The Bully Alpha's Fake Alpha Mate (BL)-Chapter 26: Let Him Go

ASHER

After my encounter with Julian and his friends, I have been doing everything I could to avoid him. Reed has warned me to disband the group or else there would be consequences and I have been too damn stubborn to disband something that gave me hope and now it seems the whole school has heard about the group and Reed would be planning the right time to strike.

I had expected it to be soon but Reed has been so quiet ever since afternoon at the cafeteria.

I had expected him to corner me, follow me like he always does but this time around it was different which got me a bit scared or worried.

Reed wasn’t anywhere close to my proximity, matter of fact, he was nowhere to be found and I didn’t know if I should be happy or be sad but deep down I missed those eyes that were always watching me and waiting for me to slip so he could catch me.

I was lost in thought when someone tapped me on my shoulders which startled me and I turned around to see Julian with a smile on his face.

"I knew I would find you here, Asher. What are you doing alone at the gym? Are you practicing?" He asked and I shook my head.

"Just rounded up training here and since I had nothing else to do for the day, I decided to still remain," I answered, not too pleased that I was being disturbed.

"That’s great. Asher about what we discussed the last time at the cafeteria, I wanted to ask if-"

"Julian, I really am not interested in creating a rebellion group against Reed. It’s hard already for me, I don’t want to double it." I told him before he could bring up the matter.

"I’m not here to talk to you about a rebellion group or whatever you are thinking of, I’m here to give you information." Julian said, drawing my full attention to him.

"What kind of information?" I asked, curiosity piqued.

"The kind that might keep you alive." She pulled out her phone and showed me a document. "This is a list of Reed’s inner circle, the students who will do anything he says, no questions asked. Callum is his Beta, you know that but there are others. Tyler Reeves, Jax Monroe, Sophia Laurent, Cade Wilson. They’re all Alpha legacy students, all fiercely loyal to Reed."

I scanned the list. "Why are you showing me this?"

"Because you need to know who your real enemies are. Callum might be Reed’s right hand, but he’s not cruel for the sake of it. Tyler and Jax? They enjoy hurting people. They’re the ones who’ll come after you if Reed gives the order."

"Great. That’s comforting."

Julian’s expression softened slightly. "I’m also showing you this because you have more support than you realize. Students are tired of Reed’s tyranny. They’re just too scared to do anything about it but if you keep standing up to him, keep refusing to break... that gives people hope."

"I don’t want to give people hope," I said honestly. "I want to survive until graduation and get the hell out of here."

"Then you picked the wrong Academy." Julian stood up, gathering his books. "Stone Claw is all about dominance hierarchies. You can’t just exist here neutrally. You either submit or you resist, and you’ve already chosen resistance."

He walked away, leaving me staring after him in frustration. I didn’t want this. I didn’t want to be a symbol or a leader or anything except invisible but Julian was right. I’d made my choice the day I’d stepped between Reed and Scott. Everything since then had been inevitable.

That night, I was heading back to my dorm when I heard voices coming from one of the empty classrooms.

I should have kept walking. I should have minded my own business but I recognized one of the voices.

Scott, and he sounded scared.

I quickly moved closer to the door, pressing against the wall to listen.

"—told you to stay away from him." That was Reed’s voice, cold and dangerous. "I told you that Asher was off-limits."

"We’re just friends," Scott said, his voice shaking. "I’m not—I wouldn’t—"

"Friends." Reed laughed, but there was no humor in it. "You think I don’t see the way you look at him? The way you smile when he talks to you?"

"Reed, please—"

The sound of something or someone being slammed against a wall made me flinch.

"He’s mine, Scott. Mine to torment, mine to break, mine to fuck with however I want, and if I catch you near him again, I’ll make what I did to you on the first day look like a fucking love tap."

That was it, I had enough of this shit, without warning I pushed open the door.

Reed had Scott pinned against the wall, one hand wrapped around his throat. Scott’s face was red, and his eyes wide with fear.

"Let him go," I said, my voice steady despite the rage flooding through me. Reed’s head whipped toward me. His eyes were blazing, his Alpha dominance rolling off him in waves that made my knees weak, but I didn’t back down.

"This doesn’t concern you, Asher." Reed warned

"He’s my friend, and that makes it my concern." I stepped into the room, letting the door close behind me. "Let him go, Reed."

For a moment, I thought Reed was going to refuse. His hand tightened on Scott’s throat, and Scott made a small, choked sound, and then Reed released him. Scott collapsed to the floor, coughing and gasping for air.

"Get out," Reed said to him, not taking his eyes off me. Scott didn’t need to be told twice. He scrambled to his feet and ran, leaving me alone with Reed.

The tension in the room was suffocating.

"You just can’t help yourself, can you?" Reed said softly, advancing on me. "Always playing the hero, and always getting in my way."

"Someone has to stand up to you." I said firmly.

"And you think that someone is you?" Reed was close now, close enough that I could feel the heat of his body. "You think you’re strong enough to challenge me?"

"I think you’re a bully who gets off on making people afraid of you."

Reed’s hand shot out, gripping my jaw. Not hard enough to hurt, but firm enough to make his point.

"Careful, Asher. Your mouth is going to get you in trouble."

"It already has," I said, meeting his gaze defiantly. "Multiple times, and I’m still here."

"For now."

His thumb brushed over my lower lip, and despite everything, despite the fear and anger and the knowledge that this was dangerous, heat pooled low in my belly, and Reed noticed, and his eyes darkened, his nostrils flaring as he scented my arousal.

"You’re terrified of me," he murmured. "But you still want me. How does that work, Asher?"

"I don’t want you." I denied

"Hmm, pretty little liar." His other hand slid to my hip, pulling me closer. "Your body doesn’t lie. Neither does your scent."

God, he kept mentioning my scent. He kept noticing things he shouldn’t notice. Why couldn’t I smell the scent he was talking about and why was he the only one noticing the scent.

What does it mean and what would happen to me if the suppressants finally fail and Reed gets to find out the truth.

"Let me go," I said, but my voice came out breathless instead of commanding.

"No." Reed’s lips were at my ear now. "I don’t think I will. Not until you admit the truth."

"What truth?" I asked, my brows furrowed.

"That you want this as much as I do, and that you think about me. That you get hard imagining what I could do to you."

My breath hitched because he was right.

I hated him, I hated everything he stood for, everything he’d done to me but I couldn’t stop thinking about him. I couldn’t stop wanting him in ways that made no sense.

"This is insane," I whispered.

"I know." Reed pulled back just enough to look at me. "But I’m done fighting it, and soon, you will be too."

He released me and stepped back.

"Stay away from Scott," he said, his voice returning to that cold, authoritative tone. "Or next time, I won’t stop."

Then he walked out, leaving me trembling and confused and achingly hard.

I stood there for a long moment, trying to catch my breath, trying to understand what the hell was happening between us but I couldn’t.

All I knew was that Reed Jackson was becoming an obsession I couldn’t shake, and that terrified me more than anything else.