Page 55 of His Arranged Plus-Size Mate

I watched as Hazel offered a shoulder for them to cry on. Gabriella was trying to speak to another. I inhaled slowly, grinding my teeth hard together.

“Asher,” a broken voice spoke up, and I watched as Luke’s wife stood just a few feet from me. Her eyes were red, and tears streamed down her face. Her hands were shaking on her stomach as she tried to form a word.

“I’m sorry,” I felt my voice crack at the words.

Her lower lip quivered. “I just…I…Brandon said he was part of your team that went out.”

I frowned, my mind racing back. Luke had been to the right of me the entire time. He turned for just a moment to help someone and was hit. I could hear the sound of his body slamming into the tree. I knew bones had shattered, and he lay unmoved. I wasn’t sure if he died on impact, but I knew that the hybrid ripping his head off had.

“He was.”

“I want to know what happened.”

I frowned. “You don’t.”

She licked her lips, wiping at her eyes. “I just…did he die in pain?”

“He died honorably and quickly.”

She nodded, and I moved closer, pulling her into my arms. She sobbed, and I wanted nothing more than to take all her pain away.

I helped her back to her car and watched as they started to pack up the coffins to get them buried. My phone vibrated in my pocket, and I scowled seeing the text message from my dad.

My hands curled around my phone. “Are you kidding me?”

“What’s wrong?” I turned as Hazel stopped next to me.

I shook my head. “My dad messaged that they want to do a family dinner. Like now is the time to message me.”

Her eyebrows went up. “Oh? And?”

“It’s not happening.” I wrote out a quick text message and shoved my phone back into my pocket. “I can’t fake a smile and act like everything is fine. Not today.”

She reached out, placing her hand on my shoulder. “You don’t have to.”

I almost expected her to tell me otherwise. “Are you not going to tell me I should spend time with my family after all of this? That life is too short?”

She shook her head. “In a normal circumstance, yeah, maybe. But I’ve spent one evening with your folks, and I know they aren’t exactly the lovey-dovey type. So, if you don’t want to, you don’t have to.”

She leaned against me, wrapping her arms around me. I sank into her touch, not realizing how badly I needed it. I pulled her closer, inhaling her scent. I needed her to ground me.

But my phone started to vibrate in my pocket. I groaned and pulled it out. I froze when I noticed it was my mom calling.

I pulled it up. “Hi, Mom.”

“Why won’t you join us for family dinner tonight?” Her voice came out soft, almost worried.

I pinched my eyes. “Mom, it’s been a long night. I still have a lot to do, and we have to have a meeting to talk about everything.”

“I know, which is why we should have a family dinner. I could have lost you tonight. I know you’re busy, but I want to see you. You don’t even have to stay long.”

I felt my stomach drop at her words. “Mom, I’m going to be needed. We have burials and…”

“Asher, you are coming to the family dinner.” Her voice broke, and I could hear the sadness underneath. “You are my son, and I could have lost you tonight. You’re coming to dinner.”

I slowly nodded. “Okay, fine. We will come to the family dinner.”

“Good. We will have it at 6. Give you some time to do whatever you need.”