Chapter 61
Violet’s POV
11
We soon arrived at the royal packhouse.
This place looked so peaceful, and everything around us
seemed to blend seamlessly with nature. It was grand yet
natural, as if the buildings had grown from the earth itself
rather than being constructed by hand.
The air was crisp. The breeze was gentle, and the gardens
surrounding us were lush. I could see why the royals family
chose to live here–it felt like a little heaven.
“Wow this place is amazing!” Mia cried rushing forward to pick
roses, tease the little birds perched on the branches, and splash
at the water in the fountain.
I watched as she ran around, her laughter ringing out like
music. She loved exploring, and this place was like a paradise
for her.
The members were gathered outside of the packhouse when
we arrived. All of them bowed their heads in respect to Asher,
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their new king. I couldn’t read their expressions. I wondered
what they really thought of him. After all, he had killed their
former Alpha, the previous Wolf King–his uncle. It wasn’t the
kind of thing that was easily forgotten, or forgiven.
The royal Beta, a tall man with a stern face, stepped forward
with the royal seer.
“Welcome to the royal packhouse your majesty.” The royal
Beta said. I stared at him. He looked decent. But again I thought
Isaac was a great guy when I first met him; I was terrible at
reading people.
“All the members have been waiting for their new leader.” The
royal seer echoed.
“Thank you.” Asher nodded, keeping his voice polite yet formal,
“We will hold the formal ceremony tomorrow. My family and I
need to rest after a long trip. So you may be excused for now.”
The gathered members bowed again, turning to leave without
saying a word. I stared at their backs with a frown. Those
people seemed more like dummies than real people.
And the silence was unsettling. This place was so eerily quiet
since we got here. It felt as though no one dared to breathe, as if
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any sound might shatter the fake peace that hung over us.
“Strange,” Olivia muttered under her breath, her eyes watching
the retreating royal members. There was an unease in her voice
that echoed my own feelings. “These people are such a bunch of
weirdos.”
I gave her a pointed look, shaking my head slightly. Olivia had a
livelier personality than Julia, but she was also a huge
chatterbox. I agreed to let her come along, and I hope I wouldn’t
regret this decision later.
“Be careful what you say here,” I whispered. “We can’t afford to
say the wrong thing.”
Olivia zipped her mouth, “You’re right. Not another word.”
She then turned her gaze away from the members, her eyes
landing on the grand architecture that surrounded us.
“This place is just so…WOW. All of this is so overwhelming and
magnificent.”
The Beta remained by our side, and I could see the way his eyes
followed our every move. He gestured to the buildings with a
smile, “All of this now belongs to you. These halls, the gardens,
the lands–they are yours to command.”
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Asher only gave a small nod, his face unreadable. He didn’t
seem moved by the Beta’s words. I knew he didn’t trust this
Beta and neither did I. Before we could figure out these people’s
agendas, it was a better idea to keep a distance.
Mia, on the other hand, was thrilled.
She ran from place to place, her eyes wide with excitement.
Everything was new and magical to her, and it made my heart
swell to see her so happy. Olivia laughed too, chasing after Mia
as she darted towards the garden, her laughter echoing through
the air.
“This packhouse is huge, plenty of places for your daughter to
explore.” Beta said with a smile, “May I show you and the
Queen around, your majesty?”
“It’s fine. You don’t need a keep us company. My family and I
prefer a time alone.” Asher replied nonchalantly.
“In that case, have a good day, my king. Let me know if I can be
any help.” He bowed and left.
The royal seer came forward to give her blessing to Asher,
wishing him strength to protect this kingdom and wisdom to
lead his people. Then she left us as well, her steps silent as she
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moved away.
Philip had gone to speak with some of the other members of the
royal pack, leaving just Asher and me alone in the grand hall.
It was finally quiet again. I no longer needed to keep up with
the fake, polite smile anymore.
I turned to look at Asher. He was staring at the ornate carvings
on the wall. There was a painful expression on his face.
“What’s wrong?” I immediately asked, stepping closer to him,
my hand reaching out to touch his arm gently.
Asher let out a sigh, his eyes still fixed on the carvings.
“It’s just… being back here. It stirs things up,” he said, his voice
quiet and strained. “I keep thinking about the times I spent here
with my uncle and his family. We used to come here together-
my uncle, my aunt, my cousin Matthew… We had good times
here.”
He paused, his eyes closing for a moment, his expression
twisted with pain.
“And now it’s all gone now…I killed him, Violet. I killed my own
uncle. The man who used to let me ride on his neck when I was
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little and took me hunting…I loathe myself a little bit more
every time I think of those memories…”
His muscle tensed. I could feel the sorrow boiling inside of him
right now.
“You weren’t given a choice,” I said softly.
“So what? People still think of me as a cold–blooded murderer. I
know they do. Although they didn’t show it on their faces…And
Matthew. He must hate me to the gut now. There’s no
brotherhood left between us. When we see each other, all we’ll
ever think about is the blood, the loss…Our families destroyed
each other.”
I looked at him, my heart aching for the despair I saw in his
eyes. I took his hand in mine. It was freezing cold like ice.
“Asher,” I said softly, “I’m going to tell you something. The
challenge between you and your uncle didn’t happen by
coincident. It was Isaac. He planned all of this to revenge your
family and hurt you. If you let yourself live in pain for the rest
of your live, it would be just what he wanted.”
Asher’s eyes opened, and he looked at me, his expression calm,
almost resigned.
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“I know,” he said quietly. “I know it was Isaac. I’ve known for a
while now. And he is the one who caused my parent’s death.”
I was a bit stunned. He knew? I had thought he would be
shocked, or even furious that I would make such an accusation
against his brother. But instead, he looked at me with a calm
acceptance, as if he had already come to terms with it.
“Why didn’t you say something?” I asked. I could imagine the
shock and fury when he first found it out. He must want
someone to talk to. Why didn’t he come to me?
His eyes softened and cupped my face, “You have gone through
enough, Violet. I didn’t want to add more weights to your
shoulders.”
“I’m your Queen. And I ought to face everything with you.
Would you prefer it if I hide things from you and not tell you?”
His expression became strained for a moment, “Of course not!
Promise you will share everything with me-”
“There you go.” I gave him a victory smile, “Now. What’s your
plan with Isaac? You don’t still think of him as your brother, do
you?”
Asher’s face turned cold, determination and hatred gleaming in
his eyes.
“The next time I see him will be the day he dies.”
