Chapter 4 4.

Asher’s POV

Her words echoed in my head.

“I can’t marry you without my father’s permission.”

To my surprise, it hurts me. I’d faced betrayal before, seen disloyal people and promises burn. But somehow, those words from her left a hollow ache in my chest. I though she would be easy going considering her status.

I had offered her everything — protection, status, a place by my side. I had meant every word when I told her she would be safe with me. Yet she stood there, looking up at me with those mismatched eyes full of fear, doubt, and something else — restraint.

Yet she rejected me.

“She didn’t mean it,” my wolf growled softly. “She’s scared. Trapped.”

“Trapped?” I muttered, my voice low. “She didn’t look scared. She's determined about her decision,”

“You’re not listening,” my wolf counterd, “She’s bound by her father’s word. She’s never known freedom. You scared her.”

“I didn’t mean to. Then how else can I approach. If I lose her, then all my plans would shatter,"

“Then wait,” he said simply. “Her heart will come to you. When her father releases her, she will.”

I exhaled sharply, staring into the darkening sky. Wait. The word tasted bitter. Patience had never been one of my strengths, but for her, I would try.

Still, every day after, the ache didn’t leave. I tried to bury it beneath the rhythm of leadership, the endless duties of an Alpha, the noise of the pack’s life. But no matter how I tried, the bond hummed beneath my skin like an old song I couldn’t forget.

Then, one afternoon, I felt her presence very strongly. A faint tug in my chest, a whisper brushing against my senses.

My wolf stirred immediately. “She’s near.”

My heart kicked hard against my ribs. I was in the training field, halfway through my rounds, but I couldn’t ignore it. She pulled me toward the marketplace.

Without second thoughts I followed it.

The streets buzzed with chatter and the scent of roasting food.

And then I saw her.

She stood behind a small stall stacked with hand-painted lamps, her hair tied back loosely, a smudge of soot on her cheek. She was talking to an old woman, her voice quiet, her movements graceful and hesitant. There was no trace of the Alpha’s mate here — only a simple, ordinary she-wolf trying to blend into the background.

The way the sunlight caught in her mismatched eyes, the nervous way she tucked a strand of hair behind her ear — every detail made my breath catch. Naturally he finds her attractive eventhough she looked ordinary to others.

She hadn’t noticed me yet. Or maybe she had and was pretending not to.

When her gaze finally lifted, our eyes met. Shock flickered across her face, followed quickly by panic.

She bowed her head quickly, “Alpha Asher,” she murmured.

I stepped closer, my voice steady. “You work here?”

“Yes,” she whispered, not meeting my eyes. “I help the owner sometimes.”

Her bow felt unnecessary, almost painful to see. Around us, the market had quieted. The nearby vendors had stopped to stare. I could hear them murmuring under their breath.

“That’s the Alpha’s mate.”

“An omega? Impossible.”

Their words didn’t matter. Let them talk.

The stall owner quickly approached, his head bowed low. “Alpha Asher! What an honor—please, is there something you need?”

“No. I just need a word with her.”

Alyna’s eyes widened slightly.

“I won’t do anything,” I said quietly, frowning. “Just a talk.”

She nodded reluctantly. “Yes, Alpha.”

I led the way out of the market, weaving through the narrow alleys until we reached a quiet corner shaded by tall stone walls. The noise of the crowd faded.

When I turned back to her, she was standing a few feet away/

For a moment, I just watched her, the way she breathes, the nervous flick of her gaze. Everything about her felt fragile, untouchable.

And still, my wolf stirred with an ache I didn’t understand.

“You’ve been avoiding me.”

Her head lifted slightly, “I thought that’s what you wanted,” she said quietly.

I frowned. “No. That’s not what I want.”

Silence fell between us again. I could hear her heartbeat — quick, uneven.

“Why are you here?” she asked.

“I could ask you the same,” I said. “You shouldn’t be working here.”

“I have to take care of myself.”

I stepped closer, closing the space between us. “I'm here for you,"

I studied her face, the faint bruise on her hand, the smudge on her cheek. She looked nothing like the woman who hovered around me for my attention

“Why you?” I whispered under my breath.

Her brows furrowed. “What?”

“Why would the Moon goddess choose you for me?”

“I didn’t ask for this either,” she said quietly.

I hadn’t meant it as an insult, but the words had come out sharper than I intended. I ran a hand through my hair, “That’s not what I meant.”

She didn’t respond.