Lycan King’s Nemesis

**ASHTON**

The border check with the team took longer than anticipated. And by the time we were through, twilight had befallen us.

I was impatient, my mind and body already far from here as I excused myself from them and made my way home. I missed my mate so much and after last night, I did not want to spend a moment away from her.

Since last night, it had been a new level of peace. I told her, I fucken expressed my feelings to her and it was not as bad as I had envisioned. I always knew all along. From the first day, I met her that she would have me this way. That was why I was scared and did everything possible to make her leave. And I am glad it didn’t work.

After our exchange at the dining room and I blurted that statement, I regretted it. However, the regret came after the blunder. I never supposed I would stoop low to say that to her. After all, we weren’t sure where the issue stemmed from. It could even be from me.

Thanks to Striker, it was not long and we were galloping through the palace gate at full speed I didn’t have time to acknowledge the greetings of the Deltans.

Once I dropped the stallion and was waiting for the stable boy to take the reigns from me and secure it, I saw Merit inclined towards me.

I met her halfway.

“Ashton!”

“It’s your majesty to you, Merit,” I countered. “We are no longer kids.”

“That’s not the point now.”

“So, what is?” I didn’t stop.

“I saw your mate.”

“I didn’t say she was missing.” I reached the front door and Mousy quickened to open it, bowing until we walked past him.

“You can’t believe where I saw her.”

“I didn’t recall placing you as a supervisor over my mate, Merit.”ConTEent bel0ngs to Nôv(e)lD/rama(.)Org .

“I do what I do because I care about you, Ashton.”

I stopped at the landing of the first staircase, before the second one. “What is this all about, Merit? You know I can never marry you.”

“And that is not my priority. We are friends and this Kingdom as far as I am concerned is our priority and scandal is something that shouldn’t be found anywhere close to the palace.”

My ear pricked. “What do you mean by that?”

She grinned slyly. “Now that I have your full attention, did you do what I asked of you the other day?”

“Merit, you have information, If you are not willing to share then go have a good day.” I continued on my trip.

“I saw her with the Chief guardian. In his home. I was not close and when I heightened my hearing, I heard her begging him for something. The position I found them was… compromising.”

“They are friends.” I heard myself say for the first time.

She snorted derisive laughter that ended in a throat clear when I growled at her. “Sorry, but don’t be foolish. Something tells me he is sleeping with her, but you won’t know because you trust her so much. That is why she doesn’t want to give you an heir! Don’t be deceived!”

My body froze in anger and jealousy as she said that. This is not something I want to entertain because obviously, it is getting old. I am starting to trust my mate and she had told me time without number that Tyler and her were merely friends. If I do not trust her, how can we build a proper relationship?

“Well, I know she isn’t sleeping with him and as for seeing them, she notified me of going to meet with him. I think it’s because of Abigail’s disappearance.”

A sudden movement in her throat caught my attention. Her face fell. It was a look of disappointment. “Oh…”

“Next time make sure you hear properly, Merit. Gwen is a good girl if only you will set aside your hatred and get to know her. And… do not forget she is your Queen.”

“I am sorry, Ashton. I thought…”

“Never mind.” I waved her off and finalized climbing the stairs, my former excitement waning from what I just heard. What did she go there to do? And why did she not tell me last night she was going there?

No, I shook my head, it must be something serious and maybe it was impromptu. I didn’t care about the position they were in, all I should care about was that Gwen would never hurt me. She was nothing like Emma. It all centred around finding Abigail. Knowing Hwen, she won’t test until my sister is found.

That had to be it.

My ears caught two female voices and laughter coming from the left side of the mansion that led to the Queen’s private parlour-a place I knew only mother used. Normally I would ignore it and proceed in search of my mate, nonetheless, the second voice was very familiar. So I changed course.

And yes to my suspicion even before I got there, her heavy aromatic scent hit me. My mate. But, there was something off. Something off mixed with try scent.

I knocked gently and entered before they would permit me and I met with an awkward scene: My mate gulping down a glass of Whiskey.

“Mother, what are you doing?” I snatched the glass from her at once, lowering it and pushing the bottle away from her. I flailed my hands about my mate. “This is not proper.”

“Oh, C’mon,” My mother wagged her finger condescendingly at me. “She is not a kid. And this is women’s time. Leave.”

“She needs to be coherent.” I countered.

Gwen struggled, taking her wrist from me. “You heard Mother, I am not a kid. Leave, it’s women’s time.” She pointed at the door. My eyes flailed. She was drunk. I could tell.

“Gwen, you have had enough. Don’t listen to Mother. She is stronger than you.”

“I am moulding her, son. To be like me.”

“She doesn’t need to be like you, Mother. Stop.” I grabbed Gwen’s wrist and pulled her up, bent and scooped her up, ignoring her protest.

“Okay, okay, you win. She is drunk, take her to bed.” Mother dismissed us.

I huffed and made for the door. Then paused, went back fn took the bottle. “You too, you need to stop.” I didn’t wait for her to protest and left the room.

“Let me down you brute!” Gwen was struggling, hitting any part of my body her fist collided with and giggling deliriously.

“Baby, you shouldn’t have taken that.”

“What’s your business? You left me!”

“For a meeting. I told you.”

“You stayed too long. And then…” She sniffed and broke down in tears. Thankfully we were in front of the room so I took her in and laid her on the bed. She sat up. “… your people now hate me so much, Ashton. They look at me with fire as if when they go into the temple all they prayed was for me to meet my untimely death in the hands of the devil.”

“Baby, it’s not that bad.” I stroke her face softly.

“It’s so bad,” She sobbed, shaking her head from side to side. “I am so afraid of even going for walks.”

“It’s fine, little wolf, come here.” I jumped into the bed and drew her into my arms. “No one would dare hurt you, my love. Don’t worry, I will address then and I promise you will see changes henceforth, okay?”

“Okay… though I deserve it.”

“You deserve only the best, my love.”

“Do you mean it?” Her tear-stricken puppy eyes peeked at me.

“I am a man of my word.” I kissed her nose.

She sighed back into me, using her left hand to support her head. “I have something to tell you…”

“What?”

“You have to promise not to do anything bad. You have to promise.”

“It depends on try circumstance, my love.”

“No, you have to promise me if not I won’t tell you. I am putting my friendship on the line by telling you this bit I don’t want you to continue being worried.”

“Alright, what is it?”

She took her time and said, “Abby is around.”

She sat up to look at me and I looked back at her in question. How? Did she know all these while and didn’t tell me or have they lately found her?

“I saw her today at Tyler’s place.” She answered my mental question.

That son of a bitch! My lips went in a straight line. He abducted my sister? It had to be it! Abigail couldn’t be so stupid as to move in with a rogue.

“She went to him yesterday.”

“She said that?”

“Tyler told me.”

“Bloody liar!” I blasted. “He took her.”

“No, he didn’t. Abigail needs space and thinks staying there for now would be the best. For her.”

“She needs her family. Us. Not putting herself in danger. She is not of sane mind at the moment.”

“Ashton!” She cupped my face. “You have to be reasonable. If I didn’t want to tell you I won’t. So, don’t make me regret it. She made me swear not to tell anyone.”

I grated my teeth. I used to be the closest thing to a confidant to my sister when we were growing up. Now we seemed like two rivers that could never meet. “Is she okay?”

“She is… recovering.”

“Does she need anything?”

“No, she said she doesn’t. And if she does, I will take it to her.”

“I don’t trust that guy.”

“Tyler is the best guy you can have a rough here if you think about it. He is our friend and will do anything for us. Please, Ashton, stop seeing him as the enemy and try to see him for the man he is.”

I scoffed within. If only she knew what a monster he was. I was still to confirm his obsession with my mate and sister. And if time is not taken I won’t be shocked if he was being close to them, pretending to be goody two shoes just to Infuriate me. He had my secret and knew irrespective of how mad I got, I wouldn’t do anything to him.

My sister.

“Okay, Gwen. I won’t go to her, I won’t force her to come back but you have to promise me something in return.”

“Okay?”

“You have to check up on her all the time to be certain she’s okay with that…” When she eyed me ruefully, I released my gnashing teeth and instead of the ‘rogue’ I was about to say, I said ‘man’.

“It’s not a burden at all, Ash.” She quipped. “It is something I already have in my schedule henceforth. Just don’t tell Mother for now, please.”

“Fine.”

I brought her back into my arms and squished her, not wanting to let her go an inch. I felt better now knowing my sister was okay. One problem solved. It was time to commence the search for Williams’s murderer. If they thought they had escaped, then I will prove to them that no one stepped on my feet and went free.

I felt so alone and my former glee came back full-fledged. I desired to ask Gwen why she was begging Tyler as Merit said, then changed my mind. It wouldn’t be good if she found that. It would make her think I was spying on her and that won’t be nice.

I kissed her hair and inhaled deeply, taking cognizance of how she had slacked on me. She had fallen asleep.

I laid her back on the bed and arranged the divert around her. I turned off the lights on my way out. I had to install a guard at the rogue’s house. I could never allow myself to trust him enough. Despite Gwen’s word to check on her, what if he attacked two of them, who would protect them?

As I entered my study, I didn’t expect to get a message from my mercenaries to the human world that the bane of my life, Sweetbaby, had finally been captured and was presently transported back to my Kingdom.

Oh, what a happy day!

…