Alpha Hunter - Chapter 97: Chapter 97

Ashlyn Knight:
“Morning,” I murmured softly as I nudged Ian to rouse him from sleep. He startled awake, and just as his hand moved toward his face, I intervened.
“Careful, it might sting,” I warned, realizing he’d forgotten about his inability to touch his face. He squeezed his eyes shut in sudden realization.
“Morning already?” he mumbled wearily, looking visibly drained. I’d never seen him so unwell before, and it worried me deeply.
“I’ve tidied up the room for you. If you’d like, you can go and lie down there,” I suggested, guiding him up and supporting him as he rose to his feet.
Still half-asleep, he trailed after me like a dazed puppy, his hand in mine feeling strangely comforting yet peculiar.
We reached the rear area, and as he entered the room, I noticed him gazing around in bewilderment.
“Ashlyn! Did you do this yourself?” Ian grunted, nearly losing his balance as he turned to me too quickly.
“Easy buddy, you’re not on a battlefield,” I frowned, quickly reaching out to support his arm.
“And yes! I didn’t know when the Omegas would show up for work. Besides, they usually don’t clean this well,” I avoided eye contact with him because I didn’t want him to think I was doing all this because of any feelings I had for him.
He stayed silent before nodding and sitting down on the bed. I was still not fully satisfied about the idea of leaving him here to suffer all alone.
“Listen, your phone is charging on the side. Text me or even give me a miss call if you need anything, okay? Also, let me know before going to bed so that I don’t come in abruptly and disturb your sleep,” as I spoke, I began to tuck the blanket over him.
“Also, don’t shower by yourself,” as I said that, I noticed his fists clenched.
I watched his face and realized he was trying hard not to laugh.
“Yeah, I get it, you’ve got a dirty mind. I’m not going to bathe you, but I can help you with the tub and everything,” I frowned at him and then straightened my back to look around and make sure everything was available. It was adorable that I almost made him laugh but also saddening that he couldn’t even laugh because of his condition.
“See this,” I then tapped my hand hard on the mini-fridge next to his bed, “it’s stocked with lots of stuff for your comfort just in case you need anything and I’m late. I won’t be, but maybe I’m with Turner, and I’m trying to sneak away from him and I take time-,” as I kept rambling, he waved his hand at me.
“And you said you don’t love me anymore,” his words shook the world beneath my feet, but I tried to play it off and rolled my eyes.
“Hahaha, you’re very funny!” I sighed and then reached for the door. “Text me, okay?” my energy waned as I closed the door, then turned off the lights in the living room and hallway as I made my way back to the main mansion.
“Lock this door and don’t let anyone inside. I should be the only one passing through this hallway,” I instructed the two warriors I had assigned to stand beside the large doors of the hallway that were built years ago.
“Um, Mrs. Walker can come,” I added, and as I moved away, I saw Mrs. Walker standing near the main living area, watching me.
“Hey,” she uttered, tears sparkling in her eyes. I never expected her to stand under the same roof and not yell at me. It used to be so toxic before. I would be making sure I pleased her every step I took but it was never enough. She would always find a way to insult me or complain about my actions.
“Don’t worry, he’ll be fine. I made sure he has everything he needs in there,” I reassured her, rubbing my face in my hands as I sat down on the sofa.
“I know. I found out how you cleaned everything yourself and made the area comfortable for him,” she said, oddly still, not moving a muscle until she suddenly started kneeling at my feet.
“What are you doing?” I panicked, trying to free my feet from her grasp.
“I’m so sorry for the way I treated you during my son’s marriage. I don’t know why I was so jealous of you. You were everything I wasn’t when I became the Luna Queen. I just felt like you shouldn’t have it too easy,” she began to cry, gripping my feet tightly.
“Mrs. Walker, please stop. You’re making me uncomfortable,” I looked around, breathing heavily to ensure nobody saw us like that.
“No! I’m not letting go of your feet until you forgive me or tell me what I can do to seek your forgiveness,” she insisted, shaking her head vigorously.
“I don’t hold any animosity towards you, Mrs. Walker. What happened is in the past, I’ve moved on,” I finally grasped her hand and freed my legs, making her stand up and sit beside me.
“You’re doing so much for my son. Why was I so bitter towards you? You’re the perfect mate for my son,” she sniffled and wiped her cheeks with the back of her hands, visibly shaken by the reminder of the things she used to do to me.
“Mrs. Walker, if you truly believe you were wrong and are promising to change, then I don’t think I can hold you accountable for the past. You were still a lot better than Maya,” I hissed at the mention of her name.
“Maya! Is it true?” she asked, narrowing her eyes at me to know what she was talking about.
“That she was the one who made up those text messages?” she inquired, her eyes shimmering with hope.
“What do you think?” I asked, remembering she believed her in the past.
“I have seen you and I have lived with you. If now, when you are so independent and confident, you aren’t able to cheat on your loved one, are so loyal that you feel compelled to run after your man just to explain yourself to him when you could just forget about him and enjoy the new status,” she took a pause, “I don’t think you are capable of cheating on Ian.”
Her choice of words stunned me. My cheeks tinted red as I began to wonder why she mentioned Ian’s name in this situation. She could have talked about Samuel only.
“Oh, come on, don’t look at me with those confused eyes,” she smiled, her voice softening. Shaking her head at me.
“You think I don’t know the truth?” she added, and I gulped.
“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” I tried to look away because this topic was indeed very sensitive to me.
“You still like Ian, Ashlyn. You can lie all you want, but it doesn’t change the truth. I’ve seen the way you look at him. And the way you’ve been anxiously checking on him ever since he returned last night, only a person in love would do something like that,” she finished, and I forced a smile onto my lips to call her silly in many silent languages.
“I just don’t want my son’s father to be in pain,” as I said that, I heard someone approach us.
“Pain? Why would Daddy be in pain?” Turner had woken up and came downstairs. Mrs. Walker and I shared a glance, and then I smiled at him.
“Your daddy had to leave the pack for some work. He’ll be back in a few days,” I replied and hugged him.
But he seemed a little agitated. So I broke the hug to check his reaction.
“Does that mean you and I will have to take care of the event Daddy had planned for tonight?” As he brought up that welcome party, I looked at Mrs. Walker, and the two of us were left stunned at the fact that we entirely forgot about it. I thought it was canceled.
“Oh! Since your father isn’t here, the wedding celebration doesn’t count. We will call it a simple event of welcoming Ashlyn and you into the pack, and once your daddy returns, we will do proper celebrations,” Mrs. Walker told Turner with a lot of hopes and wishes in her eyes.
I don’t know why, but it seemed like she was thinking maybe after this, Ian and I would finally patch things up.