Chapter 5

Abigail’s POV

"Abigail!" Asher called, running after me.

I didn’t stop. I didn’t even turn around.

"Do not come any closer to me, Asher—" I swallowed hard, my chest tightening. "Or should I say Alpha Asher?" My voice cracked with pain, but I refused to let it break completely.

"I—I didn’t mean to lie to you..." he said, his steps slowing.

I flinched, taking a step back. "But you did," I whispered, shaking my head. "I trusted you, Asher. Why? Why would you lie?" My voice trembled as hot tears slid down my face. Everything felt too much—like the walls were closing in, like I was drowning in a sea of betrayals.

"I was going to tell you..."

"When?" I cut in, finally looking at him. "After I had already bowed before you? In front of your people?" A bitter laugh escaped my lips. "Is that when you would’ve told me?"

I let out a shaky breath, my heart aching as memories of him filled my mind—his arms around me when I cried, the way he looked at me like I was the only person in the world, the way he had let me believe he was just like me.

"You watched me," I whispered. "You saw everything. You saw me kiss you. Hug you. You saw me break while my so-called husband humiliated me with his mistress." My voice wavered, and I clenched my fists. "And you said nothing."

His jaw tightened. "I agreed to marry you because I love you, and I—"

"You do not love me, Alpha Asher," I said, stepping back. "If you did, you wouldn’t have lied."

"Abigail, please," he said, stepping closer.

"Stay away from me, Alpha Asher."

His expression darkened. "Do not call me that."

"But that’s what you are, isn’t it?" I wiped my face, my hands shaking. "And since my mate has just rejected me, it wouldn’t make much difference if you did too." My throat felt tight, but I forced the words out. "Call off the agreement to marry me."

I turned away, my heels clicking loudly on the floor. But after a few steps, I stopped. The sound of my own footsteps suddenly felt unbearable.

I kicked my shoes off and kept walking—barefoot, not caring where I was going. I just needed to leave.

Tears blurred my vision as I walked down the long corridor. My chest ached, my whole body trembling.

I just wanted to escape. From him. From the lies. From this miserable life.

"Abigail!" Asher called, this time, his voice devoid of pleas.

"I need you to listen to me, I need you to hear me out," Asher called, picking the shoes I'd tossed aside back to me.

I stared back, my arms folded in front of my chest.

"What is it, what more lies do you have to tell me?" I asked, watching as he stepped dangerously closer.

"I'm going to tell you everything you need to know, but I need you to wear your shoe," He said, kneeling to wear the shoes back on my feet.

I pulled my feet back but he held my feet tighter, firmly in place, making sure my feet was placed firmly in the shoe before standing up to me.

"Abigail," he drawled, his voice laced with an emotion I couldn't decipher.

"I didn't tell you about my position, because I came here in search of my mate, and I needed to be by your side," He explained.

"That doesn't make any sense you know right?" I said, watching as he ran his hands over his head.

"I'll explain all of this to you later, but can we go out there first?" He pleaded, stepping closer to me.

"I refuse to move an inch until you tell me everything that is happening, because I will not go out there and stare like the idiot you put me to be," I demanded, maintaining my ground.

"You are not an idiot," He added, closing in the space between us.

His rough ragged breath was hot on my face.

"You are my mate Abigail," He said, making me still, my breath hitching as though I forgot how to breathe.

I stared at him, stepping backwards, throwing my head backwards with a lengthy bitter laugh.

"Are you making a joke of me right now, Alpha Asher," I dragged, laying emphasis on his title.

Asher’s jaw clenched at the way I said his title, but I didn’t care.

"You expect me to believe this?" I scoffed, shaking my head. "You had all the fucking time in the world to tell me, but instead, you watched me suffer. You let me believe—" My voice cracked, but I refused to let the tears fall.

"You let me believe you were different, you let me believe you were just a gamma...""

"I am different," Asher insisted, his voice rough with frustration.

"Then why lie?" I snapped, my chest rising and falling quickly. "If this is just another one of your lies to pacify me Alpha Asher, please stop, because if I am your mate, why didn’t you say anything before now, why did you have to wait, to stand by while I was humiliated?"

Asher sighed, running a hand through his hair. "Because I needed to be sure, Abigail. I needed to understand what was happening before I—"

"Before what? Before you let me make a fool of myself?" I spat. "Before you let me stand out there, weak and broken, while you held the truth?"

His hands curled into fists at his sides, but he didn’t argue. He just watched me, his eyes dark and unreadable.

I let out a shaky breath. "I don’t want to hear any more excuses. I’m done, Asher."

"You’re not done," he said firmly.

I froze.

"You are my mate, Abigail," he repeated, his voice softer this time. "And I won’t let you walk away without knowing the full truth."

I stared at him, my heart pounding, my body begging me to run—but my feet wouldn’t move.

"Alpha Asher," a voice suddenly called from down the corridor, making me stiff.

I turned slightly to see one of the guards standing at the entrance to the hall, his eyes darting between Asher and me.

"The elders are waiting," he announced.

Asher exhaled sharply and looked at me. "Please, Abigail. Come with me. I’ll explain everything."

I swallowed hard.

This wasn’t over—not even close.