Finding Her True Alpha
Chapter 125: Finding Herself Again

Ashlyn

“What did you find?” I asked Mason, curious. What could I have fallen into, literally? James kept trying to suck on my neck, and I figured he was hungry.

“I’ll need you to explain everything after I feed this boy.” I told him.

“Always hungry, like his momma.” Mason laughed, taking him from me.

“Really? Both of you out eat me, easily.” I huffed.

“Not cupcakes, muffins or cookies.” Derek chimed in, and I gave him a pointed look.

“Then you know what to get me instead of flowers,” I told them.

We moved our chat into the kitchen, and Derek made James up a bottle while he tried to rip out Mason’s facial hair.

“Buddy, that’s attached to me.” He cried out. I was laughing. Getting babies to let go was nearly impossible.

“I think he’s telling you it’s time to shave your poky face.” I told him, while helping with James.

“But I like it.” He pouted.

“When it gets longer, it will just be worse.” Derek chimed in, passing him the newly made bottle.

“Ugh. Fine.” He huffed as he fed our starving boy.

You’d figure he had never eaten before.

“Okay, now explain what you found?” I asked him impatiently. I was dying to know.

“Why don’t you explain this mate bond stuff you found out about?” He countered. I scrunched up my nose.

“Fine,” l eventually breathed out.

We all sat at the table before I started. Derek handed me a coffee before taking his seat.

“So, since I don’t have the other half of my soul, Tundra, the bond won’t be the same. And everything affects the bond. Pretty much I’ve learned, you have to be happy for the bond to be happy. I think it moves things along, but it can fade over time, just like love and lvst. Also, I know why the bond broke. I wouldn’t have been able to kill Theo if the bond was still intact. I’m not sure why, though. He had a chosen mate,” I explained.

“Theo, rejected her.” Derek told us. And it all made me.

“That’s why I felt sparks when he was at the camp. He had already rejected her. Anyway, you can’t kill your mate, you will die. Which would also mean that Grace never killed Brad. She would have had to get someone else to do it for he.” I told them.

“So if we are happy, the bond is happy?” Derek asked

“Basically, I know it’s confusing. But in the beginning, we were all happy and the bond fed on our happiness. But we, me, right now, it’s feeding on my negative emotions and that’s what’s making you doubt the bond.” I continued.

“So, how do we help you?” Mason asked me.

“I’m not sure yet. I know this is hard on both of you.

But as of right now, l just have to take this one day at a time. And we need to communicate. If you are feeling worried about anything, you need to tell me. Also, please don’t doubt me. I’m here because I love you and our family. I could have stayed in what I assume is heaven, but I came back to you three,” I said.

“I’m sorry, baby. We should never have doubted you. I guess those emotions were bleeding into us and we couldn’t sift through them,” Mason said. James was done with his bottle and I took him from Mason to burp him. I was standing, bouncing him gently as I rubbed his back. Mason stood and came over to me, k!ssing my l!ps.

“I’ve missed you so much. And you are so sexy with our son in your arms.” He whispered, making me smile.

“I missed you. Now tell me what you found.” I huffed that last part, making him laugh.

“De-man-ding.” Mason and Derek laughed while I glared at them.

“l am not. I just know what I want. And I want you to tell me.” I told him.

“But first, tell us what happened last night at the lake.” Derek asked, and I looked at him, confused.

“What are you talking about? Nothing happened. I jumped into the lake to let out my screams.” I told him.

“Baby, whatever you did, knocked us on our a*sses,” Mason said.

“I don’t know. I felt pressure again, and I just had to release it. My mind is a little foggy, and I don’t actually remember jumping into the lake or swimming out that far.” I told them.

“Like the pressure you’d feel when you were still an elemental?” Derek asked, and I nodded.

“Could you still be an elemental?” Mason asked.

“Selene told me that all my powers were gone, that I’m basically just a witch now. So, I do not know. Maybe it’s a witch thing. I’ll have to go to the magic kingdom and do some research, and I also want to see Nathan.” I said.

“So, the moon goddess took everything away?” Mason asked me, and I nodded.

“There’s always a price to be paid. Tundra made a deal with Selene for Brad’s life and then another one for mine.” I explained. I was instantly sad, thinking of what Tundra had sacrificed for me. She was my best friend and I miss her dearly.

Mason and Derek must have felt my emotions because they both came over to me, wrapping me in a group hug.

“I know, Baby. Thor misses her just as much,” Mason told him.

“And Magnus,” Derek chimed in.

“What do you guys think of tattoos?” I asked them. They both pulled away and looked at me, stunned.

“You want to get a tattoo?” Mason asked me, and I nodded.

“Tundra’s name isn’t on our mark anymore. I want to get something done, so she is always with me.” I told them.

“I love that idea, babygirl.” Derek said, k!ssing my cheek.

“Me too, Baby.” Mason agreed, k!ssing my other cheek.

“Okay, now tell me what you found!” I huffed. Mason stared at me, increasing the suspense.

“Fine, I’ll tell you.” He finally said.

“Thank you.” I breathed out. I snuggled James back into my neck. He must be growing since he’s eating and sleeping so much.

“But let me go change James first, so he can sleep,” I told them.

“I got him.” Derek said, taking James.

“Come on, little man.” He said to James, walking out of the kitchen.

“Men are definitely sexy with a baby in their arms.” I said out loud, watching Derek leave the kitchen.

“They are indeed chick magnets.” Mason laughed. I turned and glared at him.

“Don’t you dare!” I told him, sitting beside him.

“Like I need another woman in my life. You’re more than enough.” He said, grinning at me.

“That had better be a compliment,” I told him.

“Of course, Baby.” He leaned in, giving me a k!ss. The k!ss started out gently, but it didn’t take long until I was sitting in his lap, my fingers in his hair and my tongue tasting every inch of his mouth. It wasn’t until heard someone clear their throat did I pull away.

“Now, who’s making out?” Derek asked, taking the chair beside us.

“Where’s James?” I asked him. Still catching my breath.

“Sleeping. I laid him down. Now, should Mason explain what he found, or should we just go back to bed?” Derek asked, wiggling his eyebrows at us.

“No, I need to know. After.” I laughed out, looking at Mason.

“Now, explain.” I told him firmly. I could feel how turned on he was. It was digging into my thigh.

“Fine.” Mason g*****d.

“I promise, I’ll help you after you tell me.” I whispered, licking up his neck. He shivered, goosebumps erupting all over his body.

“Have you always been so mean?” He huffed.

“I’m not mean. I’m negotiating. You tell me, and I’ll suck you off. Deal?” I asked him and he looked at me, stunned. Derek, laughing beside us, pulled Mason out of his stunned state.

“l could make something up if you’d offer me that deal” Derek said. Mason wrapped his arms around me, squeezing me into him.

“No, it’s my deal.” He rushed out, making me giggle. I would have done it anyway, but at least this way I got to know faster.

“Okay, so they built the council building over the runes of an old building. And you fell into what looks to be a tomb of some sort. It was really dark, but I think you need to see it. I think it’s about you, or something that happened 100’s of years ago. It’s like history is repeating itself” he explained.

“Okay, now explain.” I told him.

“Then let’s go,” I exclaimed, standing up, but Mason pulled me back down onto his lap.

“But Janmes is sleeping now. I could portal us there and then we could check it out and be back before he wakes up.” I told him and he pushed his l!ps into a him.

“Later, we made a deal.” He reminded me.

“That sounds like a good plan.” Derek taunted the line.

“Fine, but you owe me.” He huffed. And I pecked his l!ps.

“I’ll give you whatever you want. But you both have five minutes to get ready before I leave without you.” I told them.

Before we could even move from the table, there was a commotion coming from the foyer.

“Mom, you can’t just come in.” I heard Sage yelling at her mother.

“Nathan, what the hell is going on?” Sage yelled at our brother. Liz stormed into the kitchen with Nathan and Sage on her heels. Nathan g*****d when he saw the position Mason and I were in.

“l told you not to go in there,” Sage told them, laughing.

“What is going on?” I asked them.

“l need you to come outside with me, Ashlyn.” Liz said, and I looked at her, confused.

“Its good to see you, sis,” Nathan said, looking up at the ceiling.

“Nathan, are you okay?” I asked him.

“Yeah, but can you get off of your mate?” He said.

“l could get na*ked. This is my kitchen.” I told him, and Sage started laughing. Poor Nathan’s face turned bright red.

“Need to watch more porn.” Sage told Nathan through her laughs.

“I’ve seen plenty. I just don’t want to picture my sister in a mate sandwich.” Nathan g*****d. I almost fell off Mason, as I was laughing so hard. Sage was wiping her eyes.

“Mate sandwich.” I laughed out and Sage laughed harder.

“Will you two grow up? Ashlyn, I need you outside unless you want to break this lovely kitchen of yours.” Liz scolded us.

“Okay, Okay. I’m coming.” I told her, trying to calm down.

“That’s what she said.” Sage laughed. The entire kitchen erupted with laugher while Liz glared at all of us.

“How the hell are any of you in charge?” Liz glared at us while we all tried to calm down.

“Oh, come on, mom. That was great.” Sage told her mom.

“All of you are so immature. I’ll be waiting outside.” Liz huffed. Pushing past Nathan, she left the kitchen.

“That woman needs to get laid.” Sage said. Nathan g*****d while I started laughing again.

“You just have to push her buttons,” I said, standing up from Mason’s lap.

“You started it.” Sage said, and I was stunned.

“l did not. Nathan did, with his mate sandwich.” I defended. I looked at Sage and she looked at me and we both busted into laughter again.

“Come on, we should go meet her or we will never hear the end of it.” Sage said through her laughs. She interlocked her arm with mine, pulling me outside. Her mother was waiting in the driveway with all the warriors as we came out of the house.

“Finally.” Liz breathed out.

“Sorry, I was fixing my mate’s sandwich. It kept falling apart.” I told her, seriously. Brandon came up beside Sage. He was outside with the warriors.

“Mate sandwich?” He asked Sage, confused, and we both started laughing again.

“Will both of you stop? You are supposed to be a Queen and a princess and you are acting like horny teenagers.” Liz scolded us.

“Nathan started it.” Sage whined, and I agreed with her. Mason, Derek, and Nathan followed behind us when we came out.

“Ashlyn, why do you look like you just crawled out of bed?” Liz asked me, just noticing what I was wearing.

“Because l did.” I told her, and she gave me a pointed look.

“I will deal with that later, but for now, I need everyone to step back. Ashlyn, come here. I want to test your magic.” Liz explained.

“Mom, what is this?” Sage asked, and even I was curious to know what she was talking about.

“Nathan told me what happened yesterday. I think I know why.” Liz answered. Sage turned to glare at Nathan.

“You told her?” She huffed.

“I thought she could help.” He defended.

“It’s fine, Sage. Can everyone step back, please?” I called out. My mates moved closer to me, unsure of what Liz was talking about.

“I’m okay, just step back,” I told them. Both of them hesitated before they moved back towards the house.

“Give me your hands”, Liz asked, and I held my hands out. She grabbed my hands, and I could feel her magic flowing into me.

“Your magic is raw, untouched, ancient. I’ve felt nothing like this before.” Liz told us.

“Okay, and what does that mean?” l asked her, I worried.

“Close your eyes and repeat after me. Flos maqicae.” She said. I closed my eyes and did what she asked.

“Flos magicae.” I said.

“Flos magicae.” she said louder, and I repeated it just as loud, matching hers.

“Flos magicae.” She screamed, and I screamed it out with her. I felt a wave of magic leave my body with a rush. I still had my eyes closed, so I wasn’t sure what was happening. Sage, letting out a gasp, forced me to open my eyes to see what I had just done. Everything in the front yard was now in full bloom. It was early spring, and the flowers hadn’t bloomed yet.

“How is this possible?” Sage whispered. I looked over at them and they were all looking at me, stunned.

“Baby, your eyes.”