Alpha Asher By Jane Doe
Chapter 139

Chapter 139 — “Spirits from the other side...

..hear my words, hear my cry...

Only one of you we do seek...

..a mother of two, whose secrets still sleep...

We ask you to cross the great divide...

..to share the truth you chose to hide.”

I hadn't realized I was holding my breath until I felt Asher's eyes on my face. Still, I couldn't exhale.There was this part of me that was terrified I'd be disappointed, that the worst would happen, andshe wouldn't come.

Through all the fights I loved the mother I knew, but I wished she were here to tell me this herself.Cordelia repeated her chant a second time, and then a third. The air around us was thick and heavy,like a tangible substance that weighed us down. I watched as Breyona wiped the sweat from herforehead with the sleeve of her hoodie. She pointed at it and grimaced, regret in her eyes. Asherwas stoic, his face a mask that revealed nothing. Even Rowena looked a bit flustered and was usingher hand to fan her face.

Just when I thought she'd say it a fourth time and s**k the rest of the oxygen from the room,something happened.

They were too light to be shadows. More like whisps of smoke that rolled across the floor, gatheringwithin the ring of candles at the center of our circle. They coalesced, swirling like smoke under glass.First, the figure of a woman formed.

As the smoke faded, absorbed into the corporeal being standing feet in front of us, I found myselflooking into the eyes of my mother.

She looked different than what I remembered, but it had been an entire year since I last saw her. Wehad fought tirelessly over Tyler, but she hadn't argued with me when I told her I wanted to live withgrandma-she hadnt said much of anything.

Her hair was longer than I remembered it and curled softly at the ends. Sean had told me what shelooked like when he went to identify the body, the wounds that she had. The button -down shirt shewore was spotless and held no evidence of the way she'd been k****d.

The longer I stared at her, the more I could've convinced myself that she was actually here-alive andsafe. It was the translucence to her body that sent me hurtling through space, crashing towardsearth as I remembered she wasn't here, she wasn't coming back. I would never get the closure Iwanted, the answers to my thousands of questions but maybe I'd get this one chance at a goodbye.I promised myself I'd stay strong, that my mask would be as indestructible as Asher's, butsomething inside of me broke when my mom got down on her knees and said, “...you make such abeautiful Luna.”

She smiled at me, one of her genuine smiles I seemed to witness less and less as I aged. There wasno anger in her eyes, no guilt or disappointment. They shimmered with happiness, filling with tearsthat refused to fall

“Hi, mom.” I croaked, barely able to get the words out. The knot in my throat grew, aching everytime I held back a sob.

Cordelia's face was serene, but the intensity of her eyes and the sheen of sweat on her face servedas a reminder that we were on borrowed time. I had to pull myself together long enough to ask theimportant questions, then I could break down.

"We called you here to ask you some questions ..." I took a few seconds to replace my voice, obliviousto the tears that trailed down my cheeks. Mom's lips fell and she reached for me, stopping at thebarrier of candles that separated us. “...there isn't much time, but we need your help.”

“I'll help how I can, I promise. I was supposed to tell you these things myself, Lola...” Her eyes heldeverything we had missed together. The conversations and secrets, even the arguments and sillyway's we would make up. “...you weren't supposed to go through this alone.”

"She's not alone, she never was.” Even though I had promised myself I wouldn't take my eyes offher, that I'd memorize every detail of what she looked like, I couldn't help it when my head turnedtowards the sound of Asher’s voice. “Me, Breyona, Mason, Sean, her dad and grandmother, we've allbeen with her every step of the way.”

He looked up at my mom with the confidence of an Alpha, but there was a softness in his eyes thatrivaled his fierce protectiveness, one that showed exactly what he felt for me. She could see it; Iknow she could. It was one of the reason’s she had hated Tyler, because no matter how many cockysmiles he flashed, he never looked at me the way Asher did.

“It's a pleasure to meet you in person, Alpha Asher.” Mom's smile was knowing and gave me a look Ihad never seen before-one that said, “l approve’.

“Likewise.” He nodded stiffly.

“Mom...we need to know how to remove this binding spell you had put on me.” I wiped away thetears that fell, blinking past them until I could see clearly again. “...I need to know why you did it.Was it because you couldn't tell Dad about me?”

“No, baby...It wasn't about that. The more people I told, the more dangerous it was for you. Yourmagic had to be bound... tried every other option, but I had no choice.” Her voice broke at the end,and that one crack in the armor of the strongest woman I knew released all the anger I'd beenholding inside me. “You were showing signs of magic when you started walking...all you wanted todo was explore, but soon things started happening. Car keys would disappear, and eventually sowould your toys. They'd always turn up in the strangest of places. On the roof, in the neighborswashing machine, even in the lobby of the police station around the corner. For awhile I could lieand shrug it off, but as you grew so did your power. They would've noticed you, Lola. He would'venoticed you.”

“You did it to keep me safe, but now it's putting me in danger. I need to be able to defend myself,because even though my father's d**d there are still threats out there.”

“She told me you would need this list someday if you ever wanted the bind removed. It'singredients for a spell, and the last one is the blood of the witch who bound your magic. The witchis with me on the other side...” My heart dropped, then soared fast enough to leave me lightheadedand fumbling over her words. “...but her sister is still alive. Her blood can undo the spell too.”

“She's alive.” I exhaled; the rush of relief was so strong I had nearly mistaken it for adrenaline.“Where can we replace her?”

"She's close by...” Mom's eyes twinkled mischievously, “...she has a son and two grandchildren tolook after.”

“No, that's not possible.” I started to shake my head but paused.

Grandma's always been too smart for her own good, following those instincts of hers that neveronce led her astray. I lost track of the number of birthdays and Christmases she ruined by guessingher gift before we had the chance to pick it up from the store.

Plants quite literally flourished under her touch. I had watched the woman revive countless rosebushes and saplings that were far beyond repair, only to grow them into vibrant showpieces.“You're telling me Grandma has a sister and that sister is a witch...” I trailed off, “...which meansGrandma is a witch.”

“Why do you think I never liked the woman? No one’s baking is that good. No one.” Mom chuckled,and I memorized the outline of her smile before it fell into something softer. “I needed to keep youaway from magic, Lola... which also meant keeping you away from her. There's not enough time inthe world to ask for your forgiveness, but I don't want you to walk through life holding onto anger.It's not worth it-I'm not worth it.”

“I don't think I can be angry at you anymore.” Even though my throat tightened, my voice came outstrong and confident. Perhaps it was because I believed what I was saying, or because I wanted mymom to know that she didn't have to ask for forgiveness.

It was there for her to take and had been all this time.

“You aren't the only one asking for forgiveness...” To anyone else Asher probably looked like anemotionless a*****e, but through the bond I knew exactly what he was feeling. He felt the samething I did whenever I looked at Mason or Breyona—a soul-crushing sense of guilt. Just this once,Asher dropped the indifference in his eyes and let every ounce of emotion shine through. “I want toformally apologize for my hand in your d***h. It was my decision to punish Tyler's disrespect byattacking his pack. I wasn't thinking of the d***h I would cause-of the lives I would ruin, but I shouldhave. Yours is one I'll carry with me for the rest of my life.”

“Since you're my son-in-law and I'm d**d, I think I'm going to risk calling you Asher.” A mix betweena laugh and a sob escaped my lips because I hadn't realized how much I missed my mom's attitude.What was even worse, it took me all this time to realize how identical we sounded. “You have onechance to make this up to me, Asher. Protect my daughter at all costs, and make sure there's nevera moment where she doesn't knowhow special she is, and how much she’s loved.”

“I won't fail you, or your daughter.” His promise brought a smile to her face.

Mom rattled off the ingredients for the spell that would unbind my magic, and with each one I feltlike we were one step closer. I knew what some were like bay leaf and anise, but others like blackthistle left me drawing blanks.

“I'm afraid we're out of time, folks. Say your goodbyes so I can release her to the other side.”Cordelia's voice was strained, but her spine was rigid and her eyes still burning with determination."How am I supposed to say goodbye to you?” I sobbed, a hand against my mouth as though thatwould hold back every ounce of grief I'd been shoving down for the past year. “I'll make you proud,Mom. I promise, I will.”

“My strong, fearless daughter...I've always been proud of you. It's never goodbye, Lola...” Mom'svoice trembled, and a watery smile formed on her face. Bits of her translucent form began to fade,curling back into the smoke that had once filled the room. First it was the curly ends of her hair,then her slender hands and arms. “We'll see each other again, but only after I've watched you growinto the Luna and Queen you're destined to become.”

That crack I felt in my chest, it had been the dam that held everything back-every beautiful, painfulmoment that I missed desperately. One last fight, one last chance to see her eyes light up in anger,to smell the gardenia and pear perfume she'd wear every single day. I'd never get those momentsback, I'd never get another chance to live through them, to appreciate them the way I should have.As I watched the spirit of my mom vanish in mist and smoke, carried from the room by a gust ofwind that seemed to emerge from nowhere and everywhere all at once, my heart and head felt amillion times lighter.

Cordelia closed her eyes and whispered, “I release you to the other side...may you replace happinessand peace until the ones you love are called home.” And one by one the candles went out.

One last breeze carried the echo of her voice, an echo no one else seemed to hear.

“Lola, be warned...the kind of magic you have, it hasn't been seen for a long time. They will want it..."Seconds passed in utter silence. I barely noticed when Rowena stood and glided towards thec******s, tugging them open enough to let a few rays of sunlight creep inside.

Both Cordelia and I jumped, visibly startled when Breyona’s ragged sob filled the air. It was followedby a wet sniffle and a few hiccups.

Cordelia handed her a powder-blue hanker chief, which Breyona took and loudly blew her nose in.Her eyes were bloodshot and swollen from crying, and her make-up she had spent half an hourapplying was smeared halfway down her face.

She looked at Asher and I with a trembling lip and sniffled, “that was beautiful, you guys.”