Chapter 9: Chapter Eight

Ashlynn

I'm tired. Exhausted is a better word. Once Mom wakes, I tell her to shift back and get dressed, so we can go get some real sleep. I've got a meeting with Cody at ten, and I don't want to be falling asleep in front of him. Mom looks horrible. She was whimpering most of the night. I ask how she feels and she just shrugs. "Come on Mom, I need more than that. I can't help if you don't talk to me."

"I don't know Ash, I guess I feel empty. There's a hole in my heart." Mom looks at me, and her eyes seemed pained but she also seems less tense than yesterday. I just nod, because I don't know what to say. My father was a monster. A horrible excuse for a mate and father. "She must have seen the hardened look on my face, because she touches my arm gently and says,"I'm not sad though, I actually feel like a weight is lifted off my soul." I understand exactly what she means.

"Ok Mom, lets get some sleep. I need it before my day can start or I won't make it. You can crash in the second bedroom of my place, it might do you some good to just rest without others hovering around making you feel weird." She nods and I take her up t0 my apartment.

I saw Dawson as I made our way upstairs. I felt his eyes on me. I tried to make it a point not to look his way. Even in my exhaustion, I can't help but feel my cheeks flush as I remember that kiss. It set me on fire. What was I thinking, kissing him back like that? I didn't regret it, but I knew I shouldn't be mixing business with pleasure and I'm not sure how my Uncle will take it. I don't have time to think about that right now though, I need sleep. When I get to my room, I kick the door shut with my heel and head straight to the shower. I wasn't even in there five minutes, before I just plopped into my bed, hair still wet. I didn't bother putting clothes on. I set my alarm and was asleep before my head hit the pillow.

"Alright, seems we have a plan in place," Cody leans back in his chair, Ashlynn and Dawson sitting across from him. "We can start breeding these cows in a week, they should be in their heat cycle by then. The horses shouldn't be to far behind."

"I'm going to have to let the vet techs take a long weekend before we start all this. They won't be getting a day off for a few weeks," Ashlynn says as she taps her pen on the desk top.

Cody nods, "I think that's a good idea. In fact I think we should give all the ranch hands some time off. What do you say Dawson? Think you can give your hands a few days? I think I'm ok with the cattle, just gotta make sure they get fed is all."

Dawson leans back, rubbing his hand on the back of his neck. He's pretty tired and wouldn't mind the rest of today off, and he's pretty sure Ashlynn is ready to fall over herself. She had less sleep than he did. "Sure, when do we want to give them time? Should we speak to the Alpha first?"

Cody waves his hand in dismissal, "I got that, don't worry. I will let you guys know what he says. I have to meet with him at three this afternoon to update him on what we have planned."

Cody stands, gathering up all the papers they had been looking over. He nods to Dawson,"You should go get some sleep yourself, you're looking like shit and that's hard for a werewolf to do."

Dawson grunts at that and stands to leave. Cody looks at Ashlynn, "Can I have a word with you Ash?"

Dawson looks from Cody to Ashlynn and back. He suddenly feels like he doesn't want to leave and sits back in the chair. Cody glances over at him, "Go get some rest," he says again, but this time with more authority, letting his Beta aura out. Dawson growls a little but stands to leave.

"Uh what's that about?" Ashlynn says as she watches Dawson walk out.

Cody laughs, "I got an idea, but I ain't saying anything. Listen, I just wanted to ask you a couple questions. If you don't want to answer them, you don't have to."

Ashlynn shrugs and sits back in the chair. "Ok. Shoot. Whatcha got?"

"I don't know how to ask this without sounding kind of like a creep, so I'm just going to say first, I'm old enough to be your father so I don't want you to take this the wrong way." He glances at her as he finishes cleaning up the papers and putting back in their respective folders.

"Ok. I gotcha. You're not a perv..." She chuckles.

Cody sits back down. "So I heard from Garrett you took call last night and gave him the night off. I couldn't help but notice the lights on in the clinic all night. You know you don't have to stay up when you take call right?"

"Yep I know," she just looked at him, waiting for what was next.

"Ok so what were you doing up all night, if you don't mind me asking?"

Ashlynn fidgeted for a minute in her seat, trying to decide how to answer. She was a terrible liar, so she just avoided even trying. She did know how to be evasive though. "Uh I just had some stuff to do. I was working on some paperwork." None of that was a lie.

"Right," Cody leans back in his chair. "I saw you and your Mom coming out of there real early. She was with you all night?"

"Yes she was," again, she wasn't lying.

"Hmm, well what I don't understand is why she would be in the clinic with you all night? She doesn't work with animals at all, or does she?" He's reaching for her to give him some kind of answer that makes sense to him.

"No sir, she doesn't," she avoids the first part of the question.

"Listen Ash, I don't mean to pry, but as the Beta, it's kind of my job to know what's going on around here. I don't like you working yourself into a zombie. If you won't tell me exactly why she was with you all night, at least tell me why you two came here." He's hoping for a straight answer.

"Didn't my Uncle tell you? I came here for the job." It's part of the truth, and Ashlynn is wondering how much longer she can avoid his questions.

Cody waves his hand, as if to say 'yeah whatever'. "Why did your Mom come with you? Where's her mate?"

Ashlynn takes a deep sigh. That's to direct to avoid. "She came with me to start a new life. And her mate is dead."

Cody didn't expect that. "Oh I'm sorry. Rogue attack?"

"No sir. He was executed. Last night." Ashlynn figured she should just get this over with. She really wanted to go snuggle her pillow. "And that is why she was with me. I wanted to make sure she was ok, that she didn't suffer to much."

Cody just raised an eyebrow. He knew if he was pushing it if he asked how exactly she was making sure she didn't suffer, but he imagined the Alpha knew all this, so he let it go. "Ok. I'm sorry Ash. It's probably painful for you as well. Hope you don't think I'm an ass for butting in." He pauses to gauge her reaction, she's just staring at him. "Alright, well that will be all. Get some sleep, we can talk tomorrow about the breeding schedule and when we can give every one some time off."

Ashlynn gives him a nod, stands and walks out the door. She's hoping that he doesn't tell her mother, she would be embarrassed if she knew that Ashlynn was forced to share their business. Nothing could be done about it now. Dawson and Cody are not likely to tell anyone else about it. Time to go catch some sleep.

Ashlynn

I stood in my room, staring at the clothes in my closet. Mom was sitting on the bed watching me. "Come on Mom, you should come out with us. We all need a break and I won't have a day off for a while." I turned to face her. "It's not a big deal, it's just a bar and maybe some dancing. You know you could use it, you've been moping around since the day we got here. Time to start living." I gave her a knowing look.

"Ok fine, but Ashlynn, don't try to force me to smile," She smirked. My mother actually smirked. I hadn't seen a touch of a smile on her face in a very long time. Maybe she was finally healing.

I gave her a bright smile,"Now you know I can't promise that mother." I turned back to looking for the top I had been trying to locate. "You should go get dressed. We are leaving in a half an hour. I will come to the main house and get you as soon as I'm done here."

My Mom sighed. "Ok, I will be ready. See you in thirty." I nodded and waved my hand at her, to say bye. I heard her get up and the front door open and shut. Good....this will be good for her.

As promised, thirty minutes later I was at my Uncles house. "You sure this is a good idea Ashlynn," Uncle Gabe asked me.

"Of course it is. She needs to get out. She's been moping around. She needs to see that life doesn't have to be sadness and loneliness. She's had over seventeen years of sadness and loneliness. Now that the cause of that is gone and she seems to be healing in here," I pointed to my heart, "She should try to have a life."

My Uncle nodded, "You know you're pretty smart kiddo. Just be careful, don't let the cowboys get to riled up tonight." He gave me a knowing wink.

"Not sure what you mean, I'm not a babysitter of grown men," Mom was just coming down the steps, dressed in blue jeans and a pair of boots, her hair hung in waves to her shoulders and she had very light make up on. I don't think I recall the last time I saw her wear make up or do her hair. This was certainly an improvement from the woman who had been moping around this past week.

Uncle Gabe chuckled. "Well you must be blind then. When I say riled up, I mean about you. I am the Alpha you know, don't think I don't hear the chatter about how beautiful my niece is." He gave me a wink and then turned to my Mother. "You look great Carolyn, now you make sure you have fun tonight."

I was just kind of standing there in shock at his words. It was funny to me that he was making light of it, when I knew he probably wasn't happy about it. I think he also realizes that I'm a grown woman and I will make my own choices. I shook myself out of my thoughts, gave my Mom a smile and we headed out the door to my waiting truck. Since I had a crew cab, there were already three of the crew loaded in the back seat. Cody's truck hung in the driveway, engine running, loaded up with the rest of the crew. This is going to be an interesting night.

The hour drive into town didn't feel like an hour. We had plenty of friendly chatter in the truck on the way. All of the ranch hands were curious about my Mom, since none of them had met her yet. I think she rather enjoyed the attention, she was smiling the entire way.