"You lied," Dan was beside him immediately the hunter left.

"What was I supposed to tell him? That one of my subordinates did it? You know he hates Gideon the most - well me now. But Chris would chew him alive, the only reason that hunter is holding back is because he thinks I'm the one responsible for Lia and it would remain that way" Asher added, "No matter what happens," He was determined.

"Well, if you're done with that, then you should know that we have a problem," Dan announced.

Asher's face rose, "A problem? What now?"

"Your mate attacked Daniel,"

He stood abruptly, astounded by the unimaginable news "What are you talking about?"

"Gideon received the news, your love rival is requesting your presence,"

"Daniel? Take me there,"

"My pleasure,"

Asher didn't even need to blink, he was there already.

"Seriously, you need to tie a bell around your waist to proclaim your presence," Ryan was startled to see them in the room without alerting.

"You're here," Daniel grimaced slightly when the doctor tightened the plaster gauze around him. The bleeding had been stopped, his stomach wrapped with the white clothing.

"You should be healed in two hours," The doctor patted his shoulder, packed her equipment, and left the room before Asher said a word.

"Where is Lia?"

Dan wasn't even surprised by that question, the only thing that mattered to Asher was his mate.

"Over there," Daniel gestured his head to the corner of the bed where the girl was leaning against, chained and asleep.

Asher's eyes flashed, "What did you do to her?! " He growled and took a step towards Daniel but Ryan obstructed his path.

"I think that question should be, what did she do to Daniel?" Ryan challenged," She almost killed him,"

Asher would have argued that, if the evidence wasn't solid and present. Now he reasoned, there was no way Daniel would lay a hand against Lia. Why would he even do that? Doing that would only favor him - Asher - more - which Daniel disliked.

"Release her," Asher ordered.

"No way," Ryan stood his ground, "Who knows what she would do to him once freed,"

"Do as he says Ryan. Besides, she's still asleep," Daniel observed.

"Fine," Ryan grumbled, reluctantly unlocking the cuff he used on her. But to his astonishment, hardly had the chains fallen off, did she push him to the side, sprang up like a lioness stalking her prey for long, headed for Daniel with bloodthirsty intent.

However, before she achieved her purpose, Asher got in her way, grabbed her face to look into his eyes, and said,

"Sleep,"

At once, a strong feeling of lethargy washed over Lia, her eyelids drooped and she slumped against him, asleep.

Asher caught her from falling, carried her in his arms, and handed her over to Dan.

His right-hand man didn't need to be told what to do, he took the girl from Asher and vanished. Reappearing seconds later.

Daniel and Ryan's questioning looks fell on Asher yet none of them dared to question how he was able to do that. Well, every vampire had the power to mesmerize their victims, they all assumed. However, deep inside they knew it was more than that - Daniel especially.

"Tell me what happened?" Asher's question worked as a pretty good distraction from their keen curiosity.

"It is as it is. She attacked me out of nowhere," Daniel didn't go into much detail, however, Asher ascertained what they were doing when the attack came.

"Did you do anything to provoke such a negative response," detective Asher questioned through slitted eyes. He had a niggling suspicion in mind but he had to be sure.

"We were having a good time together and then suddenly, she went attacking mode on me," Explained Daniel - the hidden details subtly coming to light.

Jealousy hit Asher but he didn't say a word, he had been the one who sent her to Daniel hence had no right to quibble on that.

"But there's something strange about Lia, "

Asher's interest was piqued, he switched off his busy mind, tuning the whole of his attention to what Daniel had to say.

Daniel started, "The previous night, Lia said she had a dream where she stabbed me with a scalpel,"

"So?" Asher pressed him to continue.

"I told her it was just a dream. But when she went to answer nature's call, I stumbled upon the scalpel - right at the foot of my bed,"

"You didn't tell me about that," Ryan complained, " This was a warning and I could have done something about that,"

"Even with that, no one saw that coming. What could you have done about that anyway? Kill her? You dumbhead, she's his - their mate," Dan argued with him, yet rubbed his temple- these couples seem to magnate trouble effortlessly.

"I would send her back to you guys and save our alpha, what if she had succeeded in murdering Daniel?" Ryan countered.

"Listen here both of you, we're not here to fight amongst each other nor assign blames and regrets rather solve this issue. Now if you would please, allow Daniel to finish up," Asher interrupted both of who was currently bent on arguing away their time.

"Thank you, your honor," Daniel cleared his throat, "Now as I was saying before I was interrupted, I found out later that Lia has not been interacting with Lolli?"

"Who's Llli?" Asher was now confused.

"Her wolf; the beast inside of us, what makes us the half-wolf in werewolf. We, humans, are the vessel and though we have sixty percent control over them - in prime condition- they still affect our actions. A good relationship with one's beast boost our everyday performance but never rely on them entirely - they're called beast for a reason; cruel, unpredictable and malicious, especially when angry, "

"So what happens when one loses their beast?" Asher was now beginning to join the dots together.

"One doesn't lose their beast. Once dead, both of you die but…" He trailed off, eyes slowly widening in realization.

"But what?" asked Asher, hooked by the revelation.

"You could lock them away by cutting their connection to us or the beast simply ignores you. So tell me, Asher …" Daniel's gaze darkened, "What did you do to Lia?"

"I think that question should be directed to Raphael, he forced something into Lia's body," Dan was the one who answered.

"Nadia was right, it does have a side effect," Asher mumbled.

"What are they talking about?" Daniel was now left in confusion.

"After Raphael was exterminated, we got a disturbing report that he fed Lia Odin: a sedative love portion created by witches that are used to chase a third party in a relationship away,"

Daniel was flabbergasted, he pointed to his chest asking in disbelief, "You're saying I'm the third party?"

"I'm saying that my selfish late brother wanted Lia all to himself that he intentionally locked away her wolf, knowing that was the only connection between the both of you," Asher figured out.

"Drowsiness, hallucinations, paranoia - I remembered Nadia mentioning something about that," Dan added.

"If that's the case of her losing interest in me, then why does she want to kill me?" Daniel stepped towards him, " I saw the look in her eyes while we battled, there was no affection there, just plain… disgust,"

"I don't know about … oh my God," Asher came to a startling realization, his eyes dilated " I finally figured out the problem,"

Everyone looked up at him for answers with positive expectations.

"Unlike humans, our own feelings are heightened, magnified, which makes us feel double the emotions humans experience. So if all feelings of love were taken from her, the emotion that replaces it is -"

"Hate," Daniel interrupted, "She hates me to the core hence the need to destroy me,"

"Sadly, yes," Asher acquiesced. Lucky him.

"I need to bring Lolli back,"

"Yeah, exactly, how?" Asher asked.

Daniel and Ryan exchanged a look, an action that Asher didn't fail to capture.

"I'm old enough to know that secret glances like that aren't good news," The sensitive vampire noticed, "What's up, Daniel?"

The werewolf licked his lips, his head scratching the back of his head awkwardly, how was he going to announce this?

"There's a way we werewolves do that but it's bad news for you," Daniel beat around the bush.

Asher's eyes narrowed, it was obvious that he wasn't going to like the sound of "that", "Go straight to -"

"They need to mate,"

"What?" Asher was taken aback by that sudden revelation.

"The alpha needs to sleep with his mate, only his wolf can bring her wolf back around," Ryan who had broken the news, further explained.

Asher's face distorted, "If you tell me that fucking between your kinds is a spiritual activity, then I'll blow your head off," He threatened through gritted teeth.

"I don't need to say a thing, you know it's the truth already," Daniel said.

Asher gulped, anger mixed with helplessness coursing through his veins. It was the truth, but he wouldn't admit that. Both had a deal concerning Lia and would keep to that - Lolli lost or not.

"I'm leaving and until you come up with a plausible solution, Lia would be with me till then," He informed Daniel, gesturing to Dan to send him home.

"Asher, you know inwardly that no matter what that this would be the outcome. The more you keep delaying, the harder it is to rescue her wolf from that abyss,"

"I don't care," Asher hissed without a trace of emotion.

Tension filled silence reigned.

Dan took hold of him as they disappeared, leaving Daniel to deal with his problem.