Chapter 17
CHAPTER SEVENTEEN
ASHER
T he night under the stars with Isla felt surreal, a cherished memory that won’t soon be dismissed. My wolf and I, bonded in the silence of the night, found solace with Isla nestled against his side, her presence a balm to the centuries of waiting.
Before the day’s sun can fully rise, I reluctantly wake her so that she can be there when Estee is up. Leaving her bedroom, I head back to my suite to prepare for the day, noting that each time I’m forced to leave Isla’s side is harder than the time before. Still, I don’t want to rush my mate, nor do I want to risk her regretting anything that has to do with us.
Though as the dawn finishes casting its golden rays through the treetops, I’m already wondering if it’s too early to bring her and Estee breakfast.
Yet just as I’m about to call for breakfast, a knock at my door halts me—a knock that brings a challenge I’m not yet ready to face .
It’s Noen and Declan. I sense both of them and I’ve yet to tell them of Isla’s return.
Years ago, I hated Noen because of Isla. Well, more like my younger self was jealous of him. They were close, best friends, even, having grown up as neighbors before Isla had moved into the castle with me.
I’d sworn Noen had wanted to take her from me, but after her disappearance, he was there for me. Offering thoughts and ideas of where she could be, always making sure I was doing okay. Sure, his concern seemed most heavily focused on Isla, but there was a comradery I began to feel with him that I’d refused to before.
One that has grown over the centuries and why he’s now one of my most trusted friends. Yet I refused to send word to him about Isla’s return.
Selfishly, I want to keep her all to myself. I don’t want her to remember him before she does me. Yes, she recalled a memory of us in the cave, but it’s not the attraction Isla and I share that I’m worried about. I need her to remember our bond, the power of our connection, and how we used to believe there wasn’t anyone or anything that could tear us apart.
Now, she’s going to have Estee and Noen and I know it sounds pathetic not wanting to share her, even if their presence might help her remember. I just can’t help myself.
I’m out of time, though.
“We know you’re in there, Ash,” Noen calls out as he pounds on the door again. “Open up.”
With a heavy sigh, I walk to the door and unlock it before opening up .
“So, he does live,” Declan jests. “We thought maybe you’d died since we weren’t hearing from you.”
“Have you seen anyone else since returning?” I ask, stepping out of the way so they can enter.
The two of them share a look and shake their heads.
Noen runs a hand over his dark-blond hair and narrows his green eyes at me. “I know I’m tired, but is the infamous King Asher nervous about something?”
Declan takes a seat on my couch, kicking his dirty boots on my table before unbuttoning his vest and rubbing two fingers over his beard. “I think he might be.” He winks, a spark in his golden eyes. “Now, Asher. Tell us what plagues our dear friend.”
Noen takes a seat as well, but I remain standing behind one of the chairs as my stare moves between the two of them. There’s never going to be an easy time to say the words, so I just do it.
“Isla has returned.”
They look at each other, matching creases between their brows before Declan asks, “Who the hell is Isla?”
Of course.
“Isobella Blackwood.” I watch Noen closely as I say her name and his face pales, just as I expected. “She’s returned with no memory and now prefers to be called ‘Isla.’ The name she was born with this lifetime on Earth.”
“Earth?” Noen gapes. “How the hell is this possible?”
“We’re still sorting that out,” I start to explain before Declan cuts in.
“And what of Estee? Did they come back together?”
I raise a brow at him, my suspicions on high alert. “Why would you assume they were together after the note she left? ”
He rolls his eyes. “Oh, come on, Ash. Don’t tell me you bought that bullshit. Estee went looking for her sister and she didn’t want to follow any rules. I assumed that at some point, she got herself into more trouble than she could handle and never found her way back. But if Isobella’s been alive this whole time, maybe Estee found her and they decided to stay together, meaning if one is back, then the other could be too.”
He makes a good point, one I hadn’t considered. Which means there’s a chance that Grayson could have been partially wrong before. Allowing myself to jump to the conclusion that someone murdered them may have been preferable to believing my mate chose to leave me, but then again, I always trust my first instinct. Even if this other scenario sounds equally plausible.
“Yes, Estee is back as well,” I admit. “We’re still trying to piece together what happened. It’s only been a few days since Isla?—”
Noen is on his feet. “ A few days ? What the hell, Asher? Why didn’t you call me back?”
He has every right to be furious with me. I should have sent word to him, but Isla is my mate and sharing her with anyone else was at the bottom of my priority list. Right or wrong, I won’t apologize for that.
“Because she doesn’t remember you,” I tell him, possibly a little too harshly. “She doesn’t remember any of this. I’m not going to overwhelm her with too much at once and push her away. She didn’t even want to stay when she first arrived. I won’t risk losing my mate again, not for any reason.”
There’s a rumble in his chest as he speaks. “Are you trying to tell me that you’re not going to let me see her? She was my best friend and I know you didn’t like me back then, but you’ve got to be kidding me. Haven’t we moved beyond childish jealousy?”
Schooling my features, I won’t let him see that he’s partially correct. “This has nothing to do with the past and everything to do with the right now. She’s only just got her sister back last night and felt her connection to Grayson?—”
His eyes widen and his face reddens. “Grayson’s returned as well? Fuck, Asher. What else aren’t you telling us?”
Noen takes a step toward me, but Declan is quick to move between the two of us. “Let’s remember who we are. First, Asher is our Alpha King. If he made the decision not to call us back, then we need to trust he did so for good reason.” His stare lands on mine. “But you need to remember that we’re not supposed to be just your royal delegates. You’ve made us believe all these years that we’ve become more than that. Unless you’re ready to tell us that we’re nothing more than your ambassadors, I’d consider your next decisions carefully.”
It’s not often someone questions my judgment as Declan is now. If he were anyone else, I would banish him from the castle, but he’s right. He and Noen have become more than two wolves who work for me. They’ve been by my side for centuries.
“This has been more complicated than I expected,” I state. “And as you can imagine, emotions have been high. I needed time to process Isla not knowing who I am to her or where she’s from. I believe we’ve sorted those things out now, but the situation is still fragile.”
Noen huffs. “Fragile how? ”
“She has only remembered a few small moments from her past,” I explain. “Until we know why she disappeared all those years ago, then I’m going to be cautious when it comes to anything to do with my mate.”
“She’s not just your mate, Asher,” Noen points out. “She’s her own person, a daughter, and a friend. If you think you can control whom she sees, then you don’t remember the past very well. Or maybe this woman isn’t who you think she is. Why aren’t you calling her ‘Isobella’?”
He doesn’t trust me with this, just like I didn’t trust him when Isobella disappeared. I’d even considered that he could have taken her from me at one point, but when he never left to go after her, I had to dismiss the idea.
“She doesn’t want to be known by her previous name, so I’m respecting that and I expect you to do the same. Even if you don’t agree,” I say pointedly. “Isla needs more time to adjust. I won’t keep you from her, but I also won’t let you overwhelm her. If she needs space, then she’s going to have it.”
Noen’s shoulders stiffen, and he raises his jaw as if he’s going to challenge me further, but then his eyes cast briefly to the side. “I would never do anything to hurt Isla .”
“I know that, Noen,” I tell him. “Still, I need you to respect that she’s more than my best friend. She’s my mate and I’ve had to live five centuries with a gaping hole in my heart that her absence left.”
Mates have always been a touchy subject for Noen. Whereas Declan prefers his single life, Noen has always wished for someone of his own. He grew up with a father who blamed him for his mother’s death, which left a scar time never healed. I feel for him, but he can’t fill the role of the mate he has yet to find in this lifetime with just anyone else.
Best friends or not, Isla is mine and only mine.
“Understood,” he says, still keeping his gaze averted, a sign of respect and the only reason I say my next words.
“Let’s go see if she’s still awake and you can see her.”
His head snaps up and the anticipation is clear on his face, but he keeps his mouth shut.
Declan nudges me, brows waggling. “Can I come? I’d love to see Estee.”
It’s no secret the two of them hooked up before. Still, I warn him. “Don’t push her, either. While she seems to be remembering more clearly, there are holes. You very well could be one of them.”
He scoffs and grins. “Like she could ever forget me.”
“I guess we’ll find out. She’s sleeping in Isla’s room for now.”
“Cain,” I reach out through mind speak. “Are you back to working the portal or are you still within the castle?”
“I’ll be returning to the portal shortly unless you believe Princess Isla still needs me, my king. Plus, Malimorte said he would take care of anything pressing now that he’s back.”
Of course he did. That’s why he’s my top advisor.
“Very well,” I reply. “I’ll reach out to him.”
Disconnecting the link to Cain, I mentally call for Mali.
“Yes, Your Majesty?”
“Do you know if Isla and Estee are up?” I don’t want to knock on her door and disturb them, when I assume after my evening with Isla that she didn’t get much sleep.
“They both are and they’re enjoying breakfast on the balcony as we speak, my king,” Mali answers. “I brought food to them myself so that I could apologize to Princess Estee for stabbing her with a needle. She was not pleased with me before passing out.”
I chuckle to myself. “No, I don’t assume she was. Thank you, Mali.”
Noen and Declan both stare at me expectantly as I cut the link to Mali. They’re used to me tuning out and having conversations they can’t hear. Still, they get annoyed when they feel as though they’re missing out.
“Something to share?” Declan asks first.
“Isla and Estee are both awake.” I head for my closet to change my clothes. “We can see them if you’re both ready now.”
Neither say anything else as I quickly dress in a black button-up and blue slacks. As soon as I step back into the room, Noen is already opening the door. “After you.”
I don’t comment on his sarcastic tone. Instead, I lead the way to the next floor and then to Isla’s room. The three of us remain silent until I knock on the door.
“Do I smell?” Declan whispers. “We haven’t even showered after being on that damn ship.”
“No more than usual,” Noen quips, making me smile. At least things aren’t that tense because of my decisions.
“You could have showered on the ship,” I remind him.
His face scrunches and he holds his stomach. “My wolf already hates being on the water. Showering while the waves are knocking us around makes me nauseous.”
Estee answers the door, hand on her hip, and a glare on her face. “I can’t even have one meal with her before you return?” She notices we’re not alone and sighs. “And you brought friends? Great. ”
“Hi, Estee,” Declan practically purrs.
“And you are…?”
I glance back to see his face fall. “Declan. You couldn’t possibly forget me.”
The feisty she-wolf shrugs. “Apparently, I can.” Then she nods at Noen. “And you would be?”
“Noen,” he replies calmly. “I was your neighbor growing up.”
“Hm.” She taps her chin. “Still nothing, but then again, I don’t remember much of anything from my last lifetime here. Just the ones before that and my current one.”
Interesting and another reason I’m sticking with my first thought that someone did this to them. She shouldn’t be forgetting one life in particular.
“May we come in, Estee?” I ask politely. The few moments I’ve been around her have already confirmed she seems to be even feistier than she was last time I knew her. For the time being, I intend to avoid pissing her off if I can help it.
“I guess.” She moves to the side, then turns to yell behind her. “I hope you didn’t stink up the bathroom, sis. We have guests.”
“Elodee Jane!” Isla screeches.
Her sister cackles. “That’s what you get for still calling me ‘Elodee.’”
Gods, these two are going to be a handful together, just like they once were, but worse because they have the excuse of not remembering proper etiquettes.
Isla comes out, wearing only a robe. While the white cotton covers nearly her entire body, it’s assuming there is nothing underneath that has my chest growling and me blocking the view of the two behind me .
“Why don’t you put on some clothes?” I suggest, reaching for the door. “We’ll wait right here.”
She mutters something about not expecting guests at the “ass crack of dawn,” whatever that means.
I put my back to the door and find that both men are grinning at me. “You’re going to need us more than ever, Ash,” Declan announces with unreasonable pride.
“How do you figure?”
He and Noen share a look before he responds. “Until that woman officially becomes your mate, you’re going to be a grumbling, overprotective mess. You’re no good to anyone when you’re constantly worried about her, which you should be. Just don’t fight the truth. She needs you and you need her. The sooner the both of you admit that, the sooner all this will work itself out.”
Declan’s insightfulness is one of the reasons I’ve kept him so close over the years and even now, he makes me wonder: will Isla only get her memories back once she truly accepts who she is? And does that include being my mate?
I don’t know, but the thought of the answer being yes doesn’t make me feel any better. Isla might not be as feisty as her sister, but she still doesn’t like to be told what to do and I have no intention of rushing her. Though even my wolf grumbles at the thought of that meaning we’ll possibly be waiting years for her to be ours again.
She’ll be worth the wait—that much I know for sure.