The moment the sun began to settle in the sky, the countdown began in the back of my mind. It inched closer with each ticking second, until I found myself standing before thousands of werewolves.
My heart hammered in my chest as I looked out at the sea of people, thousands of features illuminated from the last shreds of fading sun. Even with the little jitters of panic that raced down my spine, I reminded myself that I wasn’t alone.
The words of my family and friends circled my mind, chasing away the doubt that lingered at the corners. The hairs along my arms lifted as I dared to look past the sprawling crowd, towards the forest that seemed near pitch black.
I could see the tendrils of darkness slithering far from the lights reach, merely observing…watching and waiting for blood.
To my right stood Asher, tall and proud in a long sleeve shirt, darker than the encroaching night sky. He stood tall and confident, like a ki
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Alpha Asher Chapter 106
I had never quite become used to pain, even after enduring so much. Every time it ripped the breath from my lungs, unique in how it seared and tore at my insides.As I clutched my shoulder, feeling the heat of my own blood as it wept in between my fingers, its sweet scent spilled into the air. I ground my teeth together and steeled my spine, even though the dark spots dancing behind my eyes grew in size.I could hear Asher’s muffled yet powerful voice, silencing the deafening thunder that came from hundreds of snarls. He eased the panic from the crowd, and the tension from the warriors among them.My shoulder was throbbing and burning from the silver bullet lodged within it. Once I managed to straighten without vomiting, I peeled back the layers of my shirt and swallowed as I looked at the gaping hole in my shoulder.I’ll admit, it wasn’t the most pleasant of plans, but we knew this moment would draw them out. The crusade of Vampire&rsqu
Alpha Asher Chapter 107
“What are you doing, Lola? Did you not hear me? Your mate has sent me. I’m here to protect you.” The gruff male voice sounded deeper…distorted in a way that made my breath catch.‘What is this? This isn’t a vampire.’ Maya snarled, her hackles raising. ‘Her scent is…wrong. Asher isn’t answering us…something must have happened. I think you should call on the shadows, Lola…’This was bad, it had to be if Maya was condoning channeling the power of the shadows. The moment I reached out, feeling that bitter frost curl across my fingers like the greeting of an old friend, that voice sounded behind me.It was different, this time. No longer the deep rasp of a man, but the watery rasp of a woman. She hacked and coughed, but there was an accuracy to her voice that sounded deadly.“Turn around.”I reacted without thinking my eyes darting to either side of me whilst m
Alpha Asher Chapter 108
The morning was much quieter than either one of us expected. I was thankful Brandon rarely seemed to be home, since he loved to stir things up between him and Asher. How Asher hadn’t lost his temper and banished Brandon from the pack was beyond me, but I treasured every peaceful moment his infuriating brother was absent for.We had expected a small uproar. It wasn’t everyday your Luna was revealed to double as the Vampire Queen. My priorities were quite literally divided down the center, between two groups of people that wanted to kill one another. While there was some outcry by many of the older, seasoned members of the pack, there hadn’t been the large-scale uproar we were expecting.During the battle and warring back home, rumors had spread across the country. The struggle between our pack and the Vampire’s was common knowledge. Thankfully, us werewolves were a tough breed. There weren’t many of us who feared a murderous Vampire or rogu
Alpha Asher Chapter 109
“Brandon.” Asher’s voice held a warning beneath its calm façade, as did his eyes, which were currently latched onto where his brother stood.“Oh, relax. You’re awful uptight considering the big secret is now out. What was that saying—oh, that’s right. The truth will set you free. Do you feel free, brother?”He held a beer bottle in his hand, the condensation still running down the sides in thin rivulets. With both Asher and Brandon standing before me, shirtless and in swimming trunks, it was easy to see the similarities between the two.Asher’s hair was a tad darker, but both had the same jaw shape and broad shoulders, the athletic body that bordered on massive in size. Where Asher was stingy with his facial expressions, Brandon held absolutely nothing back—even when he should.“How can I ever feel free, Brandon? I’m Alpha to the largest pack in the country, and you’re my
Alpha Asher Chapter 110
After almost an hour, I felt a pair of arms wrap around my waist. Unlike when Brandon touched me, there was no gut feeling telling me this touch was wrong. I turned around and grinned at Asher, placing my hands on his shoulders as I bobbed up and down. The tips of my toes grazed the silt at the bottom of the lake, just barely.“I should have put floaties on your arms.” His lips twitched into a smirk, and his eyes narrowed playfully.I gave him a look full of offense and frowned, “I’m short, that doesn’t mean I’m going to drown. I still know how to swim. Besides, if I had floaties on, then I wouldn’t need to do this.”I wrapped my arms around his neck, letting my fingers tangle in the unruly strands of his hair. He was beginning to need a trim, which gave me plenty to grab onto. I felt his reaction the moment I slid my legs around his waist. All too quickly, my hands left his hair and traveled down the hard expanse
Alpha Asher Chapter 111
While I’d initially been searching for Asher, it hadn’t been my intention to go scurrying to him, squealing about his younger brother’s lack of boundaries and basic respect for women.I squashed the part of me that wondered why Brandon was such an ass, especially towards his older brother, reminding myself it wasn’t my job to figure him out.There were far more worrisome things that had my attention, like murderous witches and plotting vampires.‘You should have let me come out.’ Maya huffed for the third time, her bloodlust not at all satiated. It felt nice leaving him groaning in the sand, his beer overturned and forgotten. Maya’s version of justice held the ruthlessness of a Luna. ‘A nasty scar—or a hand, that would teach him. He’d never touch us again.’‘I won’t be known as the Luna who bites off hands.’ I told her pointedly but snorted when she snapped her teeth.
Alpha Asher Chapter 112
I made it halfway down the beach when a series of cheers and whooping filled the air, followed by laughter and thundering feet. There were at least a hundred men and women running down the beach, towards the forest’s emerald leaves, muted from the dark but still beautiful beneath the moonlight.A few shifted prematurely, shredding bathing suits and swimming trunks as fur sprouted from their arms, neck, and torso. For many the shift was instant, an animal breaking free from its two-legged prison. Large paws dug into the sand, spraying those who hadn’t yet shifted. Some shouted and groaned, while others laughed and tried not to get it in their eyes.“Manhunt! Manhunt!” A few guys chanted, dispersed throughout the crowd. Their voices were nearly drowned in the laughter and cheering. Still, the word brought nothing but confusion.‘Isn’t manhunt like adult hide and seek?’ I asked Maya, even though there was no way she’d
Alpha Asher Chapter 113
Just when I thought Asher would put me out of my misery, he stiffened above me. Even his breath halted, grazing just below my collar bone. He cocked his head to the side, his voice deadly calm.“Why is my brother’s scent on you?”I froze beneath him, my mind taking a few seconds to process his question. I sniffed the sweatshirt I wore, catching remnants of wet sand, fresh water, and sunblock. Asher’s scent had mixed with my own when we completed our bond, but hidden beneath it all, I could distinctly smell Brandon’s mint and cheap beer scent. I hadn’t even realized, and neither had he until now.“Don’t, Asher.” I warned him, sitting up when he leaned back on his knees. Shirtless and bathed in moonlight, he looked like a vengeful God, eyes swirling with flecks of gold. “He’s using me to get a reaction out of you. Believe me, I didn’t let him get away with it.”“Show me.&rdq