The Bully Alpha's Fake Alpha Mate (BL) Chapter 33: DRAGGED INTO DARKNESS

ASHER

The kiss broke, and Reed pulled back, his grey eyes blazing with sothing wild and feral that made my entire body go rigid with fear.

"Mine," he said again, his voice rough and possessive. "You’re mine, Asher, and everyone here just saw claim you."

The words hung in the air between us then reality crashed down. The crowd was going insane around us. Voices shouting, caras still flashing, and the entire clearing erupting into chaos.

"Holy shit—"

"Reed Jackson just kissed Asher Graham—"

"Did you see that?"

"Oh my God, this is insane—"

My brain was struggling to process what had just happened. Reed had kissed . In front of everyone, he had claid publicly with his mouth and his hands and his scent that was still flooding my senses, and I’d kissed him back.

God, I’d kissed him back as my life depended on it. What the fuck was wrong with ? Reed’s hand was still tangled in my hair. His other hand was still on my hip, holding against him as he owned like he had every right to touch however he wanted.

"Let go of ," I managed, my voice coming out shakier than I wanted.

Reed’s smile was dangerous, and predatory.

"No." He said back.

"Reed—"

"You wanted my attention, Asher?" His voice dropped to a growl that sent shivers down my spine. "Congratulations, you have it. You have all of it now."

Then his hand moved from my hip to my throat, not squeezing, and not choking, it was just holding, and a clear statent of dominance and possession.

"Now you’re going to co with ," Reed said softly, his thumb brushing against my pulse point. "And we’re going to have a conversation about what the fuck you thought you were doing."

"I’m not going anywhere with you," I stated and he smirked.

"Yes, you are."

Reed’s hand tightened slightly on my throat. Not enough to hurt, but enough to make his point.

Then he started walking, pulling with him by my throat like I was a disobedient dog on a leash.

"Reed, stop—"

He ignored , dragging away from the bonfire, away from the crowd, and toward the tree line that bordered the clearing. I tried to pull away, but his hold was iron, and unbreakable.

The crowd parted for us, everyone staring in shock and fascination.

Scott’s voice cut through the noise. "Let him go!"

Reed’s eyes slid to Scott. The look on his face was absolutely terrifying.

"You," Reed said softly, "need to shut the fuck up before I forget you’re not worth my ti."

"Reed—" Callum appeared at Reed’s side, his expression worried. "Man, you need to calm down. Everyone’s watching—"

"Good, let them watch." Reed’s hand tightened on my throat. "Let them all see what happens when soone tries to take what’s mine." He said and without looking back, he pulled into the woods.

The sounds of the party faded as we moved deeper into the trees. The music beca background noise, and the voices beca distant murmurs but I could hear footsteps following us. I could sense other students trailing behind at a safe distance, phones out, watching but too scared to interfere.

Reed kept walking until we were far enough from the clearing that the bonfire was just a distant glow through the trees.

Then he spun around and slamd against a tree trunk hard enough to knock the breath from my lungs.

"You fucking dare—" Reed started, his face inches from mine, his hand still on my throat.

"I dare whatever I want," I spat back, finding my voice despite the fear coursing through . "You don’t own , Reed."

"The fuck I don’t?" Reed’s other hand ca up to brace against the tree beside my head, caging in. "I just kissed you in front of the entire Academy. I claid you, and everyone knows you’re mine now."

"That was your choice, not mine," I told him and he scoffed

"Your choice was to try to fucking kiss Scott right in front of ." Reed’s voice was a low growl. "You wanted to provoke ? Congratulations princess, it worked."

"Good, maybe now you’ll leave alone," I told him, my eyes locked with his and Reed laughed. It was a dark, and dangerous sound that made my skin prickle.

"Leave you alone? Asher, I haven’t even started." He said as he leaned in closer, his scent washing over , pine and smoke and rage and sothing that made my Oga instincts whimper.

"You think this was about making jealous?" Reed’s voice was soft now, deadly. "You think this was so power play you could win?"

"I think you’re a psychopath who can’t handle not getting what he wants."

Reed’s smile was sharp as broken glass. "And what I want is you."

His hand slid from my throat to my jaw, forcing to look at him.

"I’ve wanted you since the day you walked into this Academy. Since you stepped between Scott, and . Since you refused to submit like everyone else."

"That’s not want, Reed, that’s obsession."

"Maybe." Reed’s thumb brushed over my lower lip. "Maybe I am obsessed with you, maybe I can’t stop thinking about you, and maybe I lie awake at night imagining all the ways I’m going to make you mine."

"You’re insane," I told him and he bobbed his head

"Probably." Reed leaned in until our foreheads were almost touching. "But you kissed back, Asher. In front of everyone, you kissed like you ant it."

"I was in shock—"

"Bullshit." Reed’s eyes were blazing. "You wanted it. You wanted , and you hate yourself for it."

I opened my mouth to deny it, but the words stuck in my throat because he was right. Goddess help , he was right.

I had wanted it, I had wanted him, and I did hate myself for it.

"You can lie to yourself all you want," Reed said softly. "But your body doesn’t lie, I can sll it on you. That sweet scent that gets stronger every ti I’m near you."

Panic spiked through every ti he talked about my sll.

"You don’t know what you’re talking about."

"Don’t I?" Reed’s nose brushed along my jaw, inhaling deeply. "There’s sothing about your scent, Asher. Sothing that doesn’t quite fit, and that sothing drives absolutely fucking insane."

"Reed, stop—"

"Why?" He pulled back to look at . "Why should I stop? You started this. You ca to that party with Scott. You touched him, laughed with him, and almost kissed him. You wanted to provoke ."

"Yes, I did and I will do it over and over again."

"Well, congratulations." Reed’s smile was terrifying. "You succeeded, and now you’re going to deal with the consequences."

Behind us, I could hear whispers. Students who’d followed us into the woods, watching from a safe distance, waiting to see what would happen, waiting to see if Reed would hurt , and waiting to see if I’d survive this.

"You wanted war, Asher?" Reed’s voice dropped to a whisper. "You wanted to challenge in front of the entire Academy?"

He leaned in, his lips brushing against my ear.

"You just signed your death warrant."