Blood of Ash

Chapter 4: Asher POV

I wouldn't even have shown up to school before my appointment if I hadn't needed to see Bella and make sure she wasn't going to be triggered again like she was 3 years ago. I knew the only reason she had got as bad then was cause she had been starving herself, but I still didn't want to risk it. The only reason Lilly was alive was because of me. Better safe than sorry, I figured.

Tugging on our bond again, I whispered in my head Can you feel me yet? Can you hear me? When no response came I sighed. Ever since I met Bella, I knew who and what she was. We had a bond that was so rarely gifted and cherished by everyone in both species. I stayed as close to her as I possibly could in order to protect her, but I also tugged on that bond once a day in the hopes that she may have noticed it. So far I've had no luck.

"Asher Leo," the nurse called and looked at me.

I smiled and followed her out of the waiting room towards the scales. She had me step on the scale and I watched as the numbers ticked to reach 150 pounds. She made a little hmmmm sound and jotted on her chart. She also measured my height.

"It looks like you've had a growth spurt, Asher," she said. "You're measuring at 6 foot 2 inches."

I smiled and thanked her for the information as she led me into the room. She confirmed that my information was all correct and then informed me the doctor would be with me shortly. I smiled and pulled out my phone. I had two missed calls and way too many texts from Bella all wondering where I was.

Hey Bells. Dr. appointment. srry. I 4got.

When she didn't respond I texted again, Did I miss anything? R u ok?

Y do u keep asking me that? I'm fine. Just that girl trying 2 start stuff.

What did she say? I'll talk to her about it when I get back.

Nothing. It's fine Ash. I can take care of myself.

I growled. I hated that she felt the need to always handle everything by herself. I hated that she didn't realize how much I wanted to help. Before I could respond, the doctor came in. I put my phone back in my pocket and listened as he asked me a million questions. The whole point of this appointment was to try and figure out what was wrong with my older sister Sophia. Sophia fell into a coma mysteriously one day and just hasn't woke up. It's been years and the doctors have no idea why she hasn't woke up. Since Sophia and I were adopted when I was still an infant, I'm the only clue they have to figure it out.

"Asher," the doctor snapped. "Are you okay? you zoned out."

I shook myself out of the daze and nodded. "I'm fine. Sorry. So what's the plan today? More blood draws?"

He nodded. "Unfortunately. We only have 48 hours to run all of our tests this time around, so we're going to need a lot."

I took off my button up and said, "Whatever you need."

He nodded and said he'd send the lab techs in. Two techs came in almost immediately. They prepped my arm with a tourniquet and an alcohol swab before inserting the needle. It stung a little bit, but I would do anything to help my sister. In total there was probably about 30 milliliters drawn from my arm.

~Time lapse~

"Lizzy," I said. "Can I talk to you for a second?"

Lizzy grinned and came trotting over like a puppy. She was a frizzy redhead with pale skin and a ton of freckles, but she a little on the short and thick side. When she spoke it was in what I assumed was supposed to be in a sultry voice. "What is it, Ash?"

"I told you not to call me that. What the f**k did you say to Bellalyse?"

She smiled and grabbed my bicep possessively. Of course I had forgot to put my button up back on. "What do you mean?"

I shrugged her hand off of me my bare skin where she made my skin crawl and lowered my voice. "Elizabeth, I will not sleep with you and I will not date you. There is only one girl I want and she's the only person allowed to call me Ash. I have no clue what you said to her, but if you continue to try and start things, I promise it won't be pleasant."

Lizzy sniffled and I realized my alpha aura had come out and was effecting her as she whimpered, "Why? Why are none of us good enough?"

"You're not Bellalyse," I said before walking away.

I started feeling itchy and immediately tugged on the bond in my head. I immediately felt a fog and heard a painful screaming through the bond. Startled, I rushed to Bella's classroom, but she was nowhere to be seen. I was starting to panic. Grabbing the nearest student I impatiently said, "Where's Bella?"

"She went towards the bathroom during class," he started, "but she never came back."

I sighed. Bells, where are you? I breathed deeply, searching for her scent. It took several minutes, but then I found it. Apples and cherry blossoms and lilacs. There you are, kitten. I'm coming. Following her scent, I found her in one of the abandoned classrooms.

She was terrified and shaking. Waves of pain radiated from her and I heard her soft sob. She didn't seem to notice me so I gently tugged on the bond. As I did, she inhaled deeply and I heard What are you? faintly traverse through the bond. I whispered, "Bells. It's me. It's Ash."

Her normally sweet voice came out raspy and crackly as she whispered, "Ash?"

I flinched as more pain came through the bond. I forced myself to smile and reach towards her as I said, "Yes, love. It's me. What's going on?"

She looked up and I felt it at the same time that she did. The frenzy. The fog. Sh*t! I looked at my uncovered arm at the same time she did and realized my blood was still visible and she could smell it.

"Bells," I said softly. "Don't do this."

Her eyes glowed and she c****d her head. Drinking my blood would stop the frenzies, but not if she drank it like this. I mean technically it would stop it, but she would lose control if she drank it now. It had to be done in the right process. She slowly rose up into a crouch and launched at me, claws and fangs extended. What do I do?! I dodged to the side, but not quick enough. Her claws caught my arm and I hissed in pain. She hissed and licked her claws clean of my blood. Her eyes glowed brighter and I knew I had to do something. I took a deep breath and moved closer to her, gently tugging on the bond and sending her images of what I was seeing and my pain. I wasn't sure if it was working, but it was her voice I heard when I first walked in so I was hoping.

She hissed and tried to swipe at me, but I caught her by her wrists and held her tight. Grasping her chin, I forced her to look into my eyes. I stared deep into her eyes and waited as breathing started to slow down. "Breathe, Bells. Breathe. I have you." She whimpered as her eyes slowly returned to normal and I gently pulled her into a tight hug, kissing the top of her head gently. "Do I need to get you home, Bella?"

She shook her head and whispered shakily, "Lilly is home sick."

I rubbed her back gently. "What do you want to do?"

She looked up into my eyes, "Just stay like this for a couple minutes? please?"

I smiled at her and nodded. She buried her face in my chest and breathed deeply. I tried not to breathe too deep. Even though we had been friends for years and we'd hugged plenty of times, I'd never held her like this and my heart was trying to beat out of my chest. Her gentle scent enveloped me as she calmed down and I fought to not let my feelings be known.

I closed my eyes and savored the moment. I was about to press another kiss to the top of her head when the warning bell for class broke through the moment with a piercing shriek. She jumped a little bit and pulled away from me.

I let her go longingly and said, "We better get to class."

She nodded and we went our separate ways. As she left, I tentatively tugged on the bond one more time. I was still walking, when I felt the hesitant and confused tug back and whirled around to look at her.

She was staring at me. Right at me. Every single ounce of her confusion was written across her face and I had to fight everything in me not to race over and scoop her up in my arms. She felt it! She recognized it! After 8 years, she finally recognized our bond!