Alpha Asher by Jane

The moment her fist connected with my shoulder

; I knew Cassidy hadn’t been exaggerating . Emilia punched hard , like MMA level hard . Not only was she strong , but she was fast too . She came at me without warning , without shifting into a stance that let me know the battle had begun . She had hoped to catch me off guard , but Chris had skinned my hide too many times for me to make that mistake again . His method of keeping me on my toes came in the form of sneaking through my window in the dead of night .

If I weren’t o n my feet the second the window cracked open , I’d quickly find myself groaning on the floor with the taste of blood in my mouth . His methods weren’t humane by any means , but they worked . Boy , did they work . I used my small stature to weave in and out of her blows , a partner in a painful dance that would surely leave me black and blue . If I weren’t a Luna or a Vampire , I might’ve lost this fight . That being said , m y positions gave me power and speed , both of which I used in abundance just to remain on my feet .

” You see how she’s not letting me knock her off balance … ” Emilia shouted to the class who watched with overflowing interest despite the thick silence that enveloped the room . ” If you fall in battle , you have seconds – seconds to act before your mistake becomes fatal . ” To prove her point , Emilia let me knock her to the ground .

In a move that I would’ve done if the roles had been reversed , she kicked out with her long legs and managed to clip my ankle in the process . My legs buckled from the sharp pain that danced up my tendons and bone , but a quick roll to the side followed by a few sharp jabs kept me advancing forwards . What ended our match was a sharp whistle that exploded from the back of the room .

I barely noticed it . The shrill sound couldn’t reach me , not while this sea of adrenaline churned in my head , its frigid waters bursting with every technique , move , and tip I’d learned from Chris . When Emilia faltered mid punch and I managed to land a crushing kick to the side of her ribcage , I knew the whistle hadn’t been intended for me .

The warrior , whose prowess I actually found myself admiring fell to the ground . She recovered quickly , with speed I found impressive despite the fact that I was faster . Before she could make it to her feet , my foot was at her throat . I kept it there , hovering above her pulse point , feeling the faint thud hit the millimeter of air between us .

I could’ve used this moment to assert myself , to land a final blow that would prove to these wolves that I wasn’t one to be messed with , but it was Emilia’s eyes that halted the idea in its tracks . They at me with pride , but also just a stared up hint of fear . It was that fear that made me lower my foot and extend a hand .

here , he’s got it . ” Emilia said through heavy breaths , smiling as she wiped the sweat from her forehead The expression soured as she turned to glare daggers at the class . Even I had to repress the urge to finch at the ferocity in her voice . ” Who did that ? ” For far too long the class stood in silence , most of them cowering under her heavy stare .

I noticed quickly that Cassidy wasn’t one of them , and Emilia seemed to notice as well because her eyes darkened t o a muddy brown when they registered her face and tense posture . Cassidy took a step forward and Emilia’s mouth opened , but the high – pitched bleating of a cellphone rang out instead of her voice . ” Apologies , I’m afraid I have to take this . ” Emilia murmured to the glass , though her eyes remained on my tanned , narrow eyed friend She slipped from the room without another word , her shrill ringtone fading a s she walked down the hall.

as she toyed with the end of her ponytail . ” Goddess , what a cathartic experience . I’ve been waiting to see her get her ass kicked for years now . H ” You really don’t like her , huh ? ” I kept m y laugh light but couldn’t help the way my head tilted

Her thoughts had a sour undertone that alerted me to how much she disliked Emilia . With a quiet grunt she lowered herself to the floor and placed her back against the wall . ‘ She seems friendly and approachable … can’t help but wonder what she did to make you hate her so much . ” I said

beside her as we waited for Emilia to return . ‘ Look … if I show you this , you can’t tell anyone , got it ? I mean , obviously people already know , but they don’t speak about i t because they’re all weaklings who fear m e … and rightfully so . ‘ Cassidy huffed , gnawing on her lower lip until the pale pink

image began to form in my head , one that was pulled from the depths of someone else’s memory . ” Ugh , Cass wait up ! ” Brandon shouted , his voice a few octaves higher and his appearance almost ten years younger .

was one of playful joy and not the callous scowl I was used to seeing him wearing .

a symphony of delicate bells . I saw flashes o f golden curls through the tall grass feet away . It swayed in the breeze , jostled by the light rain that continued to fall . ” Only Asher can catch me ! He’s never it ! ” ” Asher’s in Alpha training , Cass . You know he doesn’t have time to play anymore . ” Brandon’s little frown and furrowed brows squeezed at my heart hard enough for me to memorize the forlorn look that lasted on

I’m not coming out until he catches me . He promised he would this time ! ” She shouted from deeper within the grass , her voice facing with each word tossed into the air . Brandon groaned loudly and threw his hands in the air , ” Fine ! I’ll get Asher , but you have to promise you won’t sneak out while I’m gone . That’s cheating , and cheating means you’re automatically it . ” H ” What ?! ” Cassidy squealed

away now , going to get Asher . ” Brandon shouted , cupping his hands around his lips as he backed away . When his small form vanished behind a hill , I saw a pale face with bright blue eyes pop out of the grass . The cheeky grin belonged to Cassidy , though it was laced with the fading innocence of a child hitting their teenage years . As she tip – toed out of the grass and

looked adorable when paired with the dainty charm bracelet around her wrist , was changing colors from the rain . Before long we stood in a small neighborhood , similar to the one Asher’s

, sticks of melting chalk clutched in the hands of kids too young to partake in many other activities . They were everywhere , laughing and playing like there tomorrow would never come . It breathed life into Cassidy’s cheerful

beginning stages of construction . Even as a child her champagne eyes were bright and her voice a high soprano that reminded me of a robin’s song . Those eyes of hers narrowed into little slits and her hands became fists that

what events formed the snowball that grew and grew until it was an avalanche cresting down the side of a great mountain , ready to crush them all . They were children , but the way they glared at one another reminded me of adults . Emilia stomped over to Cassidy and grabbed a handful of her

onto the sidewalk after Emilia . The other children looked at the fight happening just feet away on the sidewalk where so many of them played . Some pointed , others laughed and taunted Cassidy , who quickly found herself on the pavement . Emilia leaned down to whisper something in Cassidy’s ear when the memory came t o an end . Even though I was floating back to the present , I could still taste the rain on my tongue and could see the murder that mixed with the embarrassment on young Cassidy’s face . I blinked a few times , pawing at my eyes when they began to water from the artificial light

was exactly the same . Rage and embarrassment . ‘ Looks like Asher wasn’t kidding when he said she doesn’t handle embarrassment well . ‘ Maya murmured , flattening her ears against her skull . ‘ What is it she whispered in your ear ? ‘ I couldn’t help but ask ,

that same moment , Cassidy gave her a feverish glare and sent her answer rushing down the mind – link , so fast that the words rattled around in my head before rearranging

and disgusting I actually was . The way she said it struck me as odd . There was no emotion in her voice , no burst of rage turning her iris’s a deep shade of blue . It wasn’t the words Emilia said that stuck with her , that turned her anger into something more potent . It had been the embarrassment , the shame she felt when she was vulnerable and broken , teased by the cruel children who did nothing to help . We didn’t speak of the