CHAPTER 35

"Get that thing out of here right now. How could you Asher? After all these years and the pain you endured from your mother, you still walked in here with another Crier? I don't want to see her in my home. I'm done with the lot of them," Rose raged at her grandson. Then Asher turned to her with hurt in his eyes.
"How could you? Why didn't you tell me, you lying piece of shit? Was it fun losing to my face all these while? To think I believed you were innocent and untainted. You are all the same. Get out of here lying Crier," Asher had said to her in turn, his lips barely moving. She stared at him paralysed on the spot as he continued to talk.
"Shana?!" She was jolted out of her nightmarish imagination by Asher shouting her name from his grandmother's side. She had panicked really bad and it was expected.
Shana knew from their exchanged look that the old woman could see through her facade. She knew what Shana was by the shock in her eyes. Shana's own eyes must have reflected her fear and anxiety of her secret being let out in the open as Rose's eyes expressed her shock. She waited in panic to see the hate but there was none, just acceptance.
"Are you alright Kitty?," Asher asked her as he walked back to take her in his arms. His hands rested affectionately on her forehead for a moment then went to her hot, blushing cheeks.
"I'm fine," Shana answered weakly but he was not convinced as he continued to check her for signs of any illness.
Rose watched her grandson zone out completely from the room, his whole focus on the girl in his arms. She had never seen him so concerned and worried about another person. She continued to stare at the almost intimate way his hands moved over the girl, then she saw the mating mark when his hand brushed her hair off her neck. and she had to look away.
She felt the sting of tears as she thought, "He's in love and he's mated." It should not make her cry as it had been her only prayer for a long time for Asher to find love but the circumstances before her had never been ones she wished for. She turned back to them to see the panicky and almost pleading look in the girl's eyes before she averted her gaze.
"Are you going to introduce me to the beautiful lady or are you just going to stand there fawning over her all day?," she asked her grandson, her gaze not wavering from Shana's face.
Asher gave one more concern look to Shana then turned to his grandmother. He sniffed the air dramatically and they both eyed him suspiciously.
"What?" Rose asked sharply and Shana realized she was not the patient type.
"I dunno but I think I can smell a tinge of jealousy in the air," he answered brightly and that sent his grandmother into a fit of laughter. That gave Shana some seconds to really look at her.
Rose was beautiful and elegant, even in a wheelchair. Despite the air of hostility Shana had perceived from her earlier, she could bet it was all a front. But her business right then was not what Rose looked like but if Rose was ready to keep her secret. If the woman decided to protect her secret; which was most unlikely, she would like to ask her what gave her away when Asher himself had sensed nothing. She also noticed that with her, Asher was a completely different person. He was so carefree and happy like she had never seen him before.
"You wish Asher Anderson. The eye-catching, blues eyed rakes aren't my type at all," she said with superiorly as she patted her grey hair.
"But you admit I'm eye-catching?," he asked her smiling.
"Same old ego of yours. Just answer the question before she runs off thinking you are actually in love with me," she said nodding towards Shana.
"This here is Shana Johnson, my mate and soon to be wife," he declared proudly, taking Shana's hand and leading her to stand before his grandmother.
Rose stared stupefied at the pale girl standing before her, skin as translucent as that of her dead daughter in law and she had known what she was immediately. What she could not understand was why her precious grandson, who detested the very word 'Crier' was mated to one. And she was not exactly Asher's type in the first place. Not that she knew what Asher's type was exactly but she knew from all she had seen that he did not like so much flesh on them and they radiated a lot of poise and worldly experience, unlike the girl before her.
The mating mark had stopped her dead in her wheel tracks immediately she saw it. She saw the fear and guilt in the woman's eyes as she came to her and in that moment, she knew her grandson knew nothing about what his mate was.
How she would have loved to snap her neck for her deceit but that thought ended the second Asher placed both of Shana's hands in hers and Rose felt the pulse.
There was a pulse were there should be nothing and that could only mean one thing.
Her eyes widened further in shock, if that was possible.
Asher's Crier mate had a pulse!
She let her fingers feel the rapid pulse and she smiled into Shana's eyes, dropping all her foreboding as she let the happy tears drop.
"Now, don't do that. Are you that sad you lost me to another woman? You know I could be convinced to change my mind with enough incentive," Asher said lightly. He did not do well with female waterworks. He knew Rose's tears were that of joy; hell, he felt like crying himself but that did not mean the tears did not get to him. An escape was to make jokes.
"Just shut up or I'll throw you out," she said sharply through her tears, throwing Asher a threatening look. He surrendered with a smile.
Shana Johnson truly loved her grandson and that alone made her love the woman wholeheartedly.
Only a crier in love had a beating heart. And from what she had seen from the girl's participation in their little intimate exchange, her grandson was the recipient of that love.
Shana smiled back at the old woman and finally took a deep breathe in relieve. Her secret was safe with Asher's grandmother, that she was sure of. But for whatsoever reason she had decided to keep her secret from her precious grandson; inadvertently pitting in in her sick game of ruining him, Shana had no idea. Guess she was going to be finding out later.
"This is my grandmother, Rose, the only woman in my life before you came along," Asher said beaming at her.
"Oh stop with the jokes. I was never the only woman you rake." Then she turned to Shana; still not letting go of her hands and whispered, "Have no fear child, reformed rakes make the best husband," she stated. "Or so I have heard," she added after thinking it over.
"You wound me Rose and I know what you are doing," Asher said feigning a sad look.
"And what is that?"
"You are just trying to scare her off so you can have me to yourself again," he answered with a wink. That had her laughing again.
"I'm too old for all these laughs," she said some moments later,after they were all seated.
"You are never too old to laugh. Besides, you've got so much energy. I want that same energy in planning the mating rites with the elders and executing it as soon as possible."
"I knew there was a reason for the flattery," she said laughing. "But how soon?," she asked with a smirk.
"I'm good with any day this week. I can...." he replied but was not allowed to finish what he was going to say.
"That soon?," both Shana and Rose asked at the same time at the top of their voices. The smirk had left Rose's face.
"That soon," he replied without hesitation. "I can't wait to have Shana joined to me before the pack and have her rule beside me as Luna," he said proudly.
"I understand your haste but the elders will need time..you know..to adjust to the news of a Cri...human mate," Rose corrected herself before she made a slip.
Asher deserved to know the truth but she did not want him compromising his shot at happiness because of a prejudice he had for Criers, courtesy of a very cunning and unfeeling mother. So, as long as he was happy; which he obviously was, she was going to keep her mouth shut about Shana. She just hoped the truth of what she truly was did not come out sooner than she expected but there was no use hoping the elders would not notice what Shana was. It was left to her to use all her power to keep their mouths shut. Nobody was ruining her grandson's happiness.
"I don't really care what they think now Rose. This decision changes nothing. Besides, my wish is their command."
Rose said nothing, just gave a short nod. His decision was going to be changing a lot.
"I just won't tolerate anyone passing on the hate they have for me to my mate. I won't take it," he said fiercely.
Shana was lost in the flow of conversation. She knew he was a bastard and all but she could not understand how anyone would not love the gentlemanly and handsome Asher. To her, he was the perfect specimen of a leader and everything more. She would not have him either way. And he was putting everything on the line for her, even the respect of his pack. It was something every Alpha would kill to have at all cost.
She shuddered, thinking of what would happy if he was to ever find out about her betrayal.
His grandmother accepting her just made her feel worse about herself. If the old woman had resented her like she hoped for, she would have felt less guilt about what she was doing. Now,even his grandmother was going to be betrayed if she found out about her.
If only Rose had told on her, Asher would have thrown her out. That way, she would have seen it as punishment deserved for deceiving someone so dear to her and would have savoured the hate Asher would have for her, thereby easing her heavy heart.
But now, Rose was staring at her like a wish come true and her heavy heart became heavier. She was going to be responsible for a lifetime of hurt.