Chapter 91


    Read Alpha Asher [by Jane Doe] Chapter 91 – Three days, or possibly four–I wasn’t entirely sure, but


    the monotony of being locked in this room was slowly eating away at me. The silver cuff on my wrist


    kept me from mind-linking Asher, and kept Maya at bay. My skin under the cuff was sore, red and


    irritated as though I had a rash.


    My days and nights began to switch, s******g with my already questionable sleeping pattern–not that I


    expected much sleep when my Father was somewhere lurking about. Tristan came to the door once


    every couple of hours, a tray of food and a small cup of blood in his hands. He needn’t worry that I


    might run, as I was already too weak from the constant contact with silver. I was practically human,


    making Tristan and the rest of the Vampire’s much stronger than me.


    It was tantly obvious the Vampire’s weren’t used to human or half-human guests, as the food was


    horriblycking. Gtinous oatmeal and often small packs of crackers or cookies. I wasn’t ashamed to


    say I downed the cup of blood he had given me at each meal, though it worried me where it might have


    Each day I’d ask Tristan when the Vampire King would finally see me, when would Breyona and


    Giovanni be released–each time he said ‘soon’, annoyingly cryptic. It gave me more than enough time


    to think over Tristan’s sudden loyalty switch. He had told me once that he had his own ns, that he


    never wished for the Werewolf species to be eradicated. Does that mean I suddenly trusted him? Not


    at all, but I needed whatever allies I could find.


    I leapt from the bed as I heard footsteps echo down the hallway, followed by the thick wooden door to


    my bedroom holding cell open. Tristan stood in the doorway, this time without a tray in his hands. He


    stepped into the room and closed the door behind him. When he finally spoke, his voice was low and


    hushed.


    My stomach was in knots as I followed him down the hallway, towards the back of the warehouse.


    Tristan was silent the entire time, his shoulders tense at what was toe. We stopped in front of a


    thick set of double doors, the wood smooth and wless to the touch. Two Vampire’s stood on either


    side of the door, their dark eyes never once straying from where they stared.


    My eyes bounced around the room as the doors swung open, revealing a room I had once been to. It


    was the room I visited when my Father used the shadows to call me to him. Arge maroon sectional


    was sat in front of arge fire ce, a thick Persian rug under our feet. A small bar carried decanters of


    suspicious looking scarlet liquid. Sitting on the sectional, with one of his arms draped over the back,


    was my Father–the Vampire King.


    I had seen my Father once before, but this time was different. I hadn’t seen him in person, not truly.


    The aura that surrounded him was dark and suffocating, like walking into a sauna. My lungs struggled


    to breathe in the thick air, and my heartrate sky rocketed. The mop of styled raven hair on his head was


    identical to my own, right down to his bright eyes, which stared into the mes roaring in the firece.


    I was hyperaware at how the shadows in the room slithered, hiding in the darkness as they surrounded


    us. I could taste their excitement, their interest in what was about to happen.


    “Sit, L.” My Father all butmanded, never once turning to look me in the eye.


    Tristan stood off to the side, leaning against the firece mantle as I trailed over to the couch. I sat as


    far away from my Father as I could get, holding my ground as he turned and looked into my eyes.


    I always thought his eyes would be empty,cking any hint of a soul. I was wrong, his eyes weren’t


    empty. They were filled with a burning hunger that would bring the world to its knees, an anger that


    consumed every sliver ofpassion or conscience. Looking into my Father’s eyes taught me


    something, evil doesn’t just pop into existence–evil is born, bred, and taught.


    I tried to imagine my Father as a child, eyes full of wonder and happiness. I didn’t bother looking for


    any sliver of good within him, as I knew it had all been smothered by that vicious fire burning in his


    eyes, but he had not been born evil. Life warped him, changed him into this monster–and not once had


    he resisted.


    I could see my features reflected in his own. The dark hair, full lips, and round eyes. Looking at my


    Father’s face made me realize how little I had gotten from my Mom, and I wondered how she


    stomached raising me. How could she look into my eyes for all those years and not see the evil, twisted


    mate she had once given into?


    “Do you understand why I need you here, L?” He asked, those luminous eyes staring at me, slicing


    away theyers until he reached my soul.


    I resisted the urge to fidget, to shift ufortably under his stare. Everything about him was intense,


    frighteningly so. I knew without a doubt that with my help, he would achieve his goal. He would never


    rest until the Werewolves were all but eradicated, and the humans lined up for the ughter.


    “You need a Queen.” I repeated the words that gued my mind for months now.


    Tristan watched the two of us carefully, his eyes never lingering on the Vampire King for too long. My


    Father scoffed, though the actioncked emotion. He looked me over for a minute, running his eyes


    down my hair, my face with his spectory gaze. I was sure he saw what I did, himself reflected in my


    face.


    “Why would I need a Queen I cannot trust, one I cannot control?” My Father asked, one of his dark


    eyebrows lifting as he stared at me. I had the feeling his question was rhetorical, so I kept my mouth


    shut. “What do you know about witches, L?”


    The question caught me off guard, and I wracked my brain for everyst detail I remembered.


    Grandma had taught me the history of witches, though not much was known anymore. Most of the


    information had faded into obscurity, or had been buried over the centuries.


    “Not much.” I admitted, “There used to be a lot of witches, but many lines died off or went into hiding.”


    “Do you know why they went into hiding?” My Father pressed, and seemed to be amused at myck of


    knowledge.


    “No, I don’t.” I replied.


    “My Grandfather had a n, one that would rid the world of our enemies. A n that would ensure


    Vampires were finally able to step into the light.” My Father continued, “Vampires have been at the


    bottom of the food-chain for too long, letting the humans think they actually held some semnce of


    power. My Grandfather hunted the witches into near extinction, all whilst remaining under the noses of


    Werewolves.”


    “What does this have to do with me?” I asked, fighting to take the edge out of my voice. Before leaving


    the room, Tristan had warned me not to speak out against my Father, that he was cruel and vengeful


    when need be.


    “It has everything to do with you.” My Father’s smile was oily and serpent-like. “Let me tell you a story,


    then you might understand your purpose.”


    “Many years ago, the shadows guided me to a woman, one who would be my ideal mate. She was a


    werewolf, and lived in a small pack with her family. The moment we locked eyes; she was under the


    thrall of the mate-bond. I spent countless weeks with her, until she allowed me to mark her, and I let her


    do the same. I told her of my ns, and while she was conflicted, she remained by my side.” My Father


    began, and I knew he was talking about my Mother. I wanted to stop him, to deny that she would’ve


    ever had a part in his ns, but Tristan’s firm look stopped me in my tracks. “I told her of the child we


    would have, and her importance in this world. The child would be of three different species, and would


    wield power the world has not yet seen. She would be the product of a Werewolf and a Vampire, but


    hold power bestowed to her from generations of Witches. The young, mated Werewolf was horrified


    when she learned the truth, that she would sire a monster unlike any other into this world. She fled, but


    couldn’t remain hidden forever. I found her again, and when I did, I used the mate-bond she coveted


    against her. You were the product of that, L.”


    My heart constricted as I reyed his words over and over again, each time refusing toe to terms.


    It wasn’t possible, it couldn’t be. My Mom would never join his side, would never abandon her people.


    My stomach rolled, and I clenched my fists as I fought the urge to hurl all over the expensive Persian


    rug on the floor. He had used the mate-bond against her to conceive me, that much I expected. What I


    couldn’t understand was how he thought that child was me. Witches were all but extinct, and I had


    never seen one in real life before. My Mom was not a witch, that much I knew, nor had I ever exhibited


    any signs of strange power. My mouth flopped open, and I said the first thing that came to mind.


    “My Mom wasn’t a witch.” I shook my head, “You’re wrong. I’m not that child.”


    “Something you’ll learn, I am rarely ever wrong.” My Father smiled grimly; the shadow of the crackling


    fire wavered against his baster skin. “My Mother was thest in a long and ancient line of witches.


    She was Half-Vampire, and had been sought out by my Father for a very specific purpose. The Magic


    in her blood-line skipped a generation, and only seemed to show in the women of her family. The Magic


    of my Mother’s bloodline skipped her generation, falling onto you.”


    I wanted to cover my ears, to ignore everything he was telling me like a child would. Tristan’s firm gaze


    was the only thing keeping me sane, reminding me to remain calm, to remain respectful. My Father


    wasn’t above hurting me, nor would our family rtions keep him from throwing me in a cell next to


    Breyona and Giovanni.


    “Now, I want you to listen closely, L.” My Father spoke clearly, enunciating each word so that I might


    eradicated with the rest of the Werewolves. I won’t for one second believe you have suddenly changed


    sides. As my first-born, you hold the most power.”


    “First born?” I repeated, feeling my gut twist at his tant threat. “My Mom never had another child.”


    She hadn’t, not with the Vampire King. I was sure he knew about Sean, but I refused to speak his


    name, to give the Vampire King another person to use against me. My Father’s lips twitched, pulling up


    in that dry, serpentine smile he favored.


    “You are not the only one to make deals with the Shadows, L.” My Father replied, lifting his hand to


    wave at Tristan. “You would be amazed at what they can do, if one is simply willing to pay the price.”


    I watched as Tristan left the room, returning a momentter with someone in tow. Every muscle in my


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    body stiffened, every joint locked as I looked into the eyes of a girl no older than eighteen. My hair, my


    Father’s hair sat on her head in long, raven-colored waves. Her face was soft and round like my own,


    her cheekbones high andshes long. The only difference were our eyes. I had gotten my eyes from


    our Father, where the girl must have gotten them from her Mother–whoever that might be.


    “How?” The word left my lips in a ragged whisper.


    I couldn’t force my eyes from the girl. She gazed at me with the same curiosity, though hers wasced


    with caution and suspicion. My eyes darted over to Tristan, silently pleading with him to tell me this was


    some borate lie. From the hardness in his eyes, I knew my Father had not told me a single lie since


    arriving—that everything he said had been the truth.


    “Two years after your birth, I tried relentlessly to regain you and your Mother, but the man she chose as


    a mate had a witch for a Mother.” My Fatherughed dryly, his eyes burning with that uncontained,


    murderous light. “The woman possessed little power, but was able to keep your Mother and you safe.”


    I wracked my mind, lingering over each word until I finally understood. Grandma, my Dad’s Mom. She


    had always seemed to know when something was happening, when someone was hiding something


    from her. Her little cottage came to mind, the old and dusty books she kept littered on shelves, and the


    sprawling herb garden she had outback. Grandma was a witch, a part of a breed that was thought to


    have died off many years ago. I wanted to be surprised, but I found this information the least surprising


    of the bunch.


    “I needed an alternative, in case you proved to be unreliable.” He sneered, “I called on the Shadows,


    who were happy to do my bidding. They offered me the chance at another child. Not as powerful as a


    first born, but not without potential. All I needed was a powerful witch to sire this child. I found one in


    Craiova, Romania. A blood-witch who had grown tired of hiding, who had grownfortable in her


    habits. She didn’t have the gift of foresight like her Mother, and never saw my mening.”


    My stomach rolled again, and I pressed a hand to my throat as the urge to hurl increased. He had


    sought out a witch, and forced her to carry his child. My brain refused to process the thought, to ept


    that someone was capable of such a vulgar action. I knew without asking that his request hade at


    a steep price, but couldn’t hold myself back as I asked.


    “What did you pay?” I asked, my voice weak.


    “As you’ve already figured out, the higher the request, the steeper the price.” He smiled grimly, “I paid


    ten years of my life. After the witch was with child, I fell asleep for the next ten years. In that time, the


    witch used what remaining power she had and escaped my men. Ten yearster, I sought out the child


    she had stolen from me. I perfected my ns, gathered my recourses until I could finallye for you.”


    “You know why I’m here.” I stammered, forcing the words from my lips as I struggled not to think about


    what he had done to the poor witch. “I’ll do whatever you need, just let Breyona and Giovanni go.”


    “I am a man of my word.” He nodded, “Despite the fact that Giovanni was one of my best men, I will let


    them go. I’m sure you wish to see proof of that before moving forward.”


    “I do, I want to know that their still alive.” I nodded, leaning forward in my seat.


    “Very well, but I must take measures of my own to ensure yourpliance.” He replied, his eyes


    shing with deadly intention. “There is nothing stopping you from betraying me once yourpanions


    have been released.”


    “Tristan, you may proceed.” My Father nodded, his eyes never once straying from my own.


    I knew what wasing next, as Tristan had warned me before taking me to my Father. I watched as


    Tristan stepped forward, and shuddered as he slid into my mind. I could feel him trail his fingers down


    the shield I had around my mind, the steel door that kept him barred from my innermost thoughts and


    feelings. The door shuddered and shook as I wrenched it open, allowing Tristan ess into my mind.


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