4- Uncovered

ASHER’S POV.

 

Seeing his eyes widen like that in fear, my wolf shifted, the intense urge to protect whoever this person standing in front of me was overwhelming, almost breaking.

 

There’s no way in hell I feel this way for a man…. This Caleb…. He isn’t—

 

I saw the figure move from the corner of my eyes and I turned around sharply, seeing the person before Caleb did, a blur of movement behind the trees, the faintest whiff of foreign scent.

 

Everything about that scent that hit me was strange, wrong, sharp and worse, too close. Without thinking, I lunged forward, grabbing her wrist, but it was too late as the trainee crashed into us, claws extended, teeth bared in a savage snarl.

 

Caleb’s eyes widened in terror— No, it wasn’t terror but recognition.

 

The trainee swung for her throat but Caleb ducked, rolled and in that instant I saw something crack open inside him, everything this person did was for survival.

 

Caleb shifted, partially, and when I saw the wolf, I felt mine stir. My confusion was cleared and my suspicion confirmed. This person isn’t Caleb, this is not a male…. The scent, the body, everything screamed female.

 

“Caleb is…. A girl?” I couldn’t help but murmur as I watched her claw shoot out, her eyes burning molten gold and her canines elongated as she moved faster than I’d ever seen her move before.

 

She moved like a phantom, fast and brutal as she protected herself from whoever this trainee was but judging from the fight, it was clear that she couldn’t have the upper hand.

 

“Caleb! Move!” I roared, already shifting my weight forward and in a blink of an eye, I caught the trainee by the arm, twisting it really hard until I heard bone snap and his back arched.

 

His scream was hollow, broken and without much thinking, I slammed him into the ground so hard that I could hear another bone in his body crack.

 

But before I could do anything else, an explosion erupted, blurring my vision as everywhere went up in white smoke but there wasn’t any fire.

 

When the smoke eventually cleared, the intruder was gone, leaving me and her and I could feel her standing behind me, panting and her wolf clawing just beneath her skin, revealing more than she probably intended to reveal.

 

My head sprung around to look at her and I felt something cut loose inside me when I saw how her chest heaved, the sweat clustering on her forehead, causing rage to flood every of my veins.

 

“What the hell was that?!” I bellowed in a demand, advancing on her and she flinched, her eyes still glowing as she took a step back for each step I took forward.

 

“Stay away from me!” She panted, turning on her heels and running so fast that I almost had no choice but to stand back and watch but I couldn’t do that.

 

In one swift dash, I was behind her, running until we were both in the dorm and closing the door behind me, I grabbed her arm, spinning her around as I dragged her closer.

 

“What the hell was that?!” I demanded, repeating my question but she didn’t say anything and only attempted to pull away from me but my grip around her tightened, making that impossible.

 

“I won’t repeat myself one more fucking time so for the last fucking time, Caleb, WHO THE FUCK ARE YOU?” I roared, my voice reverberating through the dorm room walls.

 

I watched as she shivered, her head dropping, her shoulders shook and for a moment, I thought she might collapse which caused me to release my grip on her arm.

 

“I’m not Caleb,” she finally said, her voice so low that it angered even my wolf but I stood still to hear the rest of her confession, the things she’s been hiding since she came to the Academy.

 

“My name… it’s…. Layla,” she continued, holding her own arm and digging her nails so deep into it blood started seeping out, “I ran from my pack.” She paused.

 

“I had to take my brother, Caleb’s identity, to be accepted into the academy. I couldn’t stay back home, if I did, I’d be forced to mate with Alpha Gideon. There was no way I could allow that and so, I ran.” She swallowed.

 

“The person in the forest earlier, he’s one of Alpha Gideon’s men.” She finished and I stared at her, my breath trapped in my throat as every piece of me roared in fury at Alpha Gideon’s name.

 

Layla looked up at me, her eyes glistening as her lips pressed into a thin line, “I didn’t want you to know. I didn’t want anyone to know. Please, Asher…. Please…. Don’t tell them. Don’t tell anyone, I’d be kicked out of the academy.” She begged.

 

I couldn’t speak. Anger flooded my veins and I felt like a ticking time bomb that was only seconds away from exploding, the lie…. The deception, I should care but somehow, I do.

 

Raw anger shot through me and the uncontrollable rage pulsing through my veins almost consumed me but the mate bond roaring between us like a wildfire consuming my reasoning, suffocated my anger.

 

“P— Please….” She whispered and unable to keep it bottled up, I snarled, stepping back as her scent wrapped around me, it was maddening, threatening to drive me crazy.

 

“This…. This isn’t something I can ignore, not when you’re…. You!” I barked but kept my voice low enough that a third party couldn’t hear, “the full moon is close, Layla.” I grunted out.

 

“My senses will sharpen, my consciousness of you will only grow stronger. You really think this is something you can keep a secret forever?” I demanded but she didn’t respond.

 

I could see the tears welling up in her eyes as she stared at me, eyes begging for me to keep her secret and groaning, I turned around, making for the door but stopping just as I touched the knob.

 

“I can lie for now, I can keep your secret for now but when the moon rises… I won’t be able to stop myself from claiming you.”