Alpha Asher By Jane Doe
Chapter 54

Read Alpha Asher [by Jane Doe] Chapter 54 — Breyona's P.o.vAgainst my better judgement, I had given Giovanni the address to my Aunt's house. I knew what Ishould've done instead, beating myself down for being too weak.I should have rejected him on the spot. I should've grabbed Lola and Mason, leaving the club andmy mate behind. My Mom had spent my entire life telling me about the mate bond, and how itwould be the happiest day of my life. I wonder what she would think if she knew the truth. Thiswasn't the happiest day of my life; it was the worst. A mate I could never be with, one destined tofight against my kind.It was selfish to hope he would abandon his kind when I would never do the same. I couldn't leavemy pack and family behind, yet I couldnt say the three words that would sever our connection forgood.'I reject you.’Those words physically couldn't form on my lips.The night Lola was marked by Tristan, I took her and Mason home. I stayed around long enough tolearn the truth about Lola. She was half-vampire.As bad as it sounded, my heart soared at the news. That meant a werewolf and a vampire werecompatible in some form. If they could have children together, couldn't they somehow be mates?Maybe this wasn't such an anomaly.After taking Mason home, I hopped into my car. I knew I should've driven straight home, but myheart led me elsewhere.I was released from my thoughts as I pulled into the driveway of my Aunt's house. The lights wereoff as they had been since she died. My Aunt was much like Lola's Grandma. They were both erraticwith an incredible outlook on life.I turned my car off and stared up at the old farmhouse. There had been countless summers where Iand my older sister would visit to play. My Aunt had all kinds of animals back then. We would playwith the horses, running from the hyperactive dogs that would circle our feet.When my Aunt died, the animals were sold to various farms. The grass began to whither and d*e, nolonger being taken care of. My Mom could never bring herself to come back here. She had beenclose with her sister. Her d***h hit her harder than anything I had witnessed before. It was terrifyingto see my Mom down on her knees, tears streaming from her eyes as sobs of agony hit her.I opened the car door and stepped into the cool night. My body was on auto pilot. I felt as thoughsomeone were tugging the mate bond, pulling me closer to where Giovanni may beThings would have been so much simpler if I had just gone home.My hands were shaking as I unlocked the door, hearing it creak loudly as it swung open. The housesmelled of dust and my Aunt’s cinnamon apple air fresheners. They had long ago run out, but thesmell remained. It was faded by time but was a peaceful reminder of who had lived here.I didn't lock the door behind me, some small part of me hoping Giovanni would show. I flipped onthe lights, thankful my Mom continued paying the electric bill. I think some part of her enjoyedpretending my Aunt still lived here, that she was just a phone call away if anything happened. Thatmade two people who were ignoring the truth, like mother like daughter.I sent my Mom a quick text, letting her know I was sleeping over a friend's house. I made sure not toinclude any names, determined to keep Lola out of trouble if I could.I curled up in my Aunt's teal armchair. Mom had hated this piece of furniture for years, yet my Auntnever got rid of it. She claimed to love the wide seat, constantly stating how easy it was to curl upon with a book in hand. I think my Aunt only kept it around to see the grimace on Mom's face. MyAunt was funny that way. The armchair still smelled like her, light and floral.My eyes snapped open as the floorboards creaked warily. I had fallen asleep in my Aunts chair,lulled by the familiar scents of home.My heart nearly jumped from my chest, my eyes widening as I noticed Giovanni standing in theopen kitchen. He was leaning against the counter, his dark eyes on me.I wondered how long he had been standing there for, and if he had watched me sleep.“You came.” I choked out; my voice thick with sleep.I had to remind myself to stay on guard. Mate or not, Giovanni was the enemy. My wolf howledpitifully, pacing in my head. She had been trying to deny the thought, pretend this entire fightwasn't existing. It went against her nature to betray her pack, and yet it was also against her natureto reject her mate. We were both in a tight spot.My feet moved on their own, approaching Giovanni as he stood in the kitchen. His clothes hadchanged from what he was wearing at the club. He was dressed in a dark sweater, a thick leatherjacket enclosing his torso. His curly hair was messy, drops of rain clinging to each strand.“I'm not sure why I came here.” Giovanni murmured, his dark eyes were bright and wide as helooked down on me. “I felt as though you wanted me here.”My mouth ran dry at the sound of his voice. His rough voice, with just a hint of an Italian accent. Hisvoice sounded like honey, thick and sweet. It was something I could never tire of, and yet we couldnot be together.“It's the mate bond.” I murmured, running my tongue along my dry lips.I could only imagine how it felt for Giovanni. Vampire's weren't raised knowing about a future bondthey would experience.“Mate-bond.” Giovanni repeated, his dark eyes glued to my lips. He was hanging on my every word,just as I was hanging on his.The mate-bond cared not for species or wars. The mate-bond had one duty, to bring two peopletogether. It worked against Giovanni and I, turning our willpower to mush. The urge to step into hisarms was overwhelming, his scent swirling around me in suffocating waves.My own willpower was the first to snap. My fingers twitched, wanting to feel his skin beneath myown. His tanned skin looked soft, smooth and flawless. Without hesitation, my fingers glided overthe soft skin of his hand. Sparks danced along my fingertips, sending a wave of relaxation throughme.“This make’s me feel calm.” Giovanni murmured; his eyes locked on our hands. “Is that part of themate-bond?”“Yes.” I nodded, my eyes trailing over his face. The frustration on his face was gone as he watchedmy fingers trail over his skin."And the strange feeling running across my skin?” Giovanni's eyes snapped up to my own.“That's also the mate-bond.” I nodded, su*ked in by his intense gaze. “The feeling lets you knowyou've found them—your other half.”“How can a Vampire be your other half?” Giovanni grimaced, giving a quick shake of his head.“I don't know.” I answered honestly, already craving another touch.I continued running my fingers over his hand as he made no move to stop me. With each caress, myown restraint evaporated. My wolf was in awe, taken in by the man who claimed half our soul. Shewas determined to pretend. Pretend there was nothing else outside these walls. There was onlyGiovanni and I, only my mate and me.It was easy to get su*ked into her thoughts, wanting to believe the same.When Giovanni leaned into my touch, stepping closer to my body, my mind still hadn't begun toclear. I could feel the heat from his body, begging to meet my own. My fingers trailed up his clothedarms, grazing the skin of his neck.His dark eyes were blown wide, lingering on the sparks that caressed his skin. I su*ked in a sharpbreath as my fingers trailed up his neck, dancing along his curly hair.The moment I felt Giovanni's hands on my hips, I knew we were both lost.Giovanni leaned down, and I pressed myself against him as our lips clashed together. His lips werehot against my own, something I hadn't expected. My hands tangled in his curly hair, marveling athow soft it felt. While I was tall for a girl, I was small against his huge frame. His hands grasped myhips tightly, as though he were making sure I had been real.Our lips moved against each other's effortlessly, the emotions we suppressed guiding us. His touchsent a fire crawling across my skin, begging to be relieved.“This has been a mistake.” Giovanni grunted, tearing himself from me. I could see the toll it hadtaken on him. A sharp pang of pain radiated through out my chest."We're mates for a reason.” I was grasping at straws, pleading for some way to make this work.“There is no reason.” Giovanni's eyes hardened as he took a few steps away from me. “Neither of uswill ever change sides.”“We can still meet here.” The words left my lips before I could even process them."How, little she-wolf?" Giovanni hissed, his eyes darkening. “Would we ignore our own kind?Pretend there is not a war brewing?”It was stupid, so stupid. And yet I couldn't stop myself.“That's exactly what we do.” I clamped my lips together as the words came out. “I—We don’t haveto talk about what's going on when were here. It can be somewhere safe for the two of us.”“Until I'm able to sway your loyalty.’ The words I had almost spoke lingered in my head. I had nochoice, I had to sway his loyalty. The only other option was impossible to think of.Giovanni looked unconvinced.“The odds of this ending badly are high, little she-wolf.” Giovanni frowned, nearly making me wince.“I know.” I admitted, and yet I couldnt help but hope.

IpI had returned to the house a couple nights later, after Lola had been moved into the packhouse.I had spent days resisting the urge to drive off, running to my Aunt’s house in hopes Giovanniwould be there. Some nights I would lie awake, remembering the feel of his lips against my own.I couldn't bring myself to ask my Mom about Vampire mates. Her face would contort in confusionas she asked why I wanted the information. I already knew what she would say. She would claim wehad no more texts on Vampires.She had no idea I knew about her secret stash. Information so old she kept it under tight lock andkey. Only her and my Dad had the privilege of seeing this information.I wanted to sneak off and replace a way to access the information, but I couldn't. I wasn't sure I wantedto read what it said. Would it doom us? We were already doomed according to Giovanni. Could itsave us? I wasn't sure anything could.