Alpha Asher By Jane Doe

Chapter 138 – While Breyona finished getting ready, Giovanni pulled me aside. The leatherbound book sat on the table between us. On its cover was a triangle with a circle inside. Inside the circle were different symbols, none of which I knew the names to.

I couldn’t detect a trace of suspicion in his voice, only his usual amount of severity. “Your father deemed this important enough to have it locked in a vault. He wasn’t the kind person who passed up power, so if he kept it from the witches then it might be a good idea if you did the same.”

I wasn’t surprised to find that Brandon had vanished early in the morning, never to return. Mason looked a bit disgruntled, his hair a mess and his face twisted into a scowl. Clara on the other hand was draped over a chaise lounge, an arm behind her head as she smirked and looked at her manicured nails. Her bouncy curls were twisted into a quick updo, but some strands were already falling from the clip.

She looked smug and cat-like, which ended the moment I pulled out Holly’s drawing and told her what it meant. I locked eyes with Mason and nodded towards the door, letting him know he was free to go. Without glancing at Clara, he turned on his heel and stalked out of the room.

“Am I no longer important enough for a guard?” Clara pouted, but it didn’t cover up the fear I heard bleeding into her voice.

Asher’s voice was flat and unimpressed, “we’re assigning you a new guard.”

“You weren’t surprised when I showed you the picture.” I stated the obvious, holding her stare long enough to make her squirm. “If anything you look like you want to throw up.”

“It’s obvious what it means…the witches are covering their tracks. The fact that they don’t want you to find out what they’re doing more than they want to get their hands on you is terrifying…” Her smug exterior dropped, revealing the girl I had met just last night. The confident and sensual dancer turned magical fugitive, afraid of what lurked in the night. “A lot of witches worked at that club, and I’ll bet anything that none of them made it home last night…”

Once a replacement showed up, we were able to leave. We gave Mason a ride back to the house, but the entire drive I couldn’t get his grimace out of my head. He sat in the back seat, his cheek against the window and his warm eyes halfway closed. His light brown hair was sun bleached from how much time he spent training or on patrol and was beginning to grow past his jawline.

“Mason?” I called out and heard him grunt in response.

Breyona snickered, “he’s been hanging around Tristan too much.”

“Funny.” Mason said sarcastically, cracking an eye open just to narrow it at her.

“Are you alright?” I asked Mason, turning to look at the two of them. “You look a little worse for wear.”

“You can thank Asher’s brother for that.” Mason grumbled, “…real stand-up guy.”

brother.” I said to Asher, pressing my lips

the slightest. If anything, I found it both sad and amusing how often he got into trouble. Claire and Killian didn’t appear to favor one of their sons over the other, so I wasn’t sure why Brandon felt

judgement, I

a low grumble, “…went to the bar with him, made me play babysitter. Your brother doesn’t know how to keep his mouth shut. I had to drag him from the bar before he got us all thrown out, which pissed him off enough to start throwing

didn’t understand the strange

traces of exhaustion. “Brandon got me to the ground, and we were going back and forth. Clara was shouting and waving her hands, but I couldn’t make out what she was saying in between taking your brother’s punches. Turns out she was warning us to

a hand over her mouth. “…wait, what

anyway.” I told her, “I’m sure

bit pained. “It’s not like any stun-gun I’ve

out in the middle of the parking lot?” It was my turn to stare open

the morning complaining about how long it took her, and how she broke a nail. Of course your brother woke up early and ran.” His grimace returned the more we talked about Clara. “All I know is I won’t complain if I never have to

was infectious and had

out of the car.

that I hope you get answers.” The wistful edge to his smile made the air in my lungs thin until

in my throat was painful to s*****w and sat in my stomach like a chunk of lead. My face burned as I let out a weak laugh and said, “…come to the bake sale afterwards, I’m sure I can convince grandma to give

I had memorized inside and out, but it was the brightest I’d seen him look in weeks. “Alright, you convinced me. I’ll be

the

the house. Past the living room and kitchen, was a long hallway that led to the den.

paint sat off to the side, it’s paint brush currently in Cordelia’s hand. With long, steady strokes she hovered around the outside of her painted circle and put down the last slashes

trunk she used that held all of her spell books and

warmly at the three of us, but it was me she approached. Her eyes crinkled around the corners as she looked down at me, “I hear you had

of putting it.” I chuckled lightly, “…what better way to turn things around than

She turned towards Breyona and said, “…would you mind

She chirped, racing away before Cordelia had the chance

those types, but that doesn’t mean we can’t try.” Rowena glided forwards and her glossy red sandals caught the light as she moved. “The séance Cordelia is about to preform is actually a summoning spell, which stems from