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Nancy stepped out of the cramped bathroom with a towel draped over her shoulders as she ran her fingers through her wet, tangled hair.

The hot water had done its job of washing away the filth, the blood, the stench of that nightmarish experience but it hadn’t been enough. Nancy couldn’t shake the unease in her chest, not when the young boy was waiting

The moment they drove away from Titan’s residence, he had taken them straight to a small inn, one of the places in District One where no one asked questions.

To be honest, For a moment, Nancy had feared that Asher wanted her. That he would demand she paid him back after his eh... rescue. After all, men were men. They were all the same. But to her surprise he requested for separate rooms instead.

The place was far from luxurious and Nancy had stared, wide-eyed, as Asher handed an obscene amount of Cedes notes to the innkeeper, far more than the cost of the rooms itself.

Whether it was a bribe or a warning, or both, Nancy didn’t question it. She already had bigger things to worry about like the Cardinal Alpha heir sitting in the next room, waiting for a conversation she wasn’t ready to have.

But there was no delaying the inevitable.

And as if on cue, a firm knock rattled the door.

Nancy took a deep breath, steeling herself before she opened the door to find Asher, tall and brooding. He was young, yet there was nothing boyish about him, not with his imposing frame, and the way he carried himself with absolute confidence.

But above all, his piercing, calculating eyes caught her attention. Those eyes... they had seen too much, lived through too much.

Nancy had interacted with dangerous men, but something about this boy unsettled her even more than Titan ever had. Whoever raised this boy, they had done a terrible job at it. But then, who was she to judge. She had not given Violet the best either.

He stepped inside without waiting for an invitation, his sharp gaze sweeping the room like a wolf inspecting its den.

Then he said, "This is not the best I had hoped for, but I take it you find your stay comfortable, Mother?"

Nancy’s throat went dry. That word "mother " that he kept calling her threw her off balance every single time. She opened her mouth to speak, only to close it again, her thoughts scrambling.

Finally, she settled on a simple, stiff response.

"It’s...fine," she managed at last.

Asher nodded, satisfied.

"Good. Now we can talk."

He lowered himself into the only chair in the room, claiming it with ease, his long legs crossing lazily over the other. Nancy hesitated before perching on the edge of the bed, tensed. It was her room, yet Asher was the one in control.

The air was charged and it had nothing to do with the stifling size of the room.

And then Asher finally spoke up, "For starters, my name is Asher Nightshade, heir to the West Pack, and I’m interested in your daughter, Violet."

Nancy’s breath hitched. What the fuck? Her mind reeled, her pulse spiking dangerously fast.

Violet got involved with a Cardinal Alpha? Was the girl out of her damn mind?!

Of course, Nancy had heard of Asher Nightshade before. But she never cared for the Cardinal heirs, nor put much thought into their names, their faces, and their politics. To her, they were nothing but spoiled werewolf brats, lucky enough to have been born into the right bloodline.

Nancy had wanted Violet to find an Alpha, but a lesser one. A heir to a smaller pack, whom she could settle down with and secure a comfortable life. Not one who could turn the world upside down with just his name.

But the girl did just the opposite. Not just that, but she was involved with the Nightshade clan. Those ruthless pack. Leave it to Violet to want to send her to an early grave.

Asher continued, completely unfazed by her reaction. "While I’m here to get your blessings, Mother, I’m also curious about my little Queen’s background. And I’m sure you know that as well."

Nancy felt her stomach drop. Her pulse quickened and she looked away, avoiding his gaze.

That tiny motion was enough for Asher to press on. "Who are her parents? And don’t lie. I can tell when you do. So don’t make me make you tell the truth. Free will is always best." He warned her.

Slowly, Nancy lifted her gaze to meet his. And with all the truth she could muster, she said, "I honestly don’t know."

Asher gaze narrowed slightly. For a moment, he studied her in unnerving silence. Then he murmured, "But you do know something, don’t you? How did Violet come into your possession?"

Nancy’s shoulders slumped. "Eighteen years ago, I worked at a...pleasure house and I found her outside the door. She was just a baby. No older than a few hours. Unfortunately, there was no room for a child in that place. No one wanted her. No one was willing to take responsibility."

Her voice tightened. "But there was money."

"And a note?" he guessed.

Nancy nodded.

"What did the note say?"

"It said to take care of her."

"And that was all?"

Nancy shook her head. "At the time... yes."

Asher’s brows rose slightly, curiosity etched on his face.

Nancy pressed on, "I used the money to buy the trailer. Started a life. But... something strange happened."

Asher remained still, waiting.

Nancy’s voice dropped to a whisper. "Every year, on Violet’s birthday, I’d wake up to find money on my doorstep. That was how I learned her true birthdate, not just the day she showed up at my door."

The room felt colder. "And what did the note say this time?" Asher asked.

Nancy’s mouth went dry. She met his eyes, unsettled by how intensely he watched her. "Happy birthday to you, blood of my blood."