The Bully Alpha's Fake Alpha Mate (BL) Chapter 35: THE WAR DECLARED

ASHER

I couldn’t go back to my dorm, not just yet and not when my hands were still shaking and my jeans were barely buttoned and I could still feel Reed’s hands on my body but I couldn’t stay in the woods either.

So I found myself walking back towards the bonfire, my brain still trying to process what had just happened.

The music had stopped. That was the first thing I noticed as I got closer to the clearing.

The second thing I noticed was the silence, complete and total silence.

I stepped out of the tree line, and every single person at that party turned to stare at , hundreds of eyes all fixed on , and then soone’s phone was still recording.

"Holy shit," soone whispered. "He actually ca back."

I looked around at the faces staring at . So shocked, so fascinated, and so horrified.

Scott pushed through the crowd. "Asher, are you okay? What happened? Where’s Reed?"

"I’m fine." My voice ca out hoarse. "I need to leave."

"You’re not fine." Scott grabbed my arm. "Your face is scratched, and your shirt is torn. What did he do to you?"

"Nothing I didn’t provoke." I told him flatly.

"That’s not an answer—"

A commotion erupted from the woods behind , and I turned to see Reed erge from the trees.

His hair was wild, his shirt was half unbuttoned, and his belt was still undone, hanging loose from his jeans, and his eyes.

God, his eyes were absolutely murderous.

The crowd parted for him, everyone backing away creating a pathway for him as he stalked toward the center of the clearing towards .

Callum tried to intercept him. "Reed, man, you need to calm down—"

Reed shoved past him without a word.

His gaze was fixed on , burning with rage, anger and possessiveness, and I took a step back.

Reed stopped in the center of the clearing. He looked around at everyone watching, at all the phones recording, and at the entire Academy holding its breath then he spoke.

"Listen up." His voice carried across the entire clearing, cold, controlled, and terrifying. "Because I’m only going to say this once."

The silence was deafening.

"From this mont forward, Asher Graham is my enemy."

Gasps rippled through the crowd, and Reed’s eyes found mine across the clearing. "You wanted to provoke ? You wanted to challenge in front of everyone? Well congratulations, you succeeded and you have to face the music, princess."

He took a step forward.

"But here’s what happens now. Anyone who helps Asher Graham in any way becos my enemy too. Anyone who sits with him at lunch, anyone who partners with him in class, and anyone who so much as smiles at him in the hallway becos my damn enemy."

"Reed, you can’t be serious—" Scott started.

"Try ." Reed’s gaze slid to Scott. "That includes you, Scott. You want to keep playing hero? Go ahead but when I’m done with you, you’ll wish you’d stayed the fuck out of my way."

Scott’s jaw clenched, but he stayed silent.

Reed turned back to address the crowd.

"Asher Graham thinks he can challenge , he thinks he can disrespect , and he fucking thinks he can run away from ."

He smiled but it was terrifying.

"He’s about to learn what happens when you make an enemy of Reed Jackson."

My heart was pounding so hard I thought it might explode, this was really happening, and Reed was declaring war on in front of the entire Academy.

"So here’s how this works," Reed continued. "From now until the end of the sester, Asher Graham is untouchable. Not because I’m protecting him but because he’s mine to destroy."

He looked directly at .

"No one touches him, no one helps him, and no one interferes because I’m going to make his life so miserable that he’ll beg to end it."

The crowd was silent then soone started clapping. Slowly at first then others joined in, and within seconds, half the crowd was applauding Reed’s declaration while the other half looked horrified.

The Academy was splitting right before my eyes, Reed’s supporters on one side, and mine on the other except I had no supporters. I had people who were too scared of Reed to help , and people who were too entertained by the drama to intervene.

"This is insane," Scott said beside . "He can’t do this."

But Reed already had, he’d turned into public enemy number one. He’d made helping a death sentence. He’d declared open war with the entire Academy as witnesses, and judging by the cheers and the phones recording and the excited whispers spreading through the crowd, everyone was going to pick a side.

Reed started walking toward , and the crowd scattered out of his way.

"Reed, stop," Callum called out. "You’re going to regret this tomorrow—"

"The only thing I regret is not doing this sooner." Reed stopped a few feet away from . Close enough that I could sll him. Pine and smoke and rage. "You wanted my attention, Asher? You have it. Every single second of every single fucking day from now on, I’m going to make you wish you’d never t ."

"I already wish that," I said quietly, and Reed’s smile widened.

"Good, then we understand each other."

He leaned in close, his voice dropping so only I could hear.

"Run all you want, hide if it makes you feel better but I’m coming for you, Asher and when I catch you again, there won’t be anyone around to watch. No phones, no witnesses, just you and ."

He pulled back, his gray eyes boring into mine.

"Sleep well tonight because tomorrow, your life becos hell."

Then he turned and walked away, and the crowd erupted into chaos. People shouting, phones flashing, and everyone talking over each other about what had just happened.

Scott grabbed my arm. "Co on, we need to get you out of here."

I pulled away from him. "You heard what he said. Anyone who helps becos his enemy too."

"I don’t care—"

"Well, I do." I looked at Scott. At this guy who’d shown kindness when no one else would. "You don’t deserve to be dragged into this."

"Asher—"

"Go to your room, Scott. Stay away from , that’s the only way you’ll survive this."

I turned and walked away before he could argue. The crowd parted for . So students stared with pity while others with excitent. A few looked terrified on my behalf but no one tried to stop , and no one offered to help because Reed had declared war, and everyone knew what happened to people who got in his way.

I made it back to my dorm sohow. My legs were shaking, and my mind was racing.

Everything that had happened tonight was crashing down on all at once.

The kiss, the woods, Reed’s hands on my body, and his voice in my ear promising to make his.

The panic when I realized he was actually going to do it.

The knee to his groin.

The run through the darkness, and now this.

War.

Open, public, declared war with the most powerful Alpha at Westridge Academy.

I was fucked, completely and totally fucked.

My phone buzzed, amd I pulled it out, expecting more texts from unknown numbers. More gossip, more videos but this was different.

Unknown Number: You’re going to regret this.

And my blood ran cold then another text ca through.

Unknown Number: Running away was a mistake. You should have let claim you when you had the chance.

Then another.

Unknown Number: Now I’m going to make you suffer, and when you’re broken and begging, I’ll give you one more chance to be mine.

My hands were shaking so hard I almost dropped the phone.

Unknown Number: Sweet dreams, Asher. Tomorrow, the real fun begins.

I stared at the ssages.

Reed was texting , Reed was threatening , Reed was promising to break , and there was nothing I could do about it.

I was alone in this, completely alone and against the most dangerous Alpha at Stone Claw Academy who had just declared war on in front of everyone.

My phone buzzed one more ti.

Unknown Number: P.S. - I can still taste you, and I’m going to taste you again. Soon.

I threw my phone across the room, it hit the wall and clattered to the floor but I could still see the glow of the screen, I could still see the ssages waiting there. Reed wasn’t going to stop.

He was going to hunt , tornt , amd break until I gave him what he wanted, until I submitted, until I beca his, and the worst part? The part that terrified more than anything?

A sick, twisted part of wanted it, it wanted him, it wanted to go back to that tree and let him finish what he started.

I sank onto my bed, my whole body shaking.

What the fuck was wrong with ?