Chapter 19 - Asher
I stared into the woods, still seeing everything playing over and over in my head. We went back to the same spot Hazel had pointed out the first time. But unlike last time, they were ready. It was like they knew we were coming.
We ran for it. We were trying to save who we could. But it turned sour fast. We couldn’t keep up, couldn’t win. They had Brandon pinned, and then Westley was knocked hard into a tree. We got split off from part of the group and couldn’t catch up.
By the time we finally did, it was too late. A handful of the guys were already gone, and I felt pure rage.
It was my own doing. Hazel told me she didn’t think it was a good idea to go out, and we went out anyway. She had warned us, had a feeling something was going to happen, but we ignored it. I should have listened.
“Asher?” A hand waved in front of me, and I blinked. I turned my head toward Nick, who was still shaken up. He was still pale from last night, looking at me for guidance.
Brandon and Kaleb were talking to the family members of the men who didn’t make it. Westley and I were trying to get them together, or at least give the families something to bury.
“Is that the last one?” I asked as I looked over at the coffins. There were eight guys gone. One moment, they were here; the next, they were ripped apart.
He nodded. “Yeah.”
I felt that lump form in my throat again, the anger burning. I wanted to fix this somehow. But you couldn’t bring back the dead.
I looked across the space where Hazel sat with Gabriella. They were both trying to help, offering a hand where they could.
I heard cars pulling into the parking lot, and I knew things were going to become even more tense. The first car door swung open, and a woman came running out. She was young, and you could see the baby bump. Luke’s wife.
She sobbed as she ran toward the coffins, but there would be nothing for her to see. We didn’t need them to see their family members in such fashion.
One of the guys pointed, and she screamed, falling to her knees. She clung to her stomach, and I swallowed hard.
The second vehicle stopped, and an older woman got out. Hughes wife. They were middle-aged with three children. A grandchild for whom they just celebrated a birthday.
She walked closer, pausing every few feet. Her eyes were glued to another coffin.
More of the families pulled in. Wyatt’s sister. Liam’s mother.
I watched as Hazel offered a shoulder for them to cry on. Gabriella was trying to speak to another. I inhaled slowly, grinding my teeth hard together.
“Asher,” a broken voice spoke up, and I watched as Luke’s wife stood just a few feet from me. Her eyes were red, and tears streamed down her face. Her hands were shaking on her stomach as she tried to form a word.
“I’m sorry,” I felt my voice crack at the words.
Her lower lip quivered. “I just…I…Brandon said he was part of your team that went out.”
I frowned, my mind racing back. Luke had been to the right of me the entire time.
He turned for just a moment to help someone and was hit.
I could hear the sound of his body slamming into the tree.
I knew bones had shattered, and he lay unmoved.
I wasn’t sure if he died on impact, but I knew that the hybrid ripping his head off had.
“He was.”
“I want to know what happened.”
I frowned. “You don’t.”
She licked her lips, wiping at her eyes. “I just…did he die in pain?”
“He died honorably and quickly.”
She nodded, and I moved closer, pulling her into my arms. She sobbed, and I wanted nothing more than to take all her pain away.
I helped her back to her car and watched as they started to pack up the coffins to get them buried. My phone vibrated in my pocket, and I scowled seeing the text message from my dad.
My hands curled around my phone. “Are you kidding me?”
“What’s wrong?” I turned as Hazel stopped next to me.
I shook my head. “My dad messaged that they want to do a family dinner. Like now is the time to message me.”
Her eyebrows went up. “Oh? And?”
“It’s not happening.” I wrote out a quick text message and shoved my phone back into my pocket. “I can’t fake a smile and act like everything is fine. Not today.”
She reached out, placing her hand on my shoulder. “You don’t have to.”
I almost expected her to tell me otherwise. “Are you not going to tell me I should spend time with my family after all of this? That life is too short?”
She shook her head. “In a normal circumstance, yeah, maybe. But I’ve spent one evening with your folks, and I know they aren’t exactly the lovey-dovey type. So, if you don’t want to, you don’t have to.”
She leaned against me, wrapping her arms around me. I sank into her touch, not realizing how badly I needed it. I pulled her closer, inhaling her scent. I needed her to ground me.
But my phone started to vibrate in my pocket. I groaned and pulled it out. I froze when I noticed it was my mom calling.
I pulled it up. “Hi, Mom.”
“Why won’t you join us for family dinner tonight?” Her voice came out soft, almost worried.
I pinched my eyes. “Mom, it’s been a long night. I still have a lot to do, and we have to have a meeting to talk about everything.”
“I know, which is why we should have a family dinner. I could have lost you tonight. I know you’re busy, but I want to see you. You don’t even have to stay long.”
I felt my stomach drop at her words. “Mom, I’m going to be needed. We have burials and…”
“Asher, you are coming to the family dinner.” Her voice broke, and I could hear the sadness underneath. “You are my son, and I could have lost you tonight. You’re coming to dinner.”
I slowly nodded. “Okay, fine. We will come to the family dinner.”
“Good. We will have it at 6. Give you some time to do whatever you need.”
I nodded, ending the call. I looked down at Hazel. She squeezed me. I pulled her closer, kissing the top of her head. I looked back toward the mess.
I watched as a few coffins were loaded. I watched as more people broke down crying. I felt her arms tighten around me.
We went to the burials. Hazel held my hand the entire time, not knowing how much I needed it.
We headed over to my folks’ place. Hazel was nervous, her hands tapping on her thigh as we rode the elevator up.
“You didn’t have to come,” I explain as the doors dinged open. “I know you’re tired.”
“And make you go alone?” she asked, her fingers curling tighter against mine. “I wouldn’t do that. Not today.”
I smiled, grateful for her. I’d been grateful before, but this was another level. She was being so supportive when I didn’t deserve it. I squeezed her hand back.
We headed down the hallway and arrived at the door. I knocked, and the door swung open. My mother smiled, pulling me into a tight hug. “Oh my god! Oh, I was so scared.”
I leaned into my mother’s hug and tugged her back. I felt her shake as she leaned back, grabbing my face, her eyes scanning me over. “Are you okay? Were you injured? How many died? Oh god, I was so scared when they said that we lost people tonight.”
“I’m fine, Mom. I’m not hurt.”
She looked over toward Hazel. “Were you hurt? Where are you out there?”
Hazel smiled and shook her head. “No, I’m fine. I was in the barrier.”
My mother nodded, pulling us inside.
I don’t know what I was expecting, but I wasn’t expecting my father to be standing just a few feet away. His eyes quickly went to Hazel, and I watched the way that his jaw clicked together. His nostrils flared, and his hands curled into tight fists.
I didn’t understand why. I knew he didn’t exactly approve of her, but this was more than that. He seemed pissed.
“What is she doing here?” he asked, his voice low.
We all froze, and my mother frowned. “Honey…let’s just take a beat.”
“Answer me,” my father snapped. Hazel’s hand tightened on mine, and she looked at me, confused. But I was just as lost.
“Why wouldn’t I bring my wife?”
“Because she’s the reason everyone got hurt!”
“That’s not true,” I snapped back.
“She should have known that was going to happen, and instead she didn’t tell you. She led all of you into that mess and let you all get hurt!”
I waved a hand. “She doesn’t have visions, Dad. She has dreams. It’s not the same.”
He waved a hand. “She saw the space, and she allowed you all to go there. She led you all into the chaos.” His eyes snapped toward Hazel. “You’re a disgrace to your kind.”
I felt her hand slip free from mine. Anger quickly built up. He had no idea.
“Dad, that’s not true. That’s not how it works.”
“She is the reason all of those men are dead.” He turned his eyes toward me. “She killed them.”
“I made the call. If anyone is to blame, it’s me,” I yelled. “I was the one who said we should go out and look.”
He scoffed, and my mother looked at me with wide eyes. “What?”
“I made the call to go. We could have waited, but I said we should go because I didn’t want to wait. If anyone should be a disgrace, it’s me.”
“You’re not a disgrace,” my mother snapped. “Stop saying that word. Can we all just please calm down?”
“She doesn’t deserve to be a part of this pack.” My father yelled, the words shaking the walls.
“Are you kidding me right now?” I asked, my anger hitting its peak.
“You have no idea the things that she has done to help this pack. You have no right to come in here and act all mighty. She’s done more for this pack than you have ever done for your business.
If anyone deserves to be here, it’s her. ”
“You don’t see it,” he seethed. “You are blind to it.”
“Enough!” I snapped. “She is my wife, and you will not talk about her like this.”
My father straightened and narrowed his eyes. “If you honestly expect me to believe that you stand with her about this. Your marriage is a shame. Don’t act as if she matters.”
“I care about her,” I growled. “And if you don’t respect that decision or her, I will have no problem cutting you off from my life. She will come before you.”
My mother’s eyes were wide. “Asher, please let’s talk about this.”
But I was done talking. I turned to Hazel, but froze. The space was empty. The front door was open, and I knew she’d run for it.
“Honey.” My mother’s voice was broken as she moved closer to me. “Please, we….we…we just worry about you. Can we please all just talk calmly about this?”
“This isn’t worrying,” I snapped. “This is disrespectful and jumping to conclusions without knowing everything.” I looked at my father for a moment before looking back at her. “And I’m done allowing him to act like he’s all mighty.”
I slipped out the door. I could hear the elevator dinging, and I hurried after it.