Chapter 918 – Hidden Desires of the Werewolf King Novel

Filed To Story: Veiled Desires of the Alpha King Novel

Ashton pinched her chin and looked at her. “Don’t torture yourself with such thoughts, Vi. Whatever happened brought us to this exact moment. It’s the two of us, with all this food that your people prepared for you.”

“Us,” she corrected him. “It’s OUR people, and they prepared this food for US.”

“Whatever you say, my love,” Ashton murmured and pecked her lips once, twice, and her arms snaked around his neck as she kissed him back like no one was watching.

Exaggerated clearing of someone’s throat got their attention.

Violet turned to see Yasmin giving them a stern look.

“I know you are newly mated, and hormones are raging, but…” She glanced in the direction of the crowd that was looking at them and smiling. “You don’t need to give them a live show.”

Violet cleared her throat. “Sorry, aunt Yasmin. Thanks for the reminder.” She turned to Ashton. “You need to stop using your charms on me in public.”

Ashton smirked. “I’m quite confident that you were the one who charmed me first.”

Violet was about to object, but the most delicious bite of lamb entered her mouth.

Other packs relied on hunting to get fresh meat. The Midnight Guardians pack was not against hunting, but most of their meat came from sheep and cows they were raising themselves. With their territory being isolated, if they went hunting freely, their meat supply would dwindle quickly.

Since they opened a portal directly to the Shadow Fang pack, their hunting escapades were more frequent, but it was more for practice and the thrill of it than out of necessity.

Violet studied the changes her mother brought to the Midnight Guardians pack, and she was proud of her, but a small part of Violet feared that there was nothing left to do, and she was not happy with the idea that she would always be known as the daughter of the Alpha Natalia Moonrider everyone worshiped. Her mother left some big shoes to fill, and she was still an active Alpha, accomplishing the impossible. Violet wondered if she would ever be able to top that, and in a way, she understood that Valeria probably felt the same when she thought of Violet as the future Alpha of the Midnight Guardians pack. They were all of the Alpha bloodline, blessed by the powers of Gods, yet their insecurities were tangible, and if anyone thought their lives went without a hitch, they would be wrong.

Violet could feel the change in the air, and she didn’t need to turn to see that Valeria and Edgar had arrived.

The twins took their seats at the main table and started eating.

Violet glanced at Valeria. “How nice of you to join us.”

Valeria cocked an eyebrow. “I see you are eating. It’s not like you were waiting for us.”

“Were you expecting us to wait for you?” Violet asked. Before Valeria could respond, Violet asked her next question. “Do you think you are important enough for your Alpha to wait because you decided to make a grand entrance by being tardy?”

Valeria knew that Violet was provoking her, but she couldn’t stop her temper flaring. “Oh, I know that young Alpha Violet would never wait for me.”

‘CRACK!’

The glass in Violet’s hand shattered.

“I was talking about Alpha Ashton, not about myself,” Violet said stiffly. “Disobedience toward me can be overlooked because we are cousins, and we have known each other for a long time. However, I’m not sure that Alpha Ashton will be so forgiving. After all, he doesn’t know you as well as I do, and he might interpret your unruly behavior as rebellion.”

“Rebellion?” Edgar said with panic in his voice. “We would never…”

He stopped talking when Violet raised her hand.

“We are cousins, so I will share some information with you. Alpha Ashton spent the last five years fighting rogues. He saw enough carnage and death for several lifetimes. Those things change a person, and make him less forgiving. I’m sure that my mate will do everything in his power to protect his mate and his pack, regardless of who the threat is.”

“We are NOT a threat to our pack,” Valeria said through her teeth.

“Then maybe you should act like it,” Violet quipped and turned to Ashton who was ready to feed her.

Violet and Ashton didn’t stay the night in the Midnight Guardians pack.

Due to the time difference between the realms, staying a few extra hours or days wouldn’t make a big difference for the world that existed beyond the portal, but Violet didn’t want to linger longer than necessary and give more chances for Valeria to step on her toes.

The last thing Violet wanted was for Valeria to get crazy ideas of revenge or maybe to approach Ashton carelessly. It’s not that it would work, but Violet would need to punish her cousin, and Violet hoped it wouldn’t come to it.

Will Valeria accept her role and they could coexist peacefully? Violet was unsure. But she knew that she was not the one who could talk sense into Valeria. In this situation, Violet was the one at the top, the one with a happy ending, and Valeria needed to hear the truth from someone else.

Violet left words of warning to Axel and Edgar, who seemed to be the most reasonable there out of the Moonrider family. She told them that unless Valeria learns to act according to her position and accepts Violet as her future Alpha, Valeria should be prepared to leave the pack.

“Val accepts you as her Alpha,” Edgar said with desperation etched on his face. If Valeria leaves (or was banished) it would tear their family apart, and the pack will suffer.

“Does she?” Violet asked as her eyes moved from Edgar to Axel. “I know that for Val, I am her cousin. Her YOUNGER cousin. That worked when we were kids, but now it won’t pass. She needs to see beyond family bonds because I won’t allow such relationships to be a security risk for me, my family, or my pack. Is that clear?”

It was harsh, but Violet didn’t see a different way out. If Valeria didn’t accept her as the Alpha, there would be a risk of some people following Valeria and causing a rift within the pack; the last thing Violet wanted was to punish her pack members because they sided with Valeria, who was plagued with jealousy.

Sure, members of the Midnight Guardians pack worshiped Talia and Violet, but Valeria was a Moonrider who rarely left the pack, and it was normal that people respected her also. Dayson told Violet that the biggest betrayals come from within, from the people she trusts, and Violet didn’t want to risk it.

At the Shadow Fang pack, Talia welcomed Violet and Ashton with a big hug, but the rest of the Blake family was more reserved.

Violet’s brothers were protective of her, and they saw Ashton as someone who came to take away their sister. Even Jacob, who was usually friendly with Ashton, was giving him the stink-eye. Dayson was filled with a different level of hostility, one that was bloodthirsty and tangible, and Ashton was confident that if Talia was not there, Dayson would explode into violence.

“Are you staying this time?” Talia asked.

Violet glanced at Ashton. “We didn’t discuss logistics, but we would like to visit Alpha Cristian and Luna Michelle.” They would probably go there first, but the portal connected them directly to the Shadow Fang pack, and it would be rude if they skipped greeting Dayson and Talia, as they knew that Violet was there already.

Talia was hoping they would stay. She was used to Violet always being home. It was hard to think about Violet as a mated woman.

Talia suspected that Violet and Ashton would want to live in the packhouse of the Spring Leaf pack. It was smaller than the home Dayson and Talia shared with their children, but Ashton was a single child, and with him gone, Alpha Cristian’s packhouse would be left empty.

There were so many things to consider, and they were still adjusting to their bond. Talia didn’t want to add to it, but she needed to mention…

“As you go to the Spring Leaf pack, avoid the Blue River pack’s territory. It would be best if your uncle Max and aunt Tanya don’t know you are back.”

“Why?” Violet asked, genuinely worried. She didn’t think about driving anyway. With portals, they can be at the Spring Leaf within a minute, and they didn’t need to get close to the Blue River pack, but still… They were always friendly with open borders.

Jacob cleared his throat. “Uncle Max is angry that you destroyed his vacation house.”

Violet’s eyes widened when she realized what Jacob was talking about. She glanced at Ashton, who was grinning shamelessly.

Violet nudged him with her shoulder, and she asked through their mind link, ‘How can you be so nonchalant about this?’

Ashton’s grin widened. ‘What we did was a result of our love. I didn’t hear you complaining when I took you…’

‘WE CAN HEAR YOU!’ Talia’s words made both Violet and Ashton freeze.

“You can?” Violet asked, using her voice.

Talia shook her head helplessly and stood in front of Dayson, whose eyes were bloodshot, and his murderous intent was directed at Ashton.

“Your mind link might be out of reach for regular pack members, but when you are close to us, please… watch your language,” Talia warned them while wrapping her arms around Dayson. “Will you be here in time for dinner? We can plan a little party for you. Our people miss you and want to congratulate you on finding your mate.”

“Miss me? We were away for only a few days,” Violet said. It was that long in this realm.

“That’s true, but everyone knows you met your mate during the pack run, and they are curious. If not today, then tomorrow or the day after?”

Violet turned to look at Ashton, silently asking him to decide.

Ashton couldn’t say no to Talia, even if he wanted to. “We will have lunch with my parents and catch up in the evening. We can return tomorrow. That should give you enough time to prepare dinner. How does that sound?”

Talia clapped excitedly. “Sounds wonderful.” She loved hosting parties. Their friends would gather and come with the kids. It was lively. “Invite your parents over for dinner also. It will be nice to catch up with Michelle and Cristian.” She glanced at Dayson. “Technically, they are our in-laws.”

Dayson was not so excited, but he didn’t want to spoil this for Talia or for Violet.

This would be the first time for Violet and Ashton to appear at their event as a mated couple, and Talia wondered how that would turn out. She knew that Ashton never really fit in because he was noticeably older than all the other youngsters. Violet also stood out because everyone knew she was destined to lead not just two packs but also a coalition of packs. It was a lot of responsibility, but it was not a secret that Violet was the most powerful Alpha of their generation and that her abilities were still growing.

Due to her power, Violet was the only one who could keep other Alphas in check and watch over packs to prevent senseless killing over land and resources that their kind endured in the past.

Now that Violet and Ashton were mated, three packs would be under the absolute rule of one Alpha couple. The Shadow Fang pack was the largest pack in North America based on their territory and the number of pack members. The Midnight Guardians pack was the most powerful one, thanks to the abilities their pack members had and their close connection to witches. The Spring Leaf pack held its ground with profound tactics in strategizing and negotiating. With those three packs combined, no one could predict what the future would bring, but it would be inevitable for other packs to grow restless while contemplating their choices between submission and retaliation – there was no third option.

Lunch at the Spring Leaf pack was awkward – for lack of a better word.

Luna Michelle was sniffling most of the time, happy that her son was back and that he was mated to Violet.

Luna Michelle would put food onto Ashton’s plate, always asking if he wanted more, and Violet suspected that Luna Michelle would try feeding Ashton if Violet was not there. Violet saw the Pascal family many times, but always in an official setting with many guests around.

This was the first time for Violet to witness a private moment, family only, and she wondered if Luna Michelle was always clinging to Ashton like that or if this was just because they hadn’t seen each other in a while. It was normal for a mother to be proud of her son and to dote on him, but wasn’t this exaggerated?

On the other side, Alpha Cristian was too polite, and Violet found it odd that he would talk to her with such respect. He was her senior, and they should at least talk as equals.

Luna Michelle shifted the topic to remodeling their packhouse. She wanted to combine two bedrooms into one so that Ashton and Violet could stay there and have extra space for a crib. Luna Michelle was talking about colors and fabrics, and based on the number of details, Violet guessed that her future mother-in-law had thought about it for a while.

Luna Michelle spoke about a welcome party for Ashton since he was back for good this time and that they should conduct the Alpha ceremony for him so he could take over the pack officially.

“Now that Ash is mated, we need to plan a ceremony for Violet so she becomes the Luna.” Luna Michelle looked dreamily at Ashton and Christian. “Once Ash takes over as an Alpha, we can relax and travel.” She glanced at Violet. “Don’t worry, dear. We will always be close and available to help you if needed. But I assume your parents prepared you for a big role in life, so this shouldn’t be new for you. I can help you with figuring out packhouse management and…”

Violet plastered a smile as her mind was spinning. Packhouse management? Her parents taught her about politics, using abilities, and breaking bones. Violet was a warrior, a leader of two packs by birth. She had numerous lessons on how to fight, kill, and negotiate, and not how to manage a house.

Violet could torture a person for days without killing them. Of course, Talia disapproved of such things, but she taught Violet how to use her ability to force a person to tell the truth.

People always spoke about Dayson like he was the Black Demon, the one that shouldn’t be offended, without realizing that Talia was a bigger danger than Dayson. Dayson was a powerful but straightforward guy. If he didn’t like someone, that person knew it. Talia could smile and pretend she wanted peace, but then she would use whatever means necessary to get that peace, even if that included causing a calamity, and Talia could cause a calamity with a thought. It was scary. People were lucky that Talia was not easy to anger.

“It will be the biggest party we ever hosted!” Luna Michelle was back to talking about Ashton’s Alpha and Violet’s Luna ceremonies. “I will ask for help from Talia, Mindy, and a few others to organize an event of such magnitude…”

Violet didn’t think about the ceremonies involving the Spring Leaf pack. Suddenly, her being mated to Ashton came with a different cause for a headache. It’s not that Violet was objecting to being a Luna. That was only a title, a label others would use, and it didn’t define her in any way. However, the problem was that Luna Michelle was talking about locations, food choices, and which band to hire, asking Ashton about his preferences, like Violet was not there.

Ashton could feel Violet’s unease and disapproval, so he cut the lunch short with, “Vi and I will head to my room to rest. Plan for dinner at the Shadow Fang pack tomorrow. If we take the portal, we can leave late afternoon.”

Violet didn’t object when Ashton took her hand and led the way upstairs, and only when it was the two of them, she relaxed.

Violet stood in the middle of the room and observed it. There was a queen size bed, a desk with a chair, a small sitting area with a sofa and two ottomans around a coffee table, several wall shelves with books on them, and one closed door that led to the bathroom and possibly a closet.

Ashton rubbed the back of his head. “Sorry about my parents. If you had any thoughts of us staying here for a few days, those thoughts are probably gone by now.” And they could forget about living here permanently.

Violet didn’t want to lie, but she didn’t want to sound like a bitchy daughter-in-law either. “I don’t want to make your parents uncomfortable.”

Violet had no intention of fighting with Luna Michelle for Ashton’s attention. It’s not that Ashton was neglecting Violet, but Violet didn’t like the long hug Luna Michelle gave Ashton when they arrived, and that hug would last much longer if Ashton didn’t pry Luna Michelle’s arms from him. After that, the whole lunch, Luna Michelle was utterly focused on Ashton, barely acknowledging Violet’s presence. Violet could understand that Luna Michelle was doting on her son, but ignoring Violet was difficult to swallow. She was the future Alpha of Alphas, and Alpha Cristian treated her as royalty, while Luna Michelle wanted Violet to manage her packhouse. What a joke!

Ashton wanted to explain that he was the only child, which made his mother clingy, but Violet was not interested in hearing it. It was not a secret that Luna Michelle was sticking close to her son, more so as he was growing up. But Violet didn’t know it was this bad.

“What are we going to do, Ash?” Violet asked, and she sucked in a breath when she felt a splash of carnation-scented heat on her back.

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