Chapter 22 Chapter Twenty-Two
The room fell under another spell of uncomfortable silence as I waited for him to speak. To tell me why I was here and not dead in that forest or given back to Barron. Why bring me here when we had no prior connection to one another?
I wanted to ask all of these, but I held my tongue. One question at a time.
“I don’t know.”
I blinked, my brows drawing together. “You…don’t know?” I repeated, a little incredulous now. “That’s your answer?”
I don’t know what I was expecting. Maybe a justification. A reason. Or even a lie that would have made more sense. But, ‘I don’t know?’ What was I supposed to do with that kind of response?
My gaze flicked over his mask. That damn mask.
“No.” I let out a quiet breath, shaking my head. “You can’t really expect me to believe that, right?”
“You don’t have to,” he replied.
The ease of it shouldn’t have irritated me more than it should have, but it did.
“You saved a stranger. Tend her wounds. Give her clean clothes and warm food--” I gestured vaguely at the table between us. “--and you expect me to believe you just…felt like it?”
As a lawyer, I’ve come to understand that one important rule in this world, whether it's between beasts or humans, nothing goes for nothing.
“As grateful as I am for what you’ve done, I don’t believe anyone is that kind.” I paused. “What do you want from me?”
He had to want something in return. That’s just how this world works.
“You’re right.” His voice was quieter now, but no less guarded. “Nobody is that kind.”
“So what then, am I a prisoner here? Is that what this is?”
“You’re not a prisoner here. You’re my guest and you’re welcome to leave anytime--”
“Good, then we have an understanding.” I straightened my back, squaring my shoulders. “And the last thing I’d want to do is take advantage of your kindness. So, I’d like to leave. Back to Covenant City-”
“You can’t.”
He cut me off before I could even finish that thought, his voice sharp enough in a way that made me flinch.
“Can’t?” I repeated, my brows knitting closer in a deep frown. “What do you mean by ‘can’t’”
“What I meant to say is, you’re not strong enough.” he corrected himself, in an almost careful way that made me grow weary. “You need to rest.”
“And who decided that?”
“I did. I am the Alpha of this territory, I call the shots.”
“I’m neither a wolf, nor am I a member of your pack. So, I don’t care.”
“You should.”
“Well, I don’t,” I insisted, my voice rising slightly despite my best efforts to keep it level. “I have a life in Covenant City. A job. I have…no, need to get back to that--”
“What if I told you there’s nothing to go back to?” he interrupted me again, and his voice had gone cold. Hard.
“What do you mean?”
“As I said, you’re welcome to leave at any given time--”
“Like now?” I crossed my arms over my chest.
“Let me finish…” There was a subtle growl in his voice when he said that. And I remembered, this wasn’t a human, but a beast…an unknown beast. So, I held my tongue once more.
“...But trust me, you’re better off here than out there.” he finished.
I tapped my feet impatiently, then huffed an exhausted sigh. “It seems we’ve reached an impasse then. Why can’t I leave?”
“It’s not safe for you to be out there.”
“And it's safe in here?”
“Yes.”
“Why?”
“Because you’re under my protection.”
There it was again. That irritating…energy. Did he think he knew it all?
Without thinking, I pushed my chair back and stood to my feet, slamming my open palm against the wooden table making the silverware tremble from the force.
Asher remained seated, composed behind his little mask.
“You’re going to have to try harder than that if you want to convince me.” Anger bristled hot and bright in my chest.
His fist curled slightly at his sides. The only tell that I’d gotten under his skin. He remained quiet. Fucking silent. Watching me like I was losing my mind! Then, I did something that I shouldn’t have,
“And what is the deal with this stupid mask--” I tried to reach for his mask, intending to take it off. I was tired of looking at it. How could I read a man whose expression was blank?
But faster than I could blink, Asher caught hold of my wrist as he stood to his feet. His height easily overshadowed mine as he pulled my arm away and I staggered forward, right into his body. My heart shuddered at the sudden movement.
Then he leaned in. His deep voice vibrated from beneath the mask when he spoke. “I’m not as kind as you’d think Crystal.” The warning was clear. But I was stubborn. I tried to tug my arm away, but his grip was tight.
“Let me go--”
“Stepping out of my territory will only have you killed, do you know why?” he paused, waiting for me to answer, and I shook my head. Fear is seeping into my heart. “Because there’s a bounty for your head.”
The world around me slowed down to crawl when his words hit me.
“What?”