Alpha Asher by Jane

Alpha Asher by Jane Doe Chapter 248

Ember & Brandon

Seven Years Later – Ember’s P.O.V.

“Darcy Mathews, if I see so much as a single snowflake in the bathroom’s you’ll find yourself in detention for a week.”

This was the fourth time this month that the pipes had nearly burst from being frozen solid. Damn water elementals.

The squirrely brunette with her spattering of cinnamon freckles jumped a foot off the ground at the sound of my voice, unwittingly letting out a pulse of elemental magic that spiraled down the corridor in a gust of chilly wind. It slammed several lockers shut, startling a handful of students.

“Sorry Headmistress.” She hung her head sheepishly.

There was once a time where Tessa and I couldn’t control our magic. It was easier for my twin. No one looked twice when you sprouted flowers in your wake or animated the topiary bushes. trimmed into animals. Starting fires, however, that drew attention.

“It’s alright…” I sighed, taking it easy just this once. I already had a reputation of being a hard ass, but one more incident and I’d have the Witches council up my ass for the rest of the school year.

The shrill tone of this morning’s bell sounded, chiming through the corridors of the Magisterium. Young witches flitted about, snatching books out of lockers, and ending conversations in a hurry to race to their classes.

“Everyone make their way to their homeroom, and remember ‘it is not the magic that makes the witch, but the quality of her character’.” I bellowed, reciting our Academy’s motto as I made a beeline for my private office.

The moment my hand touched the handle and I pushed it open, I was grabbed and yanked inside. A jolt of surprise knocked me upside the head, even though I knew whose hands pawed at my hips and waist.

Magic crackled from my skin in a sharp burst, tainting the air with the scent of burnt fabric. There was a flash of crimson followed by a masculine grunt that made my lady parts clench. Brandon stared at me with wild eyes, his shirt singed straight down the middle. It cascaded down the hard lines of his chest in pathetic scraps.

“What the fuck, Ember?” He closed in on me a second time, forcing me against my office door which clicked as our combined weight forced it shut.

His breath hit my face in hot waves, the scent made stronger by his anger. This mate thing never failed to amaze me, even after all this time. The thought of breathing in someone’s stale breath was revolting, but not when it came to Brandon.

Nothing he did managed to disgust me. The man knew how to work my nerves and stoke my anger, but nothing-not the vulgar words he spoke or his annoyingly pushy demeanor- erased the need for him that was coded in my very DNA.

I stared up into his eyes, tracing the singular line of his blown out pupil with a defiant tilt to

my chin. This battle between us had been ongoing for the past seven years, and both of us were still holding strong.

“What do you expect, Brandon?” I let his name roll off my tongue like a praise and a curse, each syllable sinful in its own right. “You can’t corner a Witch with dominion over fire and not expect to get burned.”

To emphasize my point, I placed my bare hands against his chest, through the scraps of his t- shirt. Magic warmed my insides, flowing down my arms to where my palms rested against the hard grooves of his muscle. I didn’t exert much energy, not nearly enough to leave an actual burn, but enough to sting his skin with the thrill of heat.

“Give me one fucking reason why I shouldn’t mark you right here, right now.” He hissed, forcing each word through clenched teeth.

Purring like a fucking cat, I ran my lips along his jaw. Pretending to mull over the answer, I hummed against his skin. His nails scraped along the door, along my waist which he gripped hard-so hard that I wondered if he thought he’d float away if he let go.

A growl built in his chest, warning me I was running on borrowed time. This game between us would come to an end, and with how long it had been going on, there would be nothing silent or peaceful about this crescendo.

you caught me, I’d let you put your wolfy mark

one full of so much longing and pain that I nearly

I whispered the words along his skin, tasting the thin sheen of his sweat on my lips. “You and me, the forest by our house. Midnight. If you catch me, I’ll let you mark me, but only after you tear off

with somebody, no matter how intense and consuming the connection, than opening your heart to them. Hell, I married the man without blinking twice. Yet the thought of his mark on my

the bond that snapped and sizzled between us anytime we were near, was the same as opening my heart and soul to him. I hadn’t been ready-hadn’t been sure. He had ample opportunity to leave. To grow tired or bored. To chase

Brandon had stayed.

around my legs, tickling my skin as it slithered up my blouse and into the folds of my bra. My nipples grew hard, grating against the rough fabric to

there would be no tonight. I’d burn the rest of his clothes off

sound was low and throaty. “Fine but wear that cute

to pant. “Now get

lopsided and horrendously charming smile befalling his face. “Yes,

be working.” I huffed, straightening out my blouse

door when he shouted behind him.

of flame after him. His painful whoop echoed all the way down to my office, leaving a grin

plan out several events for the year before an inevitable

the end of the Harvest Season, which paved the way into our yearly Festival of the Witches, a

open the door and glared at the interruption that dared pull me away

there a reason you’re bothering me during school hours,

launched halfway up her forehead. She let out a startled laugh and held. her hands up in surrender, a feat that was no doubt difficult with the baby

Her face broke out into a grin. It was so damned cheery that I

through the doorway and into my arms. Pulling out of the

the room. “Oh, you know. Here

can

realized we were missing a head. Breyona and Giovanni were both here, but

curiously. It had been too long since I’d last seen the

referring to the service we offered all our staff here. There were a few single parents

grunted, which seemed to be his main form of communication.

enthusiasm evoking a wave of pride that swelled in my chest. “Holly’s been thinking about opening

confidently say it’s changed the way the professors and staff work around here. They don’t have to worry about where their children are or who are watching them. Tell her to give me a

sure she gets the message.”

The face of my assistant, a young witch named Mariam, poked her head through the

boy that was just dropped off that’s…well, he stole a child’s toy and made

curse slid past Breyona’s lips. “Was the toy

chin bouncing hurriedly. “Yes.

her fingers along her mate’s shoulder before

that was all teeth. “I see Lola isn’t the only troublemaker. My only question is did Vince inherit

his eyes twinkled and the corner of his lips. quirked up. The man was the Vampire equivalent to an unbreakable safe. Coaxing more than a handful

He asked in

down, starting with his mess of curly hair. He’d thank his Italian ancestry one day when he was ninety years old and still had a head of

I’m still willing to bet there’s a troublemaker just below the surface.” I said teasingly. “Vince

thing is putting it lightly. He’s obsessed with them. Breyona believes it’s a sign he’ll shift later in life. There’s no telling which side he’ll lean more