Chapter 47

Celine barely took a couple steps away before Noah was on his feet and right beside her, making a bold move to grab her arm.

“That was a shitty introduction, I apologize,” He went right on, completely unaware of what he was actually doing. “Can you give me a second chance to start over?”

Celine was so stunned by this that she couldn’t even pull away, her shock making her freeze up when he caressed her arm, sliding downward to intimately hold her hand.

“Why don’t we get to know each other better?” He dropped his voice to ask and Celine was grateful she hadn’t eaten yet because she would have gagged.

She tried to pull away but he held fast, and she only managed to take a step back, backing right into a familiar chest. Celine sighed in relief when Asher’s possessive arm slid around her waist, leaning her weight against him.

Noah pulled away quickly like he had been burnt and from the determined glint in his black eyes, she could tell that if Asher hadn’t shown up, he would have used his superior strength to forced her to do what he wanted, and he had no plans of giving up.

She didn’t flinch when Asher pulled out a gun from thin air and pressed it right into Noah’s neck, clinging to him. She was already used to firearms and she hadn’t at all forgotten how violent Asher got when anyone touched her.

“You’re awfully handsy with what belongs to me.” Asher’s tone was frosty, it wasn’t often she heard him get so mad. “Give me a good reason why I shouldn’t give you a new air hole.”

Noah’s Adam’s apple bobbing was the only indicator that he was unsettled, his expression eerily calm considering that he was staring down the barrel of a gun.

At this point, they had started to attract attention and once again, Celine found herself grateful that there was no demon from her past present at the party, well except for the devil himself.

Noah remained silent which seemed to be the appropriate response because all he got was the butt of the gun to his jaw. Celine couldn’t help her wince at the audible sound of bone cracking, relieved when Asher seemed content with that. She didn’t even mind him picking her up and striding off amidst the watching eyes of the other guests, content that it didn’t escalate further.

The last image of Noah was one of him staring at her intently, blood spilling down the sides of his mouth. She knew she should have just turned down the business trip after finding out it would be in Moonstone.

Celine had never seen this side of Noah before and it was a little disturbing because even Jael was cautious and terrified when Asher was pissed but Noah had been strangely calm, like he had been confident that nothing could be done to him.

The trip back to their hotel room was strangely quiet and she couldn’t quite put her finger on it but it felt like a distance was starting to grow between them. It made her almost reach out for Asher when he placed her on the bed, the atmosphere in the grand hotel room tense.

“Do you want to stay in the hotel room?” Asher asked quietly, his voice oh so gentle.

Celine didn’t stop herself from reaching out for him this time, rising to her feet to hide her face in his chest, *She wasn’t sure what she did to deserve him*. And as much as she would rather hide away in the hotel room, she couldn’t keep hiding away. That was all she had done when she lived in the Moonstone pack house, *hide*.

She had had enough of hiding and she couldn’t always rely on Asher to come save her, if she kept doing that, he would have all of the incentive to lock her up again, and he would be worried constantly.

“Celine?” His worried voice pried into her thoughts making her pull back and flash him a bright smile.

“I want to stay by your side,” She said lightly, daintily holding his arm.

The furrows in Asher’s brows didn’t ease, and he looked completely unconvinced. “You don’t have to push yourself.”

“I’m not.” She was quick to refute, “But if you’re still worried, you can give me something to defend myself with.” She teased. Considering how their last conversation about that topic had gone, she hoped to break the tense atmosphere so she didn’t expect him to actual agree.

“Fine.” Asher said shortly, reaching into the depths of his coat and pulling out a crystal dagger made of rose quartz, handing it to her.

Celine blinked at the dangerous trinket in shock, *it was really pretty*. “Did you have this made for me?” She asked softly, the dagger glittering as she gently took it.

“I know you like pink,” Asher said gruffly, reluctantly letting it go.

Celine tightly gripped the smooth handle, throwing her arms around Asher’s neck happily. “Yeah, I do. I love it.”

*She really did*. She wasn’t one for violence but she appreciated it because Asher had personally had it made for her even though he didn’t like her getting her hands dirty. Hopefully she wouldn’t need to use it but it was rather reassuring to have.

“You’re aware it’s a weapon,” He reminded her, his arm going around her waist reflexively.

“How could I forget?” She pulled away to admire the dagger again.

Asher pulled her hard against him then, his expression dead serious. “Don’t take it out unless you need to use it. And if you need to use it, aim for vital points. Their eyes. Their jugular.”

Celine’s breath hitched at that but she didn’t back away, nodding solemnly. Her grip on the dagger was steady, she would hate every moment of it but she would do the needful when it came down to it.

“Fuck. I hate to do this.” Asher cursed, resting his forehead against hers. “But I hate the thought of losing you even more.”