Alpha Asher

Lola always assumed that her and her boyfriend Alpha Tyler were mates. On Tyler's 18th birthday, her world comes crumbling down. Broken hearted, she flees from her pack for an entire year. Tragedy forces Lola to return home where she finds the infamous Alpha Asher in charge. This time around, Lola may actually have a shot at happiness. That is, until she finds out who her mate truly is~~~for updates, aesthetics, and more, follow my ig xendmostmarsx, or my fb at Author Jane Doe!

Prologue

I can tell you the exact moment my life began to fall apart. The moment where everything came tumbling down and I no longer knew what my place was in the world. The familiar instantly became foreign and I was left with nowhere to go.

It all started when my boyfriend had found his mate.

Tyler and I had been dating since I was sixteen, almost a year of time was spent having him by my side. Tyler happened to be the Alpha's son, I had grown up with Tyler and spent my childhood training at his side.

When I turned sixteen the feelings of friendship quickly blossomed into romance. Tyler was seventeen, able to find his mate from he turned nineteen.

I was so gullible back then, hanging on his every word. I was so sure we would be mates, we were destined after all.

I had this same delirious mindset up until his nineteenth birthday party, the day where everything crashed and burned.

Tyler picked me up from my house around 8 p.m. He pulled up to my house in his shiny Mustang, I'd often joke that he loved his car more than me. There were a lot of things Tyler loved more than me.

My mom, dad and older brother weren't fond of me dating their soon-to-be Alpha. They knew the risks of getting involved with another wolf, but like a child, I had ignored them.

I hopped into Tyler's car, not thinking twice that he hadn't opened the door for me.

"I thought I told you to wear the blue dress." Tyler sighed, rolling his eyes. I frowned at him and looked down at the black dress I was wearing. I didn't see anything wrong with it.

"I told you I didn't like that one." I frowned, wondering what got him in such a bad mood.

"Whatever, you know I'm just looking out for you." Tyler shrugged, "You look like some goth girl when you wear black."

I rolled my eyes at his bad mood, knowing he would cheer up once he had a few drinks in him.

Tyler never liked when I wore black, he would always say I looked "goth". I didn't see a problem with looking "goth", some of the clothes they wore were really cute. I'm sure it didn't help that I had straight, raven colored hair.

Tyler had told me hundreds of times how much better I would look as a blonde, but I couldn't bring myself to dye my hair. I was the only one in the family who had gotten my grandma's raven hair.

I sat in silence as Tyler drove, listening to him openly complain about the neighboring packs. Tyler seemed to have a problem with just about everybody.

"The Alpha from the Dawn pack is asking for my help. He picked a fight with the Crescent pack and needs my help to get out of it." Tyler rolled his eyes, running his hand through his sandy blonde hair.

I felt my eyes widen, "The Crescent pack? Why the heck would he pick a fight with them?"

The Crescent pack were one of the baddest packs around. Legend says they started out as a pack of all rogues, and quickly expanded once Alpha Gabriel came into power. Now Alpha Gabriel's grandson had taken over, and it seemed the cruelty ran in the family.

"Please Lola," Tyler scoffed. "It's just a stupid pack, and their Alpha is just a man."

"A man with a lot of territory." I mumbled, knowing that the Crescent pack held the most territory in the world. They were the biggest pack our kind had ever seen.

"Not for long." Tyler smirked. I didn't like the feeling that bubbled in my stomach at his words.

"What do you-" I started, but was cut off.

"Enough of that. It's not important." Tyler dismissed me with a wave of his hand. We pulled into the parking lot of the nightclub and Tyler turned to face me.

"This is important." Tyler smirked, pulling me in and pressing his lips against my own.

I giggled like a stupid school-girl and leaned into the kiss, loving the butterflies that swarmed my stomach.

"Are you finally going to say yes tonight?" Tyler smirked, tugging on a piece of my long hair.

I found myself smiling back, ready to give him the news he had been waiting for.

It was only a matter of hours until Tyler was able to find his mate. He had been nagging me for months now to finally sleep with him, to let him take my virginity. Each time I had turned him down, waiting for this night. Once we officially became mates, I would give myself to him entirely.

"I'm ready." I bit my lip, looking up into his cerulean eyes.

His smirk deepened as he pulled me in for another kiss, "It's about damn time." I giggled as he grumbled.

We went inside the club and met up with our friends. I linked my arm through Chelsea's and talked to her over the pounding music.

Chelsea was one of those people who was easy to hate, and harder to like. I realized later on in my life, that I had been the same as her. Shallow, bitchy, mean even.

"Hey bitch." Chelsea smirked, flipping her honey colored hair behind her shoulder.

I smirked back at her, taking in the baby pink dress she was wearing. "Hey yourself."

I happily clung to Tyler's side while he talked to his closest friends Ethan and Isaac. Ethan was your typical asshole, always jumping around from girl to girl. He had even tried to get with me at one point.

Ethan had a problem with personal space, and would often try to push any kind of boundaries you set. Isaac was nineteen and had already found his mate, but he didn't seem too attached to her. He'd often go out with Ethan and Tyler, doing only Goddess knows what.

"You ready to find your mate?" Ethan teased, waggling his eyebrows at a group of human girls that passed by.

"Hopefully she's hot." Tyler smirked, giving my shoulder a small squeeze as he glanced down at me. I rolled my eyes at him and playfully smacked his shoulder. I eyed Tyler's drink enviously, he never liked when I drank alcohol. It didn't fit his picture perfect narrative. I turned towards Chelsea and struck up a conversation.

"If I happen to be Tyler's mate, hope you won't hold it against me." Chelsea winked, giving Tyler a sly glance.

I rolled my eyes at her, "Please, if anything your mate will be Ethan." I broke out into giggles at the disgusted look on her face.

"Not a chance. Been there, done that. Never again." Chelsea practically shrieked, fanning herself with her hand.

"Ew, you slept with him?" I fake gagged.

She rolled her eyes at me as if I were a petulant child, "Well duh. Who hasn't?" She scoffed.

"Um me. I haven't." I smirked at her.

"Well, that's because the purity princess is saving herself for her mate." Chelsea cooed dramatically, but I knew she was making fun.

"Jealousy doesn't suit you." I stuck my tongue out at her.

Just then, Tyler ripped himself from my side hard enough to make me stumble.

"What the hell, babe." I snapped, looking at him in surprise.

"Do you smell that?" I heard him murmur to himself.

I watched, open mouthed, as my entire world crumbled.

A tall, long-legged girl made her way out of the woman's bathroom and locked eyes with Tyler. Even with the thumping music sending vibrations scattering across my skin, you could hear a pin drop.

"Oh shoot." I could hear Ethan's amused voice, but it sounded like he was in a bubble.

Tyler and the mystery woman locked eyes, and ran into each other's arms. Like some kind of bad romance movie.

I couldn't hear anyone else now, couldn't focus on any ones face. I could've sworn I saw Ethan laughing and Chelsea with a sly smirk on her face. The only one who didn't seem amused was Isaac.

I could feel my entire body trembling as my brain fought to process what was happening.

Tyler had found his mate. My boyfriend had found his mate, and it wasn't me.

Then, like any completely rational teenage girl- I ran.

I didn't stop running until I was deep into the forest, my lungs burning from being deprived of oxygen.

My wolf, Maya, was furious.

She was hesitant about Tyler in the beginning, but was eventually won over. She thought he was our mate too. While I was heartbroken and fighting back tears, Maya was seething.

I closed my eyes and allowed her to take over, making her promise that she wouldn't go and hunt Tyler down.

Maya carried us farther into the woods, and I allowed myself to sink into the furthest depths of her mind. My head was still racing with what had just happened, I wanted to turn everything off for just a few moments. I couldn't handle it.

Hours and hours had passed, but I hardly noticed. I drifted off as Maya hunted and continued running.

I finally came to my senses when soft grass tickled my naked back. The familiar scent of herbs filled the air. Basil, Lavender, and Mint invaded my nose and soothed my aching heart.

"Lola, dear? Is that you?" A withered voice called out and I felt my heart jump.

"You brought me here?" I asked Maya in surprise.

"We need her. We're not going back." She growled, resenting me for thwarting her plans on attacking Tyler.

"Grandma?" My voice cracked and I sat up from the grass.

It was nearing dawn, the sun was just beginning to rise and it cast orange hues along her small cottage. Her herb gardens lifted and swayed in the breeze.

I had always loved coming to grandma's house. My mom forbade me and my brother from coming back here, holding a grudge against my grandma for years.

The story of my mom meeting my dad isn't one I like to talk about. My mom and dad aren't mates. Mom rejected her mate when she was younger, seeking out my dad when she realized his mate had died. My grandma always resented her for that, for throwing the mate bond away.

"Lola, what on earth are you doing here?" My grandma exclaimed, wrapping a woven blanket around my exposed body. She pulled me into a hug and I could feel myself break down at her familiar scent and touch.

My grandma had this quality that made everyone love her. She was nearly impossible not to get along with. My grandma matched my extremely short height of 5'2', and had the same long black hair. She was more withered, with laugh lines circling her mouth and eyes, but she had never looked better to me.

"I missed you so much." I cried into her shoulder. I even remembered how she smelled. So many different herbs and apples. Grandma had a couple of apple trees she absolutely adored. She would always be making a pie or some kind of dessert when we used to visit.

"What's got you all worked up, Lola?" Grandma frowned, "Is it that boy you're dating?"

Grandma was always supportive of anything I wanted to do, she just always reminded me to think things through.

Grandma led me into her little cottage and sat me by her fireplace.

"Tell me, what happened?" She sat next to me, placing a fresh set of clothes in my lap.

And tell her, I did.

I poured my heart out for what seemed like hours. She never once threw my mistake back in my face, like my mother would have.

"I don't want to go back, Grandma. I can't face them." I sniffled.

"Then you won't go back. You'll stay here with me." My grandma nodded with finality. She had that determined look on her face that said 'nobody will stand in my way'.

"What about mom and dad." I sighed, knowing a huge fight between them was brewing.

"You let me deal with your parents." My grandma shook her head, placing a cup of tea in my hands.

1 Year Later

"Ha-ha!" I laughed, launching myself through the air. I maneuvered around the muscular arms that reached out to grab me.

I dropped to the ground, dodging limbs and landing my own blows as I went.

"Good Lola, don't let me land any blows." Chris's weary voice yelled out.

"Just a few more seconds. He's getting tired." Maya coached me.

I continued to dodge each move Chris made, while landing my own in the process. I could feel him breaking down, growing tired as he threw all he had at me.

"Now!" Maya yelled in my head.

I leaped at Chris suddenly, his eyes widening in shock before he could defend himself. He turned away, as if he were going to run. I landed on his back and wrapped my arms around his neck, putting pressure on his windpipe.

After a second or two of holding it there, I jumped off his back and beamed up at him.

"That was some good work, kid." Chris nodded appreciatively.

"Thanks." I smirked, finally having gotten the upper hand on him.

Chris rolled his eyes and frowned at me, "Don't go getting cocky now. You still need to work on building your strength."

"I know, I know. Just let me have this win." I sighed, smiling at my grandma as she came out of the cottage with food and drinks.

I had been living with grandma for almost a year, only talking to my parents once a week. I stopped calling my mom after a month. She insisted on giving me updates on Tyler and his mate, which I learned was named Brittany. I kept in constant contact with my dad, the only person who seemed to understand the decision I had made. Even my older brother Sean, rarely called.

Sean had started taking over his duties as Beta, my father having retired almost a year ago.

Life had been amazing living with my grandma. I spent my eighteenth birthday in her cottage, picking herbs and making pastries with the apples she had picked. My grandma lived a simple life, but I had quickly grown to love it.

She introduced me to her neighbor. Chris. Chris happened to be a werewolf like Grandma and I. In Chris's prime he was one of the best warriors in history, and even a Beta at one point. No one knew what happened to him after he disappeared, no one but my grandma. Chris agreed to train me, looking at my short stature, and deciding I needed to know how to protect myself.

Chris taught me to use what I had in my favor. Being 5'2' and 105lbs didn't give me much to work with. After training with Chris for almost a year, I could easily handle myself. I'm small and fast, which means men twice my size had to work even harder to land any blows.

"Lola, dear. Your brother's on the line waiting for you!" Grandma informed me, placing a sandwich in my hand as I walked into the house.

"Hello?" I said through a mouthful of sandwich. Why would Sean be calling me?

"Lola? I have some news." Sean's voice responded from the other end, sounding a lot deeper than usual.

"What’s up?" I frowned, sitting on the arm of the couch as I munched on my sandwich.

There was a long pause on the other end of the line.

"Mom's dead, Lola." Sean replied in a gruff voice.

I felt my face scrunch up in confusion. How could mom be dead? Everything seemed normal when Dad called me every week.

"W-What? How?" I demanded.

"Just- Just come home, Lola. I don't want to explain this over the phone." Sean sighed, adding "Dad needs you."

"I'll- I'll talk to grandma." I sighed. The last thing in the world I wanted was to go home. The thought of running into Tyler or his mate put a sour taste in my mouth.

After Chris went home for the day, I told grandma the news.

As much as grandma didn't like my mom, she was still sad to hear what had happened.

"And he wouldn't tell you what happened to her." Grandma sighed.

"He said he wanted to explain in person. He said dad needs me." I frowned at her, and she knew what I needed to do.

"Then I suppose we better get packing." Grandma frowned, worrying about her widowed son.

"We? You're coming too?" I nearly gasped.

A stern frown crossed her face, but I could see her eyes twinkling. "Of course, no granddaughter of mine is going back to her slimy ex without some backup."

"I don't know what I'd do without you." I sighed, pulling her in for a hug.

"Just don't expect me to get into any fist fights, I'm too old for that stuff. No one wants to see a sixty-year-old werewolf fight." Grandma cackled.

I rolled my eyes at her, but I couldn't help the giggle that slipped from my lips.

"You'll never be old to me." I smirked, following her into the bedroom to pack our clothes away.

Grandma stopped by Chris's house the next morning, letting him know where we had gone. She promised him a year's supply of apple pies if he took care of her herb garden.

We hopped into my grandma's car, and the anticipation bubbled in my stomach. Everything about me had changed in such a short amount of time. I was no longer weak or shallow. I wouldn't let anyone walk all over me ever again.

"Are you ready for this?" My grandma frowned, her silver eyes meeting my identical ones.

"Not at all." I gave her a weak smile.

"Chin up. If any of those pups mess with you, bite their damn head off." My grandma encouraged me.

Through the nerves and resentment I held for my old pack, I laughed at my grandma and braced myself.

Turns out I wasn't the only thing that had changed.