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.

cottage and sat

me,

poured my heart out for what seemed like hours. She never once threw my mistake

don’t want to go back, Grandma. I can’t

back. You’ll stay here with me.” My grandma nodded with finality. She had that determined look on her face that said ‘nobody

knowing a huge fight between them was

grandma shook her head, placing a cup

1 Year Later

maneuvered around the muscular arms that reached out to grab

dodging limbs and landing my

land any blows.” Chris’s weary voice

a few more seconds. He’s getting tired.” Maya coached

to dodge each move Chris made, while landing my own in the process. I could feel him breaking down, growing tired as he threw

Maya yelled in my

eyes widening in shock before he could defend himself. He turned away, as if he were going to run. I landed on his back and wrapped my arms around his neck,

of holding it there, I jumped off

good work, kid.”

smirked, finally having gotten

at me, “Don’t go getting cocky now. You still

I sighed, smiling at my grandma as she came out of the cottage with food

had been living with grandma for almost 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 his

as Beta, my father

her cottage, picking herbs and making pastries with the apples she had picked. My grandma lived a simple life, but I had quickly grown to love

best warriors in history, and even a Beta at one point. No one knew what happened to him after he disappeared, no one but my grandma. Chris agreed to

favor. Being 5’2′ and 105lbs didn’t give me much to work with. After training with Chris for almost a year, I

Grandma informed me, placing a sandwich in my hand

mouthful of sandwich. Why would

responded from the other end, sounding

of the couch as I munched on

was a long pause on the other end of the

dead, Lola.” Sean replied in a

my face scrunch up in confusion. How could mom be dead?