The first thought that comes to my mind when I woke is: I'm going to murder that prick of a witch.
I lift my head and the lack of headaches encourages me to stand up. But I'm faced with another kind of obstacles this time: Asher's arm was thrown over my waist and was blocking me from raising. I turn on the side and I watch him peacefully sleeping next to me. My eyes drift to his shirtless chest, where the ugly wound I remember was just a scar now, thin as the blade that pierced the skin. I put my hand over it and a few tears roll down my cheeks.
Kale will have to wait, there is someone else on top of my hit-list right now.
Asher's eyes flutter and a smile grows on my face when his green orbs open to face me. "Hi," I awkwardly say and I realise that my hand was still on his chest. I try to be as subtle as possible and pretend that I'm really annoyed by the hair, that wasn't actually falling on my face, and pull it aside. Asher barely spares me a look and gets up.
"You're okay?" He asks very formal and I need a few seconds to process his words.
"Yes, I'm fine."
"Kale told me what happened this morning and I just wanted to make sure that you're feeling better."
I look at my arms and it was free of any needles. This means I'm good to get out of here, right? I have places to be, exes to punch in the guts...
"I'm fine," I say and try to get myself to stand to prove my point. But I still don't feel strong enough and decide to simply stay on the edge of the bed. "When did you wake up?"
"This morning," he answers and I'm completely shock by how good he looks. He got stabbed and I'm the one who can get up from the bed? It shouldn't work like this.
"And Kale let you walk out of here as soon as you opened your eyes? He fricking drugged me back to sleep when I tried to leave this morning."
"Good thing he did, you shouldn't have tried to leave the bed. You're not healing as faster as me, Adeline."
"I wasn't the one stabbed, Asher. I should be let to leave," I say and he frowns immediately.
"You weren't, but I know what you did. It was foolish and pretty dumb of you." Anger spikes when I hear him speaking, but he doesn't give me the chance to talk. "And where exactly do you want to go? Leave the pack and be dragged to the court? Because that's where I was this morning, Adeline!"
"Don't tell me I'm dumb, I didn't want to starve myself, I just..." I blurb, but then I acknowledge the last part he said. "The trial started?"
"It did. And the first person to testify showed up today." His fits clentch as he speaks and I decide that I don't want to know who that was. But I need him to tell me, so I can prepare for whatever is waiting me.
"Who did?"
"Your backstabbing boyfriend, of course!" He growls the word boyfriend like he wished he could go and bite Thomas' head off this instant.
"Who summoned him there?" Thomas wasn't even in Boulder on Halloween, so how can he be of any help to my mother's trial?
"Probably your mother, and I dare to say he might win the case after today."
"It's impossible," I cut in. "Nothing Thomas said today will matter. Will must be the one to testify next and he'll clear everything out."
"Maybe, but the harm has already been done because your mother didn't bring that Elf in for what he may say. She wanted to make me look like a dangerous feral monster, and I gave them exactly that when I beat Thomas in front of the courthall."
"You did what?" I shout and look ar him in disbelief. Things just got a thousand worse.
"I thought I will be able to stay cool, but when I saw him, imagines of you blurred my mind and I couldn't control myself."
He looks at me with disappointment in his eyes and I know it's time we continue the conversation we were having before Thomas cut in.
"Asher, I'm very sorry about what you have seen." I say but he doesn't seem like he gives a damn for my apology. "I know you may not believe me, and you have all the rights to, but Thomas always brings out the worst in me. This is why I always tried to keep myself away from him, but he always finds me and charms me back into his bed."
He growls when I speak the last sentence and I realise I need to be more careful choosing my words. I don't need Asher to go and beat Thomas up again. Although he definetely deserves it.
"Not this time," I tell him and he seems less tense although he still looks pissed. "This time I'm not going to be a victim, I'll stand against Thomas and help you win this bloody trial. Even if I'll go to prison for it."
"No," he simply tells me, crossing his arms across his chest. "You did enough. I'll take care of it, you just keep yourself out of trouble."
He walks to the door and opens it. Phoebe immediately pops in and he must've mind-linked to her and asked her to come here.
"Hi, Aline. Nice to see you're back on your feet." She gently states and I give her a little smile.
"Thank you, Phoebe."
"Phoebe invited you to her mating ceremomy in Sydney. Kale gave you a green light for a long-distance flight so you leave this morning." Says Asher and I jump on my feet.
"What?"
He thinks I'm leaving him to face the trial alone?
Oh, baby, I'm not going anywhere.
If someone will take my gorgon of a mother down, it'll either be me, or I'll be there watching from the front row.
I gnore the pain that pulses in my whole body and I keep myself steady. "Wasn't your engagement supposed to be next year, before the Finals, Phoebe?"
"The whole schedule was derailed by Asher's trial," she explains. "Even though the quarterfinals were a few weeks ago, we're preparing for the semifinals this month. The Lycans need a new leader now, which means that the Final competition will take place on the last full moon of this year."
"And when is that?" Of course I don't plan things according to the moon cycle so I don't know when the last full moon is supposed to be.
"27th of December." Answers Asher and my eyes widen. That's a few days over a month from now!
"Well, I'm sorry you had to hurry the engagement Phoebe, but I can't leave Boulder now." I apologise and she draws a careful look to Asher.
"And why not?" He asks me. "Do you have any plans in the city?"
"Well, actually I do. I have a few midterms exams until the Thanksgiving break and I promised Béatrice I will attend Yeti's semiformal with her."
Good thing he doesn't know I don't give a crap about my school attendance or college whatsoever, as I was forced by my parents to enroll here. He only needs to believe that I'll fight to stay in Boulder no matter what. And it is true, as I'm not going to let him fight this war against my mother alone. I know her mischiefs better than he does, I'm the only one who can beat her at her own game.
"Well the engagement is this Saturday anyway, so everyone will have time to get there after the Semifinals this Thursday." Phoebe cuts in and Asher gives her a death stare.
"So why would you be in Australia while there's the Semifinals going on? Aren't you competing, Phoebe?" I ask her and Asher seems annoyed by the way I destroy his plan to send me away.
"Well, I failed the quarters so I'm out. I'm only supporting my friends and my mate now."
"Supporting them from the other side of the world?" I ask and she doesn't know what to say. If there's something I've learned about the Lycan girl is that she is the sweetest, but the worst at lying or being deceitful. And this isn't even bad thing, because there are many unscrupulous people like myself in the world, but only a handful as good as Phoebe. Although I'm sure Asher doesn't appreciate her kind nature right now.
"I'll be there, Phoebe. Thank you for the invitation." My words give the Lycan girl the right impression and she exits the cottage, leaving me alone with Asher.
Still trying to ignore the way my body hurts with every move I make and the general nausea that barely lets me stay awake, I approach him slowly. When I'm merely a few metres from him, I straighten my chin and look him sternly.
"You're not sending me off, when you're up against my mother. I know that hag very well and I'm probably the only one who can win this trial she started. If you wish to be thrown in jail, then don't let me help you." I speak and I immediately see him wanting to protest. "And don't give me that crap about the Lycan Heirs' clearance, as you won't have it forever. If you don't win the competition, you will only be another supernatural in an unjust trial."
"I will win the Throne," comes his immediate protest and I grin a little.
"I thought that only mated Lycans can become Kings," I say with a smile, but it quickly fades. I say through gritted teeth, "You already found someone else, didn't you? Another girl to become your 'fated' mate."
He doesn't say a word and rage builds inside my body. I fight the urge to punch him and try to keep myself sane. Didn't I just got what I wanted? For Asher to find another and leave me alone? Now I can properly focus on more important things, like kicking Thomas' ass and sending my dear mother back to Londin. With that plan in mind, I limp past Asher and head for the door. He barely bats an eye as I make my way to the exit and open the cottage's door.
"Again," he speaks and I stop in place. I put him hands on the door and support on it in order to be able to turn and face him. "You're leaving yet again," he also turns around and crosses his arms, looking as I barely stand by the door. "Is this everything you do? Running off like a kid?"
"Excuse me, but what the hell do you want me to do?" I speak fiercily and if I wasn't in such a bad state, I may have punched him now. "Why should I stick around? For what should I stay, Asher?"
"Whom." Is his only respond and I'm pretty sure he was trying to mock me. "For whom," he continues and I frown as I don't understand what he was meaning. "For whom should you stay, Aline?"
I don't say another word but I look at him attentively. He was waiting for a response, but he isn't likely to get one. His eyes were begging for me to say something, although he was trying to deny it, keeping his arms crossed across his chest. I swallow hard as my gut was dry from all the time I've spent half-sleeping, half-unconscious. It's strange that he was the one shot, and I'm the one feeling like a mess. But I'll blame it one the fact that I didn't slept more than a couple hours in almost a month. Although I must have catched up with my sleeping schedule, the last... days, weeks? I have no idea how much time has passed since I returned to pack. Now that I'm allowing myself to think about it, I have no memory of how Asher and I arrived here.
"How did we got here?" I ask, ignoring his last question. "Did I stole a car? Is there any way I won't have to walk too much to get to it?" I was sputtering everything out, not giving him a chance to answer because I was afraid of what he might say.
But when I was finally out of stupid words to babble, "No one knows how we got here that night, Adeline."
Exactly what I didn't wanted to hear.