Shades of gray

Ashlyn's POV

Three days passed, and today was the day Lucifer was to return to the house and me. I was anticipating his return.

Ripper, Stealth, and Roselia had played a good part in keeping me out of boredom till he returns.

I was seated in the dining area when Roselia brought in a tray having a cup of tea, bread, grits and gravy, sausages, and devilled eggs on it.

"Is this not too much?" I asked her in surprise as she placed it in front of me.

She chuckled. "No, milady. You need to eat more than drink blood." She said to me.

I smiled at her. "Thank you," I said to her as I began to munch on the breakfast before me.

"You're glowing so much today, milady. I'm sure it's your anticipation for the Laird's return." She said to me smiling and I blushed and nodded.

I took a sip from the tea and placed it back on the saucer. Before I could take another bite from the sausage, the urge to throw up took over and I turned aside and vomited blood on the floor.

"Oh my, are you alright?" She asked me.

I nodded picked up the napkin beside the tray and wiped my mouth clean. "My vampire side took over that's why I threw up," I told her.

"I'll have someone clean it up and.." She began and then stopped as she looked towards the living room.

I followed her eyes and saw Hawking's beta in the living room. They're here already? I thought to myself and in excitement to see Lucifer, I stood up from the mahogany upholstered chair.

"I'll be right back, Roselia," I said to her and she nodded and I hastened towards the living room.

"Lucifer?" I called immediately I got to the living room but it was only Hawking's beta that stood there.

He turned around with a smile. "He's not here yet." He said to me.

"Where is he?" I asked him.

"He and Hawking stopped by at the pub." He said to me.

"The pub?" I repeated stupidly.

"Yes, milady. A pub is a place..." He began to speak and I cut him off.

"I know what the pub is mister," I said to him in annoyance. What did he take me for? A nitwit?

He smiled again taking no offense. "The name is Stye." He said.

I frowned at him. "I did not ask you that," I said walking away in annoyance. What was Lucifer doing at the pub? I wondered as I climbed up the stairs.

He knew I was waiting for his return and yet he chose to have a drink instead of coming back straight to me. He chose alcohol over me. The bastard. I gritted in annoyance as I got into his room.

I'll sit here and wait for him, I thought to myself as I sat on the bed. I would wait for his return here and he'd get a taste of my shrewish tongue. I am very much going to vent out and then perhaps maybe if he plays his cards right, I'll forgive him. I smiled a bit at my thought.

Just then Stye walked into the room without knocking. "Were you not taught to knock before entering a room? What if I was undressed?" I said to him.

"Now would that not be nice?" He said with a slight chuckle.

"Pardon?" I asked narrowing my eyes at him. I was getting irritated by his presence.

"It's nothing milady, I know you're craving the touch of a man. After all the Laird left such a beautiful lady like you alone for three whole days." He said.

"I did not ask you to analyze the days I was left alone. Please leave before I do something we both would regret." I warned him.

He advanced boldly towards me. "If we both were to do something, we would not regret it, I guarantee you." He said to me.

Has he gone completely mad? "I said leave," I said to him.

"And if I do not?" He challenged me.

In a flash, I had him on the wall with my elbow right underneath his chin and I bared my fangs at him.

"I would not hesitate to do the needful," I said to him.

He chuckled. "Fierce. But do not forget, I am a werewolf and if you bit me, I'll become linked to you." He said to me.

"If having you under my control would get you out of this place, then so be it," I said to him and leaned in to bite him but he was faster than me as I felt a needle pierce through my skin and on my neck.

I staggered back in shock as I stared at him. He had a syringe in his hand. All of a sudden, I could barely see clearly.

"What did..you do..to me?" I asked him as I felt drowsy.

"Nothing that would hurt you beautiful." He said and those were the last thing I heard as I slipped to the floor unconscious.

Lucifer's POV

"A drink would not quench the intensifying need to see my heartthrob, Hawking," I said to him refusing to go into the pub. I was dying to see Ash and nothing more.

"No, Lucifer, I'm not saying you would not see your mate. I need a drink. We've been on the road since yesterday. You should be thirsty too." He said to me.

I was too but I was ready to hold it till I got back to the house. He convinced me and I decided to go to the pub with him. His beta Stye had excused himself earlier saying he had an urgent matter to attend to.

"Let's have a little drink, Lucifer." Kill said to me and I nodded.

Hawking, Kill and I was seated together at one corner of the pub with root beer bottles before us. The meeting with the Minor clans had turned out quite successful. They had spoken about the way they were being looked down on by the Majors and the inferiority they were made to feel. It was easier to tackle than the ones here in Glasgow who would rob the Minors to enrich themselves.

The alphas of the major clans were called and I passed a decree that every minor clan should be treated with respect too and listened to whenever the need arises. It had not gone down well with the majors since they considered the Minor clans as inferiors but still, none of them challenged my decision.

The thought of Ash came into my head again and I stood up from the chair I was seated on.

"Let's leave now Haw. I'm sure you've had your fill." I said to him and he nodded and together we all stepped out of the bed.

Riding Ruthless gallantly towards the territory of the Nightwing pack, all I could think of was Ash. Her beautiful eyes and her lovely smile. The way my heart races and my knees buckle just at the mere sight of her. She was all I wanted and all I would ever want.

We arrived at the house and I mounted down from Ruthless. I ruffled his mane as Ripper came towards us.

"How did the meeting go?' Ripper asked taking Ruthless reins from me.

"Quite well. Where is Ashlyn?" I asked him.

"She should be in your room or hers." He said.

I nodded and walked into the house. I met Roselia coming out of the kitchen and into the living room. "You're back alpha." She said to me and I grinned.

"Yes, Roselia," I said walking towards the stairs.

"I wonder why you did not come with Hawking's beta earlier on." She said to me.

I raised a brow. "Style was here?" I asked her in surprise and she nodded.

Ashlyn's POV

I opened my eyes groggily and felt pains around my neck. I got up to a sitting position rubbing my neck and that was when I realized I was on the bed.

I panicked as I looked around me and then saw Stye lying down beside me naked. "You're finally awake." He said smiling.

"What are? Why are you? What's.." I could barely complete my words as I looked down at myself and realized I was naked too. No! I almost screamed. He did not touch me. He did not!

"What did you do to me?!" I cried out.

"We made love and you enjoyed it." He said grinning.

"Liar!" I yelled at him and instantly he jumped on top of me forcing his lips on mine. I heard the door open and Stye let go of me and turned around and I saw Lucifer.

I almost screamed out. He had a murderous look on his face.

"Alpha," Stye stuttered. "I swear she made me do it. She said you left her all alone and.." The style began to lie.

"Liar!" I screamed out.

Lucifer stared at me in disgust before walking in dragging Stye off the bed and out of the room still naked.

I scrambled off the bed in perplexity as his stare replayed all over my head. I did not know what to do, think, or say. How could I explain this? He saw me naked on his bed with another man. Oh Lord, I was doomed.

Lucifer's POV

Anger kicked in. Disgust and betrayal set in. How could Ashlyn do this to me? Could she not have waited for me?

I dragged Stye down the stairs in anger. My heart was clenching, my throat was burning. A feeling I could barely control was taking over.

"Please listen to me, Lucifer, she made me do it." He repeated.

"Shut up!" I yelled punching him hard on his jaw and he fell to the ground. "You asked to be excused to come to lay with my lady. My mate!" I yelled in anger picking him up from the floor squaring another blow on his face and he fell to the ground again bleeding. Everyone began to gather around.

"Stop it now, Lucifer. You would kill my beta!" Hawking exclaimed coming closer.

"He deserves to die! He deserves to rot in hell!" I yelled as I seethe in rage and frustration set in.

"Believe my alpha. I did not come here for this but she forced me." Stye said again.

"Shut up! Shut up your guttered mouth!" I yelled kicking him hard severally as I picked him up from the floor again.

Kill and Ripper held me back. "Let me go! Let me kill this traitor!" I yelled out.

Hawking held Stye lifting him. "You should listen to what he has to say." He said to me.

I glared at him dangerously. "I do not want to hear a thing. Get out of here! All of you, get out of here! And I swear the day I cross paths with you Stye, I'll kill you and feed your flesh to the dogs in all of Glasgow! Get out! Out of my territory!" I yelled and advanced towards them again and Hawking took Stye out.

I pushed away from Kill and Ripper and walked towards the study room. I groaned out in frustration and hurt as I sent everything on the table flying away.

The door opened and I turned around heaving, ready to pour out all of my frustration on who dared walk in. It was her. Looking all pitiful after what she did.

The sight of her disgusted me. "Do you have no shame still coming to stand before me?" I asked her in anger.

"Please listen to me, Lucifer. It's not what you think." She said tears clouding her eyes.

"It's not what I think?!" I raved. "It's not what I think and yet I saw you naked on my bed with that fool. On my bed!" I yelled out. I was furious. I was in pain. I was hurt. All I kept seeing was her in the arms of that bastard.

"He's telling lies, please. I did not do it..I.." She began and the tears finally dropped from her eyes. I felt choked.

"Like a cuckold husband, I returned home only to find you in the arms of your new lover," I said advancing towards her. "And you tell me it's not what I think it is?.. His hands were on your body goddamnit!" I yelled grabbing her arms and shaking her hard.

"Lucifer, please." She pleaded sobbing.

"Do not shed those crocodile tears. I will not fall for it this time." I said to her and pushed her away from me and she staggered back.

"The sight of you disgusts me," I said to her. She fell to her knees crying and I walked out of the study and out of the house and into the woods. I groaned out loudly in agonizing pain and fell to my knees. Was this how it felt to be hurt by someone you love? Was this what pain felt like? My eyes were burning with unshed tears that I could not control. I was on my knees vulnerable in the woods. I do not think Ash's infidelity would ever erase from my memory.