Alpha Asher by Jane

Chapter 222

Tessa and Zeke ceased to exist as my vision tunneled, completely centered on Rowena’s prideful expression.

“You killed my brother.” I barely recognized my own voice.

The savageness in it was foreign to my ears, a quality I’d only ever seen Asher possess. I never thought I was capable of blind hatred, the kind that devours everything good about a person until all that’s left inside of them is blackness, but I’d been wrong.

I hated Rowena. I hated her with every fiber of my being, with every breath I took and with every beat that shuddered my broken heart.

The edge was so close that my skin began to tingle with the familiar sensation of falling, but I didn’t lose my balance until Rowena opened her mouth and spoke.

“Well, technically your mate did that, darling. We did need another sacrifice, after all.” She rolled her eyes, inspecting her nails, completely oblivious that these were the final moments of her pathetic life. “It’s rather inconvenient your grandmother survived, though. I’ve never failed to stop someone’s heart before. It seems the old broad had more strength than I gave her credit for.”

My body moved on its own, disconnected from my head as I lunged at Rowena.

Rowena glided backwards, my claws missing her face by inches. She waggled her finger at me, smiling coyly like I was a child throwing a tantrum.

“Ah, ah, ah. Can’t have you doing anything rash and ending the fun.” She giggled, emerald eyes dancing in the darkness. Besides, there’s so much to tell you now that you know the truth. I’m going to savor that look on your face. You know the one I’m talking about, don’t you? When you realize how royally you messed up, and that every problem you and your pack have faced has all led back to you.”

One second I’d been drowning in rage, and the next I was struggling to breathe. A phantom hand clamped down on my throat, squeezing every drop of air from my lungs. I couldn’t gasp-couldn’t make a sound as I clawed at the nothingness choking me out.

“Don’t even think about it.” Rowena hissed at Tessa and Zeke. “I’ll kill her right now if either of you take so much as a step. Don’t think for a second that the blood-witch can’t reanimate her corpse.”

I didn’t look at either of them, especially Zeke. I didn’t want to see my friend, an Alpha whose strength nearly matched Asher’s, mourning my death with his eyes.

The phantom grip on my throat loosened, but only barely. I gasped loudly, sucking in just a pinch of air before it clamped back down again.

“So, Lola. Do you remember that story I told you about my childhood? The one with the little witch next-door that taught me everything I knew?” Rowena hummed, not bothering to wait for my response since it wasn’t coming. “You see, I never mentioned why she left. I woke up one morning to find that her family had moved away. As it turns out, they were running from something, from an Alpha the mother murdered many years ago. That little girl I was friends with,

Freya was her name, not only was she his daughter, but she also grew up to be the most powerful blood-witch our kind has ever seen.”

Freya, half-sister to my dad’s mate, Flora.

brightened at the horror and fury on my face. She was soaking this up, every fucking drop. It’s why she kept loosening her hold,

taught me how to harness the darkest parts of my magic. You think any other Natural would dare stop someone’s heart? Bah, they all fear their power! I, on the other hand, I bask in it.” She exclaimed, her head tilted back, and eyes closed as she breathed in deeply. Her eyes met my own once more and in them I saw fragrant disappointment. “If only you had such vision, Lola. You could’ve stopped all of this before it ever

in more

to bruise. Panic flared to life when the first of many dark splotches filled my vision. My thoughts lost their sharp edge, dulling like the blade of a knife. In a last- ditch effort for control, I scrambled to grab hold of my magic, but it felt like I was caught in a spider’s web. Every

cried out with relief had I any air in

off

my air supply and squeezing the life from my body twitched. A numbing wave of exhaustion began to take hold, spreading from my

my neck

a second. The

the one she said would strengthen my power

this time, I thought there was something wrong with me. Every time I used my magic

throat, trying and failing to pry her magic off my windpipe, and instead grabbed the amulet where it rested along my sternum. The gold-framed ruby was hot to the touch, stinging the palm of

doing?” Rowena said, her voice cold and so very

amulet away from my chest, smiling

was from my teeth smashing together, or from my

threw my hand out in Rowena’s

lungs in a single great whoosh, sending the black spots scattering. The urge to cough and hack was

7243

held it

had over my magic, how it sucked

felt like power, sheer power that crackled at my nerve endings and begged- no, demanded,

ground, passing through the dome of magic with ease. They

their bodies black and shiny under the might of

remain calm and unfazed, but I was too fixated on every square inch of her face to

forest floor. Like chains of festering darkness, they kept her rooted in place.

betrayal were louder than any voice, stronger than any

made the decision, and I alone was to blame for every bit of damage she’d

for me, but I’d happily take

wasn’t to soothe my own guilt. No, this was for Carmen and Lars, for Cordelia and Breyona’s parents, for everyone hurt or killed at

was for Asher, the weapon they used to kill not one, but three