Alpha's Regret: Marked By The Lycan King

Chapter 142: Chapter 142: Grandmother’s Sharp Eyes

Third POV

Asher cursed silently. His grandmother had always been sharp. Even from miles away, she could read him like an open book.

But he couldn’t admit the truth to her.

"We’re not fighting," Asher said carefully. "Everything’s fine between us."

Dorothy had always favored Estelle. Even before they got together, she constantly pushed Asher to notice Estelle as more than just a friend. She would drop hints about what a good Luna Estelle would make, or how loyal and capable she was.

When Dorothy learned about their engagement, she had been thrilled. She even returned from her self-imposed exile to attend their mating ceremony. She spent the entire celebration beaming with pride.

If Dorothy found out they were separated, Asher would never hear the end of it. She would blame him entirely. And honestly, she wouldn’t be wrong.

"Fine?" Dorothy’s voice dripped with skepticism. "Then why did you sound so desperate when you answered?"

Asher scrambled for an excuse. "Estelle’s away on a business trip. I haven’t heard from her all day. I was just worried."

"A business trip?" Dorothy’s tone sharpened. "What kind of business trip?"

"Pack negotiations. You know how it goes, building partnerships with other territories."

The lie came easier than expected. In truth, Asher had no clue what Estelle was up to at the moment, but these were things that she had handled prior to her departure.

"And you let her go alone?" Dorothy’s voice rose with disapproval.

Here it comes, Asher thought grimly.

"Asher Daniels, what is wrong with you? As the Alpha, negotiating partnerships is your responsibility, not your Luna’s!"

The words hit too close to home. Estelle had said something similar during their last conversation when she had requested half the authority of the Alpha. That conversation still left a thorn in his heart.

"Even if Estelle needed to be there for some reason, you should have gone with her," Dorothy continued. "She’s your mate! You’re supposed to protect and support her!"

"The pack is going through a busy period right now," Asher said weakly. "I couldn’t leave."

"Busy period?" Dorothy laughed bitterly. "I leave the pack alone for a few years, and everything falls into shambles?"

Asher pressed his lips together. He couldn’t argue with that assessment.

"Your father and grandfather managed to balance pack duties with supporting their mates," Dorothy said coldly. "Why can’t you?"

Asher stayed silent. What could he say? That he had been too busy sneaking around with his real mate to properly lead the pack? That he had used Estelle as a convenient cover while neglecting his actual responsibilities?

"I can see I need to return and check on things myself," Dorothy announced.

Asher’s blood turned to ice. "What?"

"I’ll be there tomorrow. It’s been too long since my last visit."

"Grandmother, that’s not necessary. I have everything under control."

Panic flooded through him. If Dorothy returned, she would immediately notice Estelle’s absence. She would see the pack’s deteriorating condition. The medical wing’s supply shortages were just the tip of the iceberg. If she saw how the members were leaving in droves, Dorothy would flip. Asher wouldn’t even be surprised if she was the one to spearhead the council’s decision of choosing a new Alpha entirely.

Most importantly, she would realize Estelle wasn’t coming back.

That would be a complete disaster.

"Clearly, you don’t have things under control," Dorothy said firmly. "If I wait any longer, there might not be a pack left to save."

"But—"

The line went dead. Dorothy had hung up on him.

Asher stared at his phone in horror. His hands trembled as he set it down on the desk.

This was bad. This was very, very bad.

He ran both hands through his hair, tugging at the strands. His mind raced through possible solutions.

Maybe he could convince Dorothy to postpone her visit? No, once she made up her mind, there was no changing it.

Could he hire someone to pretend to be Estelle? Absolutely not. Dorothy would see through such a ridiculous deception in seconds. Dorothy raised Estelle. She knew her as well as Dorothy knew her own grandson.

That left only one option.

Asher picked up his phone again. His fingers hovered over the keyboard as he composed a text message.

He hated having to contact Estelle again, especially with how their last conversation left off. Asher hadn’t yet prepared himself for their next encounter.

But this was about Dorothy. Sweet, caring Dorothy, who had always treated Estelle like her own granddaughter.

Maybe Estelle would make an exception for her.

Asher typed quickly before he could lose his nerve.

[Dorothy is returning to the pack tomorrow. She wants to see you.]

He hit send and immediately regretted it.

***

Estelle’s POV

I finished securing the last bandage around Zayne’s ribs when my phone buzzed against the nightstand.

The sound made me frown. I glanced at the screen and saw Asher’s name. My jaw clenched automatically.

What could he possibly want now?

"What’s wrong?" Zayne asked, noticing my expression.