Stargaze Pack

Hurt Inside

THREE WEEKS LATER

Asher sat on the roof looking out over the village. The warm breeze sifted through his snow white hair. It had been days since Asher last talked to anyone. He was not bitter nor nice, he was neutral, no emotion. Alpha Dean had Amber check on him daily in case he was falling into depression. Asher knew he wasn't depressed but, he also wasn't happy. When Lucifer came to say hi Asher would stare off into the woods and listen to Lucifer babble about pack affairs. Even Felix tried to talk to him but to no surprise, Asher was silent. Asher began to stop eating his food and Alpha Dean began to worry. Asher even shut out his inner wolf, Skie.

As the morning sun rose to the sky Asher went inside and into the living room where Lucifer and Alpha Dean were conversing. They both looked up as he walked in but he ignored their worried gazes. He sat in a chair by Alpha Dean and watched the TV. Lucifer gave his father a look and Alpha Dean spoke worriedly, "Asher have you eaten today? We're getting worried.." Asher didn't answer or even turn his head to look at Alpha Dean. Asher was only skin and bones now and they had to do something to help him. "We were thinking it'd be best if you ate like... an apple or something." Asher didn't respond and swooped his hair out of his eyes. Lucifer and Alpha  Dean knew that they were gonna need to force food down him if he was to survive. 

" Asher.. you need to eat, you can die without food." Lucifer sighed. Asher looked at Lucifer and then looked away. Aura walked through the front door with a purse hanging at her side. She immediately looked at Asher and sighed.

"How's he doing, Dean?" she asked. Alpha Dean shook his head and Aura sat down beside him. She took Asher's hand in her own, "You wanna try eating some cinnamon french toast?" Asher shook his hand out of hers and turned back towards the TV. Aura looked hurt and turned to Alpha Dean. "I think he needs some space.." Alpha Dean's face filled with fury.

"He's had time Aurora!! It's been weeks! He needs to eat, he's dying for God's sake!!!" he yelled. Asher whipped around with fear and shrunk into his chair. Alpha Dean ignored him and continued, "He won't even say yes or no, not even a grunt out of him! He doesn't even get that Larc is fine, that he pulled through! Everyone and everything has moved on, but him!" Aurora slapped Alpha Dean across the face.

"You stop this non-sense Dean! Asher is wounded inside not outside, he is not doing good and you yell? Get out of this house!! NOW!" She commanded with fury. Alpha Dean scowled and walked out the front door, slamming it behind him.

When he left Asher spoke, "I'm leaving." with that he turned and walked out the front door. Aurora stared after him and Lucifer sighed.

"We should go after him, mom."

"No, he needs his... space..." she sighed.

Asher sat atop a tree, his eyes looking over the meadow. His eyes were watery like he'd been crying. Asher looked to the sky and let out  howl of sorrow. His head was full of despair and sadness. A squirrel hurried by him, a sparrow flew by.

"You are horrible werewolf." Skie states.

"Leave me alone." Asher hears a scoff, but Skie doesn't say anything else. Twigs snap beneath Asher and he looks down, Lucifer is at the bottom. "Go away."

"No." he states, his eyebrows furrowed together.

"Go AWAY."

"No." Lucifer says again. Asher gets frustrated and jumps down from the tree.

He glares at Lucifer and commands, "GO AWAY, LUCIFER!"

Lucifer grounds his teeth, "NO."

"GO AWAY OR I WILL HURT YOU!"

Lucifer cracks a smile and comments, "Good luck with that... pup." When Lucifer says pup Asher throws a punch missing Lucifer entirely. "You suck ass, pup, square up!" Asher scowls and takes his fighting stance. Lucifer waves his hand his way, "Come on, throw one!" Asher throws a punch in his face, but Lucifer dodges it swiftly. "That's the best you got? What happens when someone goes after Larc, hmm?! You're gonna watch them kill him?!!" Asher growls and kicks out at Lucifer's stomach, but instead kicks a tree, jamming his ankle. Lucifer swiftly flips his on his back and body slams him onto the forest floor. "Really?!! Wow, you are a weak pup!" Lucifer yells in his face. Asher jumps up and tries to tackle Lucifer but instead falls into the ground.

Lucifer hears sobs from Asher and stops his yelling and talks softly, "Turn your anger, hatred, sadness into strength. Use it to your advantage, but you have to control it. You need to turn that emotion into strength, into fighting. You need to be able to defend yourself and others. I don't want to watch you die, that's why I ordered you out of that cellar. You are worth saving, you are worth more than you give yourself credit for. The pack is your family now and family protects family. Now get off the ground and square up like a real wolf." Asher drags himself to his feet, his face as red as a tomato. He squares up and Lucifer nods at him. "What you just did took strength.  I will teach you how to fight if you promise me one thing: Never, ever give up on family." with that Lucifer throws a punch and Asher dodges. Asher swings his uninjured leg around and knocks Lucifer upside the head. "Good, good."

They stay like that for hours until Asher gets kicked too hard in the face, his eye bruising. They walk into the pack house together and Alpha Dean and Aurora look at them in awe.

"What happened?" growls Alpha Dean. Asher does something he never thought he would experience again, he hugs Alpha Dean.

"I'm sorry.." he says. Aurora winks at Lucifer and he smiles.

"What happened to your eye, boy?" asks Alpha Dean.

Asher laughs and turns to Lucifer, "We were practicing.." Alpha Dean looks to Lucifer questioningly.

Lucifer smiles and says, "It's time he learned to be a part of the pack, father. With your approval I would like to be Asher's," he coughs, "mentor..." Dead silence fills the room then Alpha Dean drags Lucifer into a bear hug.

"Of course, Lucifer." his voice quivers and Lucifer looks at him. His eyes are watery with pride, "You'll make a fine alpha one day."

"Family protects family." declares Asher and they all turn to him in wonder. "And as of right now, you are my family and I vow to always protect my family."