Chapter 44 Chapter 44

Chapter 44 Chapter 44
  Asher’s POV
  I clung to her waist as she made breakfast. She focused on chopping onions, completely in her zone, and I tightened my grip just a little.
  “You do know you’re suffocating me, right?” she said, her voice laced with amusement. “You’re acting like I’m trying to run away.”
  If only she knew what my nightmare was about, maybe she’d understand why I couldn’t let go.
  “I just really want to be close to you, okay?” I said softly.
  “Asher, that’s enough,” she said as she gently removed my hands and turned to face me. Her eyes searched mine. “Tell me what’s going on. You’ve been acting strange for days now.” She tilted her head, concern written all over her face. “Hey, look at me.” When I tried to look away, she lightly touched my arm. “You can tell me.”
  I stayed quiet for a beat, trying to find the words.
  “I’ve been like this because…” I started, and she waited, curiosity flickering in her eyes.
  “You haven’t agreed to my proposal yet,” I finally said.
  She blinked, confused. “Proposal? What proposal?”
  Then it hit her. “Ohhh… you mean marry you,” she said, half-laughing, clearly amused.
  That reaction stung more than it should’ve.
  “What’s so funny about you marrying me?” I asked, trying to keep my tone calm.
  “Asher, my divorce has to be finalized before I can accept any proposal,” she said seriously. “I don’t even know why it’s taking this long.” Her voice dropped, frustration creeping in. “It’s exhausting. I just want to be done with it already.”
  “Hey, no—don’t stress over it,” I said quickly. “I won’t ask you again until it’s finalized. I promise.” I pulled her in for a hug.
  Then she paused, sniffing the air. “Do you smell something burning?”
  “Oh, shit,” she muttered and broke the hug, rushing to the stove. I moved to help her, and we both stared at the mess that used to be breakfast. Burnt beyond recognition.
  We couldn’t help but laugh.
  “I’ll get Sean to bring us something,” I said, still chuckling. She smiled, nodding in agreement. I texted Sean, and as always, he arrived quickly with food in hand.
  “I hope you like a little spice, ma’am,” he said, handing the bag to Isabella—and then winked at her.
  “Heyyy, what do you think you’re doing?” I asked, my tone sharp.
  “Calm down, Alpha,” Sean grinned. “I just wanted to know her spice level and she is really pretty, that’s all.” He says blushing hard.
  “That’s enough. You can go now,” I snapped, and he rolled his eyes as he turned and walked away.
  “I’ll be leaving now, ma’am,” Sean said with a grin, giving her a small wave.
  She waved back, and I watched—speechless—as he blushed before walking out the door.
  I stared after him, my jaw slightly clenched. The audacity.
  “You two seem to be really close,” Isabella said with a teasing smile. “I don’t think I’ve seen anyone this informal with you. Not even Michael gets away with that kind of charm. So… what’s the deal with you two?”
  I  took the food from her and placed the food on the table and took a seat beside her. “Sean and I grew up together. He lost his parents young—he was an orphan. My dad took him in, raised him like one of us, and he became family. I never set any formal boundaries with him. To him, I’m not an Alpha… just a brother.”
  I smiled at the memory, but it faded when I added, “Still, you’re being a little too nice to him.”
  “Excuse me, sir,” she said, mimicking my tone with a playful smirk. “He was nice to me, so I just matched his energy, you know?”
  She scooped a generous spoon of wasabi into her mouth—and her face instantly twisted in regret.
  “Hot! Hot! Hot!” she yelped.
  “Spit it out—here,” I said, offering my hand. She did.
  “Are you okay?” I asked, worry creeping into my tone.
  “What was that?” she gasped, fanning her mouth.
  “Wasabi,” I said, chuckling. “I guess you’ve never had it before. I should’ve warned you.”
  “Well, I don’t like it,” she pouted, her lips forming the cutest expression.
  “Eat the other stuff instead,” I said, nudging the plate closer.
  She didn’t need to be told twice. She dove into the rest of the food, clearly enjoying it. We ate, laughed, and talked like we didn’t have a care in the world. Moments like this—I wished they could last forever. But the more I smiled, the more that haunting image returned. Still, I kept it hidden. I couldn’t let Isabella worry.
  Hours passed. The house was quiet now—Isabella had gone to visit her family, accompanied by my pack members. No way was I letting her go alone.
  I focused on work. With plans to stay here for good, I needed to start setting up my company. But just as I started getting into it, the doorbell rang.
  I set my laptop aside, stood, and headed for the door. When I opened it, my mood dropped instantly.
  Michael stood there, wearing that smug grin I hated.
  “Why are you here?” I asked coldly.
  “Hey, that’s not very nice,” he said, dramatically pouting. “You should at least pretend to be excited to see your best buddy.”
  I scoffed. “I see you still believe that.”
  “I don’t have time for this, Michael,” I said, my voice laced with irritation.
  He opened his mouth to speak, but before he could get a word out, Sean walked in.
  “Sean,” Michael muttered, folding his arms.
  “Michael,” Sean echoed with a smug grin. “You know, I haven’t seen you in a while. Maybe that’s why you’re going bald.”
  Michael’s hand flew to his head in panic. “Hey! Don’t joke like that!”
  “I’m just pointing out the obvious. You’re getting really old,” Sean teased, laughing out loud.
  I couldn’t help but chuckle under my breath.
  Michael shot me a glare. “You’re really just going to let him insult me like that? I’m your best friend.”
  “He can make fun of you all he wants,” Sean cut in. “I’m the one he loves most in this world.”
  Before Michael could respond, Sean darted behind me like a kid hiding from trouble. “Asher, protect me! He’s going to hurt me!”
  “You both need to stop,” I said flatly. “I’ve got work to do.”
  Sean’s eyes wandered the room. “Where’s Isabella? She’s not here.”
  “She went out,” I replied, not looking up from my laptop.
  “Ah, then there’s no point sticking around.” He smirked as he headed for the door. “Bye, Grandpa,” he tossed over his shoulder at Michael before disappearing.
  Michael huffed. “You know, it’s really unfair how you treat Sean and me. When are you going to acknowledge that I’m your best friend?”
  I glanced at him. “When have I ever said you weren’t?”
  His face lit up, and before I could react, he lunged at me with a hug.
  “I knew you loved me as much as I love you,” he said dramatically.
  “Get off me, man,” I muttered, pushing him away.
  “Sorry, got a little excited.”
  “Why did you come here, Michael?” I asked, watching the smile slip right off his face.
  His silence made my chest tighten. That expression—I’d seen it too many times. Something was wrong.
  “It’s Maris and Zach,” he finally said, voice serious. “They’ve declared war. And this one… it’s nothing like we’ve faced before.”
  I clenched my fists. The dream wasn’t just a nightmare—it was a warning. A sign.
  “If it’s war they want,” I said, my tone low and deadly, “then we’ll give it to them.”
  And this time, I won’t stop until they’re finished—for good.