Naomi still can’t explain it, one second, it felt like Asher was going to kiss her and in the next, he jumped away from her and offered to take her home or back to school. She had been in shock that time that she had said school and before she knew it, they were back in the woods and he was telling her he would see her later and vanishing almost immediately. And just like that, two good weeks had passed without her seeing or hearing from him again and neither had Anita showed up either.

She had never stopped thinking about that faithful day and what would have happened and what that stopped it. No matter how hard she thinks, she still can’t figure it out or why he had not shown up in school for the past two weeks. The sound of the bell woke her up from her thought and she started clearing her stuff. She still have to thank him though, whatever he did to the cops and Trisha and Rebecca’s parents, along with her father and the principal worked. None of them has ever brought the accident again or how she had come to play a part in it. Although some students still talked about it and gave her looks, no one has ever come to her face to say it and even those that tried to bring problem by bringing up what she said that day on the funerals had been warned by the parents and the detectives to stop spewing nonsense while Detective Cage had threatened to arrest anyone who talked about it again for defamation and so, that was how even though they are thinking it, no one dares point a finger at her.

On the other hand, amidst the chaos and all, she gained a genuine friend. In as much as she is still wary about Tiana, the girl always come through for her. Justin would always want to spend time with her and offer his support but whenever he takes a step towards her, Stacy would always be in the way and he would have no choice but to withdraw. While Naomi had felt bad about it, she wasn’t really bothered. She didn’t need a soothsayer or anyone to tell her that her heart has been swayed and now wholeheartedly belongs to her werewolf friend, the only one who has ever stood up for her and protected her.

And now she wonders where he could be or what could have happened that would make him not contact her for the past two weeks. Her nightmare had increased, every night she sees herself being pursed by more than one ghoul or whatever Asher had call it and to top it up, she could also see that some werewolves were chasing her as well. She can’t figure out why the wolves were chasing her in her dreams but she knows she never wants them to catch her.

As she walked out of the school blindly, she collided with a body and she apologized immediately and bent over to pick her book that fell out of her hand. As she was standing up, she noticed that whoever she bumped into was still there and so she looked up to see the black hair and black eyes. Whenever she sees him, she was reminded of the day she first met him. It was Asher’s house party then and she had seen him right outside the building. While she had been wary of him, she had noticed he wanted to get close to her and thank God that Justin saved the day that night. Now, as if to slam it on her face, he had transferred to her school two weeks ago, the very day she last saw Asher and since then, the boy has kept trying to get close to her but for some reason, she just can’t trust him.

“I’m sorry, Gideon, I didn’t see you there,” she said and intended to walk right past by him but he had to take a step to step into her view again.

“I’m sorry, but I saw you but you seemed to be lost in thought to see me.” Gideon smiled.

“I apologize sincerely for that and next time, I would try to see you early.”

Gideon smiled just as she wanted to walk right by him again and he blocked her once more. She looked up to him and he could see the anger slowly climbing up in her beautiful hazel eyes and he knew instantly that he needs to stop teasing her. “Hey, I just want to invite you to a party.”

“Not interested,” she said.

“Calm down,” he grabbed her hand to stop her from taking a step. “Listen, I don’t know what you have against me or why it seems like whenever I approach you, you just want nothing to do with me.”

“Since you know, why do you still insist?”

Gideon smiled at her question, “because I like you and I want us to be friends. Is that so hard to ask?”

“But I don’t want to be your friend, is that hard to understand?”

“But why?”

“What do you mean why?”

“Why don’t you want to be my friend? What did I ever do that is wrong or what did I do that annoyed you so?” he raised an eyebrow. “As far as I know, I have never done anything to you, so why do you hate me and don’t want to be my friend?”

 Naomi stared at him, her mouth open and her eyes stared at him but she couldn’t voice a word. She frowned soon after because even though she knew she is wary of him, he really has not done anything to her but that also doesn’t mean she has to let go of her worries. “I’m sorry Gideon, in as much as you have never hurt me, I still don’t want to be your friend. Sorry,” she said and snatched her hand from him and walked away.

Jasper mind linked him from his hiding spot, ‘what are we to do now? We initially wanted to buy her over with the party of a stuff.’

Gideon nodded and replied. ‘True.’

‘So what now?’

‘The plan is still on.’

‘How? She refused to honor the invitation.’

‘We are running out of time and since I can’t get her to willingly come with us, we would have to take another means.’

‘Brute force?’

‘Kidnapping. We will kidnap her at night while she sleeps, tell Yoshua to get everyone ready and send news to the pack that we would bring her tonight. No matter what happens, she has to be in the pack tonight.’

‘Yes, future alpha,’ Jasper concurred and left to carry out his order.

Gideon stared at where Naomi left and sighed, “I’m sorry, but I hope you will understand,” he whispered before walking in the opposite direction.

***

“How is he?” Aliyah asked the two guards guiding the front of Asher’s door.

“Still the same, your highness,” one of the guards answered.

“And Irene?”

“She left an hour ago. Said she need to concoct another pain relief potion for him.”

Aliyah nodded and sighed sadly, “has he fed?”

The two guards glanced at each other, understanding her words immediately. “We sent two humans inside a while ago.” One of them answered.

Sighing, Aliyah glanced at the door and if she listened closely, she could hear Asher’s soft groans and it hurts her mother heart knowing there was nothing she could do to help him. Not even her husband, who was the strongest being alive could do anything for their son and so every day she finds herself at his door, asking the same questions all over again. It has been going on for two weeks now and she wonders how long more it would be. When Edward was trying to merge his powers, it didn’t take as long, but then again, Edward wasn’t trying to merge three powers and he also doesn’t have another dark power trying to take control of his weak state.

She was still lost in thought when a reverberating sound resounded and the two guards glanced at the door immediately. “It’s happening again,” they said and Aliyah instantly summoned Edward with her feelings and within a second, he appeared right beside her. They both shared a look and he told her to withdraw to a safe distance while the two guards followed to guard her.

Edward stood in front of the door, his eyes glowing blue as he waited for what he knew would happen, a fight that has been going on every two nights for the past two weeks. Soon after, the door was thrown open and Asher was standing at the other end of it, eyes black and hollow with black lines crawling up his arms and his claws long, black and pointy. “You are no match for me, demon king,” he said in a distorted voice.

“Yet I have managed to stop you for the past two weeks,” Edward said, his body being enveloped by blue light.

“Not tonight. My master is close, I can feel her,” Asher said.

“Who is this master you always talk about?” Aliyah asked from her safe spot.

Asher’s black eyes landed on her, “you will know when you see her,” and with that, he attacked Edward, the only one he could see as a worthy opponent.

Edward had seen the attack and instinctively avoided it while throwing his attack. The ball of blue fire bounced off Asher and damaged the vase beside the door. Asher rushed Edward and they engaged in a combat that had Aliyah’s heart up in her throat. The commotion had summoned everyone in the palace and Rasmus and Irene watched the fight from a spot. “Come on son, control yourself. If it’s inside you then you can control it,” Edward said but Asher growled and with a black smoke forming in his hand, he spanked Edward on the chest and he vomited blood instantly, his hold on him loosened. Taking that advantage, Asher went for another blow but Rasmus rushed in this time and prevented it.

However, the force of the blow threw him back a few steps and he coughed out blood. Irene rushed to him to check his vitals and sighed in relief seeing he was okay. She turned then to Asher but there was nothing she could do. She had found out within the two weeks that none of her spells work on him as long as the power was in control.

Asher turned to Edward where he was trying to get up and threw another blow but Edward looked up, his eyes were glowing blue and instantly, Asher was weakened immediately as the attack was on his soul. He groaned painfully and tried to withstand but he couldn’t.

“Edward please,” Aliyah cried from her spot, tears rolling down her cheeks like a waterfall.

“Come on son,” Edward cried at him. Normally, by now, Asher would have taken control and even though he was trying to go slow, the demon fire would still burn the soul to ashes if he doesn’t stop. “Please.” He said, watching as Asher was going on his knees but his eyes were still black which means that the power was still in control. “Asher,” he called, “please.” But nothing and Edward was forced to call back his fire to avoid killing his own son despite knowing the danger was not over.

He knelt in defeat, watching as Asher was getting back himself but still under control by that power. He knew if he use his fire once more, he would kill him and reap him off the chance of ever being reincarnated. He watched as his son dashed at him with a strong blow he knew that even though it doesn’t kill him, would weaken him greatly.

“No!” Aliyah screamed, seeing Asher’s intention but the guards wouldn’t let her through.

However, right before Asher delivered the blow, he groaned loudly and his eyes turned transparent brown, glowing softly with his fist two inches from Edward’s face. “Dad,” he called and saw as relief flashed in Edward’s eyes. He had intentionally surrounded himself, wanting to know if killing him would wake his son up and it did. “I-I’m sorry dad.”

Edward instantly stood up and hugged him, “it’s okay son, it’s okay.”

Asher hugged him back but at that moment, he felt the pull and the pain in his heart and his eyes glowed blue as he whispered, “Naomi.” And before anyone could say anything, he vanished.