Chapter 134 Empty Seats
Third POV
“What a greedy little bitch!” Jessie yelled.
Asher went quiet at Ashley’s words. He did indeed consider whether or not Estelle was purposely setting the price of her return astronomically high so that he would back away. However, he also didn’t have a choice.
“Just forget about Estelle,” Jessie declared, waving her hand dismissively. “She was no good anyway. We don’t need someone like that in our pack.”
Asher’s eyes flashed with anger. His patience had officially been shaved thin. “This wouldn’t have been an issue if you hadn’t petitioned for Hazel to be banished from the pack in the first place!”
Jessie’s face hardened. “Hazel was no good for the role either. She wasn’t doing anything productive for the pack. Instead, she was spending Moonveil’s money like there was an endless well. With her here, she will merely be a distraction.”
Asher’s eyebrows ticked with irritation. His mother had always been the first to complain. When Estelle was in charge, Jessie found all sorts of minute problems with her work. Despite Estelle’s competence, it was never enough. Then, when Hazel took over, it got worse.
It seemed like she truly had not learned her lesson with the apology to Estelle. Jessie still thought that Estelle would happily and subserviently come back despite everything that had happened. Neither Jessie nor Ashley had properly realized that Estelle was no longer the same woman who didn’t have a backbone.
Ashley nodded vigorously from her spot on the couch. “Asher, you should just name Nigel the Beta. He’s been doing the Beta’s job for the last few weeks anyway. It’s only right for Nigel to get the credit he deserves.”
Asher’s jaw clenched. “Even if Nigel becomes Beta, we still need Estelle to return. Unless you’re planning on rejecting Nigel so that I can make him Luna instead?”
The room fell silent. Ashley looked appalled.
Asher took a deep breath. “The council threatened to overthrow me if I couldn’t get Estelle to come back. I need her to return.”
Jessie’s eyes widened. She clearly didn’t know that the council had done something so drastic behind her back. “So what? You’re just planning to hand over the role of Alpha to her?”
“She’s only asking for half the authority,” Asher said through gritted teeth. “When things are settled, I’ll take it back.”
Ashley scoffed loudly. “How exactly do you plan to take it back? If you do, and Estelle leaves, the cycle will just repeat itself. When that happens, she might not be as willing to return. In fact, she might even request to be directly named the Alpha the next time you try to negotiate terms with her!”
Asher felt his frustration boiling over. “I’ll handle it when the time comes.”
He turned toward the door, ignoring their calls behind him. Without another word, he stormed out and climbed into his car.
***
The drive to the border house felt longer than usual. When Asher finally arrived at the home he once shared with Estelle, he noticed how different everything looked.
A layer of dust had gathered on the furniture. The windows looked dull and unwashed. Even the small garden that Estelle used to tend was beginning to wilt.
He pushed open the front door and walked inside. The silence was oppressive. No sound of Estelle humming in the kitchen. No smell of fresh bread or dinner preparations.
Asher made his way to their bedroom. He sat on the edge of the bed, staring at Estelle’s side. He could still picture her smiling face from their early days together. He liked her smile. They were always warm and affectionate, always looking at him with such trust.
That memory was now replaced with her cold look of indifference from earlier today.
Asher sighed heavily. Now that no one was here to take care of the house, it had grown dilapidated in just one month of emptiness. Even Finn’s room looked abandoned.
His thoughts drifted to Finn, still lying in the infirmary bed. When Asher had visited him earlier, the boy looked healthier but kept asking for Hazel. Asher refused to allow it. Finn threw a tantrum, and Asher left the infirmary in frustration.
He couldn’t help but think of the gentle way Estelle used to speak with Finn. Even though Finn never really liked Estelle, she was always patient and kind. She treated Finn like he was her own flesh and blood.
Asher’s heart clenched painfully at the memory.
***
Estelle’s POV
At the lycan palace, I sat across from Josephine at the grand dining table. The polished wooden surface stretched between us, set with gold-rimmed plates and crystal glasses. Despite the elaborate setting, only two places were occupied.
The head of the table remained empty. Zayne’s seat had been set with dinnerware, but he wasn’t present.
I picked at my roasted chicken, my eyes occasionally drifting to the vacant chair.
Josephine must’ve noticed my distracted manner. “Is the food not to your taste, dear?”
I shook my head quickly. “No, it’s delicious. I was just wondering…” I glanced toward the head of the table again. “Does Zayne often skip dinner?”
Josephine followed my line of sight and sighed.