Chapter 4 CH 4

ASHVIN

The first time I met Zahra-Rose, the girl my brother was so obsessed with, I stayed hidden, watching her from the shadows since. I had no idea why I couldn't walk away, but something about her demanded my attention.

Her white, fair skin glowed under the room's warm light, and even with her long, black hair pulled into a tight bun, there was an effortless grace about her. It wasn't just her beauty. It was something deeper, something radiating from within.

Was it her smile? That smile seemed to light up the entire room, a smile so pure it felt like it carried no weight on this world. Or was it the way her warm, familiar eyes lingered on everyone she greeted, as though she genuinely saw them?

It was clear why Asael fell for her. And yet, that realization only made my stare linger longer than it should have.

I forced myself to look away. It wasn't right to feel this way about my younger brother's fiancée.

When we were introduced, her smile didn't falter. It was the same one she gave everyone, kind and inviting. She reached for my outstretched hand, her grip surprisingly firm.

"I've heard so much about you, Alpha Ashvin," she said, her cheeks tinged pink. "It's nice to finally meet you."

Her voice was soft, sincere, and for a moment, I forgot how many battles these hands of mine had fought. Her touch was different, untainted by the world's cruelty.

I quickly withdrew, both my hand and the thoughts that dared to follow.

Everything seemed fine after that. I had convinced myself there was nothing to worry about until that night. The night she came to the club.

Under the dim, pulsing lights, I didn't know it was her. She was just a woman moving with the music, and the pull between us was magnetic, undeniable. I had never felt something so raw, so consuming, as I did that night.

Then the light caught her face, and I froze.

Zahra-Rose.

The same woman who had haunted my dreams for the past two years now stood before me, no longer Asael's fiancée but something far more dangerous.

Now, as I stood before her, I saw how much she had changed in just a few days. She looked thinner, her face drawn with worry. Losing her family had taken a heavy toll.

"Why...why do you want to see me?" Her voice trembled, and her sharp glare didn't miss a beat.

It was clear she remembered the club. The kiss.

"I know what happened between us," I said, keeping my face neutral. "I was doing a job. I didn't know it was you. But you can't keep reacting like this every time you see me."

Her eyes widened, anger flashing in them, but she held her ground, taking a small step back.

"What were you doing there, Alpha Ashvin?" she demanded, her voice lowering. "Isn't that....." She stopped, unable to finish, but the implication hung heavy in the air.

"I promised to help find your family," I said firmly. "That's all the help you'll get from me. Nothing more."

The words tasted bitter, but I needed to remind myself of my place. Whatever I had felt for her needed to die here and now. For two years, I had kept those feelings buried, and I intended to keep it that way. She was a little girl untainted by the woes that surrounded the world. I was the one who fought battles and killed as many enemies as needed.

Her face twisted with confusion, but I couldn't let myself linger. I turned and walked away.

As I glanced back, I saw Asael standing with her, speaking softly. His voice seemed to ease her, and for the first time in days, I saw a small smile curve her lips. She was better suited for him. She always had been.

"Ashvin?"

My father's voice pulled me back. I turned to where he sat, my beta Kai standing close beside him.

Kai whispered something to him, then stepped back as I approached.

"What did you say to him?" I mind-linked Kai, narrowing my eyes.

"You'll find out soon," Kai replied, his tone clipped.

"There's something suspicious about the Darkeast pack," my father began. "On the day of the attack, everyone we questioned gave the same story-that they were holding a grand party for their princess. It feels like a cover for whatever really happened to the Moonshine pack."

Darkeast. Of course, they were my first suspects. They'd been desperate to merge with Moonshine's territory for years, but Alpha Enzo had refused, even rejecting their offer to marry one of his daughters. That refusal would have enraged them.

Since Alpha Enzo has no son on his side, the darkeast people would have thought merging will make them the most powerful among the realms and he wasn't having that.

"It makes sense," I said, my mind racing. "If their ambitions led to this, we need proof. The sooner we resolve this, the better."

Kai nodded, already prepared to dig deeper. After exchanging a few more words, I walked away, my beta following close behind.

"You've had a tough week. Are you heading out to relax?" he asked knowingly.

I stopped, my gaze drifting back toward the courtyard. There she was again, smiling faintly as Asael stood beside her. Even after all she'd endured, there was still light in her eyes.

"She's betrothed to your brother," Kai reminded me, his voice low.

I tore my gaze away from her, my jaw tightening."They ended their engagement," I said quietly, more to myself than to him.

Kai opened his mouth to argue, but I didn't give him the chance. I walked away, forcing myself not to look back.

In no world would she ever be mine. She belonged to Asael. She always had. And that is exactly where she belongs, by his side and no way near mine.

"Keep telling yourself that," my wolf, Zen, mocked.

But even as I pushed the thought away, I knew he was right.