Alpha Asher By Jane Doe

The others were quick to respond as one of our own had been found.

I couldn’t peel my eyes away from Katie’s glassy stare, even when Mason’s gentle hand turned me from her body.

We had shifted into human form after alerting the others, pulling on a t-shirt and a pair of sweatpants that were stashed in the forest.

“Don’t look at her, Lola.” Mason murmured, his typical care-free expression was absent from his face.

“Could a wolf have done this?” Maya mused in my head.

I shook my head in response, “It’s possible. It takes incredible skill to cover your scent like that.”

I could feel my heart hammering in my chest, and the cool night time breeze felt sharp against my skin.

As awful as it sounds, I had grown used to blocking things from my mind. While Katie’s glassy stare would surely haunt my dreams, I pushed the image from my conscious mind.

Alpha Asher and his men had taken a total of six minutes to arrive in the clearing.

Asher looked delectable in his loose fitting shorts, his bare chest absorbing the moon light and taking on a porcelain glow. As much as my mind wanted to linger on Asher and find some semblance of peace, there was business to attend to.

“He brought a lot of men with him.” Maya pointed out that interesting fact.

I frowned, “Kind of strange, isn’t it?”

There had to be at least fifteen men that followed Asher into the clearing. Far too many men for what looked like a simple rogue attack.

A man I hadn’t met before approached Mason and I while Asher looked over Katie’s lifeless body.

The unnamed man was nearly as intimidating as Asher himself, but he lacked the powerful aura that Asher seemed to constantly exude.

“Beta Drake.” Mason murmured, nodding his head in an act of respect.

Beta Drake was the man mentioned when I first arrived at the pack boarders. No wonder Sean was in such a sour mood when I finally arrived home. Asher had no need for another Beta when he had one of his own. Sean had essentially been stripped of his title, a title my family had held for years.

Beta Drake had the same extremely large build all of Asher’s men had, as if giant blood ran in their family. A long scar ran down the side of his neck, disappearing under the t-shirt he wore. His hair was a strange shade of ash blonde and reached down to his ears.

“Tell me tonight’s events leading up to the discovery of the she-wolf.” Beta Drake spoke in a very informal tone, “Do not leave anything out.”

Mason glanced at me, and with reluctance I began to speak.

I kept my hammering heart under control, determined to keep my wandering eyes away from Katie’s body. The last thing I needed was to lose what tight grip I had on my emotions.

Much to my surprise, my voice came out calm and steady. The turmoil I was feeling inside didn’t rear it’s ugly head.

Mason chimed in here and there, confirming my account of tonight’s events.

Asher hadn’t approached the two of us, nor spared us a glance as we left from the clearing.

Mason, kind as always, walked me home in silence.

“First night of patrol and this happens.” Mason shook his head, a frown forming on his pale lips.

I scoffed, but the action was filled with exhaustion. “Not a very good sign, is it?”

Mason shook his head, “Not at all.”

“There were too many of Asher’s men there tonight for it to be a simple rogue attack.” I pursed my lips, the gears in my mind turning.

“You think so?” Mason’s head tilted slightly as my words sunk in.

I shrugged, “Fifteen men seems like an awful lot. Rogue attacks happen sometimes, but tonight seemed different.”

“I think we both need some sleep. Try not to think about it too much.” Mason frowned as we stood on the stairs to my house, “I’ll see you for training tomorrow, right?”

I rolled my eyes, gaining some of my sarcastic humor back. “Like Alpha Asher would let me miss training.”

one that took effort to maintain. “Good, I’ll hunt you down

off and went

seem like Sean was home, but Grandma and Dad sat in the living room. From the looks of it, they were having a hushed conversation between themselves. I couldn’t make out any of the words exchanged between the two of them,

talking like two people who don’t wanna be overheard.” Maya mumbled

care, to inquire what they were talking about,

door as I walked in, and Dad lifted himself to

at patrol.” Dad frowned, his gruff voice

my arms, “A girl was found dead. Looks

placated, “I don’t want you out running patrol anymore, or anywhere near

but I also knew his personal

I frowned, plopping down on the couch next

you or Sean.” Dad growled, running

bed. “Alpha Asher would never allow that. He can’t let half the people in town stop

listen to me on this.” Dad grimaced, but I

couch, “I will not run again. I’m back now, and I can

sense of power and authority filled me, one that didn’t quite feel right in

the strange waves rolling off of me

the strange sensation subsided leaving me

the hell was that?” Maya sounded just as confused

have no idea.” I grumbled, my limbs feeling heavy. “All I know is I need

his jaw clenched while Grandma looked quite

trudging up the stairs, “I have training in the

asleep that night had been effortless, and I

Katie haunted my dreams. Her glassy green eyes were burned into my head, along

mistaken it for reality. It was one detail that stood out, it reminded me this wasn’t reality. A set of blazing red eyes

sleep, I felt refreshed after the events of

of workout shorts. Slipping my long hair into a pony

pan. The sticky sweet smell of pancakes

time for once, I see.” Grandma turned and flashed

at my Grandma and grabbed a water from the fridge, “Very funny, but yes I’ll be

I was afraid Alpha Asher would show up to torment you some more.”

mused, “Certainly didn’t feel like

pushing my strange attraction to

steaming pancakes she had set on a plate, ignoring the light blush

Dad?” I frowned, glancing at the plate of pancakes she set in front of

head and sat down, a cup of steaming tea clasped in

upset.” Grandma frowned, “He just needs some

“I didn’t want to

dear.” Grandma gave me a kind smile,

tell you that himself?” I raised my eyebrow at her, knowing how

You know your Dad is much too stubborn

how you know, Grandma. You’ve always been too smart for your

can

stomach, walking to the pack

carefree as I had hoped for. Death lingered

Alpha Asher didn’t keep this from anyone.” I shook my

imagine how Katie’s poor parents

hair shifting. “Alpha Asher

a good

and I threw our change

butt kicked today, shorty?” Mason snickered, leaning down to

my fists raised. “Bring it on. You still can’t

“I bet you I’ll get at least one

tongue out, jabbing one of my fists at his

the room and I knew without looking that

eyes immediately found his own, and they darkened as they took my

other as Mason looked down at me

and I fought to keep a smile from playing on my

giggled, keeping my voice low as