Chapter 161 Not Your Servant

Estelle’s POV

Asher’s entire body went rigid. His grip on Finn tightened as his eyes locked onto mine with visible panic.

I could practically see the thoughts racing through his mind. No doubt, he probably thought that I knew about the fake mark and the fact that I wasn’t actually his chosen mate, and he was terrified that I would reveal everything right here and now.

But what came out of my mouth made his shoulders sag with relief.

“Even if I am Asher’s mate,” I said, and that was a big if, “I’m not a maid.”

Jessie’s eyebrows shot up. Ashley’s mouth fell open slightly.

“I know they sound similar,” I continued with deliberate sarcasm, “but they’re not the same thing.”

Jessie’s face flushed red. Ashley took another step forward, her hands clenching into fists.

“I have no duty to look after this pack,” I stated firmly. “Asher is the Alpha. Hazel is the Beta. But me? I’m nothing here.”

The words hit exactly as I intended them to. Asher visibly flinched.

“I’m not the Luna,” I reminded them. “I don’t have any obligation to serve this pack day and night like you expect me to.”

My eyes moved between Jessie and Ashley before settling back on Asher.

“Above all, I don’t have to serve any of you like some servant.”

Ashley’s control snapped. “How dare you!” she shrieked. “You ungrateful—”

“I’m the mother of the next generation of leaders in Moonveil!” Ashley’s voice rose to a near scream. “Since you’re infertile and can’t bear children of your own, I’m being generous by letting you share the joy of motherhood through my twins!”

A laugh bubbled up from my chest. The sheer audacity was almost impressive.

“How exactly do you know I’m infertile?” I asked, tilting my head.

Jessie stepped forward, her chin raised defiantly. “You’ve been trying for children with Asher for years. Nothing happened.”

I scoffed. “The problem could’ve been with Asher.”

Asher’s face went pale. His grip on Finn loosened slightly.

Internally, I wondered if Jessie and Ashley knew the truth about Finn’s parentage. Given how much Jessie despised Hazel, I wouldn’t be surprised if Asher had kept his son’s real mother a secret from his own family.

The way Asher’s body tensed told me I was right.

“My son cannot be infertile!” Jessie snapped. “There’s nothing wrong with him!”

“The problem isn’t with my body,” I said calmly. “I went for a checkup recently. Everything looks perfectly fine.”

Jessie’s eyes narrowed. “The old results didn’t say that.”

Back when we first mated, Jessie had insisted I go for a health check-up, since I wasn’t getting pregnant quickly enough for her liking. The healers had decided then that my body was too weak for children, and attributed it to me being wolfless.

I frowned, pretending to consider this. “Maybe the healers were inadequate.” I paused, watching their faces. “Or maybe the air in Moonveil wasn’t good for me. Maybe I was being poisoned.”

For just a split second, all three of them wore identical expressions of shock. It was brief, but I caught it.

Their synchronized looks of worry only made me more sure of a suspicion that was starting to grow.

“If both your bodies are fine,” Jessie said quickly, clearly trying to change the subject, “why haven’t you had your own child?”

I shrugged, enjoying the way Asher flinched with each word. “Maybe Asher already has a kid somewhere else. We’d all be none the wiser.”

As I spoke, I shifted my position slightly. Finn came into clear view behind Asher.

I watched Jessie’s eyes move to the boy. She looked at him long and hard, and I knew that she was studying his features.

The resemblance between Finn and Asher was unmistakable when you knew what to look for. Furthermore, Jessie was Asher’s mother. She, of all people, should know what her precious son looked like in his childhood years. Finn was a copy.

I could see the wheels turning in Jessie’s head.

“I’m wasting my time here,” I announced, turning away from them. “I didn’t come to fight with any of you.”

Their voices faded behind me as I walked down the corridor. I had more important things to do than argue with these people.

I knocked on Dorothy’s door and entered without waiting for Jessie, Ashley, or even Asher to recover from their silence.

Dorothy sat by the window, arranging flowers in a crystal vase. When she saw me, her entire face lit up with genuine joy.

“Estelle!” She started to stand, her movements slow and careful.

I hurried across the room to her side. “Please, don’t get up on my account.”

But Dorothy was already reaching for my hands, her weathered fingers warm against my skin.

“I’m so happy you’re finally here,” she said, her voice thick with emotion. “I thought you would never want to come home.”

The word ‘home’ stuck in my throat. My heart warmed at her genuine care, such a stark contrast to the hostility I’d just faced in the hallway.

“I’ve been busy,” I said carefully. “I’m not able to come back to Moonveil as frequently anymore.”

Dorothy studied my face with sharp eyes that missed nothing despite her age.

“Are you really busy?” she asked quietly. “Or are you trying to avoid Asher?”

I remained silent, unsure how to answer without revealing too much.

Dorothy sighed and patted my hand gently. “It’s normal for couples to fight, dear. But you can’t sleep in separate beds and run away from home just because of disagreements.”