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.

soaking this up, every fucking drop. It’s why she kept loosening her hold, allowing me the smallest bit of oxygen before

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

in more ways

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

cried

off of me.

began to take hold, spreading from my chest as

around my neck

second.

gift to me, the one she said would

I thought there was something wrong with me. Every time I used my magic to conjure something

clawing at my 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 my hand

voice cold and so very distant.

sharp tug, I ripped the amulet away from my chest, smiling as the

loud crack split the air. Perhaps it was from my teeth smashing together, or from my body hitting the

my hand out in Rowena’s

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

7243

it

noticed the hold that amulet had over my magic, how it sucked my energy and scattered

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

the ground, passing through the dome

for a drop of blood, their bodies black and shiny under the might of the full moon.

to remain calm and unfazed, but I was too fixated on every square inch of her face to miss even the slightest tells. Her upper lip twitched, and pupils

her to the forest floor. Like chains of festering darkness, they kept her rooted in place. A third snaked around her throat before attaching itself to the ground, forcing her to remain upright.

nervous now, but anger and betrayal were louder than any voice, stronger than any bond.

into our home, our pack. I alone made the decision,

for me, but

own guilt. No, this was for Carmen and Lars, for Cordelia and Breyona’s parents, for everyone

the weapon they used to kill not one,