[Leah’s POV]I stumbled into the house, trying to remain quiet. Behind me, Ian kept urging me to be careful, but I wasn’t bothering to listen. I shouldn’t have drank so much, like really shouldn’t have. My head was spinning and my stomach was churning."Thia’s going to kill us." Ian sighed as I stumbled into the living room doorway. "Why did you get so drunk?"Why? That was a ridiculous question. He witnessed Asher’s indifference for himself. Wasn’t it obvious I was trying to numb the pain that I was feeling?"Have your heart broken and then ask me that." I grumbled, trying to straighten up. "Who says I haven’t?" Ian countered. "Now, let's get you upstairs before...""Too late!" Thia called from the living room. "Get in here, NOW!""Shit," Ian hissed. "Busted.""So what?" I huffed. "She isn’t my mother, and I’m an adult."Shaking Ian’s supportive arm from my waist, I squared my shoulders and stomped into the living room to find Thia sitting on the couch waiting."Where have you been?
[Leah’s POV]I move quickly through the dark streets of town with Ian following closely behind me. Though I had insisted that he didn’t need to come along, he refused to leave my side, nsisting that I still wasn’t sober enough to take on such a task. And even though I wanted to argue with his reasoning, I couldn’t since the world around me was still spinning ever so slightly.When we finally arrived at our destination, we found that the pack grounds were alive with action, and Ashton was the center of it."Uh oh," Ian murmured beside me. "Looks like he’s ready to kill someone.""You don’t say." I hissed. "What in the world is going on here?"Surging forward, I make a beeline for where my brother-in-law is standing and begin to shove my way through the sea of bodies surrounding him. Curses and growls escape those that I manage to move, while elbows and hands hit me by those who won’t. However, I continue to make my way through until I finally reach Ashton."Ashton!" I hissed, reaching
[Asher's POV]"Let me go!" I growled, grabbing Ashton's hand. "Leah is still in there!"As I fought, I could feel a primal, animalistic need growing within me. It was dark, and I knew if I gave in, I would be taking another step towards the path I was trying so desperately to avoid. However, my mate was in danger, and there was no fucking way I was going to just give up that easily."LET GO!"A wall of light exploded from me as the words left my lips, sending Ashton stumbling backwards with a look of shock in his eyes."What the hell?" He growled, but I was already turning my attention to the rubble in front of me that used to be a home."Stay back." I hissed, hoping that Ashton wouldn’t question me. "Don’t come any fucking closer."Focusing on my newfound energy, I braced myself as I lifted my hands and sent a blast of air crashing towards the debris. In an instant, the broken planks and insulation lifted into the air, leaving the area they once laid completely bare. And sitting in t
[Asher's POV]I moved quickly through the night as the darkness clawed at me. I shouldn't have tapped into those powers, but Leah was in danger and I didn't hesitate to use them."Ugh!" Leaning against the trunk of a tree, I clutched at my arm and looked down. The rawness had spread up to my elbow."Dammit." I growled, through rapid breaths."Asher, Asher." Aldina's tinkling voice giggled as she came into sight. "Have you not learned yet?""Can it.""Shall I make the pain go away for you?" She asked sweetly. "All you have to do is ask.""No." I hissed, squeezing my eyes shut as another wave of excruciating pain rushed through me. "I don't need your help.""Don't be so sure."I could feel her heat as she knelt in front of me and placed a hand on my cheek. Her cold breath brushed against my clammy skin as my eyes shot open."If you just gave in, you wouldn't have to suffer anymore." She purred, staring deep into my eyes. "You know this."I bit back the laugh that wanted to escape me. O
[Leah's POV]"You stay here!" Thia warned before jumping out of the car. "Send Theo a message about watching Arabia." "But I can fight!" I argued, feeling anger roll through me. "I'm not helpless!""Best to listen, Leah." Ian murmured.I opened my mouth to argue but stopped as the screech of metal being twisted filled the car. Within seconds, the roof of the car was pulled off and the beast that attacked us was reaching towards me."Don't you fucking touch her!" Thia snarled, shifting into her lycan form."Run!" Ian ordered, joining Thia in the fight. "Send that message and wait for us to kill this beast."The urge to argue rushed through me, but I simply nodded. I would listen to this once. We didn't have time to spend on this creature. Chloe needed us.I quickly scrambled out of the car and rolled onto the road beyond as Thia and Ian attacked. 'Theo!' I called, reaching out to him. 'Theo!''Leah?' Theo's anxious voice responded.I could easily feel a wave of relief through our lin
[Asher's POV]I moved forward, being careful not to startle Leah out of fear of getting burnt. I had already ruined half my body by playing the hero, and I didn't want to repeat the same thing again.'Leah,' I tried through mindlink, hoping she wouldn't shut me out. 'You've already killed him.'"Killed?" She repeated as if it was the most foreign concept to her. Letting out a breath, she dropped her hand, instantly stopping the cage of fire that had disintegrated my target. She seemed to realize what she had done when she lifted a hand to her mouth before doubling over and vomiting.'Hey!' I gasped, immediately shifting back to my human form. "What’s wrong?""I’m fine." Leah gasped, collapsing on the ground. "Just leave me alone, alright?"Leave her alone? Was she insane? She just burnt a beast and a human alive. How in the hell could I leave her alone? Especially when I didn’t know how she even did it. Wasn’t she simply just a lycan?"Anyway, why are you here?" She continued, drawin
[Chloe's POV]I didn't speak as Leah led me down the dark street towards where she insisted Thia and Ian waited. Though the place where her fingers squeezed hurt, I didn't say a word. The inner turmoil she was facing radiated from her and flowed into me."Leah," I tried after a couple more minutes. "Can I ask you something?""Depends." Leah responded."On?""If it has to do with Asher."Busted…My question did have to do with Asher. "Why haven't you told him about Arabia?" I asked, unable to stop my words. "He is just as much her parent as you are."Arabia came as a shock to everyone. Especially when Leah revealed that Asher was her mate and Arabia's father. None of us saw that coming, but here we were. However, since that day, she never once mentioned Asher or why he wasn't around.But now, he was back, and Leah was refusing to even tell him about Arabia. Something was definitely off."This isn't anything a thirteen-year old should be concerned with." Leah sighed. "Just worry about y
[Leah’s POV] I woke the next day to the sound of Thia and Ashton already moving around downstairs. Letting out a sigh, I sat up and looked over to where Arabia was still sleeping peacefully in her basinet. How I wished that she forever remained that peaceful and oblivious to the darkness that was currently surrounding us. Almost as if Arabia noticed me watching her, she began to wake up and become restless. "Mommy’s coming, sweet girl." I smiled, getting out of bed. "I’m sure you’re starving." Reaching out, I scooped Arabia into my arms and plopped back on my bed. Since she was still so young, I was continuing to breastfeed, so I at least didn’t have to go downstairs to make a bottle and face Ashton or Thia just yet. After quickly changing her diaper, I lifted my shirt and waited for a latch. Only after I was sure Arabia was nursing did I close my eyes and begin to drift. Images of Asher and that woman flashed across my eyes, causing pain to radiate through me. Who was she and wh