Note : Try reading and imagining this chapter with "Surrender" by Natalie Taylor playing in your ears or background .Trust me, it helped convey the feelings in this particular chapter.

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Asher picked one of the bloodied glass shard and examined it.

"I don't think she survived " Asher commented and threw away the shard before turning to face her.

"How do you know? " Lia asked with a curious and disturbed expression.

"Though they're witches but mimicking someone? The spell takes a lot from them, moreover I think these shards stabbed her first before falling from such a height, though a first floor , but it must have added the finishing damage "

Even though Asher tried to assure her, she wasn't still satisfied with his explanation. After finding her mother sleeping in the basement, she realized how close she had come to losing her.

"I don't know if it's a spell or something but my mom is still sound asleep, I seriously hope she didn't do anything to her " Lia pointed out her worries to him.

It seems the witch sneaked into her house, casted a sleeping spell or something on their mother, then lured out Trevor and Rex with his classmates in the name of visitation but her unexpected arrival ruined everything.

Truthfully Lia had never liked witches even as a kid, but after spending a few time with Sabrina, she changed her view on them but now? It's back to square one.

"I'm sure it's nothing but I'll have Sabrina check her out just in case , and do something about the window to avoid suspicion " He suggested, pointing to the shattered window and thankfully didn't notice her face scrunch up at the mention of Sabrina.

"Fine then " She sighed heavily and rubbed her temple, this throbbing headache was slowly killing her.

"Are you feeling unwell, you keep rubbing your head ? " He asked with concern and approached her.

She sighed "After using my ability moments ago, I keep having this splitting headache "

"You must have stretched your ability beyond its temporal limit which is not surprising, since you haven't gotten any training yet " he said with brows drawn together in a frown.

Asher placed his hand on both sides of her head and began to rub it in a gentle and soothing manner.

Wow, that feels good.

Lia closed her eyes and savoured the feelings, it felt incredibly good.But when his hand suddenly stopped, she slowly unveiled her eyes and their gaze met and held.

Without saying anything, she could see the conflict in his eyes, he was holding something back from her and it was killing him inside.

"D-do I have to choose between you and Daniel one-day ? " She asked out of nowhere.

Asher's eyes narrowed but softened when he discovered she was studying his expression "Probably " He answered blandly "Its impossible to have two mates. You only get one Truemate for life. "

She shook her head "What if I don't want to? "

"You have to " came his rushed reply " Else you're interfering with the course of nature moreover the council would never allow that once it comes to their knowledge. Just as two brothers can't marry the same woman at same time, different species can't have the same woman "

"But I didn't ask for all of this! " Lia yelled " This matebond or whatever you guys call it, you can't just tell me to remove feelings your so called nature imposed on me! " She said in an outburst, a frustrated tears climbing down her cheeks.

"I'm just.. just... "

She didn't have to finish whatever she was struggling to say cause Asher pulled her into a comforting hug.

"It's OK, no one's asking you to choose now " Asher placated her with his arm around her waist while rubbing his other hand on her back in a circular motion.

Lia clamped her arms around his neck, clinging to him as if her life depended on it "This is too much, I just want a normal life " She cried, clinging tighter to his neck with an intensity that would surely strangle him if he was a human.

Her tears and snorts stained his shirt but he didn't mind instead pressed her face further against his chest as she poured out her bottled up feelings.

They stood that way for a long time until she eventually calmed down.

"You should get a rest " Asher told her noticing her red and puffy eyes but she shook her head stubbornly.

"I won't be able to, I've been having problems sleeping lately " She confessed.

"That's your vampiric side causing a ruckus but your wolf side still requires sleep so manipulate that "

"You just sound gobbledygook to me " She said pushing gently away from his chest.

Asher chuckled and then grabbed her arm, pulling her towards the bed.

"This is not going to work " She whined trying to resist his pull but he was much stronger than her.

Asher successfully grabbed her and carried her over his shoulder in an ungentlemanly manner as she let out a sharp scream.

"Let me down! " She shouted flailing her limps around.

"Of course your highness " He responded with a wicked smile.

Without warning, he dropped her on the bed and she screamed trying to hold onto him all to no avail.

" You!.. " She tried to speak while trying to crawl out of the bed but he was there to shove her back immediately.

And then it became an exciting game as the both used their vampiric speed to maneuver one another.

But it seems Asher was more experienced than her cause he seem to counter each and every of her move.

Before long, she was pushed back to the center of the bed, and trapped perfectly beneath Asher's body.

Though it was for a short time but she was sweating, huffing and puffing with the exertion.She knew how much energy she spent trying to evade the vampire who was staring at her unruffled.

Lia tried to struggle only to find out her hands were pinned to the bed, she couldn't even move her legs - she was trapped.

She glanced up and her heart missed a beat. He was staring at her with that gaze again, that burning yet longing gaze and he was slowly leaning in.

Lia slowly pressed her eyes shut and parted her lips a bit while clutching her fists tightly - ah! he was going to kiss her.

But it seems her expectation failed her cause he whispered only three words into her ears

" Go to bed "