Chapter 24: The Control

Asher’s POV



Harper’s condition has stayed the same for the past couple of days. Mrs. Lang ordered me to keep her comfortable in bed and keep a cool towel on her forehead as she may experience hot flushes during the healing process. With the right antibiotics she should make a full recovery.

I spend most of my time sitting in bed next to her, never letting my eyes wonder elsewhere. I’m afraid if I leave her for more than a couple of minutes, she’ll somehow end up getting worse. It’s been a constant battle with my brain to try and not over think everything.

Members of the pack have been wanting to stop by for a visit, to pay their respects to the Luna. I want them to have that opportunity, but I can’t trust anyone anymore, not even my own pack. Not until the culprit is caught.

Deep down I know this had to have been Julius. It’s me against him in the fight for the Alpha title. He won’t back down, even after saying he would if I got married. He’s doing everything in his power to make sure I stumble from the top of the pedestal, so he’ll be there to claim the title if I’m out of the picture.

A knock on the door distracts me from my thoughts. I glance at Harper to make sure she’ll be okay, before I get out of bed to answer the door. Julius and Dean are standing in front of me, sadness graces their faces.

I step forward, pulling the door closed behind me, “What do you two want?”

“We wanted to stop by to leave our well wishes for the Luna,” Julius says, “I’m sure this must be a difficult time for the both of you.”

I narrow my eyes at him, “I wouldn’t know if this has been difficult for Harper because she can’t speak, let alone open her eyes,” I spit.

How dare they come here trying to be nice when I know what they’re up to, especially Julius. When I look into his eyes all I can see is darkness, nothing else. There is no light left in the man’s eyes.

“I don’t know why you’re so angry with us, Asher,” Dean comments, “We’re only here to give well wishes to you both.”

“I don’t want your well wishes,” I seethe through my teeth, “I want you to get out of my face and leave us alone.”

“Asher let’s face it,” Julius begins, trying to keep his tone quiet, “Clearly the marriage with Harper isn’t working out. Someone from her own family appears to be after her life, so maybe you should try and stay away from her.”

I frown, “No one from her family is trying to kill her.”

“Are you sure?” Julius questions me, raising an eyebrow.

This whole time I had thought my uncles were trying to kill us, but the mention of Harper’s family has my mind running wild with possibilities.

When I don’t respond, Julius keeps talking, “How about we set you up with a nice young girl from the pack to marry and you can send Harper home once she is fully healed.”

I look between my two idiot uncles. Do they think I don’t know what they’re trying to do here? They want me to leave Harper to enter an arranged marriage, with a girl who they likely have twisted around their pinkies, so they can try and regain control of the pack.

“Absolutely not,” I say, “There is no way I’m leaving Harper, she’s the love of my life.”

“I thought Zoey was the love of your life?” Dean asks, trying to use Zoey’s name against me.

I laugh in his face, “Not anymore.”

I open the door to the bedroom, turning around to face them, “Leave me and my wife the f*ck alone or I won’t hesitate to come after you.”

I slam the door in their shocked faces. I have to give them credit for trying, but my eyes are wide open to the sneaky stunts they try and pull to manipulate me into doing what they want. It’s because of Harper I’m able to see clearly around me.

Harper is still asleep; she didn’t even move an inch when I slammed the door. I settle in beside her, ready to watch her slow breathing for the next couple of hours.


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A messenger sent by Mrs. Lang has requested that I visit her in the medical clinic as soon as possible. I ask Amaris to keep an eye on Harper just in case she happens to wake up while I’m gone.

I rush down to her room, wondering what is so important that she couldn’t come and tell me herself. I knock on the door, but she’s already waiting on the other side. She swings the door open wide and grabs the collar of my shirt, pulling me into the room.

“What’s so urgent?” I ask, straightening out my shirt.

Mrs. Lang locks the door behind me, “No one followed you here?”

I frown, “Not that I know of.”

“Good,” her voice is stern, “Please take a seat over here.”

I sit down in the chair she gestured to, and she sits in front of me. Her face looks paler than usual with more wrinkles.

“Asher,” She begins, “Do you remember the day your Father passed away?”

Well, that’s an odd question. I thought I was here to talk about Harper.

“Uh, yeah,” I mumble.

“I was the one who performed his autopsy the next day and I remember finding a strange presence in his blood that I couldn’t figure what it was at the time,” She shifts in her seat, nervous, “I’ve kept it on file all of these years in hopes one day I’ll find out what it is because he had an excessively large amount in his system.”

My heart begins to pound. I was told as a kid when he died that it was due to natural causes. I need to know what Mrs. Lang is trying to say because the anticipation is killing me.

She goes to open her mouth but can’t seem to find the right words.

“What’s wrong, Mrs. Lang? What did you find out?” I’m so anxious my heart could explode.

“The poison found in Harper’s body is only found in specific plants, and coincidentally enough they can be found in the forest surrounding the compound,” She takes a deep breath, “After some research I found the poison in Harper’s body is an exact match to the substance found in your Father’s system.”

My jaw drops open, words can’t be formed to speak a sentence. It feels as though I have left my body as a ghost and I’m watching the world around me from up in the air. Time seems to be moving at snail pace.

“What… are you saying?” I manage to string together a sentence.

Mrs. Lang sighs, “The same person who poisoned Harper, is the one who killed your Father.”

A single tear rolls down my cheek, “He was murdered?”