"You're hiding something from me " Sabrina prodded when he wouldn't answer.

"Are you done?" Asher asked irritatedly when she blocked his path with her body.

"What is Lia? " She asked with a serious expression

"None of your business " He monotoned and sped-walked past her.

Suddenly she cast a spell and stuck his feet to the ground.

"As crazy as it sounds, I thought she was adopted or something, which kinda makes sense for her vampiric and were-side since her family is human, unfortunately, not only is she not adopted but was literally a human few weeks ago until now . What happened? " Sabrina revealed while excluding the fact she uncovered the truth thanks to Ben's cellphone.

Of course how could she help them for free, before handing the cellphone over to Dan that day, she had secretly replicated it - But Asher doesn't need to know that.

"Do you think this is funny?! " She screamed at Asher when he kept mum " If the council gets a knowle -"

"The council would not! " He countered firmly, eyes dark and murderous.

"You can't hide the truth forever, the council is bound to find out sooner or later, infact right now, they might even be closer than you think"

"They won't at the moment if you don't go whining eagerly to them ! " He spat " Now, remove this spell! "

Sabrina glared at him but still obeyed his order anyhow. She released the spell and Asher moved his leg, relieved to see it was still functioning.

" You do know You're playing with fire "

"I do know " He answered and turned to face her " But if it means protecting her at the cost of my life, then so be it "

Sabrina sighed and shook her head, she hated matebonds with passion, how could someone be so unreasonably in love with someone else?

How could you just choose someone by sight or smell, wasn't it ridiculous? Yeah , they were witches and sometimes draw power from the moon when it's at the fullest, but the moon choosing a life partner for her? f*ck it .

For once Sabrina was grateful she was a witch and didn't come with the extra baggage of finding your missing half or rib and all it's drama.

Witches were unbonded creatures and have the privilege of enjoying normal human relationship behavior and didn't have to wait a decade or century just to find their match made in heaven.

Perhaps it was just nature way of balancing order : unlike vampires who were immortal and have a long lifespan, witches live slightly longer than humans thanks to their magic and potions but eventually dies one-day.

Though in the search of immortality - Some witches go the extra mile by snatching human's or their fellow witches life-force and adding it to theirs or simply do a soul transfer, but both methods were frowned upon by the council since their victims normally wouldn't consent willingly.

Who in the world would voluntarily give their life to someone else for their selfish reasons?

"And you? " Asher questioned rousing her from her thoughts " When would you release Dan?"

Sabrina was taken aback, she never expected such question from Asher.

"What do you mean? I was never holding Dan captive ! " Sabrina retorted, eyes blazing and chest heaving.

"Why are you getting so worked up, I only asked you a question " Asher replied calmly, a hint of sneer in his voice .

Sabrina realized at once, she just got played. Asher obviously wanted to trifle with her emotions and he succeeded.

"Dan and I are complicated,period " She concluded after keeping her emotions in check.

"What's so complicated about it? Is Dan bound to be killed by the council once they find out about you guys? " Asher insinuated, hinting about his own situation in disguise.

"Dan and I are not you and Lia " She clarified strictly .

"Or maybe you're just ashamed of being with him " Asher gibed at her cowardice.

It wasn't a secret that witches were more prejudiced towards vampires than werewolves and a witch dating one was normally not applauded.

"Y-you " Sabrina choked, already red in the face but Asher didn't give her a chance to retaliate cause he continued.

"After the death of his mate, you're the only one he's ever come close to loving after so many years of living in heartbreak and despair. So if you won't love him , please unlove him"

Sabrina was dumbfounded, she didn't expect Asher was going to bring that up. All Nicoli knows Dan was one of the earliest to find his mate among his peers and also the earliest to loose his.

After that he choosed to live a celibate life until he met her.

She could remember their first meeting wasn't a romantic one at all, she had been on a personal vendetta to destroy the rogue vampire who annihilated their coven. She had mistaken Dan for the rogue - almost killing him in the process.

But it seems Dan was destined to live a long life cause he survived and helped her get justice. In the process they got warm and cozy with each other and one thing led to another, they become couples.

Unfortunately, the surviving members of her coven objected strongly to their relationship which she didn't heed until Dan decided to break things up himself.

Truth be told, the breakup hurt her a lot - She had gone against her family, coven and species just to be with him but he decided to call their relationship off at his own leisure, moreover, even stranded her on Antarctica.

Sabrina tried to find the right words to refute his claims but when she couldn't come up with one, she dismissed him right away "You know what, I'm done with this discussion " She concluded and strode away without turning back.

As if on cue , Asher's cellphone rang and he picked it up with a grumpy tone.

"What now? "

"I think you need to come home now, you have some visitors " Dan's voice came from the other end.

Asher tightened his hold on the cellphone as his eyes narrowed suspiciously. Since Dan didn't go into details, it was obvious he had an welcomed visitor.

Without wasting time, he rushed home and just as his instincts warned, hot fresh trouble was waiting for him.

"Behold at last, Asher of the Nicoli clan" Raphael announced with a dramatic bow while Asher cursed beneath his breath.