3- Blood In The Pines

LAYLA’S POV.

 

“Fuck!” I cursed under my breath when I stumbled over a twig, my heart was pounding so fast that I thought it was going to jump right out of my chest.

 

This is torture. Hell. But the kind of hell I have to endure.

 

The forest pressed in around me, thorns snapping at my skin each time I walked past them and at some point, I thought about giving up even though it was never an option.

 

I could still feel Asher’s eyes on me, clawing at my back and boring holes into every single part of my body, causing me to shiver internally as my mind replayed what happened last night.

 

I knew what it was. I felt it and I was sure he felt it too, so why isn’t he saying anything?

 

“You would never get very far if you keep going that slow!” Asher barked from behind me and I froze as my blood ran cold.

 

He has been pushing me harder than anyone else, barking orders until my muscles screamed, until my lungs felt like they were caving in and I was taking it all.

 

He’s their special student, the strongest in the academy and that’s why I’d kept silent and taken everything or…. Maybe I was raking it all because I thought that would help him keep this secret.

 

Every humiliating shove me over the edge, forcing me to turn around and snarl at him but I kept calm and took it, every impossible order he made, I’d obeyed.

 

I could feel my vision starting to go white, getting blurry and the forest seemed to be dancing around as my knees went weak and my legs shook, unable to keep me going.

 

It was only a matter of time before I passed out, only a matter of time before my body proved that I could never be as strong as a man.

 

Gritting my teeth, I forced one foot in front of the other, pushing myself forward but I hadn’t gone very far when a sharp sting flared across my side.

 

“Fucking hell!” I groaned as the pain coursed through the rest of my body and hurriedly, I pressed my palm against my ribs and felt the warm, wet slip of blood beneath my fingers.

 

My shirt was torn, blood gushing out of my skin, soaking my shirt and worse, I could smell the fading scent of the herbs I’d so carefully rubbed on my skin before dawn.

 

My body moving faster than my brain could think, I ducked behind one of the oldest, largest trees in the forest and pressed my back into the bark as if I wanted to disappear right into it.

 

“What do I do? What should I do?” I repeated in my mind as I did all I could to first try to stop the bleeding, “it would be bad, really bad if my plan is exposed.” I could almost feel the tears welling up in my eyes.

 

My chest heaved, the herbs were failing and my scent, the one I’d fought so hard to bury, was slipping free.

 

They’d know. He’d know that I’m not Caleb.

 

A twig snapped and my head shot up at once, my eyes unable to stay focused as I scanned the area and that was when I saw him. Asher.

 

I could practically see his wolf cracking beneath his skin, his eyes shone brighter than I’d ever seen it before and the air around us seemed electrified but the last thing I needed was for that to distract me.

 

“Caleb,” he called as if worried about me, “you’re hurt.” He added, his voice so low that it sent chills snaking down my spine.

 

“Let me s—”

 

“Stay. Away. From. Me.” I snarled, my words grinding between my gritting teeth as they made their way out and for a second, he stopped, didn’t move closer to me but that was all.

 

Defiantly, Asher took a step forward and I could see his jaw flex as if he was fighting something inside of him…. Probably himself or the urge to throw everything I’d said away and close the distance between us.

 

“I need to see it, you’re losing blood.” He said as his hand reached for me, his voice was colder now but laced with so much authority that would have made an average wolf fall to their knees.

 

“I said don’t touch me!” I hissed, snapping as my wolf rose within me, she probably felt threatened but Asher didn’t stop.

 

He lunged forward and faster than I could blink, his hand caught my wrist as he yanked me out from behind the tree, causing me to stumble and fall into his chest, my face just inches away from his.

 

My breath caught in my throat, my heart pounded and my eyes dilated as they looked into his, completely held hostage, mesmerized as his scent hit me hard.

 

“Caleb.” He rasped as if muttering a curse, his fingers curling around my arm and he didn’t look at my wound, not at first. His gaze locked on mine, and for a breathless second, the world stopped.

 

Goosebumps covered my skin when his hand slid under the torn edge of my shirt, my entire body jolted and his skin burned against mine as something inside me howled.

 

It was the bond. It was the matebond. Asher is my—

 

“What are you….” His voice trailed off as the bond flared, savage, electric and I felt it cackle between us, raw and unstoppable. Asher held me still as his thumb brushed over my bare side, skimming the blood-slick skin, and my knees nearly buckled.

 

“Stay away from—” My voice was weak, my whole body felt like it was submitting to him but he pressed me even closer and when I tried to push him back, he caught my other wrist, pinning it against the tree behind me.

 

“You’re not Caleb,” he whispered, his hot breath fanning myself as it caught in his throat, his eyes searching deep into my soul for the truth.

 

“You’re---” The rest of the sentence didn’t make it out of his mouth as a branch snapped between us, forcing us apart from each other and my eyes widened.

 

Someone else had heard us. They heard everything.