Chapter 33 Release
Chapter 33: Asher
When I got back to the palace, I went straight to my study and began drafting a plan to prove to Willow that I felt nothing but rage for Scarlett and the rest of her foolish family.
Somehow I knew that Willow was right and the best way to get Axel was to hurt Scarlett. If I sent him a message that his sister was hurt in any way, he would not think straight. He would abandon everything and come running...
And we would have him in our palms by then. But I couldn't. I could not bring myself to hurt Scarlett.
—At least not yet. She was going to be punished but in a different way.
My thoughts returned to the papers in front of me and I continued scribbling. When I found the perfect one, my eyes went to the door.
"Get me the captain!" I growled at the guards standing by the door.
With the plan ready before my eyes, all I needed was my captain and most trusted soldier for the execution.
Aside from that, he was also the only man who could speak to me without fear and somehow I knew that it was what I needed.
A couple of minutes passed and a soft knock echoed on my door before it opened. My captain, an old friend of my family, Albert stepped in and gave a firm salute before approaching the table.
"You asked to see me, Asher."
I turned the paper before me in his direction and his eyes narrowed as he quickly skimmed through the scribbling I had done.
"I want you to follow this plan and kidnap Axel," I said, casually studying his features.
His eyes were wide when they met mine. I could almost taste the shock coursing through him.
"I thought the plan was to claim the throne legally... This is not a legal plan!"
My brows raised at his rude tone but I maintained my cool and continued glaring at him.
Rather than read the room, he foolishly held the paper in his hand and flashed it before me— like I wasn't the one who made it.
"Asher, my king, with all due respect, what I am trying to say is that getting King Axel kidnapped isn't a small feat..."
"Are you saying that you are not capable of doing it? Should I give the job to Luciano?" I countered.
"No, my king, you know that is not even my worry. Asher, even if this plan of yours was possible, the general council might not hand over the throne to you after the certain blood bath that will follow!"
At this point, I could no longer control my anger. I jerked off my seat and before he could counter react, my claws were at his throat.
"My king—" he winced, as the pressure around his neck increased.
"Are you going to follow my orders or lecture me about the general council?! Huh?!" I growled at his face.
"I'm sorry if my words have offended you but you do know that it is only right. The general council will—" I increased the pressure around his neck forcing his disgusting words back into his throat.
"I don't care about their opinion!" I said through gritted teeth. "If I have to usurp my way to the throne, then I will!"
I dropped him off my claws and ran my fingers through my hair. "Now the question is will you obey your King or not?"
Albert took a deep breath with his hand gently caressing his neck. Then he shook his head and said in a low voice; "I will do whatever you want me to do, my King. But you know deep down that your father would have never wanted to usurp his way to the throne... At least not like this..."
My heart skipped a beat as the words went straight into it. The emotions inside of me only grew more chaotic.
A part of me wanted to grab his neck once again. Another wanted to scream at him for reminding me of the truth...
"Damn it!" I growled, walking towards the window as my hand continued running through my hair. The fresh air coming into the room wasn't enough to calm my head, it only cleared my immediate anger.
Albert was fucking right. My father would never approve of a plan like this and it was all Scarlett's fault!
"But what am I supposed to do? How else am I supposed to fucking get the throne back when Scarlett has fucking refused to give me the one thing I need?" I hissed.
"She is your mate my king, even if she wanted to, the forces of the realm wouldn't let her... Have you tried a less offensive approach?" Albert asked.
My heart skipped another beat and this time, the action stirred a pain in my heart which slowly turned into irritation.
"A less offensive approach?" I scoffed. "She has fucking blocked her womb and refused to give me the child that could have made all these easier!" The pain within my wolf increased suddenly making me vulnerable—
"She is supposed to be my mate you know?" I added in a bitter tone. "But she refused to bear a child... After everything I did for her... didn't she love me?"
Silence fell between us and for a moment I thought he had gone. Until he took a deep breath and replied to me.
"I am sure she loved you, my King... The only reason she might have decided to take those pills were probably the reasons you gave her..."
I turned to face him and scowled at his calm expression.
"All I have ever done is take care of her! Is that considered wrong now?" I growled, my irritation slowly directing itself at him.
"You say that you have taken care of her but you forget that the number of times you threatened her... The truth is we would have never gotten here if you never told her about your plan."
"So, what? I was supposed to just pretend to love her till she gave me a child?"
"I don't approve of it but it would have certainly worked... Besides all you have ever done since her arrival was to treat her like crap. Change that for a while and see what results it brings..."
A scoff escaped my throat and I glared at him. "Are you indirectly asking me to abort the idea of kidnapping Axel and focus on Scarlett?"
My tone had reason and he knew well enough that I was close to losing my control again.
"My king, all I am saying—" he started to say and I knew he was trying to sugar coat the situation, so I refused to listen.
"Albert, I will not forget nor throw away what is rightfully mine! You of all people should know this!" I growled.
"And I am not asking you to do any of that," he said in his usual calm down.
My eyes narrowed and I took a step closer to him. "What are you asking then?"
"All I am suggesting is that you return to the original plan— which is Scarlett." He let out. "But if getting your mate pregnant proves too difficult, then I promise to get Axel kidnapped just as you wish... My king."
There was something about the way he said those words that got to me. It felt like a challenge... like an insult... Like he was questioning my potency to be a father.... Like something I couldn't refuse or it would be a stain on my manhood.
"I already asked the healers to flush out the drugs she had taken. If they didn't leave any permanent damage, getting her pregnant isn't an issue at all! I am a man in every way that there is!" I found myself explaining to him.
"That is wonderful news my King... We should give it time then. Perhaps—"
"No!" I cut him off. "I am not going to be fooled twice! I will work on her but I still need you to continue with the damned plan to get Axel under our control!"
With a sigh, he nodded. "I will risk my life just to serve you my King... That is nonnegotiable. If kidnapping Axel is truly what you want, I will do it," he said, yet his eyes still carried that unsettling challenge... Or doubt... Or...
It finally clicked just as he gave me his salute. It was a deep worry that filled his features and it wasn't for me— but for Scarlett!
As he started heading to the door, I stopped him.
"How long has she been in the cell?" I growled.
He didn't turn around but I saw the way his shoulders tensed. He knew I had caught his emotions.
"It's been more than twenty four hours now, my king," came his reply.
My wolf twisted inside of me and I decided to give in to its demand.
Maybe it was time she received her punishment too—
"You may release her since you care so much about her…”