Chapter 87: Chapter 87: Estelle Has Abandoned Moonveil
Third POV
“Hazel is my fated mate,” Asher repeated, his voice cutting through the tension. “She’s not a mistress.”
Jessie’s face turned red with fury. “Fated mate? You rejected her years ago! That bond is severed!”
Asher’s jaw tightened. He shifted Finn higher in his arms, the boy still sniffling against his shoulder.
“The circumstances were different then,” Asher said carefully.
“Different?” Ashley stepped forward, her blue eyes blazing. “You publicly rejected her because Dad said she wasn’t suitable. That makes her nothing more than your side piece now.”
Hazel flinched at the crude words. Her hands trembled at her sides.
“Watch your mouth,” Asher warned.
Jessie crossed her arms. “If you rejected her properly, then you have no mate bond. There is no need for you two to be together.”
Asher pinched his lips tightly together. If his mother and sister found out that he and Hazel actually hadn’t rejected each other properly all those years ago, they would rain hell upon them, no doubt.
From the moment Asher found out that Hazel was his fated mate, his mother and father had been against this match. The only reason they were against it was that he was Hazel’s second-chance mate, and they believed that an Alpha should not be accepting “secondhand goods” as it would damage his reputation.
It wasn’t as though they loved Estelle or that they desperately wanted her to be their daughter-in-law, but even she was better as a chosen mate for Asher than Hazel was in their eyes. At least Estelle was subservient.
“This is exactly why Estelle has been acting strange,” Jessie added. “She must have found out about your little arrangement.”
Ashley nodded vigorously. “That explains everything. No doubt she caught wind of this and got upset, leading to her disappearance. She didn’t even say a word!”
Asher’s head snapped up. “Estelle disappeared because you two couldn’t handle your own responsibilities,” he retorted, growing angrier by the minute. “She doesn’t know anything about my history with Hazel. She only knows Hazel is the new Beta.”
“Don’t be naive,” Ashley scoffed. “Women can sense these things.”
“I ran the Beta appointment by Estelle,” Asher insisted. “She agreed to it. This has nothing to do with why she left.”
Hazel watched the exchange with growing unease. She needed to redirect their attention away from the incomplete rejection.
“Actually,” Hazel said, stepping forward. “I think Estelle might have already moved on.”
All eyes turned to her. She swallowed hard.
“What do you mean?” Asher asked slowly.
“I was at an event earlier today, and I saw Estelle there,” Hazel admitted. “She was there networking.”
Asher’s grip tightened on Finn. “What event?”
“There was an event with all the pack leaders in the region, held in a neutral territory. I was trying to secure partnerships for Moonveil.” Hazel’s voice grew stronger. “Estelle was there too, but she didn’t attend the event, as far as I know. She seemed to be there just to speak with some of the Alphas and Betas present.”
“That’s impossible,” Ashley said. “Why does she need to speak with those people?”
“She was talking with Logan Greene,” Hazel continued. “Tidal Valley’s Beta. They seemed very familiar.”
Asher’s face went pale. “Logan Greene?”
“And Alpha Jude Reed knew her too,” Hazel added. “They acted like old friends.”
Jessie frowned, looking at Ashley. “Tidal Valley is one of the strongest packs in the region. They have links to the lycans.”
“Exactly,” Hazel said, warming to her topic. “My guess is that Estelle might be trying to join them.”
“Join them?” Asher’s voice cracked slightly.
“Think about it,” Hazel pressed on. “She disappears without explanation and then shows up at pack conferences. Not to mention she somehow has connections with powerful Alphas.”
Asher’s breathing became shallow. Finn sensed his father’s distress and whimpered.
“She wouldn’t,” Asher whispered. “Maybe she was just trying to secure a deal between Tidal Valley and Moonveil...”
“She would if she felt betrayed,” Ashley said with satisfaction. “If she found out about your affair. Did you really think that a big and powerful pack like Tidal Valley would give a rat’s ass about us? Estelle couldn’t have possibly been there to secure a deal for Moonveil.”
“It’s not an affair,” Asher snapped, choosing to ignore the second half of his sister’s jab. “Hazel is my mate.”
“Your secret mate,” Jessie corrected coldly. “Which makes it worse.”
Hazel saw her opportunity. “Either way, Ashley is right. My guess is that Estelle is either trying to sell herself to them or has already joined them. Or maybe, she could’ve already joined another pack and is trying to secure a deal between Tidal Valley and her new pack.”
Asher began pacing. His mind raced with possibilities. Had Estelle really abandoned Moonveil? Was she planning to join Tidal Valley? Maybe she already joined them, and that was the reason why she went AWOL.
“This is all your fault,” Jessie pointed at Hazel again. “If you hadn’t wormed your way back into his life—”
“We’re fated mates!” Hazel exploded. “The Moon Goddess paired us together! Denying that bond goes against everything we believe in!”
“That only works when the bond still stands!” Ashley snapped. “Once you’ve rejected each other, it no longer counts!”
Hazel was exasperated. She looked to Asher for support, but he was lost in his own thoughts.
Was Estelle really gone? Had she found another pack willing to take her in? Tidal Valley was powerful enough to protect her and definitely rich enough to provide for her.
Hazel mentioned that Estelle looked close to the Beta of Tidal Valley. Maybe she had found her fated mate, and it was none other than Beta Logan. Or worse, Alpha Jude. As far as Asher knew, none of those two men had found their fated mates just yet.
The thought of losing Estelle permanently made Asher’s chest tighten. He couldn’t breathe properly.
“Asher, say something!” Hazel prompted. “This is our future together! You said that I would be your Luna!”
