Chapter 37: The Danger Everywhere

Harper’s POV



The next morning feels different. I wake up in Asher’s arms, but my mind and body feel different. Everything has changed. We’ve slept together and said, ‘I love you.’ I don’t know what this means for us or our fake marriage, but we’ll have to take it day by day.

Asher groans, letting go of me to roll to the other side of the bed. He stretches out his body, smiling when he sees me watching him.

“You look happy this morning,” He says, turning to face me.

I smile, “I am, especially when I get to wake up next to you.”

He reaches over to grab my hand, “You’re so beautiful.”

I blush, turning away from him.

“What are your plans for the day?” Asher asks, changing the subject.

I shrug, “I think Amaris wants to go for a walk in the woods.”

“That should be fun. I think Jack said he wants to spar together and then grab a beer afterwards,” he says, playing with my fingers.

“Can we have dinner together afterwards in the backyard?” I ask, hoping he will say yes.

We haven’t been to our new special spot together since our first date. We’ve been so busy that we haven’t had the time to be alone together.

Asher smiles, kissing my knuckles, “Of course we can.”

Asher and I get dressed together, exchanging kisses whenever we could. It took a while, but we managed to get out the door in time for lunch. We hold hands as we walk down the hallway towards the kitchen, something we’ve never done before.

I’m sure members of the pack will be slightly confused by the extra affection between us, but hopefully no one will think it’s suspicious.

Asher and I part ways at the kitchen; he heads out the back to meet up with Jack, and I take a right down another hallway to meet Amaris at her room. I tap on the door softly. She’s quick to answer with a smile on her face.

“Are you excited for our walk?” She asks, more enthusiastic than I am.

I point to my hiking shoes, “Of course I am.”

Amaris laughs as she shuts the door behind her, ‘Well, let’s get walking.”

I follow Amaris out the back, passing Asher and Jack on our way. Asher gives me a cheeky smile when I see him, which makes my stomach flutter.

We walk into the woods, following the dirt track North. I feel like I’m having de-ja-vu as we walk along the trail. I have flashbacks to following the unknown child through the bushes looking for his Mother.

I try to ignore the feeling of being led to my death because that’s what happened last time I was here, but I know Amaris would never do that to me. She doesn’t know the full details of what happened out here that day, so I can’t blame her for my unease.

The sun is beaming down, giving us a bit of warmth during the winter breeze. I pull my puffer jacket tighter around my chest, hoping to keep in the warmth from the sun.

“This trail is so beautiful,” Amaris compliments.

“It really is,” I say, watching the birds overhead fly carelessly through the soft breeze.

We’ve been walking for a while now, but the exercise is exactly what I need; fresh air and exercise can go a long way.

“I think just up ahead there is a small cave,” Amaris says, checking the time on her watch.

I stop dead in my tracks, “What?”

She turns to face me, confused, “What’s wrong?”

I shake my head, trying not to get caught up in what happened to me. Maybe it’s a different cave. These woods are massive and stretch for miles. I’m sure there is more than one cave North of the compound.

“Nothing,” I say, waving her off, “Let’s go check it out.

The ground below me is beginning to look familiar as the pathway drops off and there’s nothing but bushes and sharp plants. I can feel my heart begin to pound in my chest, anxious to see where I almost died for the first time since it happened.

As we approach the clearing, I must focus on my breathing. I feel like I’m having a panic attack or something because my breathing is rapid, and I don’t know how to calm myself down.

Before we enter the area with the cave, a group of voices stop us in our tracks. Amaris and I look at each other confused. Instead of revealing ourselves, we walk into the brush and look through the hedges surrounding the area.

When I peek through, I can see Drake and Zoey talking in a circle with Julius and Dean. What is happening here?

“Did she take up the offer?” Julius says, folding his arms across his chest.

Drake sighs, “I don’t think so.”

Julius shakes his head, clearly frustrated, “I thought I made it clear that you needed to do a good job of convincing her that Asher wanted to leave so I can take control of the pack.”

“I tried; I really did.” Drake sounds almost scared when he talks to Julius, like he knows what this man is capable of.

So, this was all a set up? My suspicions were right. I knew Drake’s pack coming here for materials was all a ruse to try and have Zoey come between us, in hopes Asher will leave me and I will return home to my pack, leaving Julius to take on the Alpha role here.

He’s a cunning b*stard.

“What about you?” Julius directs his attention to Zoey, who refuses to look at him, “I thought you said Asher was still in love with you.”

Amaris looks at me, confusion written across her face.

Zoey shrugs, “I thought he was. But that girl has gotten into his head and now he can’t stand to look at me.”

Julius shakes his head, running his hands down his face, “This plan has been a disaster. Asher won’t leave his wife, and Harper won’t leave him, but he’s made it clear he doesn’t love you anymore. F*cking perfect.”

“I’m sorry we couldn’t help more,” Drake says.

I thought Zoey was pretending she didn’t know Asher in front of Drake because she didn’t want him to know he was her ex-boyfriend. But now I see that it was just part of the plan to make Zoey appear as if she would leave her marriage to run away with Asher, but in reality, she would return to Drake in the end.

These people are f*cking sick individuals.

This is just another way Julius is trying to regain his control over the pack. Everything he’s done hasn’t worked, and there’s a reason for that. Asher and I together are just too powerful for anyone to come between us. We’re strong headed and don’t take sh*t from anyone.

I wiggle out from the bush and get to my feet, dusting off dirt and twigs. Amaris does the same, watching me in confusion.

“What just happened?” She asks, eyeing me carefully.

I crack my knuckles, “They’re f*cking with the wrong couple.”