Chapter 46
Ash??
“I told you this wasn’t supposed to happen again!” I roared in unrestrained rage, punching the wall to leave a big gash in the aftermath. “Do you know what you have done?”
Merit lay on the bed, uncaring, One of her legs crossed over the other seductively trying to lure me back. It was tempting I must say, however, this was something I didn’t want to pursue. For her own good.
“You didn’t complain earlier when you were thrusting fervently into me like your life depended on it, Ashton.” She drawled casually as she climbed off the bed and sashayed in my direction. She didn’t care that we were committing an atrocity and that infuriated me. “In fact, you repeatedly called me the best woman you have ever fucked and would never get tired of me or my pussy.”
Then that was a lie. Even now as she said, I can feel my skin crawl in irritation and denial, wondering how I might have said such an abhorrent thing, if ever I did say it.
“You have to get out,” I said slowly. Not looking at her. I saw her fingers hesitate halfway from reaching out to me, the heat radiating from her body combating to burn me. “I have to think.”
Yesterday was like the day before, as it has been since the day I left home and came here. I was angry. I was mad that suddenly, things I used to do in the twinkle of an eye without thinking about them, I now feel guilty even thinking about them.
It was all because of her.
After Gwendolyn proclaimed her love for me, it reminded me of the very things I worked so hard to keep buried for years. The lies, the deceit, the heartbreak. Everything!
Emma said the same words. She loved me and wanted me. Yet, she left me cold and dry. She left me on our fucken wedding day!
And now, like the goddess wanted to mock me, she sent Gwen, a fucken werewolf. She just like the first, was full of sweet words, good at manipulations and deceit, with a sweet honeypot no sane man could resist. Only for her to say the same thing.
I didn’t mean to do it. But I had to leave the palace to avoid hurting her, unleashing all this anguish inside of me, that has lain buried, begging for a channel to vent.
“As_”
“GET OUT!”
And here I found myself. With tenacious Merit.
I merely desired to stay here in my penthouse in town for a few days to calm down before I go back. Then yesterday, I was overwhelmed with grief, and drank. I drank so much that when Merit came to me, all I was seeing was her. I recall saying Gwendolyn’s name and the next thing, I was fucking her.
And she said she liked it. In that sweet sultry voice.
I staggered back, regarding the mark I made on the wall furiously, sweating profusely.
I fell back on the brown sofa by the side of the wall and looked down at my bruised knuckles that has healed abruptly, leaving faint marks. “I hate you, Gwendolyn. I hate you so much I want to kill you.”
I lifted my head to look at the tousled bed as I felt a link come through. It was Willimas.
“For fuck sake, Mate, you can’t bail on me like this.” He hissed.
“But, I did…” I hedged like a pup. I haven’t spoken to him in three days. Nor anyone. I intentionally severed every link from reaching me.
“What’s the deal? I thought you were dedicated to preparing for the upcoming games? and then you are nowhere to be found.”
“I just needed a few days away.”
There was a small silence. I knew he could tell I was lying. “It’s about Gwen, isn’t it?”
I couldn’t lie to him. This is the reason I didn’t want to talk to him. “It’s nothing serious.”Property of Nô)(velDr(a)ma.Org.
“And you bailed.”
“Nothing I can’t handle,” I persisted. “I will be back soon.”
“You could have just spoken to me about it, the elders are worried about your absence from the council for a week now. They’re threatening to tell your mother.”
“What!” I jerked off the chair and swore under my breath as my toenails scraped the floor. “What the fuck is their problem? I don’t owe them shit.”
“You are their King, Ashton.” There was an annoying sound in the background. He was eating walnuts. I know. He does that whenever he was bored. “Unfortunately, you owe them your life. And you owe yourself, a lovely royal family. But, I’m not sure about that, especially, when your mate starts meandering around town with the pack’s new chief warrior.”
Fangs was starting to pace restlessly. He would soon accuse me of being the cause and remind me what an asshole I was and how I deserve to rot in the deepest part of hell. “That’s a lie.”
“I saw her myself, dude.” I could smell the accusation in his tone too. “You are driving her away. Soon, she will fall for another man and then what? You go back to square one. Don’t forget you caused this. YOU NEED YOUR QUEEN! I can’t over-emphasise the importance of this.”
“She is a slut!”
“What a childish comeback.”
“Dude, whose side are you?”
“Who leaves his mate without a trace of his whereabouts and runs off with his supposed chosen mate and expects her to always sit around waiting for him to come back for her to play the goody-two-shoes mate?”
“She deserves it!”
“Oh… I thought you said you can handle it.”
“I am handling things.”
“I keep telling you, Ashton. You have to grow up.” His voice was muffled now. He was chewing nonchalantly.
“I’m going to kill him, Williams.”
“He is doing for her what you obviously can’t do. Don’t be selfish.” He was trying to rile me up.
“He is sleeping with her. I know it.” I lied, looking for a means to justify ripping Tyler’s throat apart. I brought him here because he is a good watchman and fighter. However, the ungrateful wretch wants to steal my mate under my watch. I am going to kick him out of the palace at once.
No wonder she was happy to attend to him. Who knows if both of them are not planning to run away and start a life somewhere else? Or, even cause greater havoc.
“I have to go, Ash,” William scoffed, not falling for my accusation. “When you are done lying to yourself, come home and be the King we need.” The link severed.
I flew off the chair, heading to the closet. I won’t sit here and allow those two to traipse around town, making a caricature of me.
Not while I am alive.
If Gwendolyn is going to live under my roof, she will have to abide by my ordinances or she might as well pack her things and go back to her people. And here I was feeling guilty about what I just did.
“Merit!” I roared through the link I shared with her. “We leave for home in ten minutes!”
…