Chapter 26

Cirilla's Point Of View

I was forced awake by a drone of voices. They were close, and I could begin to make out a few voices.

"It's just a little shock and nothing serious. She only needs rest," An unfamiliar voice sounded above the jam of noises.

"Thank you, Dr. Reyes," I heard Asher's calm voice mutter for the first time.

"It's nothing, Alpha Asher. I suggest we give her some air," The unfamiliar voice added, before retreating away.

I remained still, not shifting in my position with my eyes firmly shut. It took a minute before I could stop the heavy pounding in my head, and I could feel the sharp pain at the back of my neck. It wasn't as bad as it was earlier.

"Thank goodness she's doing fine. I thought something worse happened to her when she was with well, you know, the one I guess should not be mentioned," That was Lyra's voice and I could feel her plop on the bed, beside me.

"I still can't believe she's Asher's mate," Cory said.

"I know right? I am even more surprised at how well Asher hid it from us. I mean the signs were fucking there," Dorian commented.

"I would never have—" Cory started to speak but was cut off.

"That's enough. Dr Reyes stressed she needs some rest and your non-stop mumbling isn't helping," Asher said. "Everyone out,"

"But—" Came Lyra's soft voice. "I want to stay with her,"

"Why don't you check up on Stef,"

"Fine," Lyra huffed and got up from the bed. And in short seconds I heard the door close shut behind them.

With my eyes closed, I tried not to think about everything that happened within the last few hours but it was rather impossible not to.

Everything rushed through my mind in fast motion, making my insides tighten and then suddenly, I felt a sharp pain pierce through my body, starting from the back of my neck, causing me to groan in immense pain, shooting up in a sitting position.

"What's wrong?" Asher was by my side, and as he reached for me, I pulled away from his touch and was greeted instantly with another round of pain.

"Don't touch me, Asher," I yelled in both fury and pain.

Asher froze beside me. "Are you alright? Are you in pain?" He rushed quickly, but I didn't respond. Instead, I started to pull myself up from the edge of the bed, standing on the cold marble floor. Before I could take a step, I felt another round of pain rush through my bones, again. I groaned harder, crippling on the floor.

"Ci," Immediately, I felt Asher's large arms around me, and I was lifted from the floor back to the bed. I gripped Asher's tee-shirt with one hand and the other was at the back of my neck. I was writhing in immense pain. Asher scooped me into his lap, never letting go of me. He pulled my hair to one side of my shoulder and I lowered my hand from the spot that was causing me so much pain.

"What the—"

"What is it?" I muttered with pain evident in my voice. "Asher, tell—" Another round of immense pain traveled through me.

"Fuck it," Asher held me tighter. "You'll be fine. I promise," He whispered into my ears, and the door burst open with Wren rushing in. Behind him was a frantic Lyra, Stefan, and Dorian who shut the door quickly.

"Hurry, Wren. She's in fucking pain,"

I buried my face in the crook of Asher's neck. It didn't stop the pain, yet strangely it made it better.

"What happened?" Dorian's voice came on.

"Asher, what did you do to her?" Lyra's sharp voice sounded.

"Not now, Lyra," Stefan's voice boomed in my ears in a blur, but everything went silent when Wren's cold hands touched the back of my neck. He was doing something, and I didn't know what exactly, but whatever he was doing was working. The pain lessened, and it became a bit bearable.

I sighed in relief as I began to feel my surroundings again, but I didn't pull away from Asher's arms.

"How do you feel now?" Lyra asked. "Does it still hurt?"

"A bit bearable," I replied, and I felt Asher exhale in relief. I turned to face everyone. "What did you do?" I asked, trailing the spot at the back of my neck.

"He took the pain. It's one of his things," Dorian said and Wren nodded quietly.

"But what's that?" Wren asked, looking at Asher.

"What's what?" I turned to Asher as well.

"There's a deep scratch at the back of your neck. I guess that's what causing the pain,"

"What?" My fingers trailed the back of my neck but I couldn't feel anything.

"Do you think Azalea did that?" Stefan finally spoke, and my gaze shifted on him. He didn't look like someone who had almost lost their life today. His injuries were almost healed up.

"No. Azalea didn't hurt me," I said the truth, pulling out of Asher's arms. I didn't want to. But the growing rage at the pit of my stomach made it difficult not to, after what he did to me.

As Azalea's words echoed in my ears, I couldn't fight the fresh pain it brought. Asher had rejected me and that hurt like hell.

"I can't remember what happened when Azalea was in control. He's cunning—" Asher's words made me scoff.

"At least he is not a coward," I cut him off and the room became dead silent.

"Azalea is not who you think he is, Ci. He's crazy and despicable," Asher said, counting each word slowly with his gaze locked on mine.

"Takes one to know one right," I replied with my rage at its maximum.

I heard Dorian chuckle at my comment, but his laughter died the instant Asher sent a deathly glare his way and then he brought his gaze to mine.

"I think we should leave," Stefan's voice invaded the staring contest Asher and I had going on.

Asher's gaze shifted from me to the guys and he nodded. Soon the door closed behind them, leaving just Asher and I in his enormous bedroom.

"I don't know what Azalea told you, but you don't know him, he's not who you think he is. He's trouble and out for blood. That's who he is," Asher said, and I nodded.

"You are right. I do not know who he is, but at least he had the decency to tell me the truth," I muttered, feeling stupid. I had no idea why everything Azalea said seemed to affect me. But it did. I felt furious that Asher rejected me and at the same time pained that he didn't want me. He was such a foolish bastard.

"What truth?" He asked, after seconds of intense silence. "What did he tell you?"

"What you couldn't," I replied, looking him in the eyes.

Asher's body grew tense. His jaw tightened and his muscles ticked and he had a knowing look.

"Cirilla," His call was soft and gentle, and any other time it would have probably made me flutter but the only thing it did was cause me pain.

"I think I should leave," I said, pulling up from the bed, but before I could move past him, he grabbed my wrist, pulling me so close to him that our noses could almost touch and no single air stood between us.

"Everything he said was a lie," His words were low and dangling with raw emotion.

"Really?" I quirked my brows. "So we aren't really mates, and you didn't reject me last night?" I asked boldly.

Asher's emerald green eyes remained unmoving from me. "I swear it's not what you think," He said, shutting his eyes briefly.

Somehow his response infuriated me the more.

"You have no idea how much it killed me too. But I didn't want you to have the unfortunate fate of ever knowing him," Asher's hold on my wrist softened. "Azalea is my demon counterpart, and he is pure evil. He killed my mum," Asher said and something in my chest tightened at his words.

I couldn't hide the shock from my blue eyes. "Are you sure?" I surprised myself by asking. I know I just met this Azalea guy once, but he didn't seem so evil. Yeah, he seemed like a darker, and cocky version of Asher, but not a killer.

"My mum's death is proof," He inhaled, shutting his eyes. "He killed her and I swear to the goddess, I won't let him harm you,"

I froze, and the look in his eyes crushed my soul. I hated to see such unspoken pain and sadness in his eyes.

"Cirilla, I—" He started but stopped as the door jerked open in haste.

"Sorry. I…uhm…" I didn't need to turn, I recognized the voice, it was Cory's. Even Asher's gaze didn't shift from mine.

"What is it?" Asher asked, with his eyes still fixed on mine.

"You have a call," Cory sounded, and Asher's gaze still didn't shift from me. "It's the Luna Queen—"

Before Cory could finish speaking, Asher's gaze and mine went to him.

"What?" Asher uttered almost in shock. "Aunt Davina? Did something happen? Concern was evident in his voice.