Third POV

Asher drummed his fingers on the steering wheel, jaw clenched as he called Estelle’s phone for the sixth time. Each unanswered ring ratcheted his frustration higher. The evening shadows grew longer outside his car window as he sat parked in the small town where Estelle had directed him.

“Come on,” he muttered, ending the call when it went to voicemail again. 𝕗𝐫𝚎𝗲𝘄𝐞𝕓𝐧𝕠𝘃𝕖𝐥.𝐜𝚘𝚖

He glanced at his phone screen. Six missed calls, eight text messages, and not a single response. At first, he’d assumed her meeting was running long. Now, with the sun setting, his patience had worn dangerously thin.

Asher leaned back against the headrest and exhaled heavily. He’d been driving for nearly three hours to reach this location, only to find no trace of Estelle. Exhaustion pulled at him, and he rubbed his eyes with the heels of his hands.

His phone suddenly blared to life, the ringtone cutting through the silence. Asher snatched it up without checking the caller ID.

“Estelle? Where the hell—”

“It’s me,” Hazel’s voice interrupted, her tone soft but with an edge of impatience. “Where are you, Asher? Why aren’t you home yet?”

Asher’s shoulders sagged. “Hazel.” He couldn’t keep the disappointment from his voice. “I... I’m just waiting for Estelle. Do you know if she’s home?”

“No,” Hazel answered. “But some pack members mentioned seeing someone going in and out of your border house this afternoon. More importantly, why are you looking for her?”

Asher frowned. “That’s none of your concern.” Due to his annoyance, his words ended up coming out harsher than he intended them to be.

The line went quiet for a second before Hazel spoke again. This time, her voice sounded softer.

“Finn’s been asking for his father. He won’t stop crying.”

Guilt rushed through Asher.

“I’m sorry,” Asher said, pinching the skin between his eyebrows. “I didn’t mean to sound so harsh. It’s just...”

The mention of his son sent a fresh wave of anger through Asher. If Estelle had truly abandoned her responsibilities to their child just to spite him...

“It’s alright,” Hazel said. “I understand. Just... come home soon. I’ve tried everything, but Finn wants to see you.”

“I’ll head back now,” Asher said, starting the engine.

This was ridiculous. Asher didn’t know what game Estelle was playing at this time, but he was done wasting his time here waiting for her.

Asher ended the call and threw his phone onto the passenger seat. Rage bubbled just beneath his skin as he pulled onto the highway. How dare Estelle leave him stranded in some random town while their son cried for him at home?

The drive back felt endless. By the time Asher turned onto the gravel road leading to the small house he shared with Estelle near the pack border, his knuckles were white from gripping the steering wheel.

The house was dark. There was no warm glow from the windows to welcome him home. Estelle always left lights on when she was home, a habit she claimed was for him in case he returned late. She had always said it was so that he would know she was waiting for him.

The darkened windows only fueled his anger. This was definitely because she wasn’t happy with Ashley and his mother’s request. Now, she was throwing a tantrum. How childish.

Asher slammed the car door and stormed up the porch steps. He unlocked the front door and flipped on the light, illuminating the empty living room. Everything was tidy, undisturbed. If anything, it looked a little emptier than he remembered.

“Estelle!” he called, his voice echoing through the quiet house.

Silence answered him. He clenched his fists. How dare she ignore him!

He took the stairs two at a time and flung open the bedroom door. The bed was made, the room untouched. There was no sign that Estelle had been here recently.

Asher stood in the doorway, his anger slowly turning into confusion. Where was she?

“Asher?”

He spun around, heart leaping for a moment before he recognized Hazel standing in the hallway.

“What are you doing here?” he asked, his voice coming out harsher than intended.

Hazel looked hurt. “Someone saw your car heading this way instead of to the pack house, so I came to check.”

She stepped closer, her familiar scent washing over him. “Why are you here instead of coming to see Finn?”

Asher ran a hand through his hair. “I thought Estelle might be here. She hasn’t answered any of my calls or messages all day.”

“Ah.” Hazel’s expression softened with understanding, though her eyes remained sharp. “So you drove all the way out here for her instead of coming to comfort your crying son?”

The accusation stung. “She left me waiting for her for hours!” Asher spat.

In that time, there was so much work he could’ve done instead. He could’ve been spending time with Hazel and Finn, rather than waiting for her. After he had been so thoughtful as to offer her a lift home, she simply ignored him and left him out to dry.

Hazel looked away. “She’s grown bolder recently, hasn’t she? Estelle is talking back to you now, ignoring you, and even challenging your position in the pack. You’re her Alpha. How could she be so disrespectful?”

Asher kept silent. Estelle had been testing his patience recently. She was no longer the naive, gullible girl that would listen to his every command. Slowly, she was slipping through his fingers.

He needed to find a way to control her again.

Hazel took his silence as a sign to continue.

“You’ve always been too soft with her.” Hazel’s fingers traced his jawline. “Always making excuses for her behavior. She’s taking advantage of your kindness, Asher.”

She gently leaned forward. But right when her lips were about to touch his, Asher stepped back from her touch. Hazel frowned.

Hazel’s eyes widened slightly as she studied his face. Her hand fell away from his chest.

“Why are you acting like this, Asher?” she asked when he didn’t meet her eyes. “Don’t tell me you’ve actually fallen in love with Estelle after all?”