Chapter 57

— Third Person POV —

Sienna had never looked more beautiful than she did in those moments of bliss. A bliss the two of them have never experienced before — not at heights as high as that.

Asher was speechless. Not a single coherent thought could form in his head as he lay there, watching Sienna sleep that next morning.

His bed smelled of her now, her scent ingrained into the very sheets, something he was quite okay with.

She was achingly beautiful, so natural and worry free there in her sleep. He yearned to wake up to her every day and fall asleep to her each night, but alas, he brought his now bitter fate on himself.

There was no way that anything would change after that sex, even if it was the best they’d had yet. Even if it had told them everything they’d so badly wanted to hear from one another.

The words still hadn’t been spoken, and without that, nothing would ever change.

They were just stuck in this endless cycle, destined to repeat these blissful nights of pleasure until someone cut it off or finally called bullshit.

If this is what Asher got of her, he would take it for as long as he could. His body ached from exertion, even the next morning, their sex having been the most wild and free of all.

Asher knew in his heart that the moment she woke up, she would pull away like she always did. He could feel that ominous shadow looming, the clock ticking down to this peaceful moments tragic end.

When her eyes fluttered, his breath caught in his throat.

Would this time finally be the different one?

Those words hung in the air as her eyes opened all the way, and he caught the glimpse of regret that inevitably moved through them.

Here we go, he sighed to himself, surprised his wolf wasn’t making some kind of comment.

Maybe it was just too satisfied after that night.

He met her gaze, keeping himself as collected as he could. There was no doubt they’d just rocked each other’s world, but now it was time for things to fall back into place, their distance now unpaused.

“We shouldn’t have done that,” Sienna whispered, and anger flooded through Asher, though he had no will to speak on it.

When Sienna made up her mind, especially on this matter, that was it.

“I don’t regret it,” Asher murmured, loving the way her cheeks were still ever so slightly flushed, even the next morning.

His length twitched at the thought of what it’d felt like to be inside her again, their bodies slamming together like feral animals.

It was right in every possible definition of the word.

They were right, and there was no denying it.

There you go, your intelligence is finally showing, his wolf spoke up after an entire night of silence.

Doesn’t mean I’m going to do anything about it, Asher muttered, knowing it was fruitless to try.

You’re weak, his wolf shot back, anger prickling against Asher’s spine.

“I do,” Sienna said, her words sad. It pained Asher to hear her say that, wishing with all of him that she’d just admit the truth.

But her walls were back up, stronger than ever, and he wasn’t sure how many more times he could do this.

“Sienna…” Asher paused, the question hanging at the tip of his tongue, but he was afraid to ask it, to hear her blatantly lie.

She looked at him, her expression sad, as though she knew what he was going to ask.

And she knew her answer would break his heart.

“Do you have any feelings for me at all?” He asked, his stomach already sinking even though she’d yet to answer.

She could be honest, and so could he.

Except she wasn’t going to be the least bit honest, and he was prepared for that. After all, maybe it was time to let all of this go.

It only brought pain.

“It was just a one night thing,” she croaked, hardly able to meet his piercing gaze.

“You avoided the question.” Asher narrowed his eyes, forcing her to say it. To break him apart.

She cleared her throat, buying as much time as she could. “Um, what was the question?”

Asher raised his brows, unamused, but repeated it anyway. “Do you have any feelings for me, Sienna?”

“No,” she squeaked with no hesitation.

Even though Asher knew that’s what she was going to say, it still hurt him more than any words could rightfully express.

“You’re serious?” he asked, hoping and wishing she’d change her mind and spill her truth.

She didn’t.

“Yes.” She abruptly sat up, wrapping his sheet around her naked body, and stood up.

He didn’t have the heart to fight back on it this time. She’d beaten him down so often, again and again, and he’d come to realize that if she really did want it, she’d admit her truth.

“Okay,” he whispered, something inside him breaking once and for all. Not only had she rejected him when she was drunk — now she’d rejected him entirely sober, too.

She’s lying, his wolf countered, but Asher didn’t care to listen.

I can’t keep doing this, he said back, shutting off his pathway to his wolf, needing some time to himself.

Without another word, Asher got up, leaving Sienna standing in his sheets by the bed.

He grabbed some clothes on the way out, not ashamed that his ass was bared to her entirely because she could have had him, if she’d only been brave enough to claim him.

It hurt, leaving her there like that, but it had to happen. There was only so much longer left as her husband, anyway.

Asher stepped outside, letting a sad sigh slip from his lips. He wasn’t used to being rejected like that — so often, women and men alike would thirst for him.

He took the path that led towards Nightfall, frowning when he noticed a hooded figure up in the cliffs to his left, just outside the Nightwind and Nightfall boundaries.

Ducking behind a tree, he followed the shape in the mid-morning light, his heart sinking the closer he studied them.

They looked an awful lot like a rogue, scouting out their next place of attack. He followed them along the cliff until they disappeared around the corner, heading somewhere northwest, away from the packs.

Not good, he whispered to himself, staying for a little while longer to watch and make sure he didn’t see anyone else.

The cliffs were quiet, but the image of that rogue creeping along, scoping the packs out…it left him feeling more unsettled than ever.

Of course the rogues wouldn’t stop at one attack — they wanted to take down as much of the packs as they could if only to send a message to the King that they were stronger.

Asher needed to get back to Sienna as soon as possible — and they had to send word to other packs that rogues were spotted at the border. If they were seen at Nightwind and Nightfall, they could be anywhere.

A war is coming, the words whispered ominously in the back of Asher’s mind.