CHAPTER 44
ALEXIA P.O.V
I had no idea what time it was, but sometime deep into the night, I woke up with my throat burning dry. My eyes slowly adjusted to the darkness around the room as hunger clawed viciously at my insides.
Not normal hunger.
The dangerous kind.
I carefully slipped out of Asher's strong grip, but the slight movement must have woken him because his sleepy voice echoed through the room.
"Where are you going?"
"Umm… I'm parched. I need some water," I replied, my voice strained.
"Let me get it for you."
"No, don't trouble yourself. I know the way to the kitchen."
"Hm… if you say so."
The second he relaxed back into the bed, I practically fled the room.
His heartbeat was too loud.
Too tempting.
I could hear the blood rushing through his veins, smell its warmth beneath his skin, and every second I stayed near him made the monster inside me harder to control.
The moment I got outside, I dropped to the grass, clutching my head as unbearable pain split through my skull. My fingers began elongating, nails sharpening into claws while my fangs painfully pushed against my gums.
I couldn't take it anymore.
I sprinted toward the river I had discovered earlier that evening and dove deep beneath the icy water.
Instantly, relief washed over me.
The headache eased.
My claws retracted.
My fangs slowly returned to normal.
Everything became silent beneath the surface. Peaceful. Empty.
For once, my mind wasn't screaming.
I stayed there for what felt like forever until I finally resurfaced, completely drenched.
"How exactly am I supposed to explain this to Asher?" I muttered. "Hopefully he's asleep already."
A loud howl suddenly echoed behind me.
I turned sharply, only to come face to face with the same majestic wolf I had seen in the forest.
My eyes widened with excitement.
"It's you…"
But unlike before, the wolf growled aggressively, its sharp eyes fixed on me with hostility.
"Hey, don't you remember me anymore?"
It continued growling before its gaze shifted toward the river I had just emerged from.
"Oh… that." I awkwardly rubbed my neck. "I needed it. Otherwise, I would've gone haywire. You probably wouldn't understand."
The wolf remained tense.
"Okay then," I sighed. "Since you're being unfriendly, I guess I should leave. But it was nice seeing you again."
I hurried back toward the house before Asher noticed how long I had been gone.
Oddly enough, when I returned to the room, he wasn't there.
"Maybe he actually got thirsty too," I murmured.
I waited for him for a while, but exhaustion eventually dragged me to sleep.
The next morning, I woke up to an empty space in front of me.
A strange wave of disappointment hit me.
But the moment I tried to move, I realized I couldn't.
Strong arms tightened around my waist from behind while warm breaths brushed against my skin.
"You're awake."
His deep morning voice sent warmth straight through me.
"Hm… good morning."
"Morning."
He pressed soft kisses against my shoulder, and honestly… I could get used to this.
I turned slightly to face him.
"Don't you have somewhere to be?"
"Tired of me already?" he teased with a smile.
"No. Quite the opposite actually. I'm just wondering."
"I do have somewhere to be," he admitted, "but it can wait."
Then suddenly, his expression darkened.
"Where were you last night?"
My heartbeat stuttered.
"What do you mean? I told you I went to get water."
"Are you sure?"
The way he looked at me made it feel like he could see straight through every lie I told.
"Of course I'm sure."
"Alexia," he said quietly, "promise me there won't be secrets between us. And don't bother lying either… you're terrible at it."
My chest tightened.
I was a girl built on secrets.
Even Clara and Naomi only knew the things I allowed them to know.
Looking into Asher's eyes, part of me wanted to tell him everything. I wanted to trust him completely.
But what would happen once he learned what I truly was?
Would he still look at me the same way?
Would he still touch me like this?
"I… I can't promise," I admitted softly. "But I'll try."
"Hm." He studied me carefully. "Then start by telling me what you were really doing."
I hesitated before forcing out the lie.
"You know about my panic attacks, right? Sometimes they become so overwhelming that I developed this habit of drowning myself underwater until it passes. It helps calm me down."
His expression immediately softened.
"Do these panic attacks happen often?"
I shook my head.
"No. They stopped years ago. But ever since my birthday, they started again. Worse than before."
The guilt nearly ate me alive.
I hated lying to him.
But the truth was impossible.
"I'll help you get rid of them," he said firmly. "I promise."
A sad smile touched my lips.
"Unfortunately, I don't think there's anything you can do. It's incurable."
"That won't stop me." His eyes burned with determination. "I vow to you, Alexia Williams, that I'll help you cure this illness of yours."
You can't cure being a hybrid.
"Enough about me," I quickly said. "Where were you last night? When I came back, you weren't here."
"Unlike you," he smirked, "I actually was thirsty."
I laughed softly.
"Okay then… Asher, can I please have my phone back now? I think I've rested enough."
"Sure," he said lazily, "but only after you give me my morning kiss."
I giggled.
"You're such a flirt. Stop being a bully and give me my phone already."
"That's not what I asked for."
"And you promise you'll give it back?"
"I'm a man of my word."
I leaned in for a quick peck, but before I could pull away, his hand slid behind my neck and deepened the kiss.
And honestly?
I enjoyed every second of it.
When he finally pulled away, he smirked triumphantly before opening the drawer beside the bed and handing me my phone.
"It was never in your office," I accused.
He only grinned mischievously as he got out of bed.
"Alexia, I'll be busy today. Hope you won't mind."
"Eh… I also have a few things to handle, so it's fine."
"Alright then."
He kissed my cheek before leaving.
After showering, I walked into Asher's closet, hoping to find something decent to wear home.
But the moment I stepped inside, I froze.
Half the closet was filled with women's clothing.
My size.
Every single one.
"Do you like them?"
I turned to find Asher leaning against the doorway, fresh out of the shower with damp hair dripping onto his forehead.
"I do… but Asher, you didn't have to buy this much. There are more clothes here than you own."
"I don't care," he said simply. "My home is your home now. You can have anything you want. And if you don't like them, I'll bring new ones."
My heart skipped.
"Your hair is dripping," I pointed out.
"Hm. And what are you going to do about it?"
A smirk spread across my lips.
The hairdryer was already in my hand from earlier, so I switched it on and pointed it directly at his face teasingly.
A rich laugh escaped him.
"You never cease to surprise me, Alexia."
"Mhm. That's why you like me."
I kissed him lightly before pulling him toward the chair.
"Now sit. Let me actually help you this time."
I gently dried his hair while he watched me with an expression that made my stomach flutter.
An hour later, I stood outside my company building after Asher dropped me off.
The atmosphere felt dull and heavy.
"You alright?" Asher asked from inside the car.
"Yeah… I'll be fine. See you later."
The moment I entered the company, Nadia rushed toward me anxiously.
"How are you feeling, Nadia?"
"I can't stop thinking about what happened."
"It wasn't your fault," I assured her. "Come on. We have work to do."
"What do you mean, Miss?"
I handed her a small metallic device.
"Analyze this discreetly. I have a feeling there's a rat among us."
"What is it?"
"I invented it a few days ago. I managed to capture traces of the missing project's frequency and transfer some of it into this device. If my calculations are correct, it should be able to detect the project's location."
Nadia's eyes widened.
"That's incredible."
"The downside is that it requires an extremely high voltage source and elevated ground positioning if we want it to detect something that hidden."
"I promise I'll handle it carefully, Miss. And I swear I won't tell anyone."
I smiled faintly.
"I know I can trust you."
Hours later, I finally left the office when my phone suddenly rang.
The call I had been waiting for.
"You found him?" I instantly straightened. "Alright. Give me a few minutes. I'll be there."
I ended the call and headed toward the parking lot before suddenly realizing something.
Asher had dropped me off.
Nadia wasn't around to drive.
And my personal car was still at home.
Which meant I had no choice but to use the company car.
Wonderful.
I hated driving unfamiliar vehicles.
Still, I climbed inside.
Immediately, something felt wrong.
And seconds later, cold metal pressed against my head.
"Don't move."
I slowly glanced at the man seated behind me.
"If you say so."
"You're going to drive exactly where I tell you. Any sign of rebellion and I'll pull the trigger."
I scoffed.
"Amateur."
"What did you just say?!" he snapped angrily.
"I said you're an amateur. Who points a gun that close to someone's head?"
"What—"
I didn't let him finish.
In one swift movement, I slammed my elbow into his arm, forcing him to drop the gun before twisting his wrist violently and smashing his face into the dashboard.
The entire attack lasted seconds.
"Who sent you?" I demanded coldly.
He laughed bitterly.
"I'll never tell you, bitch. Why don't you kill me already?"
"Oh, you misunderstood me," I said calmly. "I don't kill quickly. I torture. Slowly. Until you're barely human."
Fear flashed through his eyes.
"Now talk."
"I—I don't know her name! She just gave me your picture and address and told us to kill you!"
"Why?"
"I don't know! But she's obsessed with killing you. She won't stop."
"Then take me to her."
"No! I can't!"
"Why not?"
"Bec—"
A loud gunshot exploded outside the vehicle.
The bullet slammed into the window but thankfully bounced off the bulletproof glass.
"Oh shit," the man panicked. "They know I failed. They're here to kill me too."
"That's assuming I don't kill you first," I muttered.
I tied him up quickly before flooring the accelerator.
Cars immediately began chasing after me, bullets flying recklessly through the streets.
Were they insane?
People were everywhere.
And all this… for me?
Who exactly wanted me dead this badly?
Two vehicles suddenly boxed me in from both sides.
"I think I've been too nice," I muttered.
Switching on auto-drive, I opened a hidden compartment beneath the seat and pulled out an AK-47.
Then I climbed halfway through the roof window and started firing.
One of the cars lost control instantly.
The second kept coming.
Soon we sped out of the city toward a dangerous cliffside road.
The pursuing vehicle rammed harder into mine.
My bullets ran out.
"Shit."
I grabbed the steering wheel at the last second and made a brutal sharp turn.
The pursuing car reacted too late.
It flew straight off the cliff.
The explosion below shook the ground.
I stopped the car and dragged the tied-up man outside before pinning him against the bumper with my dagger pressed against his throat.
"Give me one reason not to slit your neck open."
"I have a family to feed," he cried desperately.
I pushed the dagger harder until blood trickled down his skin.
"Not good enough."
"Please spare me! I'll work for you! I swear!"
"I don't need worthless servants."
I cut his restraints and let him go.
He barely made it several feet away before a sharp whistling sound sliced through the air.
Then—
THUD.
Something pierced straight through him.
He collapsed instantly.
Dead.
I calmly walked over and retrieved my dagger.
Maybe I wouldn't have killed him.
But while I had been driving earlier, he had secretly been leaking my location to someone else.
A traitor.
Untrustworthy.
My fangs ached violently at the scent of fresh blood.
For one terrifying second, I wanted to drink it.
But I refused.
I wouldn't stain myself with the blood of trash.
I immediately drove home, only to freeze the second I stepped inside.
The entire place was destroyed.
Furniture overturned.
Glass shattered.
Walls ripped apart.
It looked like wild animals had hosted a party inside.
"Well… guess I'll need a new place to stay."
Clearly, my enemies already knew where I lived.
That meant this house was no longer safe.
I walked into my private office and pushed a hidden button behind one of the bookshelves.
A secret vault slid open, revealing neatly stacked sachets of blood.
Without hesitation, I grabbed one and drank it quickly, easing the unbearable thirst clawing at my throat.
Then I packed the remaining blood into a secure cooler and left the house.
I had barely locked the door when a familiar voice called out.
"Hey! Long time no see."
I turned to see Dylan approaching with his usual bright smile.
"How've you been?"
"I'm fine. What about you?"
"Eh, just surviving." He chuckled. "I came by your house a few days ago and you were gone."
"Yeah. I took a little break for myself."
"Oh? And where's this mysterious vacation spot? I need one too."
"It's a secret."
"Come on, Alexia. Don't be stingy."
"Unfortunately, I'm very stingy."
We both laughed.
"Ah, Alexia… I missed you."
Dylan stepped closer, his eyes lingering on me a little too long before he slowly raised his hand, about to touch my cheek—
But another hand caught his wrist midair with brutal force.
"Don't."
The single word came out cold enough to freeze the air around us.
My breath hitched.
I turned sharply only to find Asher standing behind me, his expression unreadable, but his eyes…
God.
They looked murderous.
Dylan's smile slowly faded as he glanced down at the hand gripping him.
"And who exactly are you supposed to be?" he asked icily.
Asher's jaw tightened.
"The man she belongs to."
The atmosphere instantly shifted.
Heavy.
Dangerous.
I could practically feel the tension crackling between them.
Dylan forcefully yanked his hand free from Asher's grip and let out a dry chuckle.
"Belongs to?" he repeated mockingly. "That's interesting. Last time I checked, Alexia wasn't some object men could claim."
A dangerous smile tugged at Asher's lips, but there was no warmth in it.
"And last time I checked," he said calmly, "you were standing way too close to my woman."
My cheeks burned instantly.
But neither man cared.
Their eyes remained locked like predators sizing each other up before a kill.
Dylan scoffed.
"Your woman?" His gaze briefly shifted to me before returning to Asher. "Funny. She never mentioned having a boyfriend."
"That's because people like you don't need to know everything about her."
The insult was subtle.
But sharp.
Dylan's expression darkened.
"And what exactly do you mean by people like me?"
Asher stepped closer.
Too close.
The air around him suddenly felt suffocating.
"I mean men who can't understand boundaries."
A humorless laugh escaped Dylan.
"Boundaries?" he repeated. "You walked in acting like some possessive psychopath because I talked to her."
"And yet," Asher said softly, "you were still trying to touch her after she clearly didn't invite you to."
The temperature around them seemed to drop.
I could literally hear Dylan grinding his teeth.
"Careful," Dylan warned. "You're sounding very controlling right now."
"And you're sounding very interested in someone else's woman."
"Maybe because she deserves better than some jealous asshole trying to intimidate everyone around her."
That did it.
The look in Asher's eyes became terrifyingly dark.
For a split second, I genuinely thought he was going to punch Dylan.
Instead, he smiled.
And somehow that was even scarier.
"You know," Asher said quietly, "I've been patient since I got here. But let me make something very clear to you."
He stepped even closer until they were nearly chest to chest.
"If you touch her again—"
His voice dropped lower.
"—you'll lose the hand."
My heart skipped.
Dylan laughed, but it sounded forced.
"Is that supposed to scare me?"
"No," Asher replied smoothly. "It's a promise."
Silence.
Heavy.
Sharp.
Deadly.
People walking nearby had already started staring because the tension between them was impossible to ignore.
Dylan finally turned to me.
"Alexia," he said, softer this time, "is this really what you want?"
I opened my mouth, but before I could speak, Asher suddenly wrapped an arm possessively around my waist and pulled me against his chest.
The action was calm.
Deliberate.
Claiming.
My breath caught instantly.
Dylan noticed.
And the fury in his eyes deepened.
"She answered already," Asher said coldly.
For several seconds, neither of them moved.
Neither looked away.
It honestly felt like watching two alpha predators seconds away from tearing each other apart.
Then Dylan exhaled sharply and stepped back.
"Fine," he muttered. "But trust me, this conversation isn't over."
Asher's expression remained emotionless.
"It was over the moment you forgot your place."
Dylan shot him one last glare before walking away.
The second he disappeared, I released the breath I'd been holding.
Then I turned toward Asher.
"What the hell was that?"
Asher looked down at me, still holding my waist tightly.
"That," he said calmly, "was me being nice."