Third POV

Asher turned to look at Hazel. She had fear in his eyes as he quietly stared at him.

“No, of course not,” he said, but his voice lacked conviction. “Don’t worry about it.”

Hazel moved closer, her hand reaching up to cup his face. “Do you love me, Asher?”

The vulnerability in her voice caught him off guard. This wasn’t like her. Hazel was usually confident, self-assured. Seeing her this uncertain stirred something protective in his chest.

Without answering with words, he pulled her close and kissed her deeply. When they broke apart, both were breathing heavily.

“I love you,” he whispered against her lips. “Only you. Always you.” He tenderly stroked her cheek. “Something has been bothering you lately, hasn’t it? What brought this up?”

Hazel’s fingers traced patterns on his chest through his shirt. “I’m just worried, I suppose.”

“About what?”

She bit her lip and lowered her eyes.

“I have nightmares every night that this will all disappear. That someone will come and tear us apart again.” Her grip on his shirt tightened. “I don’t know what I’d do if I lost you and Finn. The thought of seeing you with another woman, watching Finn call someone else mother...”

Asher’s heart clenched at the pain in her voice. He’d never seen her this vulnerable before.

“Hey,” he said softly, tilting her chin up to meet his gaze. “That’s never going to happen. You’re my mate. My only mate.”

“Promise me,” she whispered.

“I promise.”

This time when he kissed her, there was desperation in it. They fell back onto the bed, hands exploring, clothes being pushed aside. The kiss deepened and became hungrier. Hazel’s robe slipped from her shoulders.

Her hands moved down his chest, fingers working at his belt. The familiar heat built between them as she unzipped his pants.

“Est—”

The name slipped out before he could stop it.

Asher jerked away so suddenly that Hazel gasped in surprise. Cold dread washed over him as he realized what had almost happened.

“What’s wrong?” Hazel asked, sitting up and adjusting her robe.

He couldn’t look at her. There was no way he could explain why his wife’s name had been on his lips when he was with his actual mate.

“Nothing,” he muttered, standing abruptly. “I just... I need a minute.”

He strode to the bathroom, leaving Hazel staring after him in confusion. Once inside, he gripped the sink and stared at his reflection.

But it wasn’t his face he saw looking back at him. It was Estelle’s. Those light blue eyes, that serene expression that never seemed to crack no matter what he put her through.

Cursing under his breath, he splashed cold water on his face. The image disappeared, leaving only his own haunted reflection.

“Asher?” Hazel’s voice came from right outside the door.

He was breathing heavily, his heart racing. What was wrong with him? Why was Estelle in his head at a moment like this?

“I’m fine,” he called back, but his voice sounded strained even to his own ears.

Hazel pushed the door open, her concerned face appearing in the mirror behind him.

“You’re clearly not fine. You look like you’ve seen a ghost.”

He straightened, forcing his expression into something resembling normalcy. “I just felt suddenly unwell. Maybe it was something I ate.”

She didn’t look convinced, but she nodded anyway. “Come back to bed. You should rest.”

They returned to the bedroom, but when they lay down, Asher turned away from her. He couldn’t risk facing her right now.

Behind him, Hazel lay awake staring at the ceiling. Her woman’s intuition was screaming that there was more to this than a sudden illness. Asher was lying to her, and they both knew it.

The way he’d pulled away, the look of shock on his face—something had triggered that reaction. And she had a sinking feeling she knew what it was.

Or rather, who it was.

Estelle’s face floated through her mind, and a surge of pure hatred filled her chest. That meek little mouse was somehow getting between her and her mate, even when she wasn’t in the room.

Hazel’s hands clenched into fists beneath the covers. She’d worked too hard and waited too long to let Estelle ruin everything now.

***

Estelle’s POV

When I finally returned to the Moonveil Pack the next day, chaos had descended on the pack house. People rushed back and forth with panicked expressions, clutching documents and speaking in hushed, urgent tones.

I could hear Asher shouting from his office before I even reached the main hallway. His voice carried through the thick wooden door, angry and frustrated.

As I approached, Kendra appeared at my side. Her usually composed demeanor was frazzled.

“Luna,” she said quietly, “the Alpha isn’t in a good mood today.”

“What’s wrong?” I asked, though I kept my voice neutral and concerned.

“It’s the Silverclaw Pack,” Kendra said with a sigh. “I overheard bits and pieces, and it seems like the deal fell through.”

The Moonveil Pack and the Silverclaw Pack had an agreement. As a highly agricultural pack, the Moonveil Pack provided neighboring packs with fresh produce every season. This was how the pack earned most of its money. If the deal fell through, the pack would be in serious financial trouble for at least the next quarter.

I nodded thoughtfully. “I’ll handle it.”

Kendra glanced nervously at the door. “Luna, perhaps you should wait—”

But I was already knocking on his door. “Asher? It’s me.”

“Come in,” came his muffled reply.

The office looked like a tornado had swept through it. Documents were scattered across every surface, some crumpled on the floor. Asher sat behind his desk with his head in his hands, looking utterly defeated.

I stepped inside and closed the door behind me, putting on my most innocent expression.

“What’s wrong?” I asked softly, moving toward his desk.

He looked up at me, and I was surprised by the genuine distress in his green eyes.

“Everything’s falling apart,” he said, gesturing helplessly at the mess around him. “The Silverclaw deal is dead. They’re saying we failed to meet the communication standards they outlined in the contract.”

I tilted my head, playing the confused wife. “Communication standards?”

“They claimed they tried to reach us multiple times but got no response. Now they’re saying we’re unreliable partners.” He ran his hands through his hair. “But they’re liars. They’ve not reached out to us at all!”

I let silence stretch between us before speaking carefully. “I’m so sorry, Asher. I should have mentioned this earlier, but the Silverclaw representatives did call me.”

His head snapped up. “What? When?”

I bit my lip, looking appropriately guilty. “Yesterday. But I told them to contact Hazel directly since she’s taken over the Beta responsibilities. I didn’t think it was my place to handle pack business anymore, especially since I’m not officially Luna yet.”

Asher’s face flushed with anger. “Why didn’t you tell me this immediately?”

“I was handling the Howlingstorm Pack negotiations,” I said meekly. “I assumed Hazel would take care of everything. Traditionally, these sensitive deals are handled by the Beta or Alpha directly. I had no right to step in.”

The anger in his expression flickered as he took in my troubled look. His voice softened slightly.

“You’re right. It’s not your fault.” He stood and moved around the desk, placing his hands on my shoulders. “I’m sorry for raising my voice.”

I looked up at him with wide, worried eyes. “Will everything be alright?”

“I’ll handle it,” he said, though he didn’t sound entirely confident.

His phone rang, cutting through the moment. He glanced at the caller ID and sighed.

“I need to take this,” he said, already moving toward the door. “It might be about the Silverclaw situation.”

“Of course. Take your time.”

He squeezed my shoulder briefly before stepping out into the hallway, phone pressed to his ear.

The moment the door closed behind him, my innocent expression disappeared. I moved quickly to his desk, scanning the scattered documents. Most were financial reports and trade agreements—nothing I hadn’t seen before.

I systematically searched each drawer, feeling along the edges for hidden compartments. Pack leaders often had secure storage for sensitive documents.

The third drawer down on the right side felt different. The interior seemed shallower than it should be. 𝕗𝗿𝕖𝐞𝐰𝗲𝕓𝐧𝕠𝕧𝗲𝐥.𝚌𝐨𝚖

My fingers found a small lever hidden beneath the drawer’s lip. When I pressed it, a false bottom popped up slightly.

Heart racing, I lifted the hidden panel.