Chapter 72
Ashton’s POV
When I saw the news in the city’s blog, I went mad. Josie wasn’t wrong about what she accused me of. Not in the least.
For hours. I’ve been staring at her pictures, reading the one–star review and the comments people were making in regard to her.
The heck? How did this happen? My intention was to just forward the review to the company directly and never to post it
online.
I’m so disappointed in myself for messing this up. True, some of the words in it were written by me but not all. That means along the line I might have copied and pasted a text unknowingly or
Did someone tamper with the review I wrote?
That thought makes me rise to my feet, my fingers tapping violently on the table.
Could it be what I’m thinking? I ask myself, pacing the length of my office as thoughts swim through me.
By the goddess, someone tampered with it. But who?
Anger like a ball rolls through my blood, making it impossible to see.
“That’s what I’m thinking too‘ my lycan says. The way he’s pacing back and forth inside me is shattering my mind.
By the moon. I’m teetering toward the edge of insanity.
Remembering the anger in Josie’s eves, the disappointment I saw there, it all flared my insides
! I curse, my anger blending with that of my lycan.
‘I miss her. My lycan mutters.
I nod, then. “Me too. I bite out.
‘She must have lost her faith in us. The trust we were trying to build back, Ashton..”
I don’t know what to call my Lycan since he hadn’t said his name to me. So I only nod. I felt that little wall of trust break down to pieces when Josie was confronting me here.
‘I’m empty without her…the urge to inflict pain on myself is back..‘ I rattle, my hands shaking.
This..
This urge to go wild.. that’s
what I suffered in secret after rejecting Josie. I never knew until the night of the accident.
While we were driving away to the airport, I couldn’t contain it again…
I couldn’t stand the urge to go wild or inflict pain on myself and I decided to return back to her..
But in the process of doing so, my car crashed with the woman who was on the run with her daughter….
The Enchanter.
Fortunately, her bringing me and her child back to life cured the urge to go insane. That’s how I managed to stay away.
But knowing I’ve broken that trust Josie’s beginning to build in me, has brought back the uncontrollable urge to run wild.
‘We’ve to stay sane, Ashton. I’m forcing myself. So you should as well. My Lycan offers.
Tm trying to… I mutter.
In the bid to stay calm, I walk to the edge where the water dispenser is and fill a cup with water. Finishing in three gulps, I moved back to my desk and a thought occurred to me.
When I was at the pack house this morning, nobody came in contact with my computer, meaning whoever must have done that did so here in the hospital.
To that effect, I called an emergency meeting, summoning all those who were in my office this morning.
Cronus.
Jason.
Russo
Leonard
Isabella
And Sandra..
Gathering in my office, they all look wary and confused.
Right now, my alpha aura is surfacing, it’s just an inch beneath my skin.
Crossing both arms over my chest, I settle on the desk and begin.
“I believe you must have heard the trending news in town…”
They look at one another as if not understanding what I mean.
“Have you all seen the news about Rose that indicated I wrote?”
Then they all nod their heads, fear in their eyes.
“Good.” I hum, taking a calming breath. “And I’ve called to know which one of you tampered with my computer.”
I gaze at them all. But my mind keeps telling me one person that must have done that
And that’s the last person that was in my office. Still thinking that, I throw my gaze her way and she begins shaking. Her wild raven hair wiggled at her movements.
“Isabella, I don’t understand the pleasure you must have gotten in doing such but..”
“It wasn’t me, alpha. I plead with you…” She says curtly but I’m not buying any of that. “There no reason I’d tarnish your image, alpha
“Likewise me, alpha Ashton.” Cronus chirps.
They all do and that brings confusion to my mind. Unable to come to a concrete decision, I tell them all to leave.
Two good days have gone by and I’ve not seen a sign of Josie. However, I’ve tried to amend the online trend in the city. I was able to take down Josie’s pictures and the review from the city’s blog.
my calls.
But I’ve been calling Josie to let her know that one has been handled and she’s not responding to my
It’s all I can do to keep calm.
I don’t know what she’ll be doing now.
Is she depressed?
Sad? I’m confused.
I want to know how she faring
I also want to reassure her that she’ll get her work back.
It’s because of Josie that I haven’t lost any of my Russian clients. Those buying drugs from my pharmaceutical
And the same thing with my Spanish clients.
She’s perfect at what she does and that’s why I must ensure they reinstate her back at Almac.
Also, I want her to take her job again by my side. Want to hear her teach me. To hear her sonorous voice.
I stumble on my feet, the wine bottle sitting in my palm. I’ve been drinking since I returned from work.
Throwing a gaze outside, I figure out it’s already midnight.
I lift the bottle and gulp, allowing the whiskey to burn a trail down my throat,
Even though I want to get drunk and numb this part of me missing her excessively, I know it’s
impossible because I’m a lycan.
After finishing the last drop of the liquid, I drop the bottle on the bar with a thud and barrel my way outside.
I reach for my car and jump in.
I drive down the winding road with no destination in mind.
In the next breathing hour. I’m standing before her house.
A look through the window, I figure the place is bright, meaning she’s home.
1 leave my car and walk up to her porch…then I rap on the door.
I knock several times but I get no response. Just as I’m about to leave, I hear the faint sound of footsteps on the hardwood before the rattling of the lock.
My heart jackhammers and I turn to look. The door flutters open and I whisper a breath from my lips as I watch Josie with scattered hair. Her beautiful shape was wrapped in silky pink nightwear.
It’s so silky I can see her taut nipples and by the moon, they make me hard.
It takes her a while for her sleepy eyes to clear and then she takes me in.
“What are you doing here?” She barks, though her voice comes out hoarse.
I step a little closer, desperate. “I want you back. I can’t do anything at all I want you back.” I cry out.
“You messed me up, and now you want me back?” She sounds incredible.
“Please. I promise you I wasn’t the one that did that. Someone tampered with the review I wrote, Josie, believe me.”
Something flashes through her gaze but it doesn’t stay long for me to understand what it is.
“What are you saying? She whispers, her brows furrowed.
“Believe me, I didn’t do it..“I’m also on my knees, still rattling. “Please, allow me to get things back in order. Please…”
She stays silent for a while. By the time I bring my eyes back to hers, I see her steel her features.
“Ashton…” She quickly pauses, her eyes widening.
“What’s wrong?” I ask, stepping close. But looking at Josie, she looks like she’s seen a ghost. “Tell me what did you see?”
She shakes her head, gripped by terror.
Nothing. Please…leave. Just go…” she says sharply.
I’m certain she might have seen something but what?
“Josie…Josie.” I try to hold her back but she’s quick enough to slide inside and shut her door, putting the lock back in place.
What had she seen? I think to myself but the instant I turn around, I see that too.
The beast.
The wild one in the dark.
On a whim. I shift and race after it….
TBC
