathing, I stood before the mirror as the maids helped me tie the laces of my blush-colored corset gown. My auburn hair was brushed to a shine, and my skin looked clear and bright despite how I felt inside. Once dressed, I slipped on my brown leather shoes before leaving the room and making my way to the dining room to see Asher sitting there, waiting.

"Good morning," I greeted, perhaps a bit too stiffly. He did look gorgeous this morning…

"Good morning, you look lovely today," he replied, returning my greeting. "How was your night?"

"It was good, thanks for asking."

I sat down at the end of the table and smoothed a napkin across my lap.

Asher smelled so captivating this morning that I wanted to wrap my arms around him and sniff his scent. I noticed he was dressed in clean, brighter clothing, unlike the black or dark blue clothes he always wore. I wonder what happened today?

“What?” he asked when he caught me staring at him.

“You smell so nice this morning. And you look good in royal blue,” I said pushing down the panic lodged in my throat.

“Well, thank you,” he said, humming something under his breath.

"I'll be leaving for the courthouse shortly after breakfast. You should come with me," he suggested.

"Okay, that would be nice, actually," I agreed, recalling our previous visit to the pack's headquarters. A small smile tugged at my lips before I returned my attention to the food.

After finishing breakfast, we departed in the carriage for the courthouse. Unlike the previous visit to the courthouse when I was nervous going there and meeting the pack, I felt more at ease this time, knowing the Elders had accepted me.

As the carriage rolled on through both fields and wooded areas, I glanced out the window and saw young girls walking along the roadside.

The carriage moved along at a slow pace. Slow enough for me to notice a mark on the neck of one of the young girls walking by. My brows furrowed, and I turned to Asher, whose attention was fixed on the coachman.

"What is it, Tayla?" he asked, sensing my scrutiny. "Why do you keep staring at me like that?”

"Why do I not have your mark yet?" I pressed, my confusion evident in my tone. After a year, shouldn’t I have had it already?

"Bearing a bond mark isn't something you just decide to want one day," Asher explained. "You and your mate would have to mutually decide on it and be sure that's what you both really want. We've only been married for one year. We couldn't just decide to take the mark any day."

He grabbed my chin. “I hope to see you with my mark someday.”

“Me too,” I smiled as he leaned in for a kiss. He tilted my neck to a better angle and kissed me until I was breathless.

When he pulled back, I gazed into his brown eyes, lost in their endless darkness.

He captured my lips again, and I let out a small moan, my body arching towards him. He made a low growl as he leaned closer, nearly losing himself.

“Asher…” I said between kisses. He pulled back before trailing soft, wet kisses from my cheek down to my neck. The carriage came to an abrupt stop.

Hearing the carriage door open, he pulled back before turning to the coachman, and we both stepped out, a bit flustered with lust.

The tall stone pillars and statuary of the courthouse were still impressive but didn’t intimidate me this time. The ornate door was held open for us to enter. I followed Asher inside, past a handful of guards stationed just inside. One of the Elders greeted Asher, expressing surprise at his presence.

"Good morning, Asher. I didn't know you would be coming to the courthouse today," the Elder remarked. “What a pleasure for us.”

"Yes, here I am. Where are the other Elders?" Asher inquired.

"They're in the courtroom," the Elder replied before turning to me. "Have a good day today, Tayla," he added before walking past us.

Following Asher into the inner courthouse, I observed the grand surroundings and the serious atmosphere. Something must be wrong. As Asher was greeted by the Elders, I took a seat next to him, feeling a mix of excitement and apprehension as he began to review scrolls on the table.

“We found another body,” one of the Elders said. A body?

“What body?” Asher asked, feeling unconcerned.

“We found the body of a young child no more than twelve years old near a river bank. His eyes and fingernails were missing—it looked as if they were forcibly removed. And when we brought in the warriors to do their investigation, we found out that the young boy also lost his wolf,” another Elder said.

“What’s happening?” I asked, feeling a grave concern. I turned to Asher, whose gaze was fixed on the parchment paper before him. That poor child…

“We have a feeling that the killer might be a witch. A powerful one,” another Elder said. His bare face and head made him look younger than he probably was.

“But Alpha Asher had bound and banished the use of magic in this pack ages ago. Who would dare go against the Alpha's order?” a long-bearded man asked.

“The person might not be a descendant of the pack,” another said. “What use does he have with the children? For the witch?”

“The witch might be using them to perform rituals. We have not much proof for now,” another Elder chimed in. There were so many of them it was hard to keep track.

I turned to Asher before opening my mouth to whisper. “You need to do something. You cannot just remain silent while the whole pack suffers. That boy was only a child.”

After a long silence, he raised his head to address the Elders. He cleared his throat to speak.

“I have told you all time and time again to stay away from dangerous areas. I have warned you repeatedly to scold your children not to go near the forbidden territories, have I not?”

Murmurs and whispers started amongst the people.

“Silence!” He ordered, slamming his hand onto the table, and everyone became calm.

“I assigned warriors to place warning boards near the dangerous grounds for a reason,” he continued. “To protect you from the killer and keep your children safe from tragedy. But despite my efforts, some of you have chosen to remain ignorant.”

“Alpha Asher,” one of the men raised their hand.

“Speak,” Asher nudged his head for him to go on.

“We understand that you have put up warnings across the land highlighting the dangerous places for our children not to step foot near, but you also need to understand that these are children. They can be stubborn at times and—”

"Then leash your dog with chains around their necks and force them not to step out of the houses," he seethed.

I glanced at Asher, taken aback. I didn't understand why he was speaking in such a harsh tone to his people. Was he suggesting that parents should restrain their children like animals? What about their freedom to play with friends? He knew very well that children are mysterious and don't always stay in one place.

I felt deeply disappointed in Asher, but I chose to remain silent…for now. I looked at the people, and their faces were etched with sadness and disappointment. No one could speak against the Alpha. They were too afraid to do so.

"You all must face the consequences of your actions because I am not responsible for your carelessness," Asher stated.

But these were children! How could he expect them to stay in one place all the time? Their parents must have tried their best to keep them away from the forbidden areas. But what if the children were kidnapped from unexpected places? Asher, as the Alpha, should take action to prevent the deaths of young children. He must.

An hour later, after the meeting at the courthouse concluded, Asher grabbed my wrist as he pulled me out of the hall, rougher than he usually does.

When we entered the carriage, I turned to him.

“Asher,” I called out.

“What is it now?” he asked with anger.

“It's about what happened back there,” I began. “The way you spoke to the Elders. They are hurt that their children are going missing and dying. You should have empathized with them. You shouldn't—”

“They deserved it,” he snapped.

“Don't you think that instead of yelling and scolding them, you should put that energy into finding who this killer is?” I asked, tilting my head.

His eyes narrowed at me. “Are you taking their side? Are you saying that I'm wrong?”

I shook my head. “You know I don't remember how this started—since I lost my memory—but these are children who are going missing. Children are not like adults who can take care of themselves. You should track down whoever is behind this. Can’t you see that?”

He slowly shifted to my side before holding my cheek tenderly. “You don't understand, Tayla. Those people…you might think they're innocent, but they're not.”

I felt a shiver run down my spine as I breathed out. What did he mean?

“You should support me and my choices. I'm doing the right thing,” he stated sternly.

I felt trapped by his words, not knowing who to believe. Should I believe Asher—that he was doing the right thing? But with children going missing every day, it didn’t make sense.

I opened my mouth to speak, but he silenced me with a kiss.

“Everything will be alright soon,” he assured me as he pulled back and relaxed on the carriage seat.

We rode in a comfortable silence until a group of people were spotted on the road up ahead—perhaps a twenty-minute ride from the courthouse. The horse neighed softly as the coachman pulled them to a full stop. We stepped down and approached the werewolf gathering, where there was wailing and gnashing of teeth among the people. What was going on? As I pressed forward to see what was happening, I saw the body of a young blonde girl lying on the ground.

Her body was beginning to rot, and lacerations criss crossed her body. The mother of the child knelt down next to the body as she cried and wailed, her face twisted in anguish.

My eyes welled up with tears as well. I felt unbearably sad that this was happening within the pack.

The woman slowly raised her head, and when she saw Asher, she quickly stood up and hurried to him. She knelt down in front of him, rubbing her hands together in prayer.

“Alpha Asher, please do something about this tragedy,” the woman cried out. “Two of my children went missing, and we found them dead. My babies…”

As the woman continued to beg Asher, I felt a wave of grief wash over me. If I had the power I would have helped, but Asher didn't want me involved in any of the pack's dynamics.

With a look of disgust on his face, he took a step backward, his jaw clenched with annoyance.

“I have warned you all,” he said. “To scold your children to stay away from danger. Yet you continue to ignore my words, and you think you can come before me with your grievance?” he scoffed.

The woman's cries intensified and other women amongst the gathering joined her. She moved forward, reaching out to grasp onto his clothes to beg him for help.

All of a sudden, Asher seized her neck, his grip firm as he threw her to the ground with a heavy thud.

“How dare you lay your filthy hands on me?” he growled, his eyes blazing with fury.

“I am the Alpha!” he roared. “And you all need to show me the respect I deserve, or you will pay for your actions.”

The woman recoiled in fear on the ground.

“From this day henceforth, I will not tolerate your disobedience. You will heed my commands, or you will pay the price.”

He then turned around and began to walk away. I took one last look at the woman and ran after Asher.

“A–sher,” I said, trying to catch up with his footsteps. He jumped into the carriage, and I gasped as I had never seen him this angry before. Did the people do something to him? How could he not want to help that poor woman?

The carriage sped off with the horse running full-stride, and when we arrived, I quickly stepped out of the carriage and walked inside the castle without speaking to Asher. Reaching my room, I sat down on the bed, tired and stressed and in tears.