Read Alpha Asher by Jane Doe Chapter 193
It took Asher some convincing to leave the holding cell. The last thing he wanted to do was have another episode
and wind up hurting somebody. The two of us planned on speaking to Cordelia and Rowena together.
I’d bite the bullet and give Cordelia her spell book back, while also apologizing for stealing it, even if it had been
unintentionally, and Asher would have Rowena check him over a second time for any hint of magic or spell work.
We had a few hours to k**l considering Rowena was currently with Holly for their training session, which gave me
plenty of time to swing by the house to grab the spell book and to do something that returned just a shred of
normalcy to my life.
It had been days since I’d last stepped foot in a training class, and I was honestly beginning to miss sparring and
testing out my skills. There was a comfort with training one couldn’t get in the real world. I didn’t have to think
about losing my life on the mats, or whether or not my opponent was out to k**l me. Plus, it gave me the perfect
opportunity to check up on Cassidy, who had been blowing my phone up since Tristan and I slipped out of the pack’s
boundary lines.
Asher dropped me off at training and went to see his parents. They were freaking out, and rightfully so, over
everything that had happened to the two of us. It didn’t help that Brandon had been the one to tell them, and
undoubtedly added his own embellishments to the story, which was a mess Asher was eager to clear up.
When I plopped down beside Cassidy, I thought my eardrums might burst with how loudly she squealed.
“Lola! Thank the Goddess you’re alright.” She exclaimed, slapping a hand against her sports-bra covered chest. She
blinked rapidly, her baby blues bright with relief. Lowering her voice, even though all eyes and ears were turned our
way, she murmured quietly. “I was debating organizing a rescue team to go after you. Spearheaded by me, of
course.”
I laughed at her dramatics, already settling into the illusion of the routine I’d once had.
“It’s a good thing you didn’t. Things were chaotic and dangerous for awhile there, for Asher too, unfortunately.
We’re both safe and sound, though.”
Cassidy glanced around the room almost warily, skewering all of the eavesdroppers with a cold look that had them
turning back to their own conversations. She chewed on her lower lip, her nervousness bleeding through her every
move. I went to put my hair into a ponytail but found I didn’t have a hair tie. As many fights as I end up getting into,
you’d think I’d have one on me constantly.
“For now though, right? Everyone’s been talking about it…you know, Asher’s victory. Tensions are rising, and I’m not
talking about just inside the pack.” She whispered, “Bringing another pack into the fold, especially one that tried to
Follow on NovᴇlEnglish.nᴇtstand against us, might put us all in more danger.”
“Asher wouldn’t do anything to put the people here in harms way, but he’s also going to do his duty to Bran’s
former pack and take care of them, as well. Like the humans say, things get worse before they get better.” I sighed,
gratefully accepting the hair tie Cassidy offered. Once my hair was out of the way and no longer tumbling down my
back, I began stretching.
“Is there anything I can do to help?” Cassidy asked, mirroring my movements, and bending to the side to touch her
left foot.
We held the stretch for a few seconds before switching legs. I paused, thinking for a moment before responding.
“Right now all I want is a bit of normalcy. I know it’s silly, and things are far from okay, but I keep feeling like the
world is just tilting under my feet and I’m fighting to stay upright. I just need a small break, even if it’s just for a
couple hours.”
It was Cassidy’s turn to go quiet, and she stayed that way up until Emilia waltzed into the room. When the trainer
took her position at the front of the classroom, Cassidy chirped excitedly. “Oh, I have the best idea! We should do a
sleepover cookout!”
Emilia had us all split into groups and begin sparring, which meant Cassidy and l were paired together. We circled
one another, not yet throwing any jabs even though some of the other groups had viciously launched into their own
attacks.
I lifted an eyebrow at her, taken off guard. “You think so?”
She scoffed at me, swatting my shoulder playfully. Her golden ponytail swayed as she danced on the b***s of her
feet. “You’ve never been to an event hosted by yours truly, have some faith! Are you free tonight, by chance?”
Shrugging, I said. “Unless something else horrible happens, which I’m praying it doesn’t, I’m free.”
“Awesome!” She beamed, punching the air. “You invite whoever’s coming and I’ll handle everything else. Oh, and
the sleepover portion is no guys allowed, so relay the information to your mate.” She snickered, then shifted into a
fighting stance.
“Alright, a sleepover cook out it is.” I nodded, a smile of my own forming as I mirrored her stance and plotted my
first line of attack.
After training had finished and every ounce of anxiety had been beaten and forced from my body, I was pulled
aside by Emilia. Cassidy waved goodbye and shouted a reminder that I needed to invite everyone for the cookout
tonight, along with a heads up that she was going to drop by my place to set things up in just a couple hours. I
didn’t miss the lingering glance she tossed Emilia’s way or how the fearless trainer returned it without flinching.
“Hey, I just wanted to thank you for contacting that trainer of yours. He accepted the job here and caught the first
flight available.” She said warmly, her eyes the same bright shade of umber as her curly hair. Noticing my surprised
expression, some of her joy waned and she asked, “You did talk to him, right? Please tell me l didn’t just invite some
random here.”
I giggled at the note of panic in her voice and shook my head. “No, don’t worry. I’m sorry, I’ve just had so much
going on that I forgot I’d asked my grandma to call him. I’m honestly surprised he accepted, he’s kind of
antisocial…and a grump, but he is an amazing trainer.”
Emilia’s smile returned tenfold, pairing with her muscular physique perfectly. She was often intimidating, but once
her scowl melted away, she came off as friendly and approachable. “That’s a relief. Your grandma must’ve gotten
through to him somehow. All I know is we can use the new edition. Maybe I’ll even get a day off myself.”
“If anything grandma probably promised a lifetime supply of her baking.” I chuckled, “Once he starts, you should
definitely take some time off. With what’s going on in the world, we should spend all the time we can with family
and friends.”
“Make sure you do the same, Luna.” Emilia said, her expression softening.
I told Asher about Cassidy’s idea in the car. He had picked me up from the training center and seemed considerably
less stressed since talking to his parents. Apparently, it had all gone well. His parents were looped in on what was
going on and were planning on calling his aunt to relay the news. Surprisingly, Brandon didn’t embellish the story all
that much and managed to stick to the truth.
Asher was more than on board with Cassidy’s plan, even if it meant we didn’t get the night alone together. As much
as I longed for some one-on-one time with Asher, I wanted to invite Breyona and get her out of the house. Giovanni
had called not too long ago to check up on me, curious about how I had removed Tristan’s mark. He let me know
that Breyona had holed herself up in the bedroom and refused to see anyone or eat anything. I understood her
grief and wouldn’t try to force her out of it, but I wanted her to know that she had people here for her, people who
cared and wanted to help however they could.
“I might invite my parents. What do you think?” Asher asked, squeezing my t***h with his meaty hand, drawing my
attention back to the present.
I nodded absentmindedly, “I think that would be nice. Invite dad and grandma while you’re at it, Sean, and Mason
too. I think we could all use a night off.
“I’ll take care of it. Just so you know, if I invite Mason, Clara’s going to come as well. I also assume you’re going to
invite Breyona as well?” He commented, to which I nodded a second time. I’d have to ask him about the Mason and
Follow on Novᴇl-Onlinᴇ.cᴏmClara development later. “Any ideas on how you’ll get her to show?”
I didn’t need to stop and think about my response. I’d already formulated a plan in my head.
“Good, old-fashioned bribery.” I replied, a sheepish grin forming on my face.
When we pulled into the gravel driveway of the house the witches were staying at, I took my chance to mind-link
Breyona. Asher stayed in the car, giving me the illusion of privacy as I walked towards the end of the drive and
lingered by an old weeping willow.
‘Breyona?’ I called out to her, softening my voice before sending it over the mind-link.
There was a tug in my chest, one so very different from the mate-bond that it made me pause. It was the newly
forged connection between Breyona and I, one of pure magic and shadow. I could feel her presence like it were
right next to me, like she had just walked down the street and appeared in the driveway herself.
‘Hey, Lola.’ Her voice was quiet, hoarse from the crying I somehow knew had lasted all night and day.
I chewed on my lower lip, battling the guilt and frustration that swirled in my stomach, fighting off the hopelessness
it spawned.
‘Cassidy had this idea for a sleepover cook out thing at my place and I’d really like it if you would come. If you
wanted to, I mean. I know you’re going through a lot and wanted space, but we’d all love to see you. Everyone’s
going to be there, even Clara and Mason, who clearly have something going on. They’ve been glued to each other’s
sides since they got back even though Asher trusts her now and told Mason he didn’t have to babysit her anymore.’
I added, knowing she’d love a juicy tidbit of gossip, even if she was deep in mourning.
‘It sounds fun and all, but I just don’t think-wait, you said there’s something going on with Clara and Mason? Clara,
the witch?’ She still sounded devastated, but her voice held a hint of curiosity I couldn’t help but notice. ‘When did
this development happen and why weren’t we the first people he’s told?’
There’s my best-friend, I smiled to myself.
‘Seriously, I thought the same thing. It’s like he doesn’t appreciate our friendship. I was hoping you’d torment him
with me at the cookout, but I suppose I can pick up the slack myself.’ I sighed dramatically, feeling my heart skip a
beat when her muffled giggle traveled through the mind-link. ‘Anyway, there’s more that’s happened, and I really
need someone to talk about it-someone I trust. I’ll explain how the next time I see you in person, but I kind of
discovered my magic and used it to get Tristan’s mark off my neck. Insane, right?’
‘Oh, it explains the shadow beast part. It explains a lot of things, actually.’ I grunted.
Breyona went silent for a few seconds, and through the link I could practically feel the gears in her head turning.
She let out a soft sigh, sniffled, then blew her nose.
‘Alright, I’ll be there.’ She said, and I knew then that the grin that spread across my face would leave my muscles
aching all day long.