"Must just be your imagination," I added casually and left her. My wolf didn’t trust her, and honestly? Neither did I.
***
The night dragged on, the lively chatter around me a background hum as I tried to focus on anything but Celeste’s smug presence. When I excused myself to step outside for some air, I didn’t expect trouble to follow.
I barely made it to the alley behind the restaurant before Asher found me. He stalked toward me, his golden eyes dark with anger.
"Lois!" he said sharply. "We need to talk."
"About what?" I asked, trying to keep my voice steady.
His jaw clenched, and before I could react, he slapped me. The crack of it echoed in the narrow space, leaving my cheek stinging and my heart pounding.
"Asher!" I gasped, stepping back in shock. My wolf growled, the sting of betrayal cutting deeper than the slap.
"What the hell were you thinking?" he demanded, his voice low and furious. "Why did you fucking push Celeste? She’s hurt, Lois! You knew her damn ankle was twisted, and you still—"
"I didn’t push her," I snapped, my voice shaking. "What are you even talking about?!"
Before I could say more, Celeste appeared at the end of the alley. She was limping, her face twisted into a picture of helplessness. Damn her! Her shirt had a faint splash of what looked like wine on the sleeve, and she clutched the wall for support.
Asher rushed to her side without hesitation, his hands hovering protectively. "Celeste! ! You shouldn’t have followed me out here," he scolded her gently. "I told you I’d handle it."
Celeste gave him a small, brave smile, and the way he looked at her made something inside me break.
"It’s okay, Asher…" she said softly, her voice trembling like she was holding back tears. "I-I don’t think Lois meant to. Maybe it was an accident…”
My wolf snarled inside me, her anger mirroring mine. The scene was so perfectly staged it made my stomach turn!
"If her brother finds out you hurt her," Celeste added, sighing dramatically, "it might mess things up between your packs. You wouldn’t want that, would you?"
At the mention of my brother, Asher’s expression shifted, just for a second. But then he straightened, his voice turning hard again.
"Her brother trusted me to look after her," he said, his tone like ice. "That means it’s my job to deal with her when she’s out of line."