Chapter 33
ASHER
The kiss broke, and Reed pulled back, his grey eyes blazing with something 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 me claim you p>
The words hung in the air between us then reality crashed down. The crowd was going insane around us. Voices shouting, cameras still flashing, and the entire clearing erupting into chaos.
“Holy shit p>
“Reed Jackson just kissed Asher Graham p>
“Did you see that p>
“Oh my God, this is insane p>
My brain was struggling to process what had just happened. Reed had kissed me. In front of everyone, he had claimed me 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 me? Reed’s hand was still tangled in my hair. His other hand was still on my hip, holding me against him as he owned me like he had every right to touch me however he wanted.
“Let go of me,” I managed, my voice coming out shakier than I wanted.
Reed’s smile was dangerous, and predatory.
“No.” He said back.
“Reed p>
“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 p>
Then his hand moved from my hip to my throat, not squeezing, and not choking, it was just holding, and a clear statement of dominance and possession.
“Now you’re going to come with me,” 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 p>
“I’m not going anywhere with you,” I stated and he smirked.
“Yes, you are p>
Reed’s hand tightened slightly on my throat. Not enough to hurt, but enough to make his point.
Then he started walking, pulling me with him by my throat like I was a disobedient dog on a leash.
“Reed, stop p>
He ignored me, dragging me 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 p>
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 time p>
“Reed—” Callum appeared at Reed’s side, his expression worried. “Man, you need to calm down. Everyone’s watching p>
“Good, let them watch.” Reed’s hand tightened on my throat. “Let them all see what happens when someone tries to take what’s mine.” He said and without looking back, he pulled me into the woods.
The sounds of the party faded as we moved deeper into the trees. The music became background noise, and the voices became 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 me around and slammed me 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 me. “You don’t own me, Reed p>
“The fuck I don’t?” Reed’s other hand came up to brace against the tree beside my head, caging me in. “I just kissed you in front of the entire Academy. I claimed you, and everyone knows you’re mine now p>
“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 me.” Reed’s voice was a low growl. “You wanted to provoke me? Congratulations princess, it worked p>
“Good, maybe now you’ll leave me 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 me, pine and smoke and rage and something that made my Omega instincts whimper.
“You think this was about making me jealous?” Reed’s voice was soft now, deadly. “You think this was some power play you could win p>
“I think you’re a psychopath who can’t handle not getting what he wants p>
Reed’s smile was sharp as broken glass. “And what I want is you p>
His hand slid from my throat to my jaw, forcing me to look at him.
“I’ve wanted you since the day you walked into this Academy. Since you stepped between Scott, and me. Since you refused to submit like everyone else p>
“That’s not want, Reed, that’s obsession p>
“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 p>
“You’re insane,” I told him and he bobbed his head
“Probably.” Reed leaned in until our foreheads were almost touching. “But you kissed me back, Asher. In front of everyone, you kissed me like you meant it p>
“I was in shock p>
“Bullshit.” Reed’s eyes were blazing. “You wanted it. You wanted me, and you hate yourself for it p>
I opened my mouth to deny it, but the words stuck in my throat because he was right. Goddess help me, 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 smell it on you. That sweet scent that gets stronger every time I’m near you p>
Panic spiked through me every time he talked about my smell.
“You don’t know what you’re talking about p>
“Don’t I?” Reed’s nose brushed along my jaw, inhaling deeply. “There’s something about your scent, Asher. Something that doesn’t quite fit, and that something drives me absolutely fucking insane p>
“Reed, stop p>
“Why?” He pulled back to look at me. “Why should I stop? You started this. You came to that party with Scott. You touched him, laughed with him, and almost kissed him. You wanted to provoke me p>
“Yes, I did and I will do it over and over again p>
“Well, congratulations.” Reed’s smile was terrifying. “You succeeded, and now you’re going to deal with the consequences p>
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 me, and waiting to see if I’d survive this.
“You wanted war, Asher?” Reed’s voice dropped to a whisper. “You wanted to challenge me in front of the entire Academy p>
He leaned in, his lips brushing against my ear.
“You just signed your death warrant p>