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.”

your brother.” I said

in 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

judgement, I

hotel?” Mason asked, and when I shook my head he let out a dry laugh. “Well, you will when she checks out. I’d have to sell my tail on the black-market to pay that tab. The little witch isn’t any better…” His voice dropped into a low grumble, “…went to the bar with him, made me play babysitter. Your

hit by a car.” Breyona added helpfully. At times I didn’t understand the strange relationship between my two best-friends, but I was slowly learning that insults were

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 stop before she used her magic on

Breyona gasped, a hand over her mouth. “…wait, what did she do to

a witchy stun-gun…for the most part, anyway.” I told her, “I’m

like any stun-gun I’ve ever felt, that’s for d**n sure. Felt like I got struck by lightning, then I was out cold…Brandon

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

and spent the better half of 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 see her again. I’d say

infectious and had Mason lifting the corners of his lips in

pulled into the driveway, and Mason hopped out of the car. He hesitated,

until I was desperate for a deep breath. “I hope you understand why I can’t be there…to see an actual spirit, to know talking to someone after their

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

lop-sided grin I had memorized inside and out, but it was the brightest I’d seen him look in weeks. “Alright, you

house for the séance and was inside helping Cordelia finish setting

to the very back of the house. Past the living room and kitchen, was a long hallway that led to the den. The furniture was shoved back towards the walls, leaving a

currently in Cordelia’s hand. With long, steady strokes she hovered around the outside of her painted circle and

that held all of her spell books and

smiled 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 an eventful night

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

better myself.” Her smile widened. She turned towards Breyona

before Cordelia had the chance to say anything more. “Consider me

types of magic a witch has in her arsenal. Most of the time we’re only successful at one or two of those types, but that doesn’t