Breathe

NINE

N I N E
H A L F   A   M A N

The sun was setting over the pack , each person doing their own things, living their own lives. Odette, Kate and the twins were no different, they were currently walking back to the pack house where the twins would be fed. Lilian and Micheal were making their plan for Odette's downfall, this unknown to everyone else. The bright sun was allowing the darkness to settle on the pack, leaving them under the cover of night, allowing  the dark plans and thoughts of each wolf to grow and fester. Most wolves loved the night, but of course not everyone followed this rule. 

"Ash..." Daniel sighed. The silence that sat around Asher's office had officially broken now and the newly orphaned alpha was now sat a meter away from his best friend and beta. Asher simply lifted his head from the pile of paperwork, gave a small nod and pushed his head back down. He didn't want an argument, he didn't have the energy for one. He was already tired. His wolf was ignoring him already, he had been since he took the mating process a step further with Lilian, he really didn't need another argument with his beta. "I'm sorry." Those two words was all it took for Asher's emotionless mask to crack and a stream of tears to fall by his face. Each angry tear was followed by another and another. 

Daniel's guilt and remorse sky rocketed. Daniel had only seen Asher cry three times in their life long friendship. The first time was many, many years ago. It was when they had both been kids and Asher had fallen and broken his arm and leg, it was before they had shifted and the healing process was slower then it is for him now. 

"Ronnie!" A young Daniel called out. Veronica was always a happy woman, her other half was less happy but with his mate around he was always calmer and kinder. It was just the affects of the mate bond. Martin was like a second father to Daniel, and Veronica might as well have been his mother. His own mother was dead. 

"Danny what's wrong?" Veronica asked the young boy. Her Luna instincts had told her something was wrong, her wolf was on edge and worried about their cub who they had not yet seen follow Daniel out of the woods where they had been exploring. 

"It's Asher, he's hurt!" Daniel frantically exclaimed, his smaller arms moving around to exaggerate his point. The extra movement was unneeded, Veronica and her wolf were already on high alert. Her wolf scratched at the surface, begging for a release that Veronica hadn't yet given her. A mother wolves instinct to protect their cub was strong, Dangerously strong. No-one would dare get passed a mother wolf and her endangered cub. 

"Show me." Veronica ordered, the Luna command showing clearly through her voice and making each person around her flinch back. Young Daniel wasted no time following the order, and rushed back to the injured Asher. It took ten minutes to arrive, which was too long for the over protective mother, still she attempted to understand that young Daniel couldn't move any faster. Martin followed behind the pair, although his wolf also craved escape Martin made sure to keep his wolf under control. He couldn't show that he cared, because honestly his human self didn't. 

The sight that greeted the three was a whimpering Asher with big tears streaming down his small face. Asher switched from clutching his arm to his leg, he couldn't decide which hurt more, which made more frustrated tears stream down his face. Veronica rushed towards her cub and mind linked the pack doctor to come to the clearing that her son was in. 

"Oh... Sweetheart, what happened?" Veronica worriedly rushed out. Veronica pulled her cub onto her lap and gave no time to answer before continuing. "It's okay sweetheart, mummy's here." She repeated over and over again. It was more to comfort herself then Asher, still it was something she needed. 

"Veronica, stop babying him." Martin scolded his wife. Veronica only sent her mate a glare in response and pulled Asher away from him. Only for guilt to instantly hit her afterwards. She knew Martin would never do anything to hurt their son, no matter how cold he was, he would never hurt their children. Martin bent down to Asher's height, making eye contact with the small boy. Out of fear Asher inched back, closer to his mother. "Stop crying, boy. Crying makes you weak and I refuse to have a weak son." Martin commanded. Asher nodded and forced himself to stop crying. From there he promised never to cry again.