Page 28 of Mystery in the Mountains (Magic in the Mountains #2)
Chapter Twenty-Five
T he crescent moon was high in the sky as Asher lay in the grass of one of his all-time favorite places. But even the field that held some of his most precious memories with his mate did very little to comfort him.
Perhaps closer to the full moon, he could escape into his wolf and sever the connection to the pain threatening to pull him under.
The urge to shift and run and howl at the moon was itching under the surface, but it wouldn’t help.
A twig snap pulled his attention, then the heady scent of his mate calmed him, if only a little.
“I thought I might find you here,” Sunny said as she made her way over to him and lay beside him.
Reflexively, he reached out and wrapped his hand around hers. They lay there, statue-still, looking up at the vastness of the sky. Millions of stars and the sliver of a moon shone down on them.
Feeling connected to the earth around him was the only thing that had been getting him through the last month.
“Are you okay?” Sunny asked, squeezing his hand.
After a deep sigh, he said, “Not really, but I’m always a little better whenever you’re close.”
She kissed his cheek before laying her head on his chest.
He pecked the top of her head and breathed her in.
She knew more than anyone exactly what he was going through. It was only two weeks before that they had lain his parents and her mother to rest.
He was not prepared to live life without them. There were so many questions that would remain unanswered. Not only was he mourning the loss of his parents but the responsibility of protecting this mountain and the magic it held fell onto him and his two older siblings.
Sunny turned on her side, facing Asher, and brushed a stray curl off his forehead. “I love you. You know that, right?”
He raised his head enough to kiss her forehead and continued stroking her hair. “I do know that. You, Sunshine, are my whole fucking universe. I don’t know how I would get through any of this without you.”
“Well, it’s a good thing you’ll never have to. You’re never getting rid of me. I’m going to be stuck to your side for the rest of your life.”
He wrapped his arms around her and held her tight. “Is that all? I’m with you in this life and the next. You’re never getting rid of me.”
“I’m glad that’s settled.”
They lay there for a while longer, staring up at the sky and holding each other.
“What are we going to do?”
“I don’t know. Esther’s leaving.”
“I can’t believe she’s moving.”
Asher got it. The mountain was a painful place. Abe was busy taking care of everything and pretending like he was fine. Esther was running away. Everything was wrong. Except for Sunny.
He squeezed her. “I’m not sure what to do. I guess we’ll just keep doing what we’ve been doing. Abe was already helping dad with his wood working business. Maybe I could work with him.”
“You’d be good at that.”
He shook his head. “I’ll be fine. I’m not anywhere near as good at it as Abe and my dad.”
“What about painting? You could do some work with that. You’re so talented.”
“Maybe...”
She sat up and looked at him. The dim moonlight cast a silver sheen to her hair and skin. She was the most beautiful person he’d ever seen, mate or not.
“I mean it, Asher. You should talk to Abe. He can make the stuff, and you can paint it. You guys could be a really good team.”
The more he thought about it, the more he realized it was actually a really good idea.
If he and his brother worked together, it could give their work and edge.
Not only that, but he would be able to use his artistic talents to help take care of his family and their mountain.
While he and Sunny were young and the thought of marriage and kids were still a ways off, he knew that was where they were going.
Sunny was his mate. He’d known that since his first shift when he was thirteen. He remembered telling his mom soon after he’d felt it. The look on her face was almost sad. She had been worried he would miss out on the normal parts of dating and falling in love.
The idea had made him laugh even then. How could anyone ever compare to Sunny? He’d known her since they moved to the Hollow when they were kids. They’d grown up together. They’d had all their first together. He wasn’t missing out. He considered himself the luckiest man on earth.
“That’s a good idea. What about you? What are you going to do?”
“I don’t know. Right now, I’m just focused on getting my dad through this. There is something going on with him.”
“What do you mean?” he asked, toying with the ends of her hair.
“I don’t know... I mean, he’s devastated. We all are. But there is something else going on. I can feel it. I think he might be drinking... He’s just holing himself up in his office.”
“Do you feel safe?”
He had to ask, but if she felt unsafe, he would feel it probably even before she did with their strong bond.
“Of course I do. He would never hurt me. I’m just worried about him,” she said as she settled back into his side.
He held her close as they both stared up at the vast night sky.
“We’ll get through this,” he said, tracing his fingers along her arms.
She craned her neck to kiss him, and their bond sang to life.
He meant what he said. They would get through this. Then they would find their way in life. Together.