Finding Her True Alpha
Chapter 56: Closer

Ashlyn

Mason and I walked out to find everyone sitting in the living room eating dinner. It smelt amazing, and I was drooling already.

“There’s food in the kitchen,” Brandon told us, and I basically ran into the kitchen to grab some.

“Hungry?” Mason asked.

“Starving.” I drew out.

I stacked my plate high with mashed potatoes, green beans, broccoli, and steak. Then I headed into the living room with my plate. I sat on the floor using the coffee table as my table, so I was facing everyone.

“Hungry?” Derek chuckled.

“You have no idea,” I said, with a mouthful of mashed potatoes.

“How are you feeling, sweetie?” Sage asked me. I had a mouth full of food, so l gave her a thumbs up.

“Where the hell do you put all that?” Matt asked. I swallowed before l answer him.

“My boobs, obviously.” I told him, grabbing water off the coffee table. They were all laughing while I stuffed my face.

“Baby girl, you should slow down. Matt made cupcakes.” Derek told me. And that caught my attention.

“You clearly underestimated my love for cupcakes and the fact that I’m wearing stretchy pants.” I told him after I took another sip of my water.

“How?” Derek asked.

“I think it’s Tundra. Or maybe the b***d loss from today, but mostly it’s Tundra.” I shrugged.

“And how is the cut?” He asked.

“It’s healed, Derek. I’m fine, nothing food and sleep won’t fix.” I told him.

Before I finished eating, I started telling them what had happened. I knew when l finished eating, I was going to fall into a food coma.

“I guess I’ll start.” I told them, looking around the living room.

“When I was coming out of a bathroom stal, I walked into a knife that Madison was holding. She jerked it until it hit my sternum. Before she ripped the knife out, she told me that Liam was hers, then she left.”

“How were you able to mindlink Liam?” Brandon asked. He was sitting beside Sage and they were so cute together.

“I don’t know. I just reached out for him and then I could.” I shrugged.

“And what happened next?” Mason asked.

“I remember speaking to my mother. She told me l was in the in between. She also told me that the toxin that was coating the knife was from a puffer fish. I guess vampires use it as a party drug. It causes werewolves great pain and slows our healing.” l explained.

“You don’t remember speaking to me before you passed out?” Liam asked, and I shook my head.

“What did I say?” I asked him.

“You said Madison and toxin.” He told me.

“That’s how you knew it was Madison?” Mason asked Liam and he nodded.

“How did you know about the toxin?” Derek asked me.

“The burning pain was the same as the gashing on my abdomen from the vampire attack. I didn’t know what the toxin was until my mother told me,” I answered.

“Did your mother say anything else?” Mason asked.

“She said that in a few days, I was going to meet someone important to me and then she asked for my forgiveness for not telling me about them.” I told him.

“And she didn’t say who?” Derek asked, and I shook my head.

“Do you remember waking up in the OR?” Mason asked, and shook my head.

“No, what the hell happened?” I exclaimed.

“The doctor said that you woke up asking for Liam and then you mentioned the puffer fish toxin. They were able to administer an anti-toxin so you could heal.” Mason explained.

“Wow, what a fvcken day!” I yawned.

“We should probably get you to bed, Babygirl.” Derek said, but I shook my head.

“Not without a fvcken cupcake.” I pouted.

“How the hell can you still be hungry?” Liam commented, and I stuck my tongue out at him.

“They are on the counter.” Matt told me. Sage and I rushed to the kitchen.

“Stop pushing!” I yelled at her.

“No, you’re going to eat them all!” She yelled back.

“Matt is mine. Get your own man to bake you cupcakes!” l yelled back before I shoved a cupcake in my mouth. I could hear the boys laughing in the living room.

Sage and I were in the kitchen m0aning over the delicious chocolate cupcakes. After Sage finished hers, she turned to me.

“You have to learn to share. I want him every other weekend.” And I shook my head.

“Not a fvcken chance. And he’s also my bodyguard, so I kind of need him.” I smirked.

“Bitch.” She called me before she stuffed another one in her mouth.

“Can you two at least save us some?” Liam walked in to see us covered in chocolate frosting, making him laugh.

“Did the cupcakes explode?” He asked, laughing. He put the dirty plates in the sink.

“Try.” I told him, holding out a new cupcake I was about to eat. He took a bite and let out a g***n.

“How?” He m0aned.

“I know, right? So fvcken good.” I m0aned, giving Liam the cupcake l just fed him before grabbing another one. I walked out of the kitchen to walk to my room when Mason called out.

“Where are you going?”

“Bed.” I called back.

“Did you take a cupcake with you?” He asked.

“Matt, they are amazing!” I sang to him before I stepped into the room we all shared.

I stuffed the cupcake in my mouth before I got ready for bed. I found a shirt of Mason’s that I could sleep in, but it barely covered my booty. When I was done getting ready, I hopped into bed. It didn’t take long before I was Mason

After dinner, Ashlyn went straight to bed. I don’t blame her. She was probably exhausted after the events of this morning. Her healing ability was incredibly fast, even for werewolves. I’ve seen nothing like it. If it was anyone else; they would be dead.

I know I probably over reacted but my jealousy and self-doubt took control. I know her having another fated mate isn’t in her control, but it sucks knowing that I wasn’t good enough. It’s hard not to be jealous, even when she bears my mark as well.

Liam and Sage walked out of the kitchen and back into the living room where Brandon, Derek, Matt and I were still sitting. They were both covered in chocolate frosting.

“What the hell happened?” Matt laughed at them.

“Is there any left?” Brandon asked.

“There is, but Ashlyn might kill you in the morning if she wakes up and there are no more cupcakes.” Liam laughed.

“And what did I hear about a custody battle over Matt?” Brandon asked Sage and she smirked.

“What? After you try one, you’ll be fighting for custody as well.” She exclaimed, and Matt laughed.

“No offence Matt, but you must be a complete a*ss to still be single-baking cupcakes like that,” Sage told him causing Derek to laugh.

“You have no idea,” Derek told Sage while he laughed harder.

“Well, I learnt how to be an a*ss from that guy.” Matt pointed to Derek and Derek punched his arm.

“I wasn’t that bad.” Derek tried to correct him. I raised an eyebrow at him.

“Mason, what time do we have to leave tomorrow?” Liam asked, and I was glad about the topic change.

Ashlyn will probably lose her sh!t when she finds out about Derek’s past.

“We should probably leave early. We have a four-hour drive to the council building.” I told them.

“You know I could just portal us there?” Sage asked. I forgot she was a witch.

“lf you’re up for it, you can.” I told her and she nodded.

“That will give me time to get all the sh!t I was supposed to get done today, done.” Liam commented. I forgot he was supposed to pick up some files and ecords.

“Mason, you okay?” Sage asked, and I nodded.

“One thing you need to remember about Ashlyn is that her loyalty is fierce. I remember one time when I was visiting her pack, one boy started picking on me. Ashlyn wasn’t having any of it and punched the kid in the nose.

Later, when I asked her why she would do that, she told me it was because we were family.” Sage said, smiling at the memory she just shared with us.

“How old was she?” Derek asked.

“She was eight. Her mother wasn’t happy with her punching the Beta’s son, but her father was beaming with pride.” She laughed. And I couldn’t help but smile. That sounded exactly like something Ashlyn would have done.

“I’m not surprised. She took down the best fighter in our class on her first day here,” Liam commented. And I laughed, remembering that day.

“We should all head to bed. Ashlyn is probably sleeping like a damn starfish by now.” Derek rolled his eyes, and I laughed.

“Liam, you and Brandon, grab everything tomorrow morning. We can go over everything before we leave.” I told them, standing up from the couch.

“I can always go if one of you is going to be with Ashlyn?” Matt offered.

“Sure, you go with Liam.” I answered Matt, and he nodded.

“And we’ll be in the library. I want to do some research on this puffer fish toxin and Ashlyn’s healing abilities.” Sage told us. I’m assuming she’s dragging Brandon with her.

“l guess we’re on Ashlyn duty.” Derek said to me.

“Is that what you guys are calling it?” Matt laughed. Derek gave him the finger while he made his way out of the living room. I followed behind him, and we entered our room. Ashlyn was indeed sleeping like a starfish.

“How can someone so small take up so much space?” Derek asked, while stripping to his boxers. I walked over to my side to do the same.

“ls that chocolate on her face?” I asked Derek, and he laughed.

“At least we know the fastest way to make her happy is through sweets and chocolate.” He laughed, and I had We both hopped into bed on either side of her and thank god she rolled over to snuggle into Derek’s side. I snuggled into her back and rested my arm over her abdomen, resting my hand on Derek’s lower abs.

“You feeling better?” He asked me.

“Yeah.” I sighed.

“Mason, you have nothing to worry about. I told Ashlyn before all of this started that I was willing to share her. I would never ask her to leave you for me. She isn’t going anywhere. We are stuck with this gorgeous, food-loving, bed hog forever.” He said while resting his hand on mine.

“I never in a million years thought you’d ever be sleeping in my bed,” I told him with a chuckle.

“Neither did I. But I’m glad I’m here.”