Chapter 1070

[ 1,230 words ]

She knew that Ashton was fighting rogues, but this was the first time for her to see in person Ashton drawing blood. She was distraught, but Alpha Cristian warned her to not cause a scene.

“If he doesn’t hold grudges, he wouldn’t be a man,” Maddox responded.

“What should we do?” Luna Michelle asked.

“Nothing,” Alpha Cristian responded before anyone else could. “I know this is your son, and you are worried…”

“Ash is your son also!” Luna Michelle said.

Alpha Cristian shook his head. “Ash is the future Alpha. He is an adult, and he will deal with the consequences of his actions, no matter what they are.” He held onto her shoulders and looked at her seriously. “Mica, your behavior is hurting him. Do you not see his position?”

“What position?”

“Ash is Violet’s mate. As such, he will be the Alpha of the Dark Howlers pack and the Midnight Guardians pack and at the head of the coalition. This is way beyond the Spring Leaf pack. Do you think Luna Tatiana didn’t want to go to Ethan to check on his injuries? Do you think it was easy for her to stand on the side while her son was bleeding? Do you think Alpha Maddox was happy to see his son on the floor? But they did that because they were putting Ethan first.”

Luna Michelle looked around to realize it was only her and Alpha Cristian in the hallway. Everyone else left. When did that happen? But it meant she could talk to her mate.

“How is that putting him first when they showed no concern for his wellbeing?”

“They were putting his future first. If people saw a mother running to her adult son, or his father getting vengeance in his stead, they would see Ethan as weak. For us, our image is half of the battle. Babying Ash and doubting him openly makes others think he is weak.”

“I am not doubting him, but…” She sighed in defeat. “I already did the damage, didn’t I? How can I fix it?”

“Don’t. Just give him space. If any fixing is to happen, it needs to happen on their terms.”

“Their?”

“Ash and Vi, Mica. They are together now as one. We need to step back and give them space. It will be hard, but it’s the only thing we can do unless you want Ash to push us away.”

Alpha Cristian hoped that his mate would understand that this was hard on him, and she won’t think of him as the bad guy.

Ever since the incident with Arya, Alpha Cristian felt guilty because part of him feared he failed as a mate. He didn’t cheat or abuse Luna Michelle, but he allowed an unmated female to get too close, and he didn’t see how much that hurt Luna Michelle. She told him that she disapproved of the attention he gave to Arya. Still, he would brush it off with arguments that Arya was a child, an orphan who didn’t have anyone else, and he would repeat that until Luna Michelle lowered her head and accepted her fate. As a way of coping with Alpha Cristian’s absence, Luna Michelle got attached to their son.

It was a messed up situation, and Alpha Cristian should have got the hint when Luna Michelle said she didn’t want more kids. He didn’t see it then, but later he understood that she didn’t want more kids with HIM.

After Arya recognized Keith as her mate, Alpha Cristian turned to Luna Michelle, only to see that she was emotionally detached. She poured everything she had in Ashton.

Alpha Cristian went above and beyond to convey how sorry he was for neglecting her needs. He failed to assure her she was his priority, and those wounds still didn’t heal. In the last five years, Luna Michelle would fervently wait for Ashton’s call, and the only joy she showed was when there was news of Ashton.

Now that Luna Michelle had to let go of Ashton, will her attention return to Alpha Cristian? Will she like what she sees? What if it was too late? What if she leaves him? Where would she go?

Alpha Cristian knew Luna Michelle had nowhere to go, and part of him feared that was the only reason she had stayed with him so far. He would catch her often staring into the distance with a dreamy smile on her face which faded when she turned to see him there. It made him wonder if she was thinking about Ashton, or about some other man, or about the time when their relationship was fresh, and they had no Ashton, no Arya, and it was just the two of them.

Alpha Cristian was aware that his pack was mediocre, so he put his efforts into not falling behind impressive youngsters like Alpha Damon and Alpha Maddox. At the same time, he failed his mate completely. Was there a way to turn the clock and start over?

…

Ashton and Violet appeared at the party half an hour later, and based on the blush on Violet’s cheeks, and the size of Ashton’s grin, no one was wondering why washing hands took so long.

There was a table set on a small podium with six chairs. On the far left were Alpha Cristian and Luna Michelle, on the far right were Damon and Talia, and the two chairs in the middle were empty. Violet tugged Ashton’s hand in that direction. Those two spots in the center were for them.

Normally, the main people of the party would be inside the event hall, with high-ranking members of their society, but the Dark Howlers pack prioritized their pack members. Damon never liked rubbing shoulders with Elders and Alphas of other packs. If they wanted to socialize with him, they could join him in the garden.

“Everyone will be watching,” Ashton grumbled while walking to the podium with Violet.

“Is that a problem?”

He spent five years not attracting attention, and also… “I don’t want people looking at you and getting funny ideas.”

Violet giggled and snuggled closer to him. “I’m sure you can take care of those. But this is only for the meal. Once we are done with food, we can mingle.”

Ashton leaned to speak close to her ear, “The only one I want to mingle with is you.” He nipped her ear, and she shrieked.

“Ash! Behave!”

Ashton grinned and tightened his hold on her.

Talia ate food that Damon was feeding her, and she smiled in approval as she watched Ashton pulling a chair for Violet, and then he got busy piling food on her plate. Ashton was looking only at Violet, and Talia had a feeling those two would be just fine. Better than fine.

Talia turned to Damon.

He cocked an eyebrow at her. “What?”

Talia stuffed a forkful of food in his mouth, and then she cupped his cheeks and gave him a smacking kiss on the greasy lips. She lingered there to lick him clean.

“Life is good,” Talia said and gave him eye signals to continue feeding her.

Damon was delighted that Talia was in a good mood and affectionate, and he hoped this would last forever.

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