CHAPTER 88

For Asher, it didn't happen fast enough.
He had called Cole and informed him about the plan. The wolf had jumped in immediately.
Then, he had called Mark before he could think better of it. He was still in the dark about his father's death but Asher knew the old man would not be missed so much by his son.
Along with a handful of his trusted men, Asher, Cole and Mark had staked out in the forest were Thomas used to meet with him.
Elise had texted him to meet her there that night-Asher had actually done the texting.
Now, as he lurked in the shadows with the others, far enough not to be sensed by Collins, he prayed and promised the goddess he was going to be a better husband if she kept his mate safe.
And a better father.
He still couldn't process the news that Shana was pregnant all these while.
She had needed him and he had failed her. Not once, but twice.
He hoped everything worked without a hitch. He hoped Elise wouldn't turn on him at the last minute. She would be the closest to her and once she had Shana, Asher didn't care what happened to Collins after.
It seemed they had been waiting forever when suddenly, Adele appeared out of the deep, dank forest.
Then she was followed by Collins. Asher held his breath in anticipation of the first glimpse of his mate.
Let her be alright, he prayed but she never appeared.
She failed to appear as Adele and Collins moved closer to Elise, who stood stonily.
Where was she? He felt the panic rising within him as he asked himself the question. His heart raced and his head pounded.
"Where is she?," Elise asked loud and clear. "I told you to bring her here."
Elise could not hide the panic in her own voice. What had Collins done to the Crier? If he had harmed even a hair on her head, her Adam would never forgive her and she would never forgive herself.
Collins took his time answering her as he curved his arm possessively around Adele, who stiffened in his arms. The weeks she had spent in Collins' clutches had caused a change in her that Elise couldn't help but not notice.
But that was the least of her problems.
"She won't be joining us until you've given me all the information I need. You should know I do not trust you."
Elise forced herself not to look around. Asher was at that moment staring at her and she couldn't afford to make any mistake.
"No. You've to provide the Crier first," Elise said agitatedly.
"Then we have a problem," Collins said with a sweet smile. "But that can be remedied."
Just like that, about ten men materialized from the forest. Asher had not caught even a whiff of their scent. They had obviously taken extra care to hide their scent.
What was Collins up to?
His question was answered almost immediately. "I'll either let my men beat it out of you or you'll cooperate with us and lead us to Asher undetected. The choice is yours," he said smiling sickenly, his hand forever roaming over Adele.
Elise was disgusted with the last statement coming from him. It had not sounded any different when it came from Asher but atleast, she knew he had actually meant his words even if her choices had not really been much.
But with Collins, she was certain he would torture and kill her no matter what she decided.
"Your twin is alive," she blurted out and like she had hoped, the words threw Collins off balance but just for a second. Then he laughed.
"And pigs could fly. I saw him die with my eyes woman. Unless your goddess came down and performed a personal miracle, my brother is dead," he said matter of fact.
"I'm telling the truth and you know it. He is out for vengeance and he's plotting with Asher to take you down. Now, provide the Crier and I'll give you every information you need to thwart their plans."
"The Crier is gone, she escaped."
Asher could barely make out the words, as Adele had spoken quietly.
"Shut your mouth!" Collins screamed in her face, his hand going to her throat and squeezing dangerously. He was enraged and had momentarily lost control of himself. And that had been Collins' undoing.
"Then my work here is done," Elise said looking around her.
"What do you mean?," Collins had asked turning on her, his moves agitated and betraying his fear. His confusion was cleared almost immediately. He was too smart for his own good and he realized what she meant.
"You bitch!," he yelled and in the blink of an eye he charged at her and staked her with a silver knife.
It all happened really fast after that.
Before anyone could charge out and rescue her, Adele had produced a silver knife and stabbed him in the back, driving the knife all the way into his heart with all her strength in one fluid stroke, her face mottled with rage and pain.
Then Asher and his men had rushed out before Collins' men could kill her for what she had done.
The men had fallen easily, they were outnumbered and they were fighting with experienced and seasoned hunters.
Asher looked around him to take in the bloodbath, then he noticed Adele beside Collins, hacking away at his body over and over again, her tears flowing freely.
Whatever Collins had done to her, she wasn't forgetting anytime soon. Her eyes looked haunted.
Mark finally dragged her away from the body. "He killed father," she said brokenly, her watering eyes seeking out her brother.
Mark hugged her to himself, not knowing how to respond about the news of his father's death but his eyes betrayed nothing as he calmed Adele.
Cole stood beside his brother's body for a long time, not knowing what to feel. His emotions were conflicted.
For a very long time, he had dreamt and imagined ways he would kill his brother but with him lying dead at his feet, a part of him was happy he was not the one that finally did the deed. The guilt would have killed him and what would be his gain then?
"It's over."
They all turned in unison to view the new voice.
"Ethan?," Cole called hesitantly at the figure.
"Cole?" The confusion on Ethan's face turned to joy as both wolf raced to each other like reuniting lovers.
"I thought you were dead," Ethan said checking Cole out, taking in the scar running down his face.
"I almost did. I think it took a miracle by the goddess to be alive, just like my brother thought," Cole said with a sad smile.
"What happened?," Ethan knew Cole was asking about his leg.
"A lot happened since you were gone. I'll be happy to fill you in later."
Cole nodded.
"Have you seen a strange Omega lurking around the territory?," he finally asked. From the moment he had seen Ethan, he had wanted to bombard him with questions about Mila.
But then, he was reuniting with a friend he had not seen in years and it would have been rude to be all over him about a woman he probably didn't know anything about. So, he had tried to calm himself.
"No but I sensed someone following me."
"She must be the one," Cole said as he took off in search of Mila. No one else could be that stupid to come rushing into danger.
He didn't have to go far really. She was just there, in his path like she had been waiting for him.
Without thinking, he gathered her into his arms, finally leyting go of all the years of pain. There was no point holding on.
"Don't you ever dissapear again mate," he whispered into her hair.
His action shocked Mila. For someone who had stayed with her for weeks but done everything possible in that time to push her away, her surprised could be imagined. But she was happy. She finally belonged.
"I won't," she promised.
Meanwhile, Asher couldn't begin to explain the pain and relief he felt as he listened to Adele tell him every detail about the kidnapping to Shana's escape, apologizing and crying in between. He couldn't even bring himself to hate her. She had obviously suffered for what she did and her remorse couldn't be more obvious.
"She is safe," he repeated in his head over and over again, trying to console himself.
But she wasn't with him, where she belonged.
"I just have to find her," he told himself.