Bonus - The one who go hunting

(Another him - Asher)

I’ve really tried, I mean I’m trying to forget her, but she’s always in my mind... never letting me alone! It has been months since the last time I saw her. The day she had accepted my rejection. I was still a werewolf at this time and had no idea she was my true soulmate. I still don’t know what to think about it... I really wanted to move on but she is still very in my mind. To not see her and know how she’s doing is not helping. I know I’ve just learned she is missing!

I need to know what is going on with Mariana. Ezra called her friend who she’s staying with and she’s missing for 2 days now! I know as I’ve rejected her, and her parents don’t want me to be involved but I need to know if she’s in danger! I’m stronger than them, I can help her! If only I know where she is. This is so annoying! This is how I find myself spying on them.

I don’t like the idea of her staying with a bear shifter but for sure he’s mated. Why does she need to check her ankle? She is a werewolf, it’s already healed! The same, an avalanche can be dangerous for a werewolf but lethal never. Moreover, a Beta’s daughter. She is strong. That doesn’t make any sense! I succeeded to stop my growl when I heard that stupid bear shifter is falling for my mate. I don’t want them to know I’m spying on them. I lost all my control when I heard Ezra say he asked her to become his mate! How dares he? I’m going to kill him! This time I can’t stop my growl but it doesn’t matter anymore.

“What did you just say?” I ask Ezra once I joined them.

“That he asked her to become his mate. Why? Do you have a problem with that?” Logan replies instead.

“Yes! Last time I checked you didn’t want to hear about her. Maybe it’s a good thing for her to find someone who wants to become her mate.” Beta Leo adds.

I growl. My Lycan wants that bear shifter’s blood! He can go find his own mate. How dares he steal someone else’s mate!

“I don’t know why this is disturbing you so much, Asher. You’ve rejected each other and after all the bad blood between you and my daughter, your relationship is over repairable.” Bea comments.

“My mate is right. You both need to move on. We let her go for that reason. Maybe this is the occasion for you to move on too and find another mate. Moreover, in her condition, she’s lucky someone wants her as a mate.” Beta Leo says.

“What condition?” I ask. She is a beautiful she-wolf whoever she chooses to mate with is lucky!

I turn toward Lana when nobody is replying. She’s looking at her feet.

“Lana?” I still can’t call her Olivia, for me it’s still Lana.

She looks at me and sighs: “Her wolf died due to your rejection and the arrow she took to protecting me.”

“WHAT!? And why didn’t I learn that before?!” I scream and I can see Ezra and Logan taking a defensive position in front of her. As if I’m going to hurt her. I’m furious but she’s my best friend and my Luna!

“Because you’re not part of her life anymore! The deal I have with both of you is to never speak about what the other one is doing. You because you’re still angry and you can’t forgive her, her because it’s too painful... The real question now is what do you really want? It’s either you let her go or you forgive her and find your place back into her life.” She replies

I can’t let her mate someone else. This is just impossible but she’s right. I can’t be selfish and forbid Mariana to her own happiness and at the same time refuse to mate her.

“Where is she?” I ask.

“I will not tell you.” She replies.

“I chose Lana. She is mine! I don’t know how we will fix our relationship but you and I both know it’s just a matter of time before I’m mating her. She is my true soulmate, so even if she’s mated to someone else when I find her, I will still claim her.” I tell her.

“What if she is mated to another Lycan?” Logan asks.

“Then I will kill him!” I reply with no doubt.

“Now, teleport me to where she is!” I order Lana.

“No, you’re too furious. You will kill that poor bear shifter. I will not let that happen.” She replies.

“He wants to claim what’s mine!” I protest.

“He doesn’t know that.”

“Fine! You’re not the only witch I know!” I reply, storming out.

“If you kill him, I will choose another Gamma! Mark my words, Ash.” I hear Lana screams.

Noah has accepted to find where Mariana is and teleported me there. He understood why I needed to go. Anyway, I’m now in front of that fucking Chalet who is protected by a shield. Someone comes out. Lana...

“What are you doing here?” I ask her annoyedly.

“I needed to let her know. Swear me, you will not kill him.”

“I can’t, he wants my mate!” I reply.

“Mate that would have died without him. Don’t forget that.” She says.

“Fine, I will not kill him if he doesn’t come between me and my mate.”

“Fair enough!” She replies and I can feel the shield around the chalet going down.

I run into the Chalet and follow her smell. When I arrive in the room where her smell is stronger, the window is open. She jumped and ran away. I can feel my Lycan excitement growing. We both love hunting. Even if she was still a werewolf she didn’t stand a chance but as a human! It will be so easy, I think smirking. A human with a sprained ankle... She will not go far. That thought makes me angry again. What was she thinking, jumping through the window with her sprained ankle!

In a few seconds, I join her. When she sees me she tries to run faster but with the snow and her ankle she can’t. I catch her and take her in my arms. She is so cold! How can she be so cold? Right she is human now and not dressed enough for this weather.

“Let me go!” She screams. She tries to free herself but I’m too strong for her to succeed.

“Never!” I reply.

I see a small cabin a few miles away, where we will have the privacy we need. Inside there is everything to start a fire. Once it is done, I turn back in my human form. My clothes are ripped but they are covering me enough. I’m checking her ankle to make sure she didn’t injure it more.

“What are you doing here, Asher?” She asks. She is wary of me.

“Don’t worry, Mariana. I will not hurt you. I’m here because I can’t let you choose another mate.”

“Does that mean, you want me?” She asks with hope in her eyes.

“I don’t know. I’m still so angry with you. You’ve humiliated me for years and you kissed my brother! I don’t know how to forgive you.”

“I know what I did was unforgivable and I’m sorry. I was stupid I know that even if it’s too late now. I accepted your rejection to free you. I love you and I want your happiness so if you can’t forgive me, you have to let me go.”

“As if it was so simple!” I mutter.

She caresses my cheek: ” You’re a great man, Asher, you deserve to be happy. Find someone who can make that happen because I’m clearly not that for you.”

“Maybe you will be later.”

“Or maybe not... But waiting for something that might never happen is not healthy. It will destroy both of us.” She says before kissing me.

Her lips against mine feel so right. It’s our first kiss and I’ve never expected her to steal it. It’s so good. I deepen the kiss and sit her on my lap. We kiss for an eternity both of us needed it. When I look at her eyes, I see a deep sadness. This is not our first kiss, this is our goodbye kiss. NO! I can’t let that happen! And before I can realize what I’m doing I tire off her shirt and bite her on her left shoulder, marking her as mine.

She screams and then faints. What I have done! I start to panic when I see her lifeless body in my arms. I didn’t faint when Selina turned me. What’s going on? Noah and Selina appear in front of me, followed by Lana.

“What’s happened?” Selina asks me looking at Mariana.

“I don’t know. She kissed me and when I realized she was saying goodbye, I lost it and marked her. I couldn’t let her go. Why did she faint?” I reply, panicked.

“She is fighting your venom.” She explains.

“What does that mean? What is going to happen?”

“It depended on her. If she accepts your mark she will become one of us.”

“And if she doesn’t?” I ask.

“She will die. I’m sorry Asher. We need to go to the castle as soon as possible.” She says.

“Let’s go then!” Noah says.