Chapter 5: Asher Doesn't share
Lena’s POV
The sound voices jolted my awake.
I sat up in bed, my heart pounding as I strained to listen. It was coming from outside, just beyond the pack house entrance. The muffled shouts filled with mockery.
My stomach twisted. Something was wrong.
Still dressed in last night’s clothes, I rushed towards the door, my bare feet hitting the wooden floor with hurried steps. A sense of urgency gripped my chest, clawing at my ribs.
When I pushed open the heavy doors and stepped outside, my breath hitched.
Jaceson, my best friend, stood there.
He was tense, standing in the middle of a semi-circle of guards. Their faces twisted with disgust as they looked at him.
“You don’t belong here,” one of them sneered. “The Alpha doesn’t let low-lives into his pack house without permission.”
“He already did but we won't let another in.” Jaceson’s hands curled into fists. “I came to see Lena.”
The guards laughed. “And why would Lady Lena waste her time with someone like you?”
Fury bubbled up in my chest.
They were treating him like filth. Like he wasn’t worth breathing the same air as them.
Before I could think, I shoved through the circle, stepping beside Jaceson.
“He doesn’t need permission,” I said, my voice as loud as possible. “And he is not a low-life.”
The guards hesitated for only a second before scoffing. “You might be the Alpha’s mate, but you’re just a low life too. Don’t think you have a say in who—”
“If you speak another word,” I cut in, my eyes burning, “I’ll make sure Asher hears about how you insulted me.” surprisingly that silenced them.
They exchanged wary glances before reluctantly stepping aside.
But their mocking smirks remained. They thought this was funny. They thought I was just a weak girl defending another weakling.
I bit my lip, pushing down the anger. Jaceson wasn’t welcome inside, but neither was i, not really.
“Let’s just go somewhere else,” I whispered to him.
He nodded, giving the guards one last glare before following me into the woods.
They ran together through the trees, their steps light against the damp earth.
For the first time in a long while, I felt free.
No chains. No suffocating walls. No Asher.
Just me and Jaceson, like it used to be.
When we finally stopped, Jaceson turned to me, a small smirk on his face. “Still slow, huh?”
I rolled my eyes, breathless. “Shut up.”
He chuckled, but the amusement quickly faded. His gaze softened as he looked at me. “I’ve missed you, Lena.”
My throat tightened. “I missed you too.”
His expression darkened. “I’ve been trying to see you for weeks, but no one would let me through. I had to fight my way just to get here.”
My hands clenched. “That’s because of Asher. He controls everything.”
Jaceson’s jaw tightened, but he nodded. “Yeah… but in as much as I hate to say it, he’s also the reason our pack isn’t completely destroyed.”
“What?” I frowned.
Jaceson sighed, running a hand through his hair. “A group of rogue wolves has been attacking us. They’ve burned villages, slaughtered families… We weren’t strong enough to fight them alone.”
My breath caught. “What are you saying?”
“Asher helped us,” Jaceson said quietly. “He’s been sending warriors. He’s been protecting us.”
I staggered back as if he had slapped her.
“No,” she whispered. “He’s not a savior, Jace. He’s a hypocrite.”
Jaceson’s expression turned wary. “Lena—”
“He killed my brother,” I snapped, my voice was starting to shake. “He murdered Nethan, and now you expect me to believe he’s some kind of hero?”
Jaceson’s face twisted in pain. “Lena… There’s something you need to know.”
“What?” My stomach twisted.
Jaceson hesitated, as if debating whether to tell me. But then he sighed and took a deep breath.
“I just found out the truth about Nethan’s death.”
“What do you mean?” My pulse thundered in my ears.
Jaceson’s voice was quiet, but every word shattered me.
“Nethan was poisoned, Lena. He wasn’t himself. He killed a lot of people. He was out of control. Asher did what he had to do… as the High Alpha.” He paused, “besides alpha Henry asked for his help.”
“Dad asked him to kill Nethan?” I staggered back again, shaking my head violently.
“No. No, that’s not true.”
Jaceson’s eyes filled with sympathy. “I wish it wasn’t.”
My body trembled.
All these years, I had carried so much hatred. I had blamed Asher. Loathed him.
But now… Now, I didn’t know what to think.
My chest ached. Tears burned in my eyes.
Then Jaceson reached out, wrapping me in a tight hug.
I collapsed against him, gripping his shirt as tears slipped down my cheeks.
“I missed you,” I whispered, my voice breaking.
His arms tightened. “I missed you too, Lena.” But before I could hug him back, something hit Jaceson with bone-crushing force.
Jaceson was ripped away from me in the blink of an eye.
One moment he was holding me.
The next, he was soaring through the air, slamming into a tree with a sickening crack.
I let out a shocked cry, my heart stopping as I spun around. And then she saw him.
Asher.
His eyes were dark, his expression twisted with rage. His hands were clenched into fists, his chest heaving.
My pulse pounded in terror.
“Asher,” igasped, “what the hell are you—”
Before I could finish, the world blurred around me, and in the next second i was back in our room. Pinned against the wall with Asher’s body pressed against mine.
His lips crashed down on mine with a hunger that stole my breath.
My mind spun, my body reacting before I could think.
His kiss was raw, filled with anger, jealousy, and something else, something dangerous.
I pushed against his chest, but he only pressed closer, his heat consuming me.
When he finally pulled away, his gaze burned into my soul.
“You,” he said, his voice low, dangerous, “are mine.”
My breath came in shaky gasps.
“You can’t do this,” I whispered.
His jaw tightened. “Oh I just did.”
I shook my head, trying to break free. “He’s my best friend, Asher. You had no right to…”
“I don’t care who he is,” Asher growled. “You won’t go near him again.”
“You can’t control me.”
His fingers gripped my chin, tilting my face up to his. His eyes flashed dangerously.
“If you go near him again, Lena,” he said slowly, his voice like ice, “I will kill him.”
My stomach dropped. It was like my entire world shattered. He wasn’t bluffing.
I could see it in his eyes. The possessiveness. The obsession.
I tried to speak, but the words caught in my throat. “You can't…” before I'd finish his lips were on mine again, swallowing my protests.
He finally pulled away, “you are are mine alone and I don't share!”