Alpha Asher by Jane Doe (Alpha Asher & Lola)
Chapter 193
It took Asher some convincing to leave the holding cell. The last thing he wanted to do was have another episode and wind up hurting somebody. The two of us planned on speaking to Cordelia and Rowena together.
I’d bite the bullet and give Cordelia her spell book back, while also apologizing for stealing it, even if it had been unintentionally, and Asher would have Rowena check him over a second time for any hint of magic or spell work.
We had a few hours to k*il*l considering Rowena was currently with Holly for their training session, which gave me plenty of time to swing by the house to grab the spell book and to do something that returned just a shred of normalcy to my life.
It had been days since I’d last stepped foot in a training cla*s*s, and I was honestly beginning to miss sparring and testing out my skills. There was a comfort with training one couldn’t get in the real world. I didn’t have to think about losing my life on the mats, or whether or not my opponent was out to k*il*l me. Plus, it gave me the perfect opportunity to check up on Ca*s*sidy, who had been blowing my phone up since Tristan and I slipped out of the pack’s boundary lines.
Asher dropped me off at training and went to see his parents. They were freaking out, and rightfully so, over everything that had happened to the two of us. It didn’t help that Brandon had been the one to tell them, and undoubtedly added his own embellishments to the story, which was a mess Asher was eager to clear up.
When I plopped down beside Ca*s*sidy, I thought my eardrums might burst with how loudly she squealed.
“Lola! Thank the Goddess you’re alright.” She exclaimed, slapping a hand against her sports-br*-covered chest. She blinked rapidly, her baby blues bright with relief. Lowering her voice, even though all eyes and ears were turned our way, she murmured quietly. “I was debating organizing a rescue team to go after you. Spearheaded by me, of course.”
I laughed at her dramatics, already settling into the illusion of the routine I’d once had.
“It’s a good thing you didn’t. Things were chaotic and dangerous for awhile there, for Asher too, unfortunately. We’re both safe and sound, though.”
Ca*s*sidy glanced around the room almost warily, skewering all of the eavesdroppers with a cold look that had them turning back to their own conversations. She chewed on her lower l!p, her nervousness bleeding through her every move. I went to put my hair into a ponytail but found I didn’t have a hair tie. As many fights as I end up getting into, you’d think I’d have one on me constantly.
“For now though, right? Everyone’s been talking about it…you know, Asher’s victory. Tensions are rising, and I’m not talking about just inside the pack.” She whispered, “Bringing another pack into the fold, especially one that tried to stand against us, might put us all in more danger.”
“Asher wouldn’t do anything to put the people here in harms way, but he’s also going to do his duty to Bran’s former pack and take care of them, as well. Like the humans say, things get worse before they get better.” I sighed, gratefully accepting the hair tie Ca*s*sidy offered. Once my hair was out of the way and no longer tumbling down my back, I began stretching.
“Is there anything I can do to help?” Ca*s*sidy asked, mirroring my movements, and bending to the side to touch her left foot.
We held the stretch for a few seconds before switching legs. I paused, thinking for a moment before responding.
“Right now all I want is a bit of normalcy. I know it’s silly, and things are far from okay, but I keep feeling like the world is just tilting under my feet and I’m fighting to stay upright. I just need a small break, even if it’s just for a couple hours.”
It was Ca*s*sidy’s turn to go quiet, and she stayed that way up until Emilia waltzed into the room. When the trainer took her position at the front of the cla*s*sroom, Ca*s*sidy chirped excitedly. “Oh, I have the best idea! We should do a sleepover cookout!”
Emilia had us all split into groups and begin sparring, which meant Ca*s*sidy and I were paired together. We circled one another, not yet throwing any jabs even though some of the other groups had viciously launched into their own attacks.
I lifted an eyebrow at her, taken off guard. “You think so?”
She scoffed at me, swatting my shoulder playfully. Her golden ponytail swayed as she danced on the b*lls of her feet. “You’ve never been to an event hosted by yours truly, have some faith! Are you free tonight, by chance?”
Shrugging, I said. “Unless something else horrible happens, which I’m praying it doesn’t, I’m free.”
“Awesome!” She beamed, punching the air. “You invite whoever’s coming and I’ll handle everything else. Oh, and the sleepover portion is no guys allowed, so relay the information to your mate.” She snickered, then shifted into a fighting stance.
“Alright, a sleepover cook out it is.” I nodded, a smile of my own forming as I mirrored her stance and plotted my first line of attack.
After training had finished and every ounce of anxiety had been beaten and f0rced from my body, I was pulled aside by Emilia. Ca*s*sidy waved goodbye and shouted a reminder that I needed to invite everyone for the cookout tonight, along with a heads up that she was going to drop by my place to set things up in just a couple hours. I didn’t miss the lingering glance she tossed Emilia’s way or how the fearless trainer returned it without flinching.
“Hey, I just wanted to thank you for contacting that trainer of yours. He accepted the job here and caught the first flight available.” She said warmly, her eyes the same bright shade of umber as her curly hair. Noticing my surprised expression, some of her joy waned and she asked, “You did talk to him, right? Please tell me I didn’t just invite some random here.”
I giggled at the note of panic in her voice and shook my head. “No, don’t worry. I’m sorry, I’ve just had so much going on that I forgot I’d asked my grandma to call him. I’m honestly surprised he accepted, he’s kind of antisocial…and a grump, but he is an amazing trainer.”
Emilia’s smile returned tenfold, pairing with her muscular physique perfectly. She was often intimidating, but once her scowl melted away, she came off as friendly and approachable. “That’s a relief. Your grandma must’ve gotten through to him somehow. All I know is we can use the new edition. Maybe I’ll even get a day off myself.”
“If anything grandma probably promised a lifetime supply of her baking.” I chuckled, “Once he starts, you should definitely take some time off. With what’s going on in the world, we should spend all the time we can with family and friends.”
“Make sure you do the same, Luna.” Emilia said, her expression softening.
I told Asher about Ca*s*sidy’s idea in the car. He had picked me up from the training center and seemed considerably less stressed since talking to his parents. Apparently, it had all gone well. His parents were looped in on what was going on and were planning on calling his aunt to relay the news. Surprisingly, Brandon didn’t embellish the story all that much and managed to stick to the truth.
Asher was more than on board with Ca*s*sidy’s plan, even if it meant we didn’t get the night alone together. As much as I longed for some one-on-one time with Asher, I wanted to invite Breyona and get her out of the house. Giovanni had called not too long ago to check up on me, curious about how I had removed Tristan’s mark. He let me know that Breyona had holed herself up in the bedroom and refused to see anyone or eat anything. I understood her grief and wouldn’t try to f0rce her out of it, but I wanted her to know that she had people here for her, people who cared and wanted to help however they could.
“I might invite my parents. What do you think?” Asher asked, squeezing my thigh with his meaty hand, drawing my attention back to the present.
I nodded absentmindedly, “I think that would be nice. Invite dad and grandma while you’re at it, Sean, and Mason too. I think we could all use a night off.”
“I’ll take care of it. Just so you know, if I invite Mason, Clara’s going to come as well. I also a*s*sume you’re going to invite Breyona as well?” He commented, to which I nodded a second time. I’d have to ask him about the Mason and Clara development later. “Any ideas on how you’ll get her to show?”
I didn’t need to stop and think about my response. I’d already formulated a plan in my head.
“Good, old-fashioned bribery.” I replied, a sheepish grin forming on my face.
When we pulled into the gravel driveway of the house the witches were staying at, I took my chance to mind -link Breyona. Asher stayed in the car, giving me the illusion of privacy as I walked towards the end of the drive and lingered by an old weeping willow.
‘Breyona?’ I called out to her, softening my voice before sending it over the mind-link.
There was a tug in my chest, one so very different from the mate-bond that it made me pause. It was the newly forged connection between Breyona and I, one of pure magic and shadow. I could feel her presence like it were right next to me, like she had just walked down the street and appeared in the driveway herself.
‘Hey, Lola.’ Her voice was quiet, hoarse from the crying I somehow knew had lasted all night and day.
I chewed on my lower l!p, battling the guilt and frustration that swirled in my stomach, fighting off the hopelessness it spawned.
‘Ca*s*sidy had this idea for a sleepover cookout thing at my place and I’d really like it if you would come. If you wanted to, I mean. I know you’re going through a lot and wanted space, but we’d all love to see you. Everyone’s going to be there, even Clara and Mason, who clearly have something going on. They’ve been glued to each other’s sides since they got back even though Asher trusts her now and told Mason he didn’t have to babysit her anymore. I added, knowing she’d love a juicy tidbit of gossip, even if she was deep in mourning.
‘It sounds fun and all, but I just don’t think-wait, you said there’s something going on with Clara and Mason? Clara, the witch?’ She still sounded devastated, but her voice held a hint of curiosity I couldn’t help but notice. ‘When did this development happen and why weren’t we the first people he’s told?
There’s my best-friend, I smiled to myself.
‘Seriously, I thought the same thing. It’s like he doesn’t appreciate our friendship. I was hoping you’d torment him with me at the cookout, but I suppose I can pick up the slack myself.’ I sighed dramatically, feeling my heart skip a beat when her muffled giggle traveled through the mind-link. Anyway, there’s more that’s happened, and I really need someone to talk about it-someone I trust. I’ll explain how the next time I see you in person, but I kind of discovered my magic and used it to get Tristan’s mark off my neck. Insane, right?’
‘You what?!’ She gasped, ‘You should’ve led with that! This story wouldn’t have anything to do with me turning into a giant shadow beast, would it?’
‘Oh, it explains the shadow beast part. It explains a lot of things, actually.’ I grunted.
Breyona went silent for a few seconds, and through the link I could practically feel the gears in her head turning. She let out a soft sigh, sniffled, then blew her nose.
‘Alright, I’ll be there.’ She said, and I knew then that the grin that spread across my face would leave my muscles aching all day long.