Chapter 7
Asher’s POV
“Mate…?” Zayn couldn't believe his ears when he heard that. Every jaw was dropping in total disarray.
The awkward silence that followed was even worse. I didn't know how exactly I was supposed to cover up that s;lip up as I couldn't let my men know that I was looking at my mate right there. Zayn could already tell that there was something off, and I couldn’t hide anything from his smart ass.
“No… I meant… mate…? Like… what the heck does she mean, suddenly coming in here and suddenly claiming to be my mate. That’s nothing short of outrageous…” I had never tried so hard to be angry as Rhys, my wolf was ecstatically analyzing her beauty and her magnificent look.
‘She really does look like she is a package sent from the moon goddess…’ Rhys noised in my head as I was trying to stay in the moment as best as I could. ‘We could just take her to bed right away…’
‘Are out of your mind? Don’t you remember the curse that bitch put on me? I can’t have any woman twice, and if I have my mate it’s only going to be a major disaster…’ I was in for a long mental battle as the day I had wished would never come was finally upon me. ‘Crap…’
Soon, I was back in the moment, realizing how dead the air was. All my men were staring at me, while waiting to hear what I was going to say next.
“Where did you find her?” I decided that I was going to keep my mind and my gaze on Zayn as I didn’t want to get lost in her again.
“Jim and Huds told me about some infiltrator through the mind link and I came close to the borders and saw her right there…” Zayn stepped closer as I could see the concern embedded deep behind the professional look he was trying to maintain in front of the men. “Are you alright, Alpha?”
“Yeah… I’m good…” I said, while trying not to look in her direction. Each moment I spent not looking at her felt like I was holding my breath, and Rhys wasn’t making it any easier for me. I was having a cold sweat as I tried even harder to hold on to the last strands of my self restraint.
‘Take a look… she’s everything you’ve been dreaming of…’ Rhys continued his propaganda to get me to give in as the scent was making him hop around in my head. ‘Slim thick, angelic…caramel toned skin, just like candy… I’m sure you’d like us to take a bite… look at those silver blue eyes and her titties look like they are calling your name—”
‘The fuck, Rhys… are you trying to seduce me…?’ I almost screamed that out loud, but I didn't want to sacrifice my men’s respect for me by letting them know about my inner struggle. In that moment, I decided to face my fears.
I stepped towards her, with my eyes on her like I wasn’t dying on the inside. “What’s your name?”
She seemed scared and fatigued. The sweat dripping off her skin made Rhys even more ecstatic. But I was determined not to have any of that.
‘Imagine your skin on hers and you’re just—’
‘Shut it Rhys…’ I cut him off that time around, but he wasn’t backing out just yet.
‘I’m sure her voice will make your knees weak…’ Rhys pushed even further.
“Phina…” she mumbled, and the nervousness in her tone almost made it sound like a tired moan, and it weakened my knees just like Rhys had predicted. “Seraphina…”
‘I told you…’ Rhys laughed at my misery and that felt a lot like the worst form of betrayal.
“Alright, Phina…” I decided to ignore Rhys as he wasn't going to stop his games any time soon. “Do you have any idea whose territory you just infiltrated?”
She struggled to maintain eye contact with me, and that left me wondering if it was just fear for her life or it was just her being shy. “I know you are all… rogues…”
That caused my men to murmur terribly as she had just defied everything I was always teaching my men. I had always taught them that we were way more than rogues and we had to act way better than average rogues do.
I raised my hand and signalled them to be quiet. “That’s like a slap to the face but I will be lenient with your ignorance this once. I am Alpha Asher Nightbane, custodian of the Rogue Hollow…” I noticed her fear intensify as I mentioned that name which many dreaded.
“Oh… I had no idea this was your territory…” she stammered as she fell on her knees.
‘Oh goddess… imagine if she was going on her knees to mouth you member…’ Rhys pushed my buttons again and that time around, my mind was helplessly picturing whatever he said.
‘Stop…’ I fought hard to bring my mind back on course.
“She’s a spy…!” Jim, one of my men, snapped, bringing me back to the moment.
“No… I’m not…” Phina defended. “I was banished from my pack and I had no other place to go. Please you have to believe me ma—”
“Enough…!” I snapped before she could finish the word ‘mate’. What the heck was she trying to achieve by exposing me right there? “If what you say is true, then that means that you are willing to become a rogue like everyone of us…”
“Huh…? Do I…?” she was startled and that amused some of the men.
I felt good showing my authority to her by hushing them all with just a raise of my hand. “You will be put through a couple of tests after which I will decide whether you are a spy or not. Take her away to my… room… prison…”
With that, I earned a couple more awkward looks from my men, as I wasn’t decisive about what to do with her.
The men dispersed as she was taken away, leaving just me and Zayn. I got ready to take all of his questions as I was already looking forward to them.
“She’s your mate, isn’t she? “ He asked in a whisper as he stepped closer to me.
I could barely speak at that point as I voiced out my realization. “I’m screwed…” What the heck was I going to do next?