Chapter 130

Chapter 130 Stu pid protection

ASHER

As juvenile as it was, I’d indulged too much the night before and felt the inter aftermath of a hangover after the celebration of Silas’ return. I’d banished myself to my study for the entire day and spent the majority of my time lying on my favorite leather couch with the curtains drawn and a cold cloth over my eyes. I’d given the guards strict instructions to keep anyone from entering my chambers, with the exception of Lancel and Cas sandra.

I was in no state to do business or deal with the daily dramas of palace life. I was simply too tired.

The after-effects of my excessive drinking were only made worse

by my mysterious illness. As much as I didn’t want to admit it, I was even more tired than ever these days, and it seemed like my migraines and headaches were perpetual. The concerning black marks on my arms hadn’t spread much further, but it felt as if they’d taken root and made things feel so much worse.

When Cas sandra arrived for our health check later on, I was rubbing my temples and trying to regain my composure. I’d been staring over the same stack of paperwork for the past hour, trying to make sense of it. Sire Silas was back, I would need to schedule a meeting with him soon to discuss some Pack issues. It would be a very busy day, and I wasn’t looking forward to it at all.

All of that to say, I was very happy to see Cas sandra. Her arrival cheered me up more than anything.

“Hello,” I greeted her as she brought her large medical kit over to the couch I was perched on. “How are you today?”

“I’m good,” she said with a smile, and when her emerald eyes met mine, my heart nearly ski pped a beat. “And how are you? No offense, of course, but you look… a little worse for wear.”

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“I’ve been better,” I admitted with a small laugh. “It was a bit of a… wild night.”

“Did you have fun at least?” she wondered.

“I did, actually,” I admitted.

As she retrieved the equipment from her medical kit, I sighed.

“Have

you been busy these days?” I wondered. “I feel like I’ve barely seen

Cas sandra nodded. “The clinic is much busier than I expected. It’s been pretty non-stop over there. So many patients, so little time.”

“It’s because everyone likes you,” I pointed out with a smile. Just like the old days. Everyone had liked Cora because they were always attracted to her kindness, and she made it easy to trust her.

Cas sandra smiled and her cheeks turned a pretty shade of pink.

“I don’t know about that,” she murmured, and she tucked a lock of her long, coppery hair behind her ear. “I’m happy to help, though. We’re working out how to handle the high volume of patients, but I don’t mind the work at all. It’s keeping me busy and I’m glad to give my patients some relief.”

“You’re a good healer, Cas sandra,” I complimented her.

“Thank you,” she whispered.

We fell into silence for a moment, and then I thought again of the celebration when my headache pulsed.

“You left the celebration early last night,” I mentioned as she prepared to take my blood. “Were you uncomfortable seeing Silas Moses?”

She shook her head. “No, it wasn’t that. I didn’t mind seeing him. We left because of Becky.”

“Ah,” I noted. The whole mate situation. The entire banquet hall had witnessed

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that strange moment between Silas and Becky. With everything going on, the public scene had sl*pped my mind.

“Is she okay?” I wondered.

Ca ssandra’s expression softened. “She thinks it’s some kind of mistake. We had a long talk last night, and I think her opinion on the matter was swayed. Some Marley said, along with Silas’ behavior. She thinks there’s no such thing as f

mates.”

She fell quiet for a second and then met my gaze.

“I don’t think it was a mistake, Asher,” she said evenly.

I nodded, “I don’t think so either.”

Ca ssandra and I knew well how it felt to finally meet your fated mate. It was a Cas sandra and I knew well how it fe powerful feeling that couldn’t be mistaken. It was more than just attraction. The moment you realized someone was your fated mate, it was as if the entire world vanished and only the two of you remained. It was as if you met the missing half of your soul.

When Cora and I had become mates… it had been the most powerful moment of my life. The sheer intensity of it was something I would never forget for as long as I lived. If Becky and Silas had experienced that with one another last night, as it certainly appeared to the rest of us, there was no mistake about it.

“For what it’s worth, I don’t think Silas is going to reject Becky,” I a*sured her. “And it’s not just because of how intense and irresistible the mate bond is. I think I can somehow understand why he treated her so coldly last night.”

Cas sandra frowned at me and set down her medical equipment.

“What do you mean, Asher?” she wondered as confusion painted her expression. “I don’t understand. Why would Silas act so mean to her if he didn’t intend on rejecting her?”

“I know it sounds strange,” I said slowly, and I held my hands up slightly. “But!

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Chapter 130 Stu pid protection

think Silas might want to protect Becky. We both know that Oliver Moses might try to intervene and do something to her if she’s his mate. She could be put in danger.”

“Becky doesn’t need to be protected,” Cas sandra insisted, and her eyes blazed. with ferocity. “She’s clever and strong. In fact, she’s one of the strongest and most intelligent women I’ve ever met. She deserves the truth, not some so-called ‘protection! If Silas is her mate, he shouldn’t be playing with her emotions. He should trust that she can handle herself and whatever Oliver Moses can throw at her.”

I sat there in awe for a moment. Cas sandra was nothing if not pa*sionate when it came to justice and relationships with her friends. Her strong will was one of the many reasons I loved her so much. She was right.

I nodded. “Silas might just be acting st upid because he’s young. Just like I used to be.”

Cas sandra stared at me for a moment, and her face was hard to read. My heart. raced in my chest, and I reached out to touch her arm.

“I was s tupid to believe that I could protect you,” I continued in a low voice. “When in fact, all my actions did was push you to your fate.”

Her cheeks paled and her eyes widened. She shifted her gaze to the ground and gulped. I knew bringing up the past made her feel uncomfortable, but I had to say my piece. I gently took her chin in my hand and forced her to look at me.

“I’ve been regretting it every day since Cora died,” I said. “I shouldn’t have left you alone in the mansion. I shouldn’t have left-”

“Stop,” Cas s andra whispered.

I shook my head. “I can’t. , I was stup id too. And it’s time for me to admit it to you.”

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