“Whether he succeeds or not depends entirely on you.” Rowan’s cane struck the ground with force. “You have to bring Ashley back. Not as an underling, not as someone managing your affairs, but as your Luna, your mate. She needs to stand by your side again.”
He took a step forward, his murky eyes gleaming with a cold warning.
“Otherwise, at the Alliance meeting six months from now, your title as Alpha will face doubt and challenge from the entire Council of Elders.”
Chopter 50
Chapter 50
+15 Bonus
Ashley’s POV
I finally made up my mind. Or maybe, this decision had taken root a long time ago. The moment Hebert extended his hand to me in front of everyone, it started to sprout.
Yes, I’m accepting his offer.
It’s not just to repay him for all the times he’s helped me. It’s for me. I need a way out, a way to escape this suffocating swamp called Brian.
“Oh my God, Ashley,” Vicki said, setting down her coffee cup. Her sharp eyes scanned my face, a hint of teasing lurking in her expression. “You’ve just made one of the smartest decisions ever. I mean, Hebert? He’s like a hotter, stronger Chris Evans.”
“Vickii. I’m just… agreeing to help Hebert with some of the Bloodmoon Pack’s affairs, like I used to do for the Blackwood Pack.”
“‘Handling affairs’? Really?” She raised an eyebrow, her expression all but screaming, “Who are you trying to fool?” “A single, ridiculously powerful Alpha inviting a soon-to-be-divorced, capable woman to ‘handle affairs’? Ashley, sweetie, do you seriously believe the position of Luna is just a normal office job?”
I let out a sigh, giving up on trying to argue. Vicki always had a knack for hitting the nail on the head.
“I just… I can’t keep clinging to delusions anymore. I just want to leave,” I said, my voice barely above a whisper, my gaze drifting out the window to the dull, overcast sky. “Brian… maybe he didn’t actually end up in bed with Silvia, but every single thing he’s done feels like a slap across my face. That blind, stupid trust he has in her—it’s worse than any kind of physical betrayal. It makes me sick. I can’t keep pretending that he’s the same person who pulled me out of hell three years ago. That
man doesn’t exist.”
The truth was, deep down, I knew better than anyone: he never loved me. Not once.
“Thank God you’ve finally realized that.” Vicki held my hand, her palm warm and reassuring. “So, stop waiting around. Just go tell Hebert your decision already. He’s strong enough to protect you and your pup.”
My heart felt both heavy and tender. The Blackwood Pack was like a powder keg right now, with Brian’s volatility and Silvia’s ” fragility” serving as two fuses ready to ignite at any moment. Hebert’s pack was definitely much safer than this.
I nodded and picked up my phone. I needed to call Hebert right away, before my resolve wavered.
I told Hebert about my decision.
Hebert’s voice was filled with excitement, “Wait for me, I’ll come pick you up.”
After hanging up, the office door suddenly swung open. Brian walked in.
He was holding a bouquet of flowers-deep purple irises that used to be my favorite. But now, the rich, almost black hue of the blooms looked glaringly out of place under the harsh, pale office lighting. They resembled a handful of congealed blood.
I quickly shot Vicki a look, and she got the message instantly. She stood up, gave Brian a cold, pointed glare as she passed him, and slipped out silently.
Vicki wasn’t in a position to have a direct confrontation with Brian.
Now, it was just me and him in the room.
“I forgive you for everything you did at the banquet.” His voice broke the silence, carrying a kind of haughty condescension, like he was doing me a favor.
My mind froze for a second at his words. Forgive me? Did I need his cheap, nonsensical forgiveness? I waited, like a spectator watching a cringy low-budget play, curious to see what other ridiculous lines this lousy protagonist might come up with next.
Chapter 56
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