Alpha Asher By Jane Doe

Chapter 237

“You’re wondering how we’ve managed to stay on your lands this entire time without anyone noticing.” Ember spoke softly, Angelica’s hand clutched in her own as she led the child in between houses to where the backyard was.

Tall picket fences divided the properties, each one the same uniform shape, height, and color. With the moon as our guide, Ember led us to the back of the property, right where the forest met the neatly trimmed grass.

“She’s not the only one wondering that.” Brandon muttered sourly, casting a glare in Ember’s direction.” This entire time I thought you brought me to some witchy village.”

“Freya told me to bring you to her, and this just so happened to be where she was.” Ember fired back.

Angelica giggled, watching the two of them with curious eyes that shimmered brightly even in the dark. My only option was to intervene before they could descend into a full-blown argument. We’d be here all night if that was the case..

“How have you been able to stay here for so long without anyone noticing? Someone should’ve been able to pick up mine and Brandon’s scents.” I said, wondering why even now I failed to pick anything up.

Right as we reached the forest line, Ember tugged Angelica to a stop. The little girl whipped around, a knowing grin on her face.

“You don’t have to cloak the house anymore, Angelica. If we’re going to play, you’ll need all your strength, yeah?” Ember said, lowering herself to the girl’s height.

Angelica tapped her chin in thought for a moment before nodding, a look of agreement on her cherub face.

“Okay.” She giggled.

The air around Angelica began to shimmer, like it had been embedded with shards of diamond. It grazed the bare skin of my arms, sending little electrical pulses of magic through my flesh. Angelica waved her hands, a self-satisfied smile on her face when the space surrounding the house and fence began to ripple and change.

The entire length of the fence began to darken in color. Splotches of mold grew across the wood like wisps of moss. A quiet grinding sound filled the air as some began to c*ack and splinter. The baby blue paneling of the house changed as well, warping as spiderwebs of mildew began crawling across its surface. The shudders began to fall, their paint peeling as the scraps fluttered to the ground.

to change. It wasn’t perfectly trimmed, identical to every other house in the neighborhood. Weeds sprouted in heavy clusters, growing higher and higher until they practically reached our knees. Poor Angelica

and clapped her hands,

one thing bothering me, though. “What happened to this place? It’s practically falling apart. None of the other houses in the

leaves a stain on you. I’m sure you already know this, but it’s like a poison. It doesn’t matter where you are, that poison seeps into everything…even houses.” Ember said, her voice low and ominous. She peeled her eyes away from the house, and as she did so, they glowed like two warm coals. She spoke in a whisper that Angelica failed to hear, “…let’s get going before Freya

the mend, I had just enough to reach out to Asher. The connection between us wasn’t at its strongest,

alive and safe…for the most part. All of that aside there’s something I need you to

speed that made my skull rattle. I could practically feel his eyes turn my way, centering down the length of the bond where my presence

shudder down my spine that sent my thoughts veering in the wrong direction. Holding the connection was sapping the

at the house. Don’t tell

the link between us. Asher’s voice faded into nothingness, it’s absence a reminder that I hadn’t been able to

could easily cost me my life, but despite what she had done, I didn’t want

house.” I told

I’ll use the last seconds of my life burning someone you love to a crisp. Got it?” Ember

it.” I replied, sighing

going to flourish together or destroy

us slipped into the forest, the muddy earth squelching beneath our feet. The whisper of cold air against my skin was a pleasant reminder that I was no longer locked in a basement, counting down the seconds until my body was

was still counting seconds, but this way I felt like I was doing something to

I need you to hide the four

up ahead, Angelica and Brandon carved a path through the forest. The child had a hold of Brandon’s shirt, using him to keep her balance over the rocky terrain. Whenever she hit a patch of mud and slid, she’d grab onto Brandon, nearly taking him down with her. The shrill notes of her giggles cut through the thick silence of the forest, accompanied by Brandon’s disgruntled mumbles and

she made a series of gestures, waving it through the darkness like she was trying to catch a butterfly. Just like back at the house, the air

stomach turning as a dark thought popped

mean, she’s just a child. She can’t possibly understand everything

She held out her hand and blew softly into her palm. A small ball of flame sputtered to life, illuminating where we stood in the darkness. The light flickered and waned, dancing as its casted shadows along Ember’s