Alpha Asher by Jane

One week–one entire week of planning out escape routes, defensive strategies, and safe evacuations. Getting through the week, knowing Lola was in constant danger, was the hardest thing I had endured since becoming Alpha. Each minute I felt the absence of the mind-link between us, was another minute I became closer to losing my sh*t.

The day Lola turned herself over to her father, Zeke found me in my office. Most of the furniture was destroyed, scattered along the room with shreds of paperwork. None of it mattered. Not the paperwork detailing potential treaties and alliances, nor the computer–which held countless emails between other Alpha’s in need of assistance. Zeke was the only one I told, the only person other than my Beta and Lola, who had my full trust. Zeke and my Beta managed to gain my attention, setting me straight before I leveled the house. There was nothing I could do at this point, but prepare for the inevitable. Lola had her mission, and I had mine.

In between scouting safe places for the townspeople to evacuate to, I took the time to break the news to Lola’s family. Lola had asked that I told them the truth once she was far away, as she already knew how her Dad would react. Her Dad turned an interesting shade of red, undoubtedly feeling the same helpless anger I felt. Sean placed a hand on his Dad’s shoulder, keeping him sitting in the recliner.

“You let her turn herself in?” Lola’s Dad sputtered, the red in his face spread down to his neck. “What kind of f**king mate are you? Do you have any regard for my daughter’s life?”

“Calm down.” Lola’s Grandma snapped, silencing her son with a harsh look.

Lola’s Grandma reminded me of my Aunt Kira. Quick to step into an argument, but also quick to shut it down. I learned from Lola that her Grandma had an uncanny ability to sniff out bullsh*t and lies. She reminded me of someone I had once met, someone I had long forgotten. It was a brief encounter, but the woman looked eerily similar to Lola’s Grandma. There was no way I had met Lola’s Grandma before. Lola told me her Grandma lived in a small cottage in the forest, hundreds of miles away. The woman I had met was in my hometown, two days journey from where I stood. Regardless, I couldn’t help but briefly wonder if Lola’s Grandma had any relation to the stranger I met–the one who knew too much.

“You’re sticking up for him?” Lola’s Dad scoffed, “He let Lola go, Ma. Let her walk into the enemy’s hands. Do you have any idea what they could do to her–what he could do to her?”

“I know very well what could happen, not that I need to remind you.” Lola’s Grandma scolded her son. “Since when have we been able to stop Lola from doing anything? What makes you think her own mate could control her?”

That got Lola’s Dad to quiet down. Some of the redness faded from his face, and he let out an irritated grunt. Lola’s Grandma flashed me a smile, but I couldn’t miss the pride burning in her eyes. She knew what Lola had sacrificed. She knew why Lola had left, even though no one had told her. Seeing the pride and absolute trust in her Grandma’s eyes solidified my own strength. I trusted Lola, and there was no one else better equip to help us all–to help rule this pack at my side.

I spent my days neck deep in work, never once taking a break for myself. Any time I had for myself was spent thinking of Lola, searching down the length of our ironclad bond for any whisper of her voice. Each day without her, rattled my insides, making me realize how much I had come to depend on her. I promised myself, the day I got her home, I would name her Luna and complete the ceremony at her side. I wouldn’t stop until my people, and my mate, were safe.

Breyona and Giovanni made it back onto pack territory shortly after Lola’s surrender. I was surprised her Father had actually lived up to his word, as I had no expectations when it came to him. Giovanni and Breyona hid in her Aunt’s old house, giving me a call when they had made it safely. The pack was still unaware of Giovanni’s presence, a problem I would face when Lola was safe and by my side. Anger pulsed through me when Giovanni could give me no information on their whereabouts. The sooner I could get Lola out of there, the better. Giovanni insisted her Father had changed locations as soon as he heard of his betrayal. While he couldn’t give me Lola’s current location, he did give me the location of their previous base.

Hope blossomed in my chest when Lola flooded my mind one night. I couldn’t hear her voice, but I could feel her lingering in my mind. It was the first time I had felt Lola since she turned herself in to her Father. I sat upright in bed; my eyes wide as I scanned the dark. Absentmindedly, my hand wandered to her side of the bed, and I swore I could feel her right beside me.

My wolf snarled in outrage when I heard they had put silver cuffs around her wrists, though I expected nothing less. I cleared the overwhelming anger and worry from my mind and focused on what Lola was saying. Another act that was unbearably hard. All I wanted to do was soothe her pain, the anxiety I felt radiating down the bond. She was safe, for now–that was what mattered. The information she gave me would be the tipping point of this battle, it would change everything. I could only pray that her Father’s plans hadn’t changed.

Two days wasn’t much time to evacuate the town and surrounding land, but it was enough. I put out the mind-link immediately, telling every non-warrior family to begin leaving. I had all of the families in town pack their most important belongings days ago, hoping to speed up the process during evacuation. I hauled myself from bed and threw on a t-shirt and some jeans, knowing tonight I would go without sleep. Zeke and my Beta appeared in the kitchen a few minutes later, looking as ruffled and tired as I did. Zeke, Bran, and my Beta attended to many of the families leaving, and helped those who stayed behind wishing to fight. I found myself heading over to Lola’s Dad’s house, determined to get them far from the fight. Lola would never forgive me if I let her stubborn Dad stay in the pack. Unsurprisingly, her Grandma managed to convince her Dad to leave, while Sean stayed behind. After a stern conversation with Lola’s Dad, telling me to protect his son and daughter, they left the house.

The town was all but vacant when the sun began to rise. The only people left in town were warriors, dispersed between houses and hotels. I gathered everyone to the Northern side of town, leaving a small group behind to a****k from the back. The small group would remain hidden until the Vampire King’s troops arrived, and until the fight began. I found myself walking the nearly deserted streets, marveling at the dreadful silence that filled the town. Even without the many families that lived here, the entire town was holding its breath. The houses and stores, the offices and schools–it was all waiting, waiting to see the outcome. Would these buildings still be standing after this fight? Would the town and its rich history be preserved if we lost? What of the families who spent countless generations in this town? What would they come back to if we lost?

What ate at me the most, was knowing I would be the one to give the final call. All of those families would be waiting, waiting for the outcome of this battle. I would be the one to tell them if we won or lost. I could only hope, that if we lost, I could get the message out before I died.

Just as the sun settled in the sky, I called out to Sean and Mason, telling them to meet me at the pack house. I wanted nothing more than to leave this pack, to head to the location Lola gave me and storm the d**n warehouse. My muscles were tense, my body rigid, as I fought the urge to reclaim what was mine. As much as I hated it, Lola was right. The pack needed their Alpha fighting by their side. I wouldn’t make the same decision Tyler made. If my pack were to d*e, I would stand with them until the end, and I knew Lola would do the same. Heeding Lola’s words, I sent a group of my most talented warriors to her aid. I sent Sean and Mason as well, giving Lola familiar faces. I wasn’t sure what she had endured during her time with her Father, but I could only hope Sean and Mason would remind her of what awaited.

began to dip in the sky, most of the warriors headed to the Northern side of town. There was a small grassy area just outside of the forest line, and I hoped we could keep the brunt of the fight there. The least amount of damage to the town, the better. Apart from quiet murmurs, a thick sense of foreboding lingered in the air. It felt like the entire town was holding

after arriving at the battle site, Sean and

and I let out a long breath I didn’t know I had been holding. The tension from this week left my shoulders, making me feel lighter. The sensation was short lived as Mason chimed in,

making us take Tristan with her, and some

the Vampire’s name. Tristan had done nothing but attempt to weasel his way into Lola’s heart–and pants, all while working for her Father. I might not have deserved Lola, but Tristan was

chimed in. Usually, my wolf was quick to anger, but the trust he held in Lola was

the anger that pulsed through me. I had a million and one questions running through my mind, none of which I could have answered at the moment. If we lived, I’d get those answers. I had a sneaking suspicion Lola’s information came from Tristan, and wondered what side the Vampire had finally chosen. If the information he gave Lola was wrong, and this was all a

an Alpha command. I had never needed to use one before, and I wasn’t planning on it now. Taking away someone’s free

nothing on her end, I could detect even the faintest trace of Lola in

the bond to strengthen, willing her to heal from the silver that blocked

that made my muscles tense and my wolf snarl. The scouts I had sent into the forest had news. The Vampires were coming, heading

flooded my head, pushing

the move, pushing through town and heading North. What interested me the most, was that one of the warriors swore they saw the Vampire King in the midst of his

I don’t want any of you getting stuck behind

a few moments of silence. Her voice was quiet, like she was shouting down a long hallway, but it still managed to make my stomach clench and my

evacuated safely.’ I told her, ‘Wherever you got your information from, they were right. Your Father’s men came from the North. The rest are moving through town, trying to ambush

The second the Vampires cleared the forest line; all h**l broke loose. I had just a split second to watch the realization

filled the air as many of the warriors shifted into their wolf forms. Some decided to stay in human form until the last

a similar look of determination on his face. I called my wolf forward, and within seconds, was on four feet. Shifting had always come naturally for me, even during my first time. I locked eyes with Zeke’s wolf, and an unspoken understanding settled over us. We’d go where the fight was at its worst,

barreled through the crowd, dodging Werewolves and slashing at Vampires. Zeke let out a howl as his claws slashed through the chest and neck

filled my mind, bringing on a wave of strength that pushed me through a group of Vampires that had

inwardly, but I had expected as much. Some small part of me hoped Lola would have some sense and seek shelter with Breyona and Giovanni. Somehow, I knew she would come and fight. She wouldn’t leave my side, just as I wouldn’t leave hers.

the middle of it all, where else?’ I smirked, my heart

than most, but held a sort of grace that most lacked. She was an expert at evading an a****k, and missed the swipe of a silver blade from countless Vampires. A chuckle ran through me

eyes meeting my own. Lola rolled to the side, narrowly missing the swipe of a silver blade.

your Grandma.’ I replied, keeping my words short as two

her face. They were enjoying this, I found myself scoffing at them both. I lunged at the big one first, determined to knock him off his feet. Even with

a silver blade graze my ankle. The pain was brief, and my wound healed fairly quickly. Little did they know, it would take more than a thin slice to bring me pain. I let out a dry laugh as I charged at the two Vampire’s, feigning left and sinking my teeth into the female’s throat. I tossed her body aside and watched as the larger Vampire screamed in outrage. His b****y teeth gnashed together, while his dark eyes burned murderously. I couldn’t muster up a single ounce of guilt as I realized I had k****d the Vampire’s mate. The loss made the Vampire frantic, swiping wildly

sickly feeling of panic. My eyes found Lola on their own, as if they knew the feeling was coming from her. She was on the ground, writhing in the grass. Loud whines escaped

in time, that much I knew. The two Vampire’s I barreled into joined a third, and all three of them approached me. As I fought against the three Vampire’s, I noticed Mason protecting Lola, who