Chapter 47

Aiden.

I sat in my office, staring blankly at the papers strewn across my desk. My mind was far from the reports.

All I could think about was Ashley. I knew something was wrong, something she wasn't telling me. The bruises she tried to hide, the way she flinched at sudden movements, it was clear someone was hurting her, but she refused to say who but I could take a guess.

Logan.

I gritted my teeth and slowly plotted his death. He didn't deserve to be anywhere near my mate.

My phone buzzed, snapping me out of my thoughts. It was one of my men. I picked up the call.

"Talk," I ordered.

"Boss, we found the stalkers," the voice on the other end said.

My grip tightened on the phone. "And?"

"They confessed. Logan paid them to follow your girl," he continued.

I clenched my fist to control my anger. Of course, it was Logan, of all people. I had suspected him, but hearing it confirmed was a different matter.

"Is she safe now?"

"Yes, boss. We paid the men off, told them to stay away from her."

I let out a breath I didn't realize I'd been holding. Relief washed over me, but it was quickly replaced by frustration. I wanted to tell Ashley the news, to reassure her that she was safe, but I didn't have her number. It was a ridiculous oversight, one that left me feeling helpless.

"Good. Keep an eye out for any more trouble," I instructed before hanging up.

Why would he pay people to follow her? What is he up to?

As I sat there, grappling with my emotions, my receptionist knocked and entered the room. "Aiden, there's something you should know."

I looked up, my patience already thin. "What is it?"

"Yesterday, when Ashley was here, Marcus came by," she said hesitantly.

I felt a cold chill run down my spine. Marcus. The man was a snake, always looking for an opportunity to twist things to his advantage. "Did he speak to her?"

Lisa nodded, her expression uneasy. "Yes, they spoke for a few minutes."

I slammed my fist on the desk, anger bubbling to the surface. "Damn it! What did he say to her?"

"I don't know, Aiden. I wasn't close enough to hear," Lisa replied, her voice trembling slightly.

I rubbed my temples, trying to calm the storm of emotions inside me. The last thing Ashley needed was Marcus filling her head with lies or manipulating her in some way. He had a knack for exploiting vulnerabilities, and I couldn't stand the thought of him getting to her.

"Find out what you can about their conversation," I ordered. "And if Marcus tries to contact her again, I want to know immediately."

Lisa nodded and quickly left the room, leaving me alone with my thoughts. The frustration and helplessness were overwhelming. I wanted to protect Ashley, to be there for her, but I felt like I was constantly one step behind.

Logan's involvement was a shock, but not entirely surprising. He had always been possessive, but I never imagined he would stoop so low as to have her followed. And Marcus... I couldn't shake the feeling that his presence meant trouble.

I had to find a way to reach Ashley, to warn her about Logan and Marcus. But how? Without her number or a direct line of communication, I was stuck. I felt trapped in a web of my own making, unable to protect the one person I cared about more than anything.

I leaned back in my chair, staring at the ceiling, trying to come up with a plan.  I needed to talk to her and tell her the truth.

Let her know that her boyfriend was a fucking snake.

My phone rang. It was Eric. I hesitated, then answered, knowing this was bad timing.

"Alpha, we have a problem," Eric's voice was tense, urgent. "Rogues attacked our territory. They took Jonas hostage. I can't handle this alone, you need to be here."

"Damn it," I muttered, running a hand through my hair. Jonas was one of our younger pack members, and the thought of him being in danger made my blood boil. "What happened?"

"They ambushed him near the border. I’ve got a team on standby, but we need you here. Now."

This was exactly what I feared, having to choose between my pack and Ashley. But Jonas's life was at stake, and I couldn’t ignore that. "I’m on my way."

Ashley's pov

I woke up with a knot in my stomach, knowing Logan had the day off. Lately, he'd been extra attentive, almost clingy, and it made me uneasy. I wasn't sure how to handle it, especially with how things have been.

I haven't been the happiest since he hit me. Since he forced me just because I was wet, I couldn't talk about it so I just bottled everything inside.

I walked into the kitchen, Logan was already there, making breakfast.

"Good morning, beautiful," he greeted, pulling me into a tight hug. His touch lingered, and I felt a wave of discomfort. He has been trying so hard to feel me up every time he has a chance.

"Morning," I replied, forcing a smile. I tried to pull away, but he held me close, his hands running up and down my back.

"Relax, Ashley," he murmured, planting a kiss on my forehead. "Let's enjoy today. Just the two of us."

I nodded, nothing but dread filled me. Being alone with him felt suffocating, especially with his newfound need for constant physical contact.

We sat down to eat, my brain worked hard to look for an excuse to leave the house. Before I could think of something, Logan's phone rang. He glanced at the screen and frowned.

"I have to take this," he said, stepping into the other room.

I listened to his muffled conversation, catching bits and pieces about a meeting and something urgent. When he returned, he looked apologetic.

"Sorry, babe. Something came up at work, and I have to go," he explained, grabbing his jacket. "I’ll be back later."

I tried not to show my relief. "It's okay. Go take care of it."

He kissed me goodbye, and as soon as the door closed behind him, I let out a breath I didn't realize I was holding. I felt guilty for being so relieved but couldn't deny the sense of freedom his departure brought.

I knew exactly where I wanted to go,  Aiden’s office. I needed to talk to him, to see him. Maybe he could help me sort through my tangled emotions.

When I arrived at his security firm, I hurried to the reception desk. The receptionist looked up and smiled when she saw it was me.

"Hi, Lisa. Is Aiden in?" I asked,

"Hi," she greeted me warmly. "He just stepped out, actually. I’m not sure when he’ll be back."

Disappointment washed over me. "Do you know if he'll be back soon?"

She shook her head sympathetically. "I'm afraid not. He had some urgent business to attend to and didn't say when he'd return."

"Alright, thanks," I said, trying to hide my disappointment. "I’ll come back later."

I was ashamed to ask her for his number. It hit me that I didn't know how to contact me and that made me feel dejected.

I left the building feeling even worse than I was before I came here. I really wanted to see Aiden, to talk about everything that had been going on, but maybe it was for the best that he wasn’t there. It gave me time to think, to figure out what I wanted to say. I wanted him desperately but I still had to be careful because Logan was still suspicious of me.

I felt lost, unsure of what to do next. My phone was in my hand, and I was about to call Keisha to ask her to come pick me up when I noticed someone familiar walking towards me. It was Marcus.

For a second, I felt mortified. I bawled on his shoulder like a baby without a care in the world but I figured since he was Aiden's brother, it was okay.

He smiled warmly, and I couldn’t help but smile back. Marcus had a way of making me feel at ease, and right now, I needed that.

"Ashley! It’s good to see you again," he greeted, his eyes twinkling with genuine pleasure. "What brings you here?"

"I was just coming to see Aiden, " I shortened it, not wanting to get into the whole story. "What about you?"

"Just finished a meeting nearby," he said. "Do you have some time? We could grab a coffee and catch up."

"Sure, that sounds nice," I agreed, glad for the distraction.

"So, how’s everything been with you?" Marcus asked, his gaze probing.

"It’s been... complicated," I admitted, not wanting to delve into the specifics.

"Complicated? Sounds intriguing," he teased lightly. "Does this have anything to do with Aiden?"

I stiffened slightly at his question. "Not really," I lied, trying to steer the conversation away. "Just life stuff, you know?"

Marcus raised an eyebrow, clearly not convinced. "You know, you can talk to me, right? We’ve known each other long enough."

I nodded, "I wouldn't call yesterday long enough. I was emotional yesterday and cried on your shoulder. Sorry if I am being rude but it doesn't mean I am going to trust you."

He stared, studying me for a moment. "Is everything okay with you and Aiden? I know he's a bit of a mystery sometimes."

I forced a smile, feeling trapped. "We’re fine. It’s just that... I know he is busy but I want to talk to him, and I don’t want to be a bother at the same time."

Marcus frowned, clearly not buying my evasions. "Ashley, you deserve to be with someone who makes you a priority."

His words stung because they echoed my own doubts. But I wasn’t ready to have this conversation, especially not with Marcus. Aiden was his brother and at the end of the day, it's clear where his loyalties lie.

How would he feel when I told him I couldn't fault Aiden because I was currently in a committed relationship with someone else and that is hurting his brother? I felt like a tool.

"It’s complicated," I repeated, feeling like a broken record.

Marcus sighed, something flickered in his eyes. "Complicated. Right."

An awkward silence settled between us. I could see the annoyance in Marcus’s eyes, but I didn’t know how to bridge the gap between my feelings and the words I could share.

Just as I was searching for something to say, Marcus's phone rang. He glanced at the screen and then back at me, something like regret crossed his face.

"I’m sorry," he said, holding up his phone. "I have to take this."

I watched him go, a little relieved that I didn't say anything. When Marcus returned, he looked apologetic.

"Work emergency," he explained, slipping his phone back into his pocket. "I have to go."

"Of course," I said. "Thanks for the coffee, and for listening."

He smiled, but it didn’t reach his eyes. "Anytime, Ashley. Take care of yourself."

As I watched him walk away, I felt a pang of regret. Marcus tried to be my friend today but there were parts of my life I wasn’t ready to share, not with him, not with anyone. Not until I could make sense of them myself.

Besides, if anyone was going to be a victim of my rant, it was going to be the person who caused it. Aiden.

He was going to listen to everything I had to say without talking back because it was his fault I was in this mess. Some of it were mine but I wasn't about to admit that to him.

I almost giggled at the thought of riling him up again just for the fun of it.