CHAPTER 81

Then he received the picture.
The dinging sound of his mobile was like a thunderclap. The sound reverberated again and again in his head as he closed his eyes and prayed that Shana was not in anyway implicated in the picture. Not even when he wished for his parents' love did he pray that hard.
Then he opened his eyes, which were so hell-bent on protecting him from the truth and stared at the picture on the screen.
He could see the devilishly handsome Collins alright, dining with a woman who had her back turned to the camera.
But there was no mistaking who it was.
It was no other person but his mate, whom he had been despairing about and blaming himself for everything that had gone wrong between them. And as much as his heart denied it, his brain could not get past what was staring him clearly in the face.
The bitter taste of betrayal soiled his mouth and he felt his throat thighten, forcing him to swallow convulsively. Then, he felt himself go cold.
And empty.
It was all over. Everything he thought he had to fight for was nothing but a farce.
Before he thought better of what he was doing, he called Elise's ally.
"Tell the fucking Crier to avoid me and everything that has to do with me or else, she would never live to tell the story," he whispered angrily. "Tell her that's a promise I'll keep with my dying breath," he added.
"I'm sorry Alpha, but I can't deliver your message. Collins must never know about any of this," he answered and Asher, who was too blinded by his mate's betrayal failed to pick up the pleasure dripping from the wolf's tone
He wished he could see her in person to deliver the warning and wring her beautiful neck in the process.
"I understand. You've done enough and I owe you."
"It was nothing. I've to go but you should know Collins is colluding with her. They are really up to something."
"As expected," he scoffed. "One more thing," he said then stopped to take a deep breath inaudibly. "Is the Crier carrying a child?"
But the line was dead already and he never got a reply.
Truth be told, he didn't know what he truly wanted to hear.
A part of him wanted her to be pregnant, the part of him that was finding it difficult to shake off the love he had for her and desperately wanted parts of both of them united forever.
But it was good she wasn't carrying a baby. There were chances it could be his-they had had enough sex for that to have happened long before now-and he would have gone beserk. He could never allow his child be raised by his enemy.
A subtle knock on the broken door was followed by Cole's entry.
The big wolf stood in the doorway for a while, uncertain about what to say to the other brooding wolf in the room.
He knew what it felt like to be betrayed. He had been there, experienced all the pain firsthand and he would never wish it on another person.
There were no words yet in existence that could bring any relieve.
So he decided not to console Asher with any words. He didn't even look like he would welcome them.
"What are you going to do?"
"Nothing."
"You don't mean that."
"I mean whatsoever I say. I don't know about you."
"Do you really think Collins is going to let you be after this? He won't stop at taking your mate. He'll take your pack."
"He won't take what I'm not willing to give. And he didn't take the Crier, she went willingly."
"If that's what you choose to believe."
"It's the truth and you don't even know the half of it. I found out weeks ago she was crying a message for my stepfather. And she has done his wish more than his expectation. Her aim is to disgrace me and that, she has achieved. Now she can live happily with her lover while they forever laugh their heads off about my foolishness."
"Trust me, Collins would never stop at that and he's never been into such petty revenge, unless your woman is the most fetching bitch in the world."
"She's not my woman," he said vehemently but the look he flashed the wolf was anger for calling her a bitch.
"You've to do something." Cole could see the ray of hope flashing through those eyes, despite the fact that it was dimming every minute as Asher concorted scenerios in his head. Cole didn't have to be a mind reader to know that latter part, he had been there too.
But the only difference was that he had witnessed his own betrayal, not hearsay. And something in his gut told him not to trust everything Asher's housekeeper had said, even if Asher trusted her.
"I'm sorry but you've to go after your brother alone if you want to reclaim what's rightfully yours."
"Won't you like to see for yourself if it's all true?," he prodded.
"What more do I need to see but this?," Asher roared as he threw the phone at the unsuspecting wolf.
Cole caught the phone just before it hit him smack on the head.
Seeing his twin looking so happy and relaxed in the picture made him mad. He almost choked on the painful emotion as he tried to swallow down his grief. He wasn't about to make a mess of himself by crying for all he had lost.
Instead, he said "Judging from just the back of her alone, I'll kill to have her. I don't have to see it all to know she would make a man go crazy with need," and he regretted his choice of words immediately as a punch flew into his face, sending him sprawling in a chair and the phone clattered out of his hand.
Cole had been caught unaware the first time but when he saw Asher's fist flying again, he moved as fast as he could to deflect the incoming blow.
"Don't you dare mock me!" Asher said slowly as he tried to rein in his temper.
"I wasn't," Cole replied holding up his hands.
For a man who just declared he had nothing more to do with his mate, he was going out of his way to defend everything Cole said about her.
And it was all the evidence he needed as he made his way out of the study, avoiding coming anywhere close to the enraged wolf.
★★★★★★★★★★
Alas, she could think about the man she loved and not feel like she had failed him.
Yes, she was still a long way from avenging him. But now, she could sleep with a modicum of peace, knowing the bastard was in as much pain as the man she loved had been everyday of his life till he met his demise.
No matter how hard Asher tried to hide his pain and move on, everyone around him knew he was living in utter misery. She wanted to wail her satisfaction to the heavens but then again, she had to put on the most convincing act of the century with eyes watching her.
Now, she could sit back and watch his world crash further. She had done her part and it was left to Collins to complete the job, which she didn't really care about anymore. She had done for Adam what he sent the Crier to do and she knew he could rest in peace now. Whether Collins overthrows Asher as Alpha was just a bonus in the plan she had hatched and used him to achieve. She didn't care much about his ambition but she had been able to convince him otherwise.
In fact, after seeing the misery and suffering in Asher's eyes, she almost wanted out of Collins' plan. She almost wanted him to forever remain the clownish Alpha his mother had made her man.
She still had a lot of time to make her decision but right now, she had to keep up her act, especially for the eyes she could feel boring holes into her.
Elise let slip a tear or two and raised her head to look at Mila. "Could you draw me a hot bath please? I can feel my muscles cramping?," she said looking into the younger wolf's eyes beseechingly. Elise could not see a ounce of accusation in the beautiful eyes that stared back at her smiling and turning away to do her bidding but she could sense it rolling off her in waves and the tense way she moved away.
But Elise was rest assured, she didn't have very much to be worried about when it came to Mila. She was a nobody in the pack and Asher would never take her word over that of a woman who had been by his side for years. Besides, Mila was the quiet type and never seemed to notice what was really going on around her.
A short knock and a second later, Armando and Cole admitted themselves into the room. The latter had a black eye on the unscarred part of his face, which was healing already and he looked pissed as hell. Elise could take a guess who had done it to him.
"How do you feel now?" Armando asked as he studied her bruised face, not giving away anything about how he felt. Even his tone revealed nothing.
"I'm fine. I just feel so happy I made it out alive," she replied with her eyes on Cole. "I only had a little scare when I woke up. You look so much like him. I thought I was back there when I saw you and I was about to go into a full-blown panic attack," she said dabbing at her eyes.
"Obviously, we are twins. But I'm sorry my presence caused you distress. I could stay out if you like," Cole replied coolly.
"No, you don't have to."
He gave her a short nod and lifted the corners of his mouth in a smile that didn't reach his eyes. What he had truly wanted to say was, "You never for a moment showed any sign you were scared. You had stared back at me like you wanted to go for my throat," but he kept his mouth shut.
Elise heard the wolf say one thing, but his eyes said another.
"I'm sorry to start bothering you while you are still trying to move on from all these but some things just can't wait Elise, and there are questions I've wanted to ask someone so badly," Armando said, breaking the awkward tension between Cole and herself.
"You can ask me anything. You aren't bothering me," she answered and cleared her throat.
"I always knew the attack was successful because there was help from within and you confirmed that already. I just want you to tell me all that happened that day from the very beginning."
"I was close by too," Mila added quietly from the bathroom door.
Armando turned a puzzled look on her but he said nothing.
"Good. Then let's get on with it," Cole said with a smile that made Elise feel cornered.