Chapter 86 Use me

Chapter 86 Use me
CHAPTER 86: Asher

"Where is that fucking bastard?!" Emily yelled, her voice tearing through everything in the room.

my heart held still. Not knowing what else to do than to stand right there— and take all of her wrath.

Her footsteps thundered closer, each one dripping with rage.

"Where is the mad animal who fucking thinks he can get away with ruining my family?" She shouted as she finally appeared in the room.

Her burning gaze met mine instantly— like an opposing magnet and her claws pushed out of her.

"You, fucking idiot!" She screamed, the vibration in her voice shaking the whole place.

Her eyes turned red and before anyone could blink she was at me. Her sharp claws were already tearing through my arm.

"Where the fuck are you hiding them? Where they fuck are they?" She screamed as she tore at my skin like it was nothing.

The pain— yes, I felt them. But it was not enough to pay for the guilt of my sin.

So I stood there like a statue, receiving all her blows... All her anger and hatred... Because I deserved it.

"Answer me! You imbecile! You fucking monster!" Her curses thundered around the room but the unshed tears in her eyes were what shook me.

My heart was drowning as my pain only intensified. And as much as I wanted to answer her like she wanted, I couldn't.

My throat went dry and my chest locked up, preventing me from even breathing properly.

"First you had the nerve to steal Axel away from us and now Scarlett!" She screamed, bringing down her sharp bloodied claws at me again—

But this time, Greg's strong arms stopped her.

"That's enough, Emily!" He roared, his aura pouring over the room like a protective father. "We can't deal with this situation with violence."

"Oh spare me the fucking lecture, Greg!" She spat, yanking her hands out of his hold. "He started the fucking violence! I'm only fucking giving it back to him! And I won't stop until he fucking spits out where he has Axel and Scarlett!"

"Your approach is not helping!" He shot back, but her eyes darkened.

Almost like he had poured salt unto her, open injury.

"Not helping?" She hissed in disbelief like he had slapped her.

“They’re fucking missing! Scarlett could be—” Her voice broke, and the sound sliced through me like a blade.

“They’re all I fucking have left, Greg. All I have!” she screamed as furious tears splashed down her face. "And I might lose them all because of this fucking bastard!"

Her fury filled words burned straight into my bones like jagged blades.

"I already lost my fucking brother and my best friend," she screamed, "and now, I am supposed to just fucking accept that my niece and nephew are also gone?"

At this point, I could no longer breathe because I didn't just hear the pain in her voice, I could feel it.

And it wasn't just her.

I could feel Violet's heart breaking with panic with every passing second. I could feel Nathan's pain growing into even more impatience...

Greg looked calm. But beneath that, I saw the pain of a friend who had failed in protecting his best friend's children...

And it was all my fault.

Each of this pain poured over me in volumes and though I tried to swallow it all, my hands were trembling— and my vision was slowly becoming blurry.

My insides were giving up... My wolf was losing it...

"How could we have let this happen?" Emily yelled as she cried into Greg's arms. "We were supposed to fucking protect them... How did this fucking happen?"

“Please... Just kill me,” I rasped, the words barely even weighing in my tongue.

The room instantly went still as my words echoed even stronger than it sounded in my head.

"I'm— I don't know what else to do... I deserve to die..."

Emily froze in Greg’s grip, her eyes widening a fraction. But Greg frowned.

"What are you talking about boy?" He growled. "Do you think killing you will solve this?"

“What else am I supposed to do—” My voice shook. But they all stayed silent and listened.

"—When I first got the stupid idea to eliminate Axel... I thought the aftermath was going to make me feel better... But it doesn't... and Scarlett— my Scarlett, she will never even look at me the same..."

I swallowed hard as my chest tightened hard... until I thought my ribs would crack.

"So why should I live?" I let out in a hoarse broken voice. "What is there to live for if she isn't here?"

Heavy silence hung over the room, pressing down on us all... But even more on me.

“I keep seeing her face,” I whispered, staring at the floor because I couldn’t bear their eyes. Not anymore.

“The way she looked at me that last day… the anger in her voice… the way I let her walk away without telling her how sorry I was. I can’t take it back. I can’t… undo this. And I don’t know how to breathe without her anymore...”

My voice cracked at this point, and the tears I had been holding back tore free in a hot splash. My chest heaved. 

“So again, I say— I plead... just kill me...” I whimpered , my voice raw with pain. "Spare me the fate of living with this guilt forever... I beg of you!"

My legs buckled and I sank into my knees, joining my hands before my face as I pleaded with all of them.

Any of them.

I just wanted to die...

"I'm so tired... I'm tired of waking up everyday knowing I might never see her again and it's all because of me!" I cried, not even caring who could hear or see me.

My shoulders trembled as tremors of the pain shot through me in violent waves.

I gave in to the pain, and it was breaking me apart bits by bits...

Even Emily, whose anger had been sharp enough to cut, was silent now. Greg’s grip on her eased, and the fight bled out of the room.

"Asher—" Greg started to say, "you need to pull yourself together."

"And you also need to admit that you hurt her, Asher," Violet's gentle voice echoed through the room. "And not just her— you hurt all of us..."

"I'm so sorry..." I whimpered, unable to face them.

"Well standing here tearing each other apart and blaming Asher is not going to bring them back,” Greg said, taking charge of the situation once more. "But first, there is something you need to know, Asher."

My teary eyes blinked and slowly raised to meet his— they were steady but the hint of disappointment in them, killed me.

I just knew this would make me feel even worse. But I listened.

Greg’s sigh was heavy, and then began. “You need to know that the throne you were clawing for… the same one you signed a deal with Willow for," he said and my eyes narrowed.

"—Axel never wanted it. He was ready to hand it to you as a gift to you and Scarlett— once we found his baby brother Blade.”

I blinked, stunned. But words could not even be formed.

Yet Greg understood. He nodded slowly and then turned continued; “After seeing first hand what his power did to Violet... Axel didn’t want to rule anymore. He wanted a peaceful life with his child. And you—” his voice hardened—“you went and signed a deal with Willow instead.”

The words hit me like a train to the chest. My stomach twisted and my throat closed as the realization sank in.

All this time… all this fighting… and I had been chasing something that was already mine.

My whole body turned cold as my violent trembles intensified.

“What have I done?” I choked out, crying my eyes out.

"But I'm certain the goddess will still show us mercy..." Greg added. "But first we need a plan. What can we do? How can we find them? What do you have on Willow?"

The whole room became silent like a grave as none had anything to say— well, none except Fiona.

I didn't even realize she, Albert and Bee were also in the throne room, until she spoke up.

"There might be a way for us to track them using their mate's bond..." She said, pulling her bag to the center of the room for everyone to see. "It might take a while— but if I put in more hours, I should be able to find them..."

"Then please start!" Violet let out, already going to join Fiona.

But Fiona's eyes moved towards me and for the first time, I cause a glint of worry in the witch's eyes.

"My lady, I must warn you... If I use your bond to track them, there is a negative effect."

Violet's eyes blinked multiple times and I could feel her insides burning up already as she asked; "What is the— this effect?"

Again, Fiona met my gaze before she replied: "Your mate will not recognize you anymore. You will become like a total stranger to them..."

The air instantly shifted as Violet let out a gasp and then took a step back...

If breaking this bond was going to bring Scarlett and Axel back alive, then I didn't mind paying the price for losing her recognition... 

It was going to hurt. But it was also going to be worth it.

So, I did the most natural thing, as Scarlett froze, I got up and turned to Fiona...

"Use me."