Alpha Asher and Lola novel Chapter 196

Read Alpha Asher by Jane Doe Chapter 196

A few hours after the sun had set and the chill of night kicked in, the rest of our guests showed up.

Tristan and Holly stepped inside toting a cooler full of blood bags, which I eagerly took to the icebox in the garage. My reserved half-sister looked elegant as ever, wearing a midnight cocktail dress that somehow seemed to blend in perfectly. Her hair was identical to my own, falling down her back in long dark waves, only it was pinned back with a single crimson bow.

She smiled shyly at everyone, but was quickly swept away by Cassidy, who had no qualms striking up conversation with anyone. Kendrick followed her around like a lost puppy, but judging by the cheeky grin on his face, he was just happy to be here. Tristan remained by her side, a detail I quickly noticed, but he too could only stay quiet for so long with Cass launching question after question at him.

During their stay in Asher’s family home, Dad and grandma had become good friends with his parents and wandered into the living room to chat. Sean tagged along, followed by Zeke, the two of them shoving one another and cracking jokes like old friends.

Mason and Clara, who had been glued to one another’s hip since wandering into the house, ventured onto the back porch with Breyona and Giovanni. From the kitchen I could hear Breyona grilling Mason over his relationship with Clara, but it was the witch that provided most of the answers.

It was chaos in the best way possible, a sea of chatter and laughter that seemed to have no end. No matter what room you went into, you’d find the same thing.

As the grill was being prepped, everyone picked at the sweets grandma had brought. Not a single one of us was exempt from her k****r baking skills. Not that I’d say anything, but I swore I saw Kendrick wrap a few cookies in a napkin before slipping them in his pocket.

An hour or two passed and I found myself wandering onto the back porch, a chilled blood bag in my hand. Drinking the stuff was almost normal to me now, even when I left it in the bag rather than pouring it into a cup.

My dad and Killian were manning the grill, though dad had slipped inside for another beer. Breyona and Giovanni were perched on the outdoor sectional with Mason and Clara at their sides, each one sipping on a different drink, though by the smell I’m pretty sure Giovanni was drinking blood. After a short conversation with Killian, who was just as stoic and brooding as Asher, I was waved down by Breyona.

I plopped down in between Giovanni and Mason, inhaling the mouthwatering scent of grilled burgers and steaks that emanated from the smoke curling in the air.

“Alright, you lured me here. How exactly are you responsible for turning me into a shadow wolf?” Breyona asked, effectively silencing all other conversations going on. Even Mason and Clara turned to join in, both waiting curiously.

Asher’s voice popped into my mind, floating through the mind-link.

‘Want me to come out there?’ He asked, his gruff voice making my heart skip a beat.

‘It’s alright. I can explain things well enough. Besides, I don’t think Zeke’s commentary would help.’ I laughed, hearing his voice in the background.

There was a gentle, reassuring brush of warmth through the mate-bond before our mind-link ended and I was left to explain the situation.

“My magical type is called conjuration. I can basically conjure things into existence, whether it be physical, like opening a door, or something like turning a regular wolf into a shadow beast. I don’t know the actual limits on my power yet since the book we have is missing a bunch of pages, but I’m almost positive it’s why your wolf is different now.”

Breyona had been listening, giving me her undivided attention, when her face contorted in confusion.

“Did you want to make me into a shadow wolf? Don’t get me wrong, I’m not complaining, but was it intentional?” She asked.

I answered the best I could given I didn’t have all the answers and wasn’t sure I ever would. “So, I don’t think you were ever meant to get your wolf back. When it was taken from you, that should’ve been it, but something changed when you got hurt. I commanded them to save you, and instead of wanting to make a deal with me, they just listened. I think I used conjuration to make them obey me, and the solution was to give you your wolf back.”

“You think being in the shadows possession changed her wolf’s form.” Giovanni stated, speaking for the first time in what felt like an hour. His eyes were as dark as the night sky but were as piercing as the moon itself.

“That’s exactly what I think.” I agreed, taking a swig of blood. The minute it hit my tongue, my taste buds erupted, tingling from the sweetness and warmth. It filled my veins with the same feeling, sharpening the forest and back porch until everything seemed brighter in color. “It’s even more proof that I need to master this thing before it gets out of control. Its terrifying that any thought I have could become reality.”

Breyona squared her shoulders and straightened her spine. There was a look of determination on her face that only appeared when she was in training or about to battle.

“You gave me my wolf’s form back. It’s only right that I do my duty as your best-friend and help you. How are you supposed to master this? Where should we start?”

“Cordelia said to practice randomly, on things that aren’t life or d***h.” I shrugged, “Your guess is as good as mine.”

Breyona went silent for a few seconds, tapping her chin. I fell into a conversation with Mason and Clara, who both seemed to have something going on between them. Clara was curled up on the sectional, her body pivoted towards Mason’s. I couldn’t help but notice the way she’d smile, curling her plump lips at him as she batted her eyelashes. From what I could tell, it wasn’t one sided either. When a breeze stirred and Clara shivered, Mason was quick to slip his jacket off and drape it over her shoulders.

While talking to them, I’d been poking and prodding at the topic of their ‘friendship.’ By no means was I against the two of them talking. I had no negative feelings towards Clara and after all Mason had gone through, he deserved his happily ever after, even if it was one without his fated mate. I was close to getting an answer when Breyona piped up.

“What was your brother saying about being bald?” She asked, that look of contemplation still on her face.

I quirked an eyebrow at her, wondering where she was going with this.

“He was having a moment. He’s worried he’s prematurely balding.”

She snapped her fingers, a grin spreading wide across her face. With her slender jawline and high cheekbones, she looked like a mischievous pixie.

“Perfect! For your first practice session, fix your brother’s hair.”