Chapter 34

Cirilla's Point Of View

I followed him out to the parking lot, after messaging Niko. I had to raincheck on our meeting.

Instead of taking his bike, we took one of the cars in the lot.

I turned to him, asking. "Okay, where to?"

"You'll see," He drove out. We were still on the road when Asher got a call. He connected his airpods, "Joe," He said, pausing. "What?" There was silence again as he listened. His green eyes glanced at me briefly, before adding in an annoyed gruff. "I'll be there," He disconnected.

"Something wrong?" I asked and he nodded.

"Yeah,"

After a few minutes, Asher pulled up in front of a station and got out. I leaned into my seat, and surprisingly, he pulled my door open.

"I can wait here, just go in," I looked up at his towering height.

"No, you won't. Come with me," He stretched a hand to me. "Please,"

I sighed, taking his hand and ignoring the sparks flying.

Shockingly, he didn't let go. We walked inside the station, hands linked together. Asher walked around like he owned the place. After taking several turns, we arrived at an office with a familiar face waiting. He was one of the detectives that was at the pack yesterday.

"Alpha," He was up the instant Asher walked in, bowing respectfully to him, even though Joe was way much older. His gaze met mine, and he bowed as well. "I could have come to the pack instead,"

"I was on the way, Joe, what happened?" Asher and I took our seats on the office couch, and he still held my hand.

"There was another case of abduction outside town. Humans and from the look of things, they were demons again, it's getting worse" Joe started.

My eyes shifted to Asher. He had an expressionless gaze, just listening as Joe kept talking.

"Keep the human officers off this case. It would be dangerous for them. The overlord and I will handle this," Asher sounded, and I listened throughout their conversation. It lasted for a long time, and by the time we left the station, it was way past noon.

"I'm sorry for boring you for hours, I didn't expect we'd stay that long," Asher said as we walked back to the car with his hand on mine.

We might have stayed quite long, but I wasn't bored at all, especially with everything I was hearing.

I stopped as we reached the car. "So, what's going to happen when you find them," I added as Asher sent me a puzzled look. "The demons?" I was curious, but I didn't want to ask in there. And I was also curious about something else, something Asher wasn't saying to Joe. I could sense it.

"If we find them," He rephrased. "But I hope we do. Cause that's our best chance in finding out what's going on,"

"What do you mean?" I probed.

Asher paused for a second, before sighing. "These aren't just random kidnappings, princess, they started a few months ago. But it's getting worse now. There's a stir in the Kingdom. The only thing I can help do now is keep things under wraps while my uncle figures out what's going on,"

"The overlord?" I asked, remembering some of Asher's words from the station. The Overlord was like the King of Demons or something.

"Yes. My mum's brother," He answered.

I nodded, realizing I had touched a sensitive topic. There was a minute of silence between us before Asher broke a smile.

"Let's grab lunch,"

"Yeah, and you can let go of my hand now," I pulled up my hand that was in his.

His smile only deepened, infecting me and I couldn't help but smile back.

We drove to a restaurant close by for lunch. We took the booth close to the window. And a minute later a waitress came by with the menu.

I went through it, carefully. Unable to make a choice. Every meal was way too expensive. I glanced up at Asher and he was going through his as well.

"What would you like to have?" I glanced up hearing the waitress's voice and her gaze was stuck on Asher instead and her hands on the table as she bent over, showing off her extra large breasts. She was drooling at him.

I rolled my eyes.

"What do you want, princess?" Asher's gaze was on me, completely ignoring the woman beside us.

I dumped the menu aside, going for the least expensive. "Steak and chips,"

Asher gave me a look but didn't say anything. "That's what we'll both have," Asher said, his eyes still on me.

Even when the waitress stylishly picked up both menus, lowering her cleavage on the table. Asher's eyes were still on me. Now I knew he was doing it on purpose, ignoring the waitress. I couldn't lie, it made my insides flutter.

Soon she was back with our orders and drinks, trying her best to gain Asher's attention. Seeing she couldn't get any, she left us in peace.

"A little birdie told me you were looking for a place to stay," Asher said coolly, sipping from his drink.

"Who told you?" It came out a little defensive, but I was just a little bit shocked. Niko was the only one who knew of my plans, and I could bet on my life Niko wouldn't have told him, they weren't even close.

"Easy there tigress, Miles told me," He was almost laughing.

Miles. I should have known. Bloody sneaky spy.

"Well that's true," I took a bite from my chips.

"You know there's no need for that right?"

"I can't stay in your place forever, Ash," I muttered carelessly and Asher fell silent. And so did I, after realizing what it meant. For him at least.

Something flashed in his eyes. Was it hurt?

Gosh, I shouldn't have said it like that. I knew what he was thinking. Trish filled me in on a lot of things a few days ago. And I knew being Asher's mate, made me the pack's supposed Luna and that held a lot of responsibilities and expectations which included staying wherever my mate was. I knew that. But truthfully, I liked to be my own person.

Asher leaned closer, dropping his drink. "You could,"

"I'm not a charity case," I shot back.

"No," He paused, taking a deep breath. "But you are my mate," The intensity in his eyes was so much that I had to look away.

When I didn't say anything, he sighed again. "So what do you plan on doing? Stay with Niko?"

Wow. He knew that much.

"Basically yes, but I'm paying for my rent," I stated matter of fact.

He took a deep breath again, rubbing his face. "Fine. If you don't want to stay for free at my place, then you can pay rent. How about that?"

I stilled for a second. "No, I still don't like that,"

"Why?"

"Just because,"

"Oh goddess," He exhaled roughly in frustration. "Why are you bent on running away from me?"

"I'm not," That was a lie.

"Then you'll accept. Think about it, there's still a lot we have to figure out about you. What if something like the last time happens when you are in your buddy's place, just think,"

I was silent and so was he. I mulled over his words.

"It could be dangerous for him," Asher began again, knowing he had a valid point. "We wouldn't want Niko finding out something he shouldn't,"

When did he start caring for Niko? I knew he had never liked him for some unknown reason.

We both fell silent and I was deep in thoughts. Suddenly, I cleared my throat, asking. "Do I get my own room?"

"You already have it," He answered quickly.

"That's yours," I pointed out

"Whatever is mine is yours," He stated.

His words silenced me. Strangely, I couldn't find my voice or come up with a word.

A triumphant smirk appeared. "I guess we have a deal now," He continued eating his steak.

"Not too fast," I raised a brow. "We haven't finalized on the rent,"

"Just pay whatever you were going to pay at Niko's," He sipped his drink, studying me with a deeper smirk.

After a staring contest with him. I breathed out in defeat, "I guess we do,"

After lunch, we headed to the car and drove back to the pack.

As we reached the kitchen, we could hear loud chatter and laughter. Asher sniffed the air, furrowing his eyebrows and a giant smile made its way to his lips.

"You gotta be fucking kidding me," He entered the kitchen and everyone went silent for a second.

"Asher," A young girl jumped from her seat in elation, running straight into Asher's arms, and behind her was a guy. Both of them were unfamiliar, and I doubt they were from around here.

"Kayla, this is a surprise, I wasn't expecting you till next week," They pulled apart while I heard the voice in my head growl in jealousy.

I rolled my eyes.

"Well, the team returned earlier than expected and so I thought, hey, why not surprise him," The young girl, Kayla, said.

She was beautiful. Perfectly tanned skin and big round eyes. I automatically shifted my eyes to the guy next to her, his eyes were on me, wearing a big smile.

"Carl, it's good seeing you," Asher was saying to him but he was clearly not paying the slightest attention.

"Holy shit Asher, where did you find such a stunner," He moved to me, sprawling his arms out to hug me.

"If you want to keep your arms, Carl, take them off her, "Asher's eyes fell briefly on Kayla. "Are you positive you didn't bring the wrong twin?"

"Ohh, so possessive Asher, can't I just admire a beauty," He said, turning his gaze back to me. My eyes took him in. He was a handsome blonde, with beautiful eyes and a smile. "Just in case Asher had failed to mention me, I'm Carl,"

"Cirilla," I took his hand.

His smile only increases, tilting his head to Asher who was staring at him like he was a second from unleashing hell. "Is she—"

Before he finished his words, Asher was by his side. "Yes, she's mine, now get your hands off her,"

"Ooh. I swear I didn't believe Ly when she told me," Kayla squealed, pushing her way through Asher. Her smile was so infectious and she seemed friendly. "I'm Kayla, and we are Asher's family too," She was definitely a hugger.

We pulled apart, and I sent a glance to Asher's way, before returning her smile. "Cirilla. So you are like a wolf?" I asked her, purely out of curiosity. I don't know, she kind of felt different. I felt it when she hugged me.

She laughed, shaking her head. "I'm a witch,"

"My little witch," Carl pulled her in his arms, kissing her, and a second away from making out.

Asher cleared his throat. "Let's head to the woods before you two make our eyes bleed,"

They pulled apart, smiling. And I could guess already, they were mates.

"They aren't mates, but they've been together since they were thirteen," Lyra and I walked side by side as we followed the others to the woods.

I got to learn more about Kayla and Carl from her. They were from another pack, the Crescent Moon Pack. Asher had lived there for years before he returned.

"So? Tell me everything that happened today?" Lyra asked, and I shot her a confused look. "I'm talking about you and my brother's date. Tell me the details but not the gory ones"

I repressed laughter. "There's nothing to tell Lyra, Asher and I just had lunch, that's all—"

I stopped talking as we all stopped in the middle of a large clearing. By we all, I meant the new couple, Asher, Stefan, Wren, and a few warriors including Dorian.

I glanced around the familiar surroundings, my blue eyes taking in the large dark hole in the middle of the meadow. There were sharp claw marks on the ground, driving several cracks into the earth.

My eyes were wide in shock, sending my gaze around the disaster in the woods. I could feel my heart begin to race in my chest.

Everyone stood quietly, as Kayla and Carl inspected the dark hole and markings on the ground for a while.

"Any ideas?" Asher finally asked. He was a few feet away from Lyra and me, his large arms folded against his chest.

"Just as you suspected, a wild beast," Carl spoke, shoving his hands into his pants.

Kayla haunched over the ground, placing a hand on the earth, She whispered a few words in a foreign language with her eyes shut closed. She was like that for brief seconds before her eyes snapped open.

"Magic," She voiced, standing up on her boots. "I feel a great amount of magic here, Asher," Her gaze flickered to the dark hole.

"Which is it, a wild beast or a witch," Wren sounded, he was under a shade, leaning against the tree trunk.

"It may sound absurd, but I think this was done by one person," Kayla's words sent a brief silence.

"A hybrid?" Asher asked slowly, his gaze falling on me for a split second.

"Most probably,"

"What business would someone like that have on our lands? I am surprised it managed to reach this point unnoticed," Came Stefan's voice.

"Whatever it was, it's powerful. We should thank the goddess no one got hurt, or even ended up worse," Kayla added.

"Can you track it?" Asher asked, and she shook her head, negatively.

"What do we do now?" One of the warriors asked.

"Fix this mess, and we'll triple the protection around the boundaries," He turned to Wren and Kayla and they nodded.

My eyes fell back on the dark hole in the ground, and I felt a churn within me. I wrapped my hands over my chest, trying to calm my crazed heartbeat.

I was right here that night. After Asher had said those words to me, I felt nothing but pain. I ran deep into the woods, falling right here. And that was it, I couldn't remember what happened thereafter. The next morning I found myself on Lyra's bed. I didn't know how I got there, just like I had no idea what happened here.

"Could I have done this?" I asked myself and there was only silence in the walls of mind.

It had all sounded absurd up until now, but the wolves attack, the blazing man, my memory lapses, this and what happened the other night with Asher keep screaming the words at my face, and for the first time, I am slowly accepting the possibility, that after all this time, I am far from being human.

A cold, fearful shiver glided down my spine.