Chapter 82
Josie’s POV
I dart away from the locker room with Diego in tow. I don’t like that I’m ruining our fun day but getting that call from Ashton.. made my interest pique.
one
My wolf couldn’t stay back again, urging me to hurry up and go meet Ashton.
Ugh! What an annoying thing!
“Say whatever you like but we both know you actually want to see him too. My wolf taunts,
She’s right though. Since she’s my other half, she knows how restless I have been since yesterday after seeing Ashton.
He looked so handsome and breathtaking when I came to have mur usual classes.
Unfortunately, I couldn’t bask in his beauty yesterday because he was attending an Alphas meeting.
I wondered why he’d put so much effort into looking handsome just for an Alphas meeting that involves only Alphas on the
East Coast
Well, my question was answered when I heard the alpha of the Mixed pack invited about three ladies to escort him to the meeting.
I got irritated. I know I shouldn’t be but I couldn’t help, especially when I wondered who Ashton took with him to the meeting.
Scratching off the thought. I hurry to the kids‘ pool in the Waterpark.
There, I see Aria swimming with her life vest as she plays with other kids.
She’s having so much fun, I can tell.
“Baby” I lean over the edge of the pool and call out to her.
Aria swims over to me on hearing her name.
“Are we leaving already, mommy?” She already has a pout on her lips without getting to hear the full story.
Smiling, I run my fingers through her wet locks. Then. “No, darling. Mommy has an emergency but your uncle is still here.”
Aria sighs and joy radiates on her face again. At that, I lean over and kiss her cheeks.
As she goes back to swimming. I turn to leave and see Diego standing some meters away. His face is pinched which makes me worried
Is he angry that I’m leaving? I think as I barrel close..
“Hey..I mutter.
Diego finally lifts his face and looks at me. “Tll look after Aria..”
I find myself moving to hug him and kiss his cheeks.
“Thanks, D. I’ve to go now.”
We nod our goodbyes and I leave.
I take a cab to Ashton’s destination which takes about an hour.
Surprisingly, it’s along the road. Cars barely pass by.
Why is he here? I ponder, getting away from the car and paying the driver.
With a firm gait, I walk up to his car and knock on the door…
Ashton winds down the window, revealing him in dark sunglasses, a white jumper, and brown pants.
“Ms. Rose..” He chirps, fluttering the lock of his Escalde open.
On a whim. I squeeze inside and turn to give him a quizzical look.
“What’s this about, Mr. Ashton?”
Hell, it’s all I can do not to flush myself on him and kiss his handsome face and lips.
He’s looking extraordinarily good, it hurts my eyes.
“Just a little surprise, wanna see?” He asks.
“Ashton. I was in the middle of bonding with my ki…” I swallow quickly, restraining myself from mentioning the word ‘kid. Instead, I say. “My kickass boyfriend and you disrupted that.”
Watching him. I notice how he grits his teeth and fuses his hands on the steering wheel, a muscle tick in his jaw.
“I wasn’t aware of that. Forgive my manners, Ms. Rose.” He acts formally but I know it’s a disguise. He doesn’t want to clue me in on his feelings.
Somehow, knowing he’s jealous makes me happy, I don’t know why.
When the car falls into a long silence, Ashton wordlessly puts the car in reverse and drives down the winding road. Anticipation is what’s killing me. I don’t know where he’s taking me and that makes me feel equal parts dread and curious.
What does my alpha stepbrother have up his sleeves?
A long, quiet ride brings us to the city’s lagoon.
My eyes go owl–wide as watch the mesmerizing, crystal–blue water.
There are a handful of people here, holding their bait and hook to fish.
My surprised gaze moves to Ashton’s as I wonder how he knew I love this.particularly fishing.
Lena and I used to fish in the school river and it was always fun..
Fishing,
Riding horses and…
Swimming…
These are the major things I love doing
But how Ashton got an idea about this still amaze me.
Pinning my gaze on him without his knowledge, I wonder who in hell is this man?
I mean, he’s acting way too strange around me.
I never spent time with him years back and yet he knows just the things I love.
Ashton walks out from his car trunk with bait and hook in his hand.
There are luxurious boats anchored by the dock and I see people paying to get one of them.
I bet that’s going to be incredibly expensive.
Ashton struts to my side, pulling up his Sunglasses.
“To what do I owe this. Mr. Ashton?” I blurt as my heart nosedive into my stomach as he comes closer.
I thought we were going for lessons….but this?” I ramble on
With a smirk, he shrugs. This is also part of learning, Ms. Rose.” He states, mindless of the fire crawling up to my face.
“I read somewhere in a book where the writer mentions that learning outside is good. The plus comes when you do what you love while learning. I feel my brain is going into diminishing returns so I came up with this…” He waves behind him to the lagoon glaring lovingly at me,
Yes, what he said is true. However, I still don’t fathom the fact that he loves the exact same thing I do.
Still dazed, I feel Ashton thrusting something into my hand. I peer down and see the fishing hook he’s giving me.
“Fine. Let’s do it this way then. I declare, walking past him.
Ashton pays the men there and we get our boat. As we shove inside, I rattle out.
“Tell me a story in Russian, Mr. Ashton.”
Actually, I did it because I knew it was going to be difficult for him but the man surprised me when he started telling the story about what I did not expect.
The bloody war between ordinary wolves and Lycans…
An event that occurred centuries ago.
I stick my hook into the water as he does while rattling off the story that everyone barely knows..
The war that decided the fate of ordinary wolves.
In between, we both draw fish, stashing them in the bowl in the boat..
That’s incredible…” I tell him after dropping the fish in the bowl.
“I know right? But that doesn’t make us any different. We’re the children of the moon goddess…”
“I guess so.”
Ashton and I left the lagoon afterward, but we went to a popular horse stable in town.
Again, I’m surprised Ashton knows about this.
How?
“It’s been a while since I rode horses. He says, ushering me into the stable.
The cowboys there take a look at ys but linger on me. A growl beside me makes me snap my head up and stare at Ashton
His face is already a coat of crimson.
“Mind showing us your horses and stop staring” He says to the cowboy, his voice dangerously low. I can feel the hint of threat lurking in his voice.
The cowboy nods feverishly. “Tapologize, alpha. This way please.”
He leads us to the Stable where my eyes take in the numerous, beautiful colored horses that fill the stable.
My eyes fall on the brown one that’s the exact color
or of my hair.
“I love this.” I rasp out, reaching over to touch the horse’s mane,
“Then, take it.” He mutters, smiling at me.
While I hop on the horse as the cowboy moves it outside the stable, Ashton jumps to the black one that depicts his power as the lycan king and alpha.
With that, the both of us kick off, racing into the woods, dragging on the reins of our horses.
“You ready for this ride, Ms. Rose?” Ashton asks when he pauses briefly.
“Never been this ready. I mutter and tug on my horse’s reins.
With a strange fortitude, I power my horse, running deep into the woods,
“Tell me another story.. I howl behind me.
As expected, Ashton begins another tale.
As I race and listen to his story with my wolf abilities, my hair thrashes wildly over my face.
I feel relieved and energized. I actually agree with Ashton this once…
Learning outside not only helps the student but also the teacher.
At my fast speed, my horse suddenly halts and neighs. She thrashes but before I couldn’t understand what’s happening. I fall haphazardly on the ground filled with stumps and gravel.
“Ahhh…” I yell out as pain swims through me.
“Josiel” Ashton’s surprised screams come behind me.
He stops his horse and runs to my side.
“You okay?” He asks, breathing heavily.
“Doesn’t look like it…” I murmur as much as the pain n can allow.
“Let me help you…” He lifts me to my feet and I hold his hand for support.
Now standing, I whisper. “I think she saw something. I say, referring to the horse.
Ashton’s forehead shrinks as he stares back at me.
“You sure…” He asks, looking me in the eyes.
I nod vigorously,
“Stay here. I’ll go have a look, Ashton mutters and I nod, wetting my parched throat with my saliva.
He steadies me over a log of wood and takes off
Now alone. I feel some eerie vibe and that pushes me to look up at the giant sequoia trees that form a canopy over me.
But before I finish driving my eyes around, I feel something dropping on my head in the rivulet.
Shivers fill my skin as I dare a look over and I see it.
A battered body with slashes over swords over his face and body, hanging from one of the giant trees with a rope, his legs dangling
Flies brim his body, buzzing
All too quickly, a thunderous scream leaves my mouth.
“Ahhhhhhhhhhhh!!!!!!
