Alpha Asher and Lola novel Chapter 233

Chapter 233

One moment I’d been swallowed by the darkness, and the next it was nowhere to be seen.

Light assaulted my eyes, carrying with it colors so vibrant they practically glowed.

Sprawling hills of emerald grass wove in and out of the land in all directions, topped with lush trees whose branches dipped and bowed, providing soothing patches of shade to escape in when the sun became too unbearable.

Rays of glittering gold shone over everything. Over the birds as they flew, over the butterflies that darted from wildflower to wildflower. They even shone over the structures in the distance, the ones that rose up out of the grown at odd angles, with pieces that swung in the gentle breeze. 1

Wait a second. Was this a park?

I broke into a jog, racing down the hill I stood atop of. Silky threads of grass caressed my legs, gentle against my bare skin. The air was cool in my lungs and surprisingly sweet on my tongue. As it filled my body, my head became clearer.

Drawing near, the figures that had once been blurry in the distance were now sharp and vibrant with color.

A jungle gym sat to my left, one with spiral towers and a network of little wooden bridges that made it look like a child’s dream castle. To the left was another tower with a slide curling around it’s base. A swing set sat next to it, the four seats swaying in the breeze. 1

In between the structures was a network of paths, dotted with benches and water fountains.

A pang of recognition struck me right in my chest, but it was nothing in comparison to the surprise that rendered me speechless when I heard his voice.

“Lola? It’s about time. I was beginning to think you were standing me up.”

I spun around so fast the world blurred, colors mixing and the air sparkling with hints of what I swore were actual magic.

None of that mattered though, because the man standing before me with a wistful smile on his face, was none other than Sean.

My big brother.

Looking back, I wouldn’t remember sprinting to him or how the scenery seemed to change, the distance between us shrinking as though the earth itself couldn’t wait to see us embrace. What I’d remember was throwing myself into his arms, taking in his scent and the way his skin glowed with life and warmth.

The wall I’d constructed in my heart, the one holding back every ounce of grief and pain, was obliterated the moment I stared into his eyes.

I couldn’t stop crying, just as I couldn’t stop staring at him, clinging to his shirt and skin because who knew when this dream would end, and I’d spiral back into the real world? The shards of my shattered, broken heart slipped through my fingers, slicing my skin as they fell to the ground.

My brother was gone, dead. The boy I grew up with, who was there for every single moment, was lost.

Sean took my face in his hands, smoothing away my tears and continuing to do so even

when the action caused more to fall. The entire time, his wistful smile remained in place.

“Now, sis. This isn’t the place for tears. Can’t you feel it? Here, take some deep breaths. Let it wash over you. You remember this park, don’t you?”

I had no clue what he was talking about but did as he said regardless. Swallowing a

ragged sob, I inhaled deeply. The crisp air swirled in my lungs, sweet from the wildflowers sprouting in thick clusters. Some of the pain subsided, and with it came a feeling of peace.

Sean was right, I did remember this place. This was the park mom would take us too as kids. It was where I’d go with Sean after school. As children, we’d race to the swings and try to get as high as we could. Mom would always scold us, saying it was too dangerous, but we did it anyway.

With each breath I sucked in, the feeling grew. It settled in my bones, bringing on a weightless sensation that had me looking down at my hands.

My unblemished hands.

I had felt the dark magic crawling up my arms, slithering over my shoulders and down my back, but there wasn’t so much as a speck as I looked down. I flipped them over to inspect them further and found nothing, absolutely nothing.

Sean shrugged, a knowing smile on his face.

“Evil can’t exist here.”

I snorted in his face. Only Sean would give me a half-assed explanation like that. Part of me wondered if they’d return when I woke up. It was something I could’ve easily asked Sean, but I wasn’t sure I wanted to know.

Now that its influence was gone, I realized how strong it had been, how it had tainted every thought that passed through my brain, coating in malice, jealousy, and evil. It had been corrupting me from the inside out, and I had let it.

“Where where am I? You’re dead. Does that mean I’m dead too?” I asked reluctantly.

After all that happened, tricking my family and friends to sneak away with Holly…only for her to betray me, to turn me over to her mother. It was all too perfect, the way I unknowingly threw Holly into her mother’s arms. I’d been the one to set things up between them, thinking it would help Holly after everything she’d been through. 3

I was the one who thought she should talk to a therapist.

This entire time, I had already met the blood witch. How many meetings did she have with Holly under the guise of therapy sessions? How many did it take for her to coax Holly into her arms and onto her side?

I couldn’t be dead. This couldn’t be how things ended. There was too much to fix, and a fight still left to be had.

“No, you’re not dead. You’re…just visiting.” Sean explained, grinning when he caught my confused stare. “Don’t think too hard about it. Not many people get the chance to say goodbye.”

A tear slipped free as I closed my eyes. ”

There’s a good chance I might come back a second time…only to stay. I don’t know what I’m doing, Sean. I don’t know how to win this.”

“Mm, maybe.” Sean mused. “There’s always that possibility. Life isn’t a certainty, and anything can happen but…” He trailed off, eyes sparkling with mischief. “…but I have it on good authority to let you know if you win this if you defeat the blood witch, you won’t be coming back here for a long, long while.”

I tried hard to wrap my head around what he was saying, but the thought of living a long life with Asher by my side no longer felt like a certainty. It felt like a dream, one not nearly as tangible as the one I currently stood in.

“How can you know that?” I demanded, pausing to sniffle.

“Let’s just say, you’ve got someone looking out for you. Someone important.” He winked, and I had the feeling he expected me to know who he was talking about. “Now, we’ve got some things to talk about and not nearly enough time to do it. Tell me, how’s dad doing?”

As I explained to Sean the moments after his death, the tears continued to slip free. Sean’s smile faded, his eyes growing dark and mournful.

“Make sure he doesn’t blame Asher, Lola.

It’ll eat him alive if he does, and he’s not meant to come here for a long time.”

“I don’t know how, but he doesn’t.” I chuckled, wiping the moisture off my cheeks. “It shocked all of us. He hugged him, Sean…and—and they cried together.”

A soft smile returned to his face. “Tell dad

I’m proud of him-that mom is too. And even though it wasn’t his fault, tell Asher that I forgive him.” 1