Chapter 11
1016 Words
MIRA’S POV
I forced my face to remain completely neutral, refusing to let them see how much the power of the ritual had rattled my bones.
Asher stood completely still a few feet away, his frame casting a long shadow across the floorboards. He closed his eyes slowly, his broad chest expanding as he took a deep, deep breath.
Can you hear me, Mira?
The deep baritone of his voice suddenly echoed directly inside the dark spaces of my mind. It was a strange, heavy sensation, like a physical touch deep within my consciousness. It was the pack mind link.
I kept my eyes fixed on his face, but I did not reply.
The space inside my own head remained entirely dark and quiet.
I simply stood there, watching the small scar cut across his left eyebrow twitch as he waited for a response.
Asher’s eyes snapped open.
He frowned deeply, his powerful build stiffening in the morning light. He took a long step closer to me. He pushed his mental voice significantly harder, trying to force open the psychic pathway that every werewolf possessed.
“Answer me, female,” his voice boomed in the link again, sharper this time.
But his dominant mental command hit a completely solid, dead wall inside my mind. It bounced off the emptiness, leaving absolutely nothing behind.
Asher froze completely.
A look of sudden confusion washed over his face. He reached out with one hand and gripped my shoulder hard, his thick fingers squeezing my skin until it hurt. He leaned down until his amber-flecked eyes were burning directly into my violet ones.
"Why isn't it working?" Asher demanded out loud, his deep voice cracking with a sudden anger.
"Why can't I reach your wolf through the pack link, Mira? Where is she hiding? Tell her to stop blocking her alpha."
I pulled myself out of his tight grip, taking another step backward until my heel hit the base of the sacred stone. I looked straight into his furious face, my voice entirely flat and devoid of any fear.
"I told you before in the weapon room, Asher," I stated clearly, crossing my arms over my chest.
"I am not blocking you. There is no wolf hiding inside me. I don't have a wolf at all. I am completely wolfless."
The silence that followed my words was completely deafening.
Chase, who was standing near the edge of the courtyard holding the silver dagger, let out a sharp, audible gasp.
His eyes widened to the size of saucers, and the leather folders in his other hand slipped slightly. He looked at me, then looked at his king, his face turning completely pale.
Asher did not move a single muscle.
He stood entirely paralyzed, his face turning a sickening shade of white before a mask of pure anger appeared on his face.
His breathing grew heavy and ragged, coming in short gasps that sounded like a wild beast about to snap. He turned around slowly to face his best friend, his massive fists clenching so tightly at his sides that his knuckles turned entirely white.
"The Silver Crest pack tricked me," Asher whispered.
"Richard gave me a completely defective woman to be my Luna Queen. They lied straight to the face of the crown."
"Asher, wait," Chase stammered, stepping forward defensively.
"Let's check the bloodline records. There must be a mistake. The Silver Crest Alpha swore on his pack's honor that she was a purebred omega fit for the treaty."
"Their honor is garbage!" Asher roared, his voice exploding.
"They knew exactly what she was. They wanted to get rid of a useless, wolfless burden, and they used my border treaty to do it. They handed me a broken human and expected me to place her on the royal throne."
He turned his eyes back to me, the disgust in his gaze so thick it felt like a physical blow to my stomach. He walked over until he was towering directly over my frame, his chest heaving violently against his black training tunic.
"You are a stain on my reputation," Asher hissed.
"A completely wolfless Luna. My people will laugh at me. The neighboring packs will think the Royal King has grown soft and weak. You are entirely useless to me and my warriors."
My hot-tempered nature flared to life instantly, completely wiping out any lingering caution. I lifted my chin and glared back into his eyes with pure venom.
"Then send me back, you giant baby!" I yelled right back at him, my voice echoing loudly.
"I never asked to come to your stupid pack anyway. Go wage a war against Richard and take your silver spears back. Stop blaming me for your own bad business deals."
Asher’s jaw clenched so hard the bone looked like it might snap.
He raised his large hand, his fingers twitching as if he wanted nothing more than to wrap them around my throat again.
But he stopped himself, his eyes darting down to the fresh mark of the pack bond pulsing at the back of my neck.
He knew the ancient laws as well as I did. He could not murder a member of his own pack without a just cause, and sending me back now would mean admitting to the entire world that he had been fooled by a low-ranking territory.
"I cannot send you back, and you know it," Asher growled.
He leaned in closer, his hot breath fanning across my forehead. "But do not think for one second that you will sit on my throne or enjoy the luxury of this castle, Mira. Since you have no wolf to defend yourself, the other females in this pack will try to challenge you for the role of Luna the moment they smell your lack of power. They will try to tear you to pieces."
He paused, looking at me with a ruthless expression settling over his face.
"And I will not stop them," Asher stated coldly.
"If you want to survive the night in this fortress, you will learn how to bleed."
- Writer
