The Alpha's Sinful Affair

Chapter 14: Acceptance To Assist

It’s a new day. The sun cast its warm glow over the kingdom of Brindlemark. Asher and Aria wove through the crowds at the bustling market square, their senses overwhelmed by everything going on around them. They had spent the morning exploring the kingdom, searching for a lead on their next move before they ran out of money.

As they stopped at a stall to sample some local delicacies, Aria’s eyes sparkled with delight. “Asher, try this!” she offered him a bite of flaky pastry filled with sweet, spiced fruit.

Just as Asher took a bite, a figure emerged from the crowd, his piercing gaze locking onto them. Gareth, the hunter they had tied to a tree deep in the forest, stood tall just a few feet away from them. His rugged features twisted in a mixture of anger and desperation.

Aria’s smile faltered as she sensed the hunter’s intense stare. She nudged Asher, her voice barely above a whisper. “It’s him.”

Without hesitation, Asher and Aria pushed through the crowd, their pursuit of Gareth weaving through the market stalls. They cornered him in a narrow alleyway between two buildings.

Gareth’s eyes blazed with a mixture of anger and pleading as he backed against the wall, his hands raised in a defensive gesture. “Don’t think you can hide the truth,” he growled, his voice low and menacing. “I know what you are, and I know what you can do.” His gaze flicked to Asher, his expression twisted in disgust.

Aria stood tall, her chin raised in defiance. “If you know what we can do, why do you still come at us? You could’ve found your way, but still, you just couldn’t leave us alone. What do you want, Gareth?”

The hunter’s expression shifted, his eyes welling up with a deep sadness. “My daughter,” he whispered, his voice cracking. “She’s gone missing. And I know I attacked you out there in the forest, I’m sorry. Please forgive me. I know I’m in no position to ask you for anything, but right now, I don’t know anyone else who can help. You’re the only ones who can help me find her.”

Asher’s eyes narrowed, his grip on Aria’s hand tightening. “What makes you think we can help?”

Gareth’s gaze locked onto Aria’s, his eyes burning with intensity. “I’ll tell you everything. But first, you have to promise me one thing, and it’s that you’ll help me find my daughter.”

Aria’s expression softened, her voice barely above a whisper. “What’s your daughter’s name?”

Gareth’s face contorted in a mixture of pain and desperation. “Emelia. Her name is Emelia.”

As the hunter’s words hung in the air, Asher’s grip on Aria’s hand tightened, his eyes locked onto Gareth’s. “We’ll help you,” Asher said, finally, his voice firm. “But you have to promise us one thing in return.”

Gareth’s gaze flicked between Asher and Aria, his expression wary. “What do you want?”

Asher’s smile was cold, calculated. “You’ll keep our secret. You won’t expose us to the kingdom.”

Gareth’s eyes narrowed, his jaw clenched in a mixture of anger and desperation. “Fine,” he spat. “I’ll keep your secret. But you have to find my daughter.”

“Good,” Asher whispered.

Gareth’s gaze lingered on Asher and Aria. “Follow me,” he growled, turning. “I believe you both have run out of money to keep up with your secrecy. Come with me, for my doors are open to whoever’s going to save my daughter.”

Asher and Aria exchanged a wary glance before trailing behind the hunter. They walked in silence, the only sound being the clatter of Gareth’s boots on the cobblestone streets. As they approached the outskirts of the kingdom, Gareth stopped before a modest yet study-looking cottage.

“Welcome to my home,” he said gruffly, pushing open the door. “Please, come in.”

Asher and Aria hesitated, their eyes scanning the house.

Gareth gestured to a wooden table, laden with steaming dishes. “Eat, drink. You’re my guests. I prepared these things for you both because I knew I was going to find you and you would come back with me.”

Aria’s eyes narrowed, her voice cold. “Thank you, but we’re not here to indulge in your hospitality, Gareth. We’re here because you’re blackmailing us.”

Gareth’s face twisted in a mixture of pain and desperation. “I’m begging you, Aria. Please, help me find my daughter. I’ll do anything.”

Asher stepped forward, his eyes locked onto Aria’s. “We’ll help him, Aria,” he said softly. “We don’t have a choice.”

Aria’s gaze flashed with anger, but Asher’s words struck a chord. She knew they were struggling to make ends meet, their coin purse dwindling with each passing day.

With a quiet sigh, Aria nodded. “Fine. We’ll help you.”

Gareth’s face lit up with hope, his eyes shining with tears. “Thank you,” he whispered, his voice cracking. “Thank you.”

As they sat down to eat, Aria couldn’t shake the feeling that they’d just made a deal with a strange, desperate man.

As they finished their meal, Gareth’s expression turned somber. “Aria, I want to show you something. Follow me.”

He led her to a cozy bedroom, the walls adorned with delicate lace and colorful tapestries. Aria’s eyes wandered to the bed, where a small, leather-bound doll lay nestled in the blankets.

“This was Emelia’s room,” Gareth said, his voice cracking. “She loved this doll, took it everywhere with her.”

Aria’s gaze softened as she reached out to touch the doll. “Tell me what happened the time she disappeared,” she said gently.

Gareth’s eyes clouded, his jaw clenched. “We were out together, just the two of us. I wanted to show her the constellations. We walked to the old windmill on the outskirts of the kingdom. It was late, around midnight.”

His voice dropped to a whisper. “I turned my back for just a few seconds, and when I turned around... she was gone. Something swooped in, took her. I felt... it felt... dangerous.”

Aria’s eyes locked onto Gareth’s eyes, welled up with tears, but Aria continued before he could respond.

“When night falls, at the same time Emelia was taken, I’ll perform a ritual in this room. Alone. It might help me sense her whereabouts.”

Gareth’s gaze narrowed, his expression skeptical. “What kind of ritual?”

Aria’s smile was enigmatic. “Just trust me, Gareth. I’ll do everything in my power to find and bring your daughter home.”