The Alpha's Bride Chapter 1064 Alpha Violet and Alpha Ashton (5)

Irritation bubbled within Violet as she glared at Ashton. Though she hated to ruin the romantic atmosphere, his mother had already shattered the peace.

Violet risked appearing domineering and possessive, yet she knew delaying this conversation was a mistake. If she didn't speak up, Ashton would assume her behavior was acceptable when it absolutely was NOT, allowing the cycle to persist. This habit had to be halted immediately, and Violet was more than ready to put a stop to it.

"I don't want to be a pain in the ass, but this is unacceptable." Violet gripped his shirt tightly. "You are Alpha Ashton Pascal, my mate. I have zero intention of sharing you with anyone, even if that woman is your mother. Is that clear?"

Her raw possessiveness sparked a surge of arousal in him. "Crystal clear."

He leaned in for a kiss, but Violet swiftly dodged his lips.

"Vi?" he questioned, but her gaze was fixed on the fruit platter Luna Michelle had brought.

The tray was filled with grapes, oranges, apples, and strawberries. Every piece was meticulously cleaned; the oranges were already peeled, and the apples had been sliced into perfect geometric shapes.

"Be honest with me, Ash. If I wasn't standing here, your mother would be hand-feeding you, wouldn't she?"

Ashton remained silent.

"Ash?"

"Only if my hands were occupied with something else," he admitted.

Violet stared at him in disbelief. He was a fully grown man! "What else does she do for you? Does she draw your bath? Scrub your back? Does she iron your underwear too?"

Ashton exhaled deeply, realizing the direction of her interrogation. "I wasn't raised by Omegas. Mom did those things when I was a child. I was gone for five years, and besides getting used to me having a mate, she needs time to accept that I've grown up. Just give her a chance."

Anger flashed in Violet’s eyes. "I am Alpha Violet Blake. I don't 'give' things to people. I take what is mine, and I need to know right now if we have a problem."

Ashton was stunned by her intensity. "A problem?"

"Don't play dumb, Ash—it's your mother. I'm not the type to share, and I don't plan on starting now. Your mother needs to back off, or I will."

Ashton felt a sinking sensation in his chest. Her words sounded dangerously close to a rejection. "What are you saying?"

"If it were any other woman, I would challenge her and force her to submit. But since this is your mother, it's your responsibility. You need to prove that you'll stand up for me and for our bond. If you won't, then I'm gone. Choose. Now." She ground out the final word through clenched teeth.

Ashton quickly pulled Violet into his arms. "Vi, I need you to calm down." Her eyes were glowing with a silvery light, and a localized wind began to swirl through the room. "What do you mean by sharing? There’s no such thing. I was only trying to explain my mother's—"

Furious, Violet shoved him away. Caught off guard, he stumbled backward.

As Ashton tried to close the distance to hug her again, Violet held out her arms to keep him at bay.

"This is the issue, Ash. Instead of telling ME to be tolerant, you should be the one talking to your mother."

Violet didn't enjoy backing him into a corner or forcing a choice. However, her wolf was agonizing at the thought of their mate prioritizing someone else's feelings. Neither Violet nor her wolf cared who the competition was; the fact that he didn't put her first was a painful betrayal.

Violet had never felt this much rage or disappointment.

She had envisioned a mate who would demolish any obstacle between them, someone who would do anything for her happiness. He had met those expectations with everyone else, except for his mother. To make matters worse, he expected Violet to be patient while his mother "adjusted." It was insulting.

Tears of frustration welled in her eyes, and she refused to let him see her cry.

Spinning on her heel, Violet bolted toward the open window, ignoring the fact that they were three stories up.

"VI!" Ashton roared, chasing after her. By the time he reached the ledge, a golden wolf was already sprinting toward the treeline. "Fuck!" he cursed. He was torn—should he confront his mother or pursue Violet?

After a split second of doubt, Ashton dove out the window, his body exploding into his massive gray wolf form mid-air.

'Vi! VI! Wait!' Ashton’s voice thundered through their mind link as he raced to catch her.

'I know you can hear me. Please. Wait. WAIT!'

He pushed himself to his physical limit. Though he lost sight of her several times, her scent and the magnetic pull of the mate bond acted as his compass.

'Love, let’s just talk about this.'

'There is nothing left to discuss,' she hissed back through the link.

'Yes, there is. I don't want us to fight every time we have a disagreement.'

'It’s only a disagreement if you think it’s okay for your mother to show me disrespect. Is that what you believe?'

'Of course not! Can you stop looking for a conflict where there isn't one?'

'We aren't fighting! I am livid, and I need to blow off steam. Give me space, or I'll take my anger out on you, and I'd rather not do that.'

'I don’t care, Vi. Use me as your punching bag. That would hurt much less than you running away from me.'

His words caused her to falter. She didn't actually want to leave him, but she didn't want to argue either.

'I know I’m being difficult, Ash. I know I’m being unreasonable, but...' She slowed her pace further until Ashton was able to reach her.

He leaped in front of her, cutting off her path. 'But?'

Violet shook her lupine head.

'Talk to me, Vi,' Ashton pleaded.

She slowly tilted her head up to meet his eyes. Even in his wolf form, he was strikingly handsome.

'I don't know how to handle this, Ash. I can't stand the thought of anyone else touching you. I hate it when you even look at someone else, even if it's your mother. I need you to be mine completely. I need you to look only at me and tell everyone else to get lost.'

He let out a wolfish snort. 'I feel exactly the same way about you, Vi. From now on, no more touching or looking at anyone but you. How does that sound?'

'You can't just cut everyone else out of your life.'

'Why not? I've survived that way for five years. The only difference now is that I have you.' He stepped closer, gently rubbing his head against her neck. 'I waited six years to claim you, Vi. In my mind, that was six eternities. I won't wait another second. I want us together constantly. Every moment matters. Don't run from me. If you don't want my mother around, I'll cut her off.'

'That isn't fair to her.'

'I don't care about fair. My only priority is your happiness, and I know you're happiest when it's just us.'

Violet’s eyes widened as the massive gray wolf shifted back into the form of a handsome man. She had seen Ashton unclothed many times, but the sight of his powerful muscles and tattooed skin still made her heart race.

In her wolf form, his scent of carnations was overwhelming, making her head spin. It was a magnetic pull she couldn't resist. He was utterly captivating.