Waiting for Sunrise

Muffins and Mayhem

ASHER'S POV

"Asher help!"

I woke up with Jonah screaming in my ears. Yet as I looked around my bedroom, I knew I was completely alone. Thunder roared outside my window as my heart rate increased I could feel with every fiber of my being that something was wrong. With a quick glance at my phone, I noted it was nearly noon. I had gotten too drunk with Ezra last night. 

It had been almost a week since I last saw my mate and I was miserable.

"I mean, we had this moment," I said over exaggerating my hands. "Where I was like, being weird is part of being a psychopath, and he was all like, oh I missed that in the job description. I'm telling you Ezra we were definitely flirting!"

"I'm sure you'll have plenty of time to dissect your initial conversations with each other, once you two are happily married and all that jazz," Ezra took several glances around the bar and leaned closer. "But that's not going to happen if you don't take what Scott said seriously."

"It's past five o'clock business is closed for the day," I raised my glass toward Ezra before swallowing the rest of the contents. "And besides, I didn't kill O'Conner that should be a victory in my book."

"Barely," Ezra pressed his lips into a firm line. He and a bunch of other doctors had to deal with the aftermath.

Scott knew that I was just angry when I left the house, that I really didn't want to kill anyone, but he used it to his advantage. O'Conner actually believed he was going to die and started spewing out all he knew, including a name.

"Fine," I put my glass down. "If you really want to talk shop, tell me something on this Klaus guy."

Ezra shook his head. "From what my guys could find, Anthony Klaus is clean. His grandfather owns a food shipping company, and he's often seen at night clubs, but other than that, nothing."

"Not even a parking ticket, or a territory fight with other Alphas?" I scrutinized.

"Nothing," The doctor grinned, catching my drift. "An playboy Alpha with a clean slate, it's practically unheard of. My guys will keep looking, but we're going to need more money."

"Of course, stop by the bakery tomorrow morning, Scott will have it ready for you." I waved the bartender down for another drink.

"And we want free muffins,"

I furrowed my brows and tilted my head in confusion.

"What," Ezra shrugged. "Front or not, Scott makes really good shit."

I slammed my car door and stalked toward Jonah's front porch. Rain came crashing down on my head as another clap of thunder echoed above me. I tried to control my breathing, but it only got worse. It was as if Jonah was the one suffocating and our connection caused my body to mirror his. 

He was scared and felt helpless, yet I could do nothing to show him I was coming. The idea of not being able to protect him made me furious and heartbroken at the same time. His cries for help became weaker and it made my skin boil. My fist pounded hard against his front door.

"Open the damn door!" I shouted over the rain when no one answered.

"Long time no see," Theo said opening the door just enough for his head to peek through. Theo looked me up and down before taking a bite out of a sandwich. "What do you-"

"Where is he?" I said shoving the door open and looking around.

"Hey! My sandwich! " Theo growled picking up his food off the floor. "What's got your panties in a twist?" 

"Where is Jonah?" I ran through the house to find it empty. 

"He's on the beach," Theo narrowed his gaze. "I went to make lunch, but then this storm rolled in so, I decided wait for him in here."

I slid open Jonah's back door and booked it down the beach. Theo followed closely behind and kept shouting at me, but I too focused on finding my mate to respond. The beach was practically deserted due to the storm and ocean waves had swelled enough to deter anyone from entering the water. A few people standing by the shore, who seemed ardent to stay regardless of safety caught my attention. As I approached them, I could hear them calling Jonah's name.

I ran up to two girls who were fighting next to a couple of boys. One dared to run into the water, but was thrown back into the shore. He tried again and one of the girls fighting ran after him. She screamed and begged him to stop. Theo started talking to the other girl to find out what happened to Jonah.

I was going to intervene when a small girl grabbed my hand. With one whiff I could tell she was an Omega. She kept trying to pull me along the beach and I followed.

"Please, you have to help him!" She said as wind whipped her hair in all different directions. "The others are being stupid! They don't realize the current has carried him away. If I was strong enough, I'd go out there and find him myself."

I turned my head to see Theo rip off his shirt and jump into the ocean. I growled in frustration. That was supposed to me going to save him, not that damn Beta. 

I pulled off my shoes and shirt. "How do you know where he is?"

"I don't, but the current was going this way and your his mate. If anyone's got a chance of finding him, it's you!" Her chocolate eyes locked with mine and she gripped my forearm tightly. "Please! Find him!" 

I narrowed my gaze and tilted my head. "You-"

She let out a small growl and shoved me into the water. 

The first wave that hit me, slammed my body directly into the ocean floor. I could feel my face scrap against the rocks and sand. My eyes widened and I pressed my feet into the ground to shoot up to the surface. If this was difficult for me to get through, then Jonah was screwed.