Chapter 14: My conditions

Ashton's POV

Annabelle might very well be the death of me.

Looking down at her as she pressed her lips to my wrist, drinking just enough of my blood to steady me, did things to me I can’t even put into words. Unspeakable things. Things no Alpha worth his title should admit, even to himself. It should’ve been nothing but an exchange of survival, a necessity. But the bond twisted it into something else, something dangerous.

My wolf prowled inside me, restless and hungry. He wanted his mate. Badly. And I couldn’t deny that I wanted her just as much. The problem was, we couldn’t. Not now. Not ever—not in the way I imagined it.

So, it was a tragedy. A slow-burning, maddening tragedy.

I already had plans. Once she became my Luna, I would keep her at a distance. Cold walls, empty halls, separate chambers if need be. Because if I didn’t, if I let myself linger near her, I’d lose control. Looking at something I could never have and not touching it would drive me insane.

I cleared my throat roughly, pulling myself back from the edge of thoughts that would only get me killed. “Let’s go. This should help until we get to my borders.”

She nodded, her eyes wide and unreadable. For a moment, I wondered if she felt this pull as much as I did. I wanted to ask, to demand, to know. But my pride chained the words in my throat. I wouldn’t give her the satisfaction of knowing just how much power she held over me.

Turning sharply, I walked back to the car. She followed quietly, her footsteps a soft echo behind mine. I forced myself not to look back.

The drive was long and suffocating. An hour of silence stretched between us, heavy with everything we weren’t saying. My hands gripped the wheel tighter than necessary, veins straining as I tried to focus on the road and not on her presence beside me. The air in the car was thick, her scent threading into every breath I took, sweet and intoxicating.

When the first flickers of torchlight broke through the trees, I let out a breath I hadn’t realized I was holding. My borders. My sanctuary.

Wolves patrolled the perimeter, sharp-eyed and alert. Their heads snapped toward us instantly, recognizing my car. They bowed their heads as we passed, respect radiating from every motion.

This was why the Blue Moon pack was undefeated. Loyalty. Integrity. Years of sweat, sacrifice, and blood had built it into what it was today. Wolves who didn’t falter. Soldiers who would die for their Alpha without hesitation.

It had cost me nearly everything. And sometimes it felt like it was still costing me. I had been dying slowly since that day. The day everything changed. The day I first realized the poison running through my veins couldn’t be defeated by strength or strategy.

We rolled past the main gates, iron and steel reinforced with runes that glowed faintly under the moonlight. Layers of protection that no rogue would ever breach without paying in blood.

“This is it?” Annabelle asked softly, her voice barely above a whisper.

I glanced at her quickly before looking back at the road. She wasn’t mocking. She was… curious. Her eyes scanned everything with a quiet sort of wonder, like she hadn’t expected my world to look like this.

“This is home,” I replied simply.

Home. The word tasted bitter in my mouth.

The road curved upward, leading to the heart of the territory. The packhouse came into view first—a towering structure of stone and timber, broad steps leading up to double doors that had seen centuries of warriors pass through. Lights glowed from within, warm and welcoming, though I couldn’t feel any warmth tonight.

I pulled the car to a stop. Before I could get out, the doors opened. Paul emerged with three other council members at his side.

The sight of Annabelle at my shoulder drew immediate attention. Paul’s brow arched, and though he didn’t speak, his expression said enough: So this is her.

“Alpha,” one of the council members greeted, bowing his head respectfully. His eyes flicked to Annabelle and then back to me. “You’ve brought a guest.”

“She is not a guest,” I corrected sharply. My tone left no room for argument. “She is under my protection. Treat her as you would treat me.”

Murmurs rippled among them. They understood the weight of my words. To harm her—or even disrespect her—was to challenge me directly.

Annabelle shifted beside me, as though she wanted to say something, but stopped herself. Her hands tightened around the strap of her bag, knuckles pale.

“Come,” I said, nodding toward the steps. “I’ll show you inside.”

The packhouse swallowed us in warmth as we entered. Wolves bowed their heads as we passed, some openly curious, others suspicious. The air was alive with whispers, though no one dared speak too loudly in my presence.

I guided her to the main hall, a vast chamber lined with banners of silver and blue, the crest of our pack stitched proudly into the fabric. At the far end, a long table sat beneath a chandelier, the council’s seats already waiting.

Paul lingered near the edge of the room, watching me carefully. He didn’t look at Annabelle the way others did—his loyalty was too strong for that. But I could see the questions burning behind his eyes.

I would have to answer them soon. But not now.

Annabelle looked around, awe flickering across her features before she schooled her expression into something neutral. She was smart. She knew showing too much weakness here would give the council leverage.

I stopped in the center of the hall and faced her. “This will be your home now. You’ll be safe here.”

Her gaze met mine, steady and unflinching. “Safe doesn’t mean welcome.”

The words hit harder than I expected. I clenched my jaw, forcing my wolf to quiet down. He didn’t like her doubt. He wanted her close, wanted her trust. But I couldn’t allow myself to want the same.

“You’ll learn,” I said curtly.

Before she could respond, the doors at the back of the hall opened. The remaining council members filed in, their expressions tight with curiosity. Every eye went to Annabelle.

The storm was coming. I could feel it.

But for tonight, at least, she was inside my borders.

And that meant she was mine to protect.

Even if protecting her was the very thing that might destroy me.

Annabelle stood at my side, head high, shoulders squared. She didn’t flinch under their scrutiny. The moonlight spilling through the high windows painted her in silver, catching the determination in her eyes. She looked nothing like a fragile girl dragged into pack politics. She looked like she belonged here—though that thought alone put a sour taste in my mouth.

“Alpha.” Elder Mark, the oldest among them, stepped forward with a slow bow. His voice carried the calm of someone who had seen too many storms to be shaken by another. “You return from your travels, and you bring… someone new. Will you not tell us who she is?”

Every head tilted toward me, waiting. The air was heavy, thick with curiosity and suspicion.

“She is Annabelle Grey,” I said simply, letting the weight of her name hang in the chamber. “She is also—” I hesitated a beat, but I would not lie, not here. “—my mate.”

The room erupted.

Gasps, whispers, a few low growls. The word mate shifted everything. Wolves weren’t just curious now—they were divided. Some looked stunned, others angry. Paul alone stood calm, arms crossed, eyes flicking between me and Annabelle with a knowing glint that made me want to punch him.

“Your mate?” Councilman Harrow spat the word as though it burned his tongue. “You mean to tell us the Moon has given you a Luna from another pack? A rival pack? Do you know what you risk bringing her here, Alpha?”

“I know exactly what I risk,” I replied evenly, though my wolf bristled at his tone. “And I know what I gain.”

“She cannot be trusted,” another elder snapped, a heavyset man named Gavin. His eyes narrowed at Annabelle. “The same man who sat before the council of a rival pack, we're barely able to keep the peace with them. And you bring their Beta’s daughter here?”

The accusations stung sharper than they should have. Not because they were wrong, but because they were true. My chest tightened, remembering the fire in her father’s eyes when he’d stood beside me at the council grounds.

I glanced at Annabelle. She hadn’t moved. She didn’t look away. Her hands were steady, though I noticed the faintest tremor in her fingers where they gripped the strap of her bag.

“My mate is not my enemy,” I said firmly, my voice low but laced with steel. “She is under my protection, and as such, under this pack’s protection. No one will question this again.”