Chapter 18

Ashley

What have I done? Everything was my fault. I couldn't stop the horrible images flashing through my mind—Gorg lying helpless on the ground, Conan badly injured. If only I had left sooner, none of this would have happened.

I turned to the window, staring blankly at the clouds. The plane had taken off, and though it was my first time flying, the excitement I used to feel at the thought of traveling was nowhere to be found. This wasn’t the adventure I had dreamed of to meet his stare. I didn’t want to see the monster who had crushed someone else’s happiness so effortlessly.

Mia...I couldn't imagine how she must be feeling. In one single day, her whole world had fallen apart—all because of me.

I closed my eyes gently to sleep my pain. My heart felt like it had been stab by a knife. I took me about ten minutes before I finally drive into a deep slobber.

A gentle tap woke me from my sleep. I rubbed my eyes and saw the flight attendant standing beside me with a small smile. "We’re here, ma'am," she said, but her voice only brought me back to the harsh reality of my situation—a world where I was trapped in a nightmare.

I nodded and stood up, feeling Zade's eyes on me as they had been the entire flight. Ever since he rejected me, he never stopped watching me. And now, it wasn’t enough that he broke me—he destroyed an entire pack.

I glared at him as I walked past, my heart heavy with anger and guilt. Outside, a white car was already waiting for us. I opened the back door and climbed in, with Zade sitting beside me, the silence between us thick and suffocating.

I didn’t dare look at him. Instead, I stared out the window at the passing clouds, silently praying that Gorg could somehow forgive me. This was all my fault.

It was a long drive, but after two hours, the car finally came to a stop at a large gate. I could see the sprawling estate, with beautifully decorated trees lining the path as we approached. The gates opened, and the guards bowed their heads in respect as we passed. I remembered the smell of this place how could I forget I was back again. I held my chest in pain why was this happening to me.

Once the car stopped, I wasted no time stepping out. "Ashley," Zade mumbled from behind me. I turned around to face him, my expression blank but questioning.

"One of the maids will show you to your new room," he said, his voice calm.

"I can find my room by myself," I replied sharply, not wanting any further interaction.

"There’s been a change," he added, his tone firm. As he spoke, a group of maids rushed toward us.

"I'll show you to your room now," one of the maids, a pretty woman, said with a polite smile. I only nodded in response, following her in silence. The whispers around me from the staff didn’t matter. I had far heavier thoughts weighing on my mind—thoughts of Gorg, Mia, most especially Conan.

When we reached the room, the maid left, and I stepped inside, immediately taken aback by its size. It was larger than the one I had before, painted in a soft grey with an enormous bed in the center. The room was elegant, with intricate decorations and a fresh, soothing scent. This space was clearly reserved for someone of high status, not me. Why would I be placed here? Was there a mistake?

There was even a love-shaped couch by the window, something that felt too intimate, too personal. I wandered through the room, looking for the wardrobe, but when I didn’t find it, I entered into another room, meant solely for dressing. Rows upon rows of clothes, more than I could ever count, filled the space. It felt overwhelming.

I didn’t bother inspecting everything. Something wasn’t right. I needed to find that maid and tell her she had brought me to the wrong room.

Thankfully, the maid hadn't gone far. "Excuse me," I called out, and she turned to face me. "I think there’s been a mix-up. Is that really my room?" I asked, still in disbelief.

She nodded, smiling warmly. "Yes, King Zade specifically asked me to prepare this room for your arrival."

I stood there, stunned, as she walked away. It didn’t make sense. Why would I, someone who was nothing more than a rejected mate and practically a servant in this pack, be given such a luxurious room? It didn’t sit right with me.

Without wasting another moment, I turned back toward the hall. I needed to ask him myself, to understand why he had put me in such an extravagant room. There had to be an explanation, and I wasn’t going to rest until I got answers.