CHAPTER 61

Dead man?
Mila did a double take of the man looming over her. He did not look the least bit dead. If anything, he looked too alive for her peace of mind.
Except if he was a ghost. But even a ghost could not look this normal and feel as human as he had when his hand had brushed her skin in the process of taking off the duct tape. Moreover, she never saw ghosts, just visions.
"You look really dead," she said scanning him. "And pigs could fly," she added scornfully.
"I wouldn't know about that. I haven't even seen one running," he said seriously. And if Mila was not tied up and if she didn't know who he was, she would have laughed.
"But I know you dead man," she said with conviction and he knew she was not lying.
"How?," he asked as he finally comprehended what she was talking about.
"In the forest with the old Beta of the pack, remember?," Mila asked with scorn but the man before her only stared at her in amusement. "You are a conspirator trying to take the pack and I hate you. And I must tell you that you are going to fail," she said with venom in her voice.
"Collins beat me to it again," he muttered under his breath and his eyes became angry, making Mila shrink back fearfully. If his twin was there already like the girl claimed, then he was not the only one needing help. The Alpha of Crescent pack was going to need his help taking Collins down. And whether the Alpha liked it or not, he was going to take his help because, he realized he had a lot more at risk now than he initially thought.
"I'm sorry mate but I think you've been fortunate enough to meet my twin brother," he said as he leaned close to her face.
Mila's eyes widened momentarily in shock. "Who are you? What are you talking about?"
"I couldn't introduce myself because you were sleeping so peacefully. The man you met is my twin brother, Collins," he said the name with so much sadness in his eyes. "My name is Cole, Alpha of Bleeding Moon pack."
Mila shook her head in denial. "I do not believe you. You must think I'm stupid to fall for such trick."
"Believe what you must but I should warn you. If my twin was here already, you are going to have to trust me mate."
"I've no reason to trust you or believe anything you say. And stop calling me that!," she yelled in frustration. All he was saying made sense. The more she looked into his eyes, the more convinced she was that he was a different man from the person she saw with Thomas. The man she had seen looked so dangerous he wouldn't have thought of giving her water after tying her up. But she did not want to accept the truth. She wanted to keep seeing him as an enemy in order to keep him out of her head. She didn't want a mate. Not right now, or ever.
"Mate? We both know not saying the word changes nothing. I know you feel what I feel," he said looking deep into her eyes. She could not deny it but instead, she averted her gaze.
"What do you want from me?," she asked weakly.
"First, I want to know the bastard that did that to your face." His fists curled as he said the words.
When he had seen her battered on the floor, his heart had ached. But all he could do was set her broken nose and clean the cuts on her face.
"It's none of your business," Mila answered sharply. She did not need him to take care of her.
"It is my business now and you'll tell me in due time. I'll let it slide for now." She gave no response to that. "I'm going to untie you but I need you to promise to do everything I tell you to."
Since promises were made to be broken, she nodded obediently.
★★★★★★★★★★
Asher could not bring himself to look in Shana's direction the morning after he came home. For some reason, he felt dreadful about what happened during the night. He could not shake off the feeling that he owed her an apology as he watched her descend the stairs.
He had not slept in the room after he had a shower. Instead, he had taken himself off to the room where he met her sleeping. That way, he was not as near to her as his gut wanted but he still felt close sleeping in the bed and inhaling her subtle scent, all the while reminding himself of reasons he should be hating her.
From the cursory glance he had thrown in her direction, he noticed her skin was paler than usual. Not the peaches and cream healthy pale he had fallen in love with, but the lackluster dullness of someone who was chronically ill. He wanted to get up and go to her as he watched her cross to the kitchen.
Was she not eating well? Was something wrong with her? He longed to ask her those questions but instead, he ignored her as she walked by him.
He wanted to go to her and hold her in his arms while he told her what he suspected was going on within the pack. He wanted to tell her he would be gone for a few days. He wanted to assure her that everything would be alright, that they were going to be fine and he was going to keep her from every danger coming their way but instead, he got up and left the house without a backward glance.
But first, he had to see Rose.
Asher had not been able to bring himself to face his grandmother. She had fallen for Shana's deceit just like he did and he knew he was making the old woman reenact the bad experiences she had with his mother. That alone made him feel guilty and responsible for his mistakes. She did not deserve any of what was happening. She did not deserve two Criers in a lifetime, just like he didn't.
"What an honour. I thought you were going to avoid me for the rest of my days," she said lightly when she saw him.
"Hello Rose," he said quietly, a sad smile spreading across his face as he moved to wrap his arms around her in a tight hug.
"Oh dear," Rose murmured as sad tears prickled her eyes. She could see he was hurting and there was nothing she could do for him. "Oh dear," she said again as hot tears trickled down her cheeks. She patted his back gently, trying to sooth the pain that seemed to surround him.
It looked like fate had cursed her existence by hurting the men she loved through the women they, themselves loved.
"I'm so sorry Rose," Asher muttered into her hair, his eyes squeezed shut against all the emotions. He never cried, and he was not going to start now. "I should have seen it. I should have never let my guard down and I should have known she was up to something. But I guess I'm no better than any other man thinking with his manhood instead of his head. And I'm sorry for what I made you go through," he finished weakly with his arms still wrapped around her. He realized he really needed the hug and someone to talk to.
Rose continued to stroke his back lightly,saying nothing. It was the Asher she knew and it was just like him to blame himself for every problem on the planet. "You have nothing to apologize for. I knew who she was from the moment I met her," Rose said gently.
The arms around her went lax. Then he moved away to look into her teary eyes, his going hard in shock. "What did you say?," Asher asked slowly.
"I knew your mate was a Crier."
"Never call her my mate and I don't like your joke right now," he said testily.
"I'm sorry Asher but I couldn't say anything to you. I knew you were going to react this way and I felt a need to protect what you found. I wasn't going to let you throw it all away because of a prejudice born out of your past experience with your mother," Rose stated.
Asher felt the betrayal bloom in his chest. It was like the scene from over a week ago was happening again and he had to stop himself from walking out on Rose. "I can't believe you are saying all these. Did she cast a spell on you? What the hell were you protecting? A Crier?"
"Is that all she is now? Just a Crier? She was your mate, your wife and the woman you love. I was protecting the love you both have," Rose said at the top of her voice. She rarely ever raised her voice but the thickheaded male before her was making her lose her legendary cool.
"All that means nothing now. A woman whose sole purpose is to see me hurt is my enemy and you call that love? She can't even love," he said scoffing.
"You are wrong," she replied with a shake of her head. "That girl loves you with every fibre of her being and you are being a dickhead not to see it."
"No Rose," he answered coldly, turning away from her. "I think you are being a traitor, stabbing me in the back over and over again while I stand here hoping you could give me a good reason for keeping what she was away from me," Asher lashed out angrily. He could not take it anymore. The one person he had trusted with his life turned out to be just like everyone else.
"I told you. I was protecting what you both have and her being a Crier was no reason for you to go mess a perfect thing up."
"No, I think you were protecting the Crier and her duty. You also knew why she is here, didn't you?," he asked turning to face her.
Rose saw the look in his eyes,she saw his resolution and the conclusion he had drawn and her hands went up to cover her mouth in a shocked gasp.