Chapter 55 Release her
Chapter 55: Asher
I couldn't face Scarlett nor myself. Not after what we just shared.
Hoping to slip away from her without a conversation, I quickly wore my pants and started for the door.
"Asher..." She whispered just as my fingers brushed the door and I froze.
I couldn't look at her. I couldn't even bring myself to speak. Not when her voice was so full of emotions... So full of memories...
"Will you come again tomorrow night?" She asked and I frowned.
Before I could stop myself, I turned to her. "What are you talking about?"
"Fiona must have..." She stopped, pulling her robe over her naked— beautiful body— "She must have given me something to induce heat... I can't control it."
My eyes widened in shock and building anger but before I could speak, she added;
"It hurts when you... Are not near me... Please come back when you can..."
I couldn't reply to her. My breath caught in my throat and air vanished all around me.
How could I say no to that? And worse, how could I even tell her that?
Unable to come up with anything, I simply walked out, closing the door behind me.
Then the burning need to blame someone, cut through my thoughts. Rather than return to my room, I went straight to Albert's office.
"I want Fiona arrested!" I growled as soon as I walked into the room.
Albert, who had been looking over maps, instantly shot his head in my direction and frowned. "Excuse me?"
"I want that witch of a healer, arrested tonight!" I repeated, growing even more irritated.
Yet, Albert still looked confused. "May I know what she did wrong? Because as far as I know she helped the Luna and many other people in the Kingdom—"
"She is a witch!" I shot back. "What more wrong do you need me to spell out to you?"
Albert left the works on his table all together and he came closer to me. "Asher, what did she do?"
His voice tore through my defenses and I felt a sense of frustration flood through me.
"It's Scarlett!" I hissed, sinking into the closest chair. "That witch gave Scarlett some sort of heat inducers and now she is in constant heat!"
Albert frowned. But before he could speak, I quickly added;
"It's not like I care about Scarlett or what happens to her but... this heat is somehow affecting me too. I can't seem to stop thinking about fucking her!" I said a little too quickly.
I half expected him to taunt me. But he simply nodded. "Hmm, I think there is a mix up. Fiona only followed instructions given by you."
"Me? When did I give her that fucking instruction?" I hissed, glaring at him.
"It could be a mix up. Remember when you wanted Scarlett to get pregnant. Maybe Fiona picked that note instead and fed her the inducers..."
My eyes narrowed at his explanation and as much as I didn't want to believe it. It sort of made sense.
"Fuck..." I growled, running my fingers through my hair. "Isn't there a way we can stop it? Reverse it or something... Because the festival is coming and how am I supposed to lust over someone else if I keep thinking about Scarlett?"
"Hmm, true." Albert muttered. "The aphrodisiac won't even work if there is already something induced in both of you..."
"Fuck..." I cursed, hitting the edge of the chair. "This is so messed up and Scarlett... She is in pain. Albert, what am I going to do now?"
His eyes lingered on me for a couple of seconds before he got on his feet and nodded. "Don't worry about Scarlett, Asher—"
"I am not worried about her," I growled under my breath.
Albert paused and I could have sworn I felt him smile, but I refused to look up at him as he resumed speaking.
"Anyway, I will speak to Fiona. We'll find a cure. For now, just do whatever you can to help Scarlett..."
My eyes flickered to him, hating the implication of his words. But I swallowed back my thoughts.
"Just speak to that witch or get her arrested so I can torture the solution out of her!" I hissed before pulling myself out of there.
Rather than return to Angel, I went to a different room and took a cold shower, hoping to relax my nerves and body.
But while my body succeeded in getting relaxed, my nerves were still erect with worry. And I knew why.
To give myself peace, I screwed the consequences. I picked up my phone and sent a quick text to Albert to take care of Scarlett.
She was probably cold and hungry in the cell. Not that I cared but I didn't want her brother getting any thoughts of what was happening here.
The moment the text got delivered, Albert's call came through but I ignored it. I really didn't have it in me to answer the questions he would inevitably ask.
I just followed up with another text, asking him to do as I had instructed. And then I placed the phone on do-not-disturb.
Once that was done, I managed to get some well deserved sleep without worrying about anything.
In fact, I even had a peaceful dream. I found myself in a beautiful realm where Scarlett wasn't Talon's daughter. A place where our love and bond blossomed without restriction.
A place where I didn't have to deny how much I wanted her; how much my body needed her. How my wolf went crazy without her...
Goddess, it was perfect.
And for the love of me I wished it could become my reality. I held on to the hems of the dream, wanting it to continue till eternity.
But a new day had to come and I had to snap back to reality.
I got out of bed to return to my room but the moment I pulled the door open, I came face to face with Albert.
"Good morning, Asher," he said with a slight bow.
I frowned. "There is nothing good about the morning, Albert. What is it?"
"I have spoken to Fiona and the inducer has been reversed. You have nothing to worry about now."
As his words settled into my ears, I didn't know whether to be happy about the development or not. I just felt indifferent.
And somehow, this annoyed me.
Not wanting Albert to notice, I resumed walking. But of course, he followed.
"One more thing, Asher... Yesterday, your instructions weren't entirely clear. Did you want me to... perhaps release her?"
"No. She will stay there until the guests start arriving." I shut back.
"On the date of the festival?" He asked.
My eyes shot at him. "Do you have a problem with that?"
He quickly dropped his eyes to the ground. "No. Of course not. There is no problem at all."
"Good. If that's all, then you may stop following me," I mumbled as I resumed walking.
He didn't give a response but I knew he had obeyed for the echoing sounds of his boots no longer accompanied mine on the cold corridors.
With a sigh, I continued to my destination and the second I got there, my eyes fell on Angel.
She was wearing a dark robe and sitting at the edge of the bed. "My King?" She said, getting to her feet. "Is Luna alright?"
My heart flipped at her question and quickly turned my eyes away. "She is not your concern. Have you gotten a dress yet?"
Her eyes blinked and I could smell the confusion in her essence but I didn't care.
"Yes, I have, my king. I just thought that—" she started again but I cut her off.
"Get it ready. Time is no longer on our side and I want you to be perfect." I mumbled and her confused features melted into a smile.
"Thank you, my King... I'll do that..."
Not waiting to hear more of her comments, I slipped into the walk-in-closet and picked up a few of my clothes, and placed them in a bag. And then walked back out.
"My King, are you— where are you going?" She stuttered.
Irritation shot through me but I restrained myself. "A different room. You are going to need a full glam team. I don't want to get in the way when the day comes..."
"Oh..." She mumbled with a hint of sadness in her voice. "What about when you... When— you need me?"
I reached for the door and paused, her question not echoing in her voice but in Scarlett's—
'Will you come back tomorrow night... It hurts when you are not near...'
My wolf growled with need but I shook my head. Albert said the inducer had been reversed, Scarlett was fine.
And Angel would be too.
"I'll call you when I need you." I whispered. "Excuse me."
Then I turned around and left.