Chapter 17

Ashton's POV The soulmate party was an extravagant affair. Loud and vibrant; everything I didn't need right now. Hailey was beside me chatting away but I wasn't really listening to her. I couldn't see the king, but I could feel the throbbing headache that his ability caused, a reminder of the deal I'd made with him. Ever since that day, he'd made sure to keep a steady stream of pain pulsating through my head. When I was younger, I thought that no-one on Earth could possibly be worse than my grandfather. I was wrong. Hailey tugged at my arm, probably sensing that my attention was elsewhere. I gave her a small smile and that was enough for her to keep the conversation going. I stifled a sigh. This would have been comical if I had not been the one in this position. Standing beside her felt like such pathetic façade. We weren't even soulmates, but I had to be here tonight. It had to be some sort of punishment. She suddenly turned to me with excited ey