Alpha Asher By Jane Doe

I didn’t stop running until I was deep into the forest, my lungs burning from being deprived of oxygen.

My wolf, Maya, was furious.

She was hesitant about Tyler in the beginning, but was eventually won over. She thought he was our mate too. While I was heartbroken and fighting back tears, Maya was seething.

I closed my eyes and allowed her to take over, making her promise that she wouldn’t go and hunt Tyler down.

Maya carried us farther into the woods, and I allowed myself to sink into the furthest depths of her mind. My head was still racing with what had just happened, I wanted to turn everything off for just a few moments. I couldn’t handle it.

Hours and hours had passed, but I hardly noticed. I drifted off as Maya hunted and continued running.

I finally came to my senses when soft grass tickled my naked back. The familiar scent of herbs filled the air. Basil, Lavender, and Mint invaded my nose and soothed my aching heart.

“Lola, dear? Is that you?” A withered voice called out and I felt my heart jump.

“You brought me here?” I asked Maya in surprise.

“We need her. We’re not going back.” She growled, resenting me for thwarting her plans on attacking Tyler.

“Grandma?” My voice cracked and I sat up from the grass.

It was nearing dawn, the sun was just beginning to rise and it cast orange hues along her small cottage. Her herb gardens lifted and swayed in the breeze.

I had always loved coming to grandma’s house. My mom forbade me and my brother from coming back here, holding a grudge against my grandma for years.

The story of my mom meeting my dad isn’t one I like to talk about. My mom and dad aren’t mates. Mom rejected her mate when she was younger, seeking out my dad when she realized his mate had died. My grandma always resented her for that, for throwing the mate bond away.

“Lola, what on earth are you doing here?” My grandma exclaimed, wrapping a woven blanket around my exposed body. She pulled me into a hug and I could feel myself break down at her familiar scent and touch.

My grandma had this quality that made everyone love her. She was nearly impossible not to get along with. My grandma matched my extremely short height of 5’2′, and had the same long black hair. She was more withered, with laugh lines circling her mouth and eyes, but she had never looked better to me.

“I missed you so much.” I cried into her shoulder. I even remembered how she smelled. So many different herbs and apples. Grandma had a couple of apple trees she absolutely adored. She would always be making a pie or some kind of dessert when we used to visit.

“What’s got you all worked up, Lola?” Grandma frowned, “Is it that boy you’re dating?”

Grandma was always supportive of anything I wanted to do, she just always reminded me to think things through.

little cottage and

sat next to me, placing a

seemed like hours. She never once threw my mistake back in my face, like my

want to go back, Grandma. I can’t face them.”

me.” My grandma nodded with finality. She had that determined look on her face that said

I sighed, knowing a huge fight between

shook her head, placing a cup of tea in

1 Year Later

maneuvered around

limbs and landing my own blows

me land any blows.” Chris’s weary voice

seconds. He’s

to dodge each move Chris made, while landing my own in the process. I could feel

yelled

away, as if he were going to run. I landed on his back

a second or two of holding it there, I jumped off

some good work,

finally having gotten the upper hand

me, “Don’t go getting cocky now. You still need to work

this win.” I sighed, smiling at my

a year, only talking to my parents once a week. I stopped calling my mom after a month. She insisted on giving me updates on Tyler and

as Beta,

in her cottage, picking herbs and making pastries with the apples she had picked. My grandma lived a

one point. No one knew what happened to him after he disappeared, no one but my

training with Chris for almost a year, I could easily handle myself. I’m small and fast, which means men twice my size had to work even harder to

the line waiting for you!” Grandma informed me, placing a sandwich

I said through a mouthful of sandwich. Why would Sean be

Sean’s voice responded from the other

frowned, sitting on the arm of the couch as I munched on

was a long pause on the other end of the

Sean replied

in confusion. How could mom