"Ashly, you look amazing." Monika said, staring at her sister, who was wearing a red, black-striped glittery long dress with a royal black sequined coat over it. She knew when Ashly picked out the dress that she was going to look amazing in it, but actually seeing her all ready for the big event brought tears to her eyes. "Of course, I do." Ashly laughed. "After all, you're the one who did my make-up." She smiled at her teary-eyed sister. She hugged her, gently shaking her head. "I love you, Ashly." "I love you too, Moni." Ashly gently patted her back. She pulled away, smiling at her and blinking away the tears before her makeup could be ruined. "Oh shit." She said as she noticed the time on the table clock in the tent assigned for Ashly in the gardens of Branson Manor. "Mom asked me to give this to someone before 4. It's half over already. Shit. shit." She pointed to the file that contained papers about the two-pack agreement and their peace treaty. "Moni, calm down." Ashly said
"What are you doing, sitting here alone?" Monika asked the blond-haired man who sat by the pond, his blazer on the ground by his side. "Just sitting. Crowd's not really my scene." He answered when he looked at her. "Really?" She asked. "I would have pegged you for a love-the-attention kind of guy." "Oh, believe me, I am. I just don't want to steal the newlyweds' spotlight." He joked. "Cocky, I see." She smirked. "Is that how you talk to an alpha?" Seth's eyes hardened, and Monika was scared for a second. "Sorry...I.." She stopped when Seth's brow furrowed. "Relax; I was just teasing you." He chuckled. Monika relaxed. "Oh." She sat down near him. "Yeah.." "So you're not like your friend, then?" She said, bringing up her knees to the chest. "Who?" Seth asked, confused. "Alex," she answered. "Alex is not that bad, either." Seth said it gently. "Try again," she said, smiling sadly. "Monika, he's not." "Seth I don't know if you know what Alex told my sister or not, but if you
Alex wouldn't look at Ashly as he walked past her, down to their bedroom. "I'm going to another country for some packing business." "Of course you are! You always run to your problem, don't you? You spent our whole time outside when you couldn't give an answer. You call things off almost every fucking time when we want to talk to you, and no, that's still not enough time for you? What about Ashly, Alex? What about your mate?" Rose yelled through the tears pouring down her face as she watched her brother pack a bag of clothes quickly. She can hear Ashly sob from outside. "I just need time to think. Jasmine tries to help me sort things out, and I think I should go," Alex said, grabbing his toothbrush and throwing it in his bag. "I'm sorry," Alex mumbled to his sister, quickly walking out of the bedroom and down the hallway, not meeting Ashly's eyes. "Alex, Alex No, don't go; cancel your work; think about Ashly," Rose begged, following Alex down the hallway. "Please. Alex, stay here. T
Rose gave Ashly a gentle smile and followed her brother, and when she entered Alex's room, she could see how frustrated Alex looked. "Ale-" "No, I need to do this. I was stressed, and there were so many things going on in my head. Jasmine was not talking to me, and my Alpha didn't let me sleep peacefully. I can sense Ashly's sadness, and I don't know why, but I despise myself for all of this, Rose. Why did I do this to her, to Jasmine? Rose I can't love anyone except Jasmine. She is my life, and Ashly, I really don't know what to do or say to her. I thought I could fix this, but how can I play with Ashly with our bond? Even I don't like her, and I don't want her." "You slept with Jasmine on your wedding night," Rose asked with a stern voice. She and Alex both had tears pouring down their faces, and if Rose thought she felt sorry for Ashly when Alex walked out on the very next day after marriage, it was nothing compared to how she was feeling now. "Yes, and I did. I am sorry, Rose. B
It was a typical work day at the pack house for Ashly. On the right of her desk sat a mug (lacking tea) and a frame with her family picture in it. To the left were some reports that needed her signature and review. She usually checks on food, children, and women. It's her duty as Luna to take care of everyone in the Moonlight Pack. Everyone really loves her and accepts her as her mate, but Ashly already knows it will never happen. For her heat, she is already taking pills; she really doesn't want to disturb Alex. She grabs the first draft and flips it open. "Trading yesterday,", it read. She was reading about an Omega woman who was a bit of a pessimist, but that was only because she had been diagnosed with a brain tumor. Her Alpha had left her several months before, and now she spends most of her time in the hospital. Life could be rather horrible, Ashly thinks. She is on the fourth page when she places a check near the title, marking that this really needed to go to her mother-in-l
On Monday, when Rose and Ashly went back to pack house, Ashly went directly to her office, and Rose saw when Alex came home late as always. It's been about a week, and Rose didn't say one thing to her brother. On Thursday, he ate on his own and watched TV. Traning himself and taking an extra class of pack pups, Rose knew how much stress it put Alex under. He needed to get done what he needed to get done, or else he'd be a grouch. Rose wasn't sure when Alex arrived home because he had dozed off on the sofa with the television on, and the sound of the microwave woke him up. Alex didn't say anything. Ashly also didn't discuss much more than packing business and went back to sleep in her room. It's like a routine for both of them, Monday to Friday. "I brought you some coffee," Rose says, setting the Starbucks cup on Alex's desk. "Everything alright? You've seen a bit off all week." She sits in one of the comfortable chairs on the other side of Alex's desk and sits crisscrossed. "Thanks
It had been 45 minutes, and Jasmine still hadn't replied to Alex's text. So instead of resting in his room, Alex came to Jasmine's place, in her room. Her room is warm and welcoming when he walks in and kicks off the uncomfortable shoes that make his feet smell weird. He sighs loudly and does exactly what Seth said to do, changing into some sweats. When he enters the bedroom, the bed is still unmade, and sitting on the dresser is Jasmine's cellphone. That would explain why she never answered, Alex thinks. The phone buzzes, and Alex wonders who could be texting her while she is at work. Curiosity gets the best of him, and he glances at the lock screen. Are we still up for tonight? I miss your face, and lunch isn't enough time to spend with you. Everything in Alex sinks to the floor, and his stomach feels like it has been punched repeatedly and multiple times. He recognized the name, Jace, and knew it was another one of the Alphas of the neighbor pack. Jasmine told him about her and J
Although he doesn't want to, Alex remembers their first meeting. He remembers Jasmine piling up money in a jar labeled "For Children's" that he didn't even want. He remembers being forced to go attend some meetings near Starlight Pack, although he had no prior clue to what the place looked like other than a crappy screenshot his mother had gotten off of G****e. He remembers walking down the beautiful forest in his wolf form, seeing the woman's face, and having his heart beat faster than ever before. The beautiful, scruffier-looking woman, with stubble coating the lower half of her face and her hair style up into a slick, had taken her hands in something and given him a polite smile; he remembers that smile. It sickeningly resembled something along the lines of "I don't want to-be-here or "Put me o-of-my-misery. The first meeting was the worst part. No one was leading up to it other than the words hello, as he e rememberedTheir packs had a bad history, but for Alex, it doesn't matter;