Chapter 23: The Grim Reaper's Door

Asher’s POV



Mrs. Lang answers the door after I knock on it a second time. She looks frazzled, like she had been napping before her shift ended. She blinks in an attempt to wake herself, especially when she sees me with Harper cradled in my arms.

“What’s happened, Asher?” She asks.

She’s a little old lady who has been working in the medical room for as long as I can remember. With age her hair has gotten shorter and greyer, something she voices her concerns about whenever we bump into each other.

“I think Harper has been poisoned.” When I say it out loud it doesn’t seem real.

Harper being poisoned is the only rational explanation I can think of right now. She was fine throughout the date, but as soon as we got back to the room and she drank the whiskey, it was all downhill from there.

I know deep down I was the target, considering the poison was in the whiskey bottle I keep hidden in my desk. The pack knows I drink that specific alcohol, so it only makes sense that I was the target.

Mrs. Lang looks just as horrified as Amaris, “We need to get her inside, now.” She’s frantic as she gestures for me to place Harper on the single bed in the room.

I lay Harper down; the vomiting has stopped for now, but it doesn’t mean she won’t continue to get worse. Amaris doesn’t enter the room. I frown at her; she always wants to be by Harper’s side.

“I can’t see her like this,” She shakes her head, tears streaming down her face, “I’ll alert the pack to be on watch, considering someone has just poisoned the Luna.”

I nod my head, “Make sure everyone knows that I’m not playing around anymore,” I can feel the heat rising up my neck, “I’m going to f*cking kill whoever did this to her.”

Amaris nods her head in agreement. She takes one last look at Harper’s body, clearly wondering if it’ll be the last time, she sees her, before leaving the room.

“Let me run some tests on her blood to figure out the type of poison,” Mrs. Lang is rushing around the room grabbing a needle and plastic vile to put the sample in.

“You’ve got to make sure she survives this,” I grip Mrs. Lang’s wrist, pleading with her, “I can’t lose her.”
She looks at me with sad eyes, “I’ll do everything I can.”


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Harper’s POV


Am I dreaming?

Or am I dying?

My brain is fuzzy, like those old television sets with antennas. I’m doing my best to tune it to a station, but no matter how hard I try it won’t work.

If I keep trying something will appear, that’s how it usually works. Suddenly, my brain begins to clear, creating shapes and colors other than the static black and white stripes.

The image reveals Asher and me. It feels like I’m at a movie theatre in my mind watching my life play out. Is this fake? Or is this the future?

We’re still living in the compound; however, everything is more colorful and vibrant than what it is now. There are new people, and old familiar faces. Everyone is happy and smiling at each other.

Life looks great.

A small boy with curly black ringlets flies past the screen, so fast it looks like he is flying. He races towards Asher, jumping into his arms. Asher laughs as he scoops the small child into his arms.

Is that our child?

The boy giggles as Asher blows raspberries on his arms, struggling to not drop him as he flails around. I appear on screen smiling, walking towards the happy moment. Except I look different. My hair is cut into a bob and I look pregnant.

“What are you boys up to?” I smile.

“Daddy is blowing raspberries,” the small boy pouts.

I look at Asher, he’s trying to hold back a laugh at the boy’s expense, “You know he hates when you do that.”

He pouts, pretending to be upset by the boy’s hatred for the raspberries, “But he’s so cute when he laughs.”

“Mommy, make him stop!” The boy demands when Asher begins to blow on the boys’ legs.

Mommy?

And Daddy?

I watch the scene unfold in front of me; the boy continues to giggle under Asher’s intense blowing, while I stand there and smile, admiring the sight.

Is that what my life will look like?

Or is it just a silly dream?


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Asher’s POV


Harper is trying to move her body, frowning, and squeaking as if she is having a dream about being stuck in quicksand and can’t move no matter how hard she tries.

Mrs. Lang is in another room running some tests on the poison found in Harper’s blood. She told me there is a good chance she will make a full recovery, which lifted the weight off my heart instantly.

I feel immense guilt that this has happened to Harper. I wasn’t there to protect her when she needed me the most. I feel like I’ve failed her as a friend, and fake husband.

I promised her Father I would protect her. At the time I didn’t mean it because the feelings weren’t real, but now that they are, I’m beginning to feel like I’m letting Lawrence down every time something bad happens to her.

Amaris bursts through the door, out of breath, “The pack has been informed of the poisoning. They are on our side, willing to stop at nothing until the criminal is caught.”

“Thank you,” I look at Harper, the soft pink in her cheeks have been drained, revealing a shade of grey.

“I already know who did this,” I stand from my feet, never letting go of Harper’s hand, “They were after me.”

Amaris looks shocked, “Who would try and take the life of the Alpha?”

Only one man would be capable of doing this. He radiates evil.

“Julius.”