CHAPTER 80

Asher felt his head pounding and the thudding, racing beat of his heart told him he was not dreaming.
Neither was he imagining things.
He had heard Elise correctly but he asked her just to be sure his grief had not driven him crazy.
"What did you say?," he asked in a soft, almost caressing tone that gave no hint to the anger brewing inside him.
Elise promptly started weeping again and uncaring that she was not in the best shape, he commanded her to seize her tears and repeat what she had said.
"That evil woman murdered Rose. I could not stop her. Oh Alpha, you should have seen the look in her eyes as she hit her in the head. She is mad and she deceived us all. She is no better than the Crier before her," Elise said wailing, her words melding together.
Still, everyone in the room could make out what she was saying. They had all gone still and their gazed were riveted on Asher, who had a murderous look in his eyes.
"You will not speak about my mate in that condescending manner!" Asher roared and stood suddenly, throwing away her hand like it was poisonous.
Mila jumped back in fright, bumping into Cole who held her steady.
Elise flinched at the look he was giving her.
The bastard! She had anticipated this and she came prepared for him.
"You don't have any idea what she is really capable of Asher. You know I loved her as much as you do but..."
"No, you don't," he cut her off sharply. "If you did, you won't drag her and make her the victim in all this. She is as much a victim as you are. I can only imagine what she is going through right now," he finished, a defeated look entering his eyes.
Elise spared a glance around and noticed that instead of everyone falling for the tale she was spinning, they all had a sombre look in their eyes after Asher's pronouncement about Shana's treatment.
She needed to think fast.
"I promise you she is being treated like a queen, and that she is. She's Collins' queen and he does everything she bids him. She betrayed you and allowed him here. You have to believe me. I speak the truth," she said throwing a pleading look around the room. "What reason do I have to defame the Luna?"
No answer came back at her.
Because there was none.
She had shown her devotion to Shana without question and there had been no reason to doubt the love she claims to have for the Luna.
Asher's head kept pounding.
It couldn't be true. Everything Elise was saying made no sense.
"But I got a message and a picture. I saw it with my own eyes Elise. Everyone saw it. I saw her suffering and I could imagine what that beast had done to her," he said weakly.
"It was all a guise. She didn't want you knowing what she had done to Rose. She knew you would avenge your grandmother if you did."
Asher shook his head in denial. "How about the baby?"
"What baby?," Elise asked feigning a lost look.
"She's pregnant and Collins threatened her and the baby if I tried to save her."
With a crestfallen look, Elise replied. "I'm so sorry Asher, but the deceit of the Crier knows no bound. I'm afraid you were deceived. There's no baby."
"No. No. No," he said as he sat back on the back. "I don't understand."
And that was the truth.
First, Shana had loved Rose. That much he was sure about and there was no reason for her to murder his grandmother. Shana had shared with Rose secrets she couldn't share with him. Their relationship had been like that of a mother to daughter.
She had no motive whatsoever.
"You must have seen it all wrong Elise. Maybe it was Adele. She and her father fled the pack in a hurry. I believe Collins gained access in here throughThomas. You saw them, didn't you?," He asked hopefully.
"I did," Elise said truthfully. For a moment there, she had forgotten all about Thomas and his daughter. May his soul rest in peace. "But it was the Crier that led them in here. I saw it with my own eyes," she insisted. When Asher continued to shake his head in denial, she had to take out her last card.
"I've proof."
The already quiet room became deathly still.
All eyes were on her. "Where are the clothes that I wore?," She directed the question at a strikingly pale Mila.
She hurried out of the room on shaky leg and came back with her tattered dirty garments. Elise took it from her and produced a piece of paper from the pocket of her skirt.
"No one has asked me how I got to escape," she said looking around the occupants of the room with hurt in her eyes, making Armando duck his head in guilt. ". It's the truth that the Luna is a viscious woman and she missed no opportunity to torture me for trying to save Rose. One of Collins' guards couldn't stand to see how I was treated anymore and he helped me escape. He gave his number in case my Alpha ever needed help. He young man and a few others are helpless and they do not have the means to go against Collins as he ravages the pack," she added that last bit looking at Cole. The unholy glint that entered his eyes made her shiver but she continued.
"You can call him to ask all that happened and ask about the state of your supposedly kidnapped mate. I was the one who suffered. All she ever did was make my life miserable, blistering my ears about you not deserving to be Alpha of our great pack. She dined and wined with your enemy," she said looking into Asher's eyes.
Yes,she was spinning a wild tale and she desperately needed for him to believe her because the truth of the matter was that, she really wasn't a good storyteller. She was already at her limit.
"You had better pray everything you say is true Elise, or else...." he left the sentence hanging and Elise could not help the panic that raced through her.
Collins and the cowards had better played their part in the Oscar winning act or else...
With a savage growl, Asher snatched the crumpled piece of paper out of her hand and stalked out of the room.
Armando followed behind, cursing and swearing.
Mila didn't know if it was all in her head, but she thought she saw a triumphant look enter Elise's eyes when the Alpha turned his back.
Something didn't seem right but she was reeling from the shock of everything happening to really think straight.
She had a lot of questions. When had Shana had the time to meet with the former Beta, not to talk of hatching a plan with him?
And even if she did, it was common knowledge that Shana detested Adele and the feeling was reciprocated. There was no love lost between the two.
No matter how hard she tried to picture it, she couldn't see the two women working together, just as she couldn't picture the Luna harming Rose.
The Shana she knew wouldn't even harm a rat.
Something sure wasn't right with the older wolf's tale.
★★★★★★★★★★
Asher slammed the door to his study with so much force, the heavy door gave a suspicious cracking sound.
He did not care.
All he could think about was every word Elise had said.
'She wined and dined with your enemy.' 'a viscious woman' 'blistered my ears about you not deserving to be Alpha…'
He wanted to scream in frustration but held himself back.
Elise could have seen it all wrong because he never thought for a moment that she had any malicious feelings towards his mate.
And he had known Elise far too long to doubt her sincerity. She has been ever loyal and caring towards him and he had no reason to doubt her.
Maybe the beating and torturing had made her brain befuddled.
He hoped he was right.
With growing trepidation, he stared down at the severely crumpled paper in his hand. Without thinking, he threw it and watched it bounce against the opposite wall.
There was no reason to make any phone call. His mate had been abducted and that was that.
His only thoughts should be how to get her out of bondage.
But he still found himself standing and going straight for the paper.
There was no harm in making the phone call. It would only confirm he was right all along.
He could even get a chance to speak to his mate. The guard was ready to help him afterall.
Asher punched in the numbers shakily and dialed, almost hoping his call would be unanswered.
But that did not happen.
"Hello," a voice answered timidly.
"I'm Asher Anderson of Crescent moon pack. I sincerely thank you for saving a member of my pack. I do not know how I'll ever repay you," he said strongly.
"It was my pleasure Alpha. But I must say I did it for my own selfish reasons. My pack needs you. We need saving from the tyrant that calls himself Alpha, and the new spawn of the devil who now aids his cause," he said weakly.
"Who is she?," Asher asked with his heart pounding.
"I do not know her but she took residence here on the same day your pack member was kidnapped. She was accompanied by an elderly man and a pretty woman. I'm not privy to the details but Elise claims she is your mate," he said then added hurriedly, "Elise might be wrong."
Asher clenched and unclenched his fist furiously. "She's not being held captive?"
"No. She dines with the beast as we speak."
Asher saw red, pounding the wall with his fist and hitting his head against the wall till he drew blood.
Why?
Why did she do it?
Was it simply because she's a Crier?
It hurt him to realize he had been right about her kind all along.