ASHER
My first day back to classes after the forest incident was a nightmare.
Not because of the pain,though my ribs still ached with every breath but because of Reed Jackson.
He was everywhere.
In the cafeteria, he "accidentally" bumped into me hard enough to make me drop my tray. Food scattered across the floor, and the entire room erupted in laughter.
"Oops," Reed said, his voice dripping with mock concern. "So clumsy, Graham. Maybe you should watch where you're going."
I gritted my teeth and cleaned up the mess while everyone watched.
In the hallways, Reed would shoulder-check me into walls as he passed, always with that cold smirk on his face.
"Coming through," he'd say. "Move aside, weakling."
During Advanced Pack Dynamics, Reed made a point of correcting everything I said, undermining me in front of the professor and the entire class.
"That's not how the Pack hierarchy works, Graham," Reed said when I answered a question. "But I wouldn't expect someone from a no-name Pack to understand real politics."
The class snickered.
I wanted to punch him. I wanted to fight back.
But Ms. Chen's words echoed in my mind: You have maybe a few months before your heat exposes everything. Don't draw more attention, and stay away from Reed Jackson.
So I took it. Swallowed my rage and let Reed Jackson humiliate me over and over.
It all felt like the Infirmary never exceeded and that Reed didn't apologize to me and promised to changed or talk more about what attractions we had for each other.
It felt like I was imagining things and the beating must have gotten to me because this Reed that saved me and waited three days for me to wake up and wanted to walk things out was totally different from the Reed I was seeing now.
This Reed was now more aggressive and ready to bully, torture me and tear me to shreds.
By lunchtime, I was ready to explode.
I sat alone at a corner table, pushing food around my plate, when someone cleared their throat.
I looked up to find Scott Hanson standing there with his tray, looking nervous.
"Can I sit?" he asked.
I glanced around the cafeteria. Other students were watching. Reed was at his usual table with his inner circle, also watching. Sitting with me would paint a target on Scott's back yet again.
He was the reason I was in this mess in the first place, so why does he want to become a target for Reed once again. He should be running away ay the opportunity he has now.
"Are you sure you want to do that?" I asked quietly.
Scott sat down anyway. "Yeah, I'm sure."
Something warm bloomed in my chest.
"Thanks." I told him with a smile on my face.
"Don't mention it." Scott started eating, then lowered his voice. "So... Reed's being worse than usual."
"You noticed?" I asked.
"Everyone's noticed. He's been making your life hell since you got back." Scott hesitated. "I think he's angry."
"About what? He's the one who set me up."
"About the fact that you survived. About the fact that you're not broken." Scott glanced over at Reed's table. "Reed Jackson doesn't know what to do with people who don't submit to him. It pisses him off."
"Good. Let him be pissed off."
Scott grinned. "You're brave. Stupid, but brave."
We ate in silence for a few minutes. Then Scott spoke again.
"Look, I wanted to ask you something, and you can say no if you want." He told me.
"Okay..." I answered with a brow raised.
"There are some other Alphas here who are... tired of Reed's tyranny. They are tired of the bullying, the constant fear, and the way he rules this place like a dictator." Scott leaned forward. "We've been talking about forming a coalition. A group that looks out for each other, and we think you should lead it."
I blinked. "What? Why me?"
"Because you stood up to Reed Jackson on your first day, because you survived his attempts to destroy you, and because you're not afraid of him." Scott's voice was earnest. "People respect that, Asher. They see you as proof that Reed isn't invincible."
"He beat me bloody, Scott. Twice." I reminded him.
"But you didn't submit.l, you didn't apologize, and you definitely didn't break." Scott pulled out his phone, showing me a group chat. "Look, these are all Alphas who want to meet you. Who wants to work together to change things at Stone Claw."
I scrolled through the names. There were at least a dozen.
"This is dangerous," I said. "If Reed finds out—"
"Then we'll deal with it together. That's the whole point." Scott put his phone away. "We're stronger together than we are alone, and right now, you need allies. We all do."
He was right. I did need allies, but I needed people who could help me navigate this nightmare while I kept my secret hidden.
"Okay," I said. "Set up a meeting."
Scott's face lit up. "Really?"
"Really, but we have to be smart about this. No broadcasting, and no drawing attention. We operate quietly."
"Agreed." Scott stood up, grabbing his tray. "I'll text you the details."
As he walked away, I felt eyes on me.
I looked up to find Reed staring at me from across the cafeteria, his expression dark and unreadable.
Then he stood, grabbed his own tray, and walked directly towards me.
Oh no. So much for staying away from Reed and trouble.
Reed stopped at my table, looming over me.
"Making friends, Graham?" he asked, his voice cold.
"Just eating lunch." I answered, and he scoffed.
"With Scott Hanson. My property." Reed's eyes were like ice. "Did I give you permission to associate with what's mine?"
Anger flared in my chest. "Scott's not property. He's a person."
"At Stone Claw, everyone belongs to someone. Scott belongs to me." Reed leaned down, his hands on the table, caging me in. "And you? You don't belong anywhere. No Pack, no allies, no protection. Just a nobody from nowhere."
His words were meant to hurt, to humiliate, and they did, but I refused to let him see it. This was the real Reed Jackson not the one who saved me or the one at the Infirmary.
"Is that all?" I asked, keeping my voice steady. "Because I'd like to finish my lunch."
Reed's jaw clenched. For a moment, I thought he might flip the table. Instead, he reached down and grabbed my tray, dumping the entire contents on the floor.
"Oops," he said, mimicking his earlier tone. "How clumsy of me."
The cafeteria erupted in laughter again.
Reed walked away, his cronies following.
I sat there, surrounded by spilled food, my hands shaking with rage and humiliation, but I didn't cry, neither did I run.
I stood up, grabbed some napkins, and started cleaning up the mess.
As I did, I noticed something. Other students were watching. Some looked sympathetic while dome looked angry on my behalf, and Scott had stopped at the door, watching with clenched fists.
Maybe forming an allies wasn't such a bad idea after all.
The meeting happened that night in an abandoned classroom on the fourth floor.
When Scott and I arrived, eight Alphas were waiting.
I recognized a few from classes. Others were completely unfamiliar.
"Everyone," Scott said, "this is Asher Graham."
A tall, muscular Alpha with dark skin stepped forward. "Marcus Hayes. Second year. Reed Jackson made my first year a living hell."
"Jasmine Torres," said a fierce-looking female Alpha with short black hair. "Second year. Reed tried to force me into his inner circle. When I refused, he made sure I was ostracized."
"Liam Clark," said a lean Alpha with glasses. "Third year. Reed humiliated my younger brother so badly he transferred schools."
The others introduced themselves, all victims of Reed's tyranny in one way or another.
"So," Marcus said, crossing his arms. "Scott says you're interested in organizing against Reed."
"I'm interested in surviving," I said honestly. "Reed Jackson has made me his personal project. I need people I can trust."
"And we need someone who can stand up to him," Jasmine said. "Someone who's already proven they won't back down."
"I'm not a leader," I protested.
"Yes, you are," Liam said quietly. "You challenged Reed on your first day. You refused to submit even when he beat you. You survived the forest incident. That takes more than strength, it takes courage."
"And stupidity," I muttered.
"Sometimes they're the same thing," Marcus said with a slight smile. "Look, we're not asking you to go to war with Reed. We're asking you to be a symbol. To show other Alphas that they don't have to live in fear."
I looked around at the group. They weren't the strongest Alphas at Stone Claw. They weren't the most powerful or connected, but they were brave, and they were willing to fight back.
"Okay," I said. "I'm in, but we need rules."
"Name them," Jasmine said.
"First: we don't provoke Reed unnecessarily. We're smart about this, and strategic."
Everyone nodded.
"Second: we protect each other. If one of us is being targeted, the others intervene."
"Agreed," Marcus said.
"Third: this stays quiet. No bragging, no broadcasting, and we operate under the radar."
"Done," Liam said.
We spent the next hour planning. Setting up encrypted communication channels. Scheduling regular meetings. Discussing strategies for dealing with Reed and his inner circle.
By the time we left, I felt something I hadn't felt since arriving at Stone Claw:
Hope.
Maybe I could survive this place after all.