Chapter 250

I held my breath as Dylan threw the first punch. Asher dodged back and Dylan’s fist flew through the open air. Asher then stepped forward, ready to retaliate. Dylan backpedaled, placing a few feet between them again.

In a flash, Dylan moved close again. His speed was lightning-quick. I barely even saw him move. One minute he was standing and the next, his fist was colliding with Asher’s jaw.

Asher’s own fist moved as if in reflex, striking upwards and connected with Dylan’s stomach.

They both jumped backwards this time and glared at each other as they circled one another.

The crowd was loving it, laughing and cheering. But I felt like my whole world was crashing down.

Dylan dashed again. Asher blocked his next attack, but not the counter, which caught him in the gut. Asher landed his own hit on Dylan before Dylan could get away.

They jumped apart again. Despite their solid hits on each other, they both seemed unfazed, like they could do this for hours. Maybe they would.

God, I hoped they wouldn’t. My heart was pounding so hard that my chest hurt, and my stomach was tied up in knots. I was definitely going to be sick soon, if this kept up.

“What is your problem, Dylan?” Asher called out.

“You’re my problem, asshole,” Dylan replied. “My sister is pregnant. But where’s the ring? Where’s the commitment?”

Asher blinked. Dylan surged forward again. Asher ducked just in time to miss a solid punch that twisted Dylan’s entire body.

Asher righted himself and shoved Dylan away from him. Dylan backed up several steps.

“You always fuck around with girls. You sleep with them and cut them loose,” Dylan said, a growl in his voice.

“It’s different this time,” Asher said.

“Bullshit! I’m just supposed to believe that? That you’ve changed after all these years?”

“Cynthia’s different.”

Dylan, growling openly now, jumped forward and threw a volley of punches. Asher had no way to dodge. Instead, he blocked as many as he could. His handsome suit was quickly becoming dirty and tattered. I dreaded thinking about his body underneath.

Dylan’s hands were curled like claws now, as if his angry wolf was rising to the surface.

Asher withdrew this time, adding distance between them.

“Dylan, we are friends,” Asher said. “I wouldn’t lie to you. I swear I’m not playing with your sister’s heart.”

“Then what exactly are your intentions, Asher? Are you just in it for the baby?” Dylan was furious.

Asher suddenly stopped the pretense of the fight. He stood straight, unabashed, and said, “I love Cynthia.”

Dylan seemed confused, brow crumpling, though he continued to snarl.

“Dylan,” Asher said calmly. “Cynthia is my true soulmate.”

“Your--?!” The rage burned in Dylan’s eyes. “You absolute asshole!”

Dylan rushed forward once more. Asher didn’t drop into defensive stance. He didn’t try to protect himself at all, as Dylan pulled his arm back and swung another punch at Asher’s face.

This time, Asher dropped down to the ground.

“Asher!” I shouted and started forward. I stopped when I saw Dylan reach his hand down, palm open.

Asher accepted Dylan’s hand and Dylan pulled him up to his feet, then dropped his hand.

“My sister, huh?” Dylan said, smiling. The hostility was fully gone. The wolf was no longer so near the surface. “You son of a bitch,” he added but with a laugh.

“Your sister,” Asher confirmed, like that was enough to solve everything.

My feet moved again and I came closer. Dylan turned toward me first and pulled me into a tight hug.

When he stepped back, he looked down into my face, watching me closely.

“Is Asher the one you want, Cynthia?” Dylan asked.

“With my entire heart and soul.” My answer was instant. I didn’t even have to think about it.

Dylan smiled wider. “Thank God. I didn’t really want to have to strangle my best friend.”

Asher hummed, non-committal. I knew he would have defended himself in that situation. Or at least, I’d hoped.

“If I hurt her, you are welcomed to kill me,” Asher said.

“Absolutely not!” I was so strung out from watching them fight. All this killing talk was going to give me an ulcer. “No one gets to hurt anyone else, now or ever.”

Asher looked at me fondly. To Dylan, he said, “I’m never going to hurt her, so I guess it’s all moot anyway.”

Dylan narrowed his eyes for a second. “See that it is.”

I moved closer to Asher, half in protection. Physically, I couldn’t stand against Dylan, but I knew he would never risk hurting me.

He looked at me and huffed a short laugh. “We’re done fighting now, Cynthia.”

Behind me, Asher placed his hands on my shoulders. He leaned down and kissed the top of my head.

“Everything’s fine now,” Asher said.

Dylan looked between us. “Soulmates. I didn’t think you had it in you, Asher, but honestly I’m relieved.”

“Does that mean… we have your blessing?” I asked.

He nodded. “The two people I care about most in the world now love each other? Yeah, you have my blessing.”

I could have cried in relief. Instead, I pulled him in for another hug.

“Thank you,” I whispered for Dylan alone.

He squeezed me around the shoulders. “Be happy, Cynthia. That’s all I ever wanted for you.”

“I am happy,” I assured him. “I’m happier now than I’ve ever been.”

“Good.”

Much later, after Dylan returned to his hotel and Asher and I went to our shared room, I made Asher sit down on a chair in the bathroom while I tended to his wounds.

“Take your shirt off,” I said.

Asher smirked at me.

I rolled my eyes.

He removed his shirt. His bruises, like the ones on his face, were quickly fading. The strength of his wolf healed his body with the utmost efficiency.

Really, he didn’t need me to tend to him at all, but I still did, cleaning away any residual blood from the small cuts and applying disinfectant where I thought it might help.

Knowing Asher was healthy, and that Dylan approved of us, made me so happy, I couldn’t stop smiling. Asher noticed. He kept looking at me.

Everything felt like it was finally coming together.

Joseph was in jail. I was fully enrolled in the Academy. Dylan knew about Asher and the baby, and actually gave us his blessing.

Asher and I could be together without anyone or anything trying to tear us apart anymore.

“Your smile is so…” Asher’s voice trailed away. He looked up at me with such deep emotion and reverence in his gaze that it stole my breath away.

“Asher…”

Asher slowly rose from the chair. He slipped his arms around me and gently eased me into him. Then, he started to dip his head down.

My nerves tingled with pleasant anticipation.

“You are always so gorgeous,” he said, just before he claimed my mouth with his own.

My hands were on his bare chest. It felt a bit thrilling, touching his half-naked body while I was still in my gown. I wanted him to take it off of me.

From the feel of his desire growing in his pants, I imagined that would be a reality very, very soon.

“Cyn…” Asher whispered against my lips. I was entirely pliant, melted into a puddle of goo in his arms. “I want to make love to you.”

All I could manage to say in reply was, “Please.”