Alpha Asher | ✔️

IX

I had no desire to talk, my legs hurt and my stomach was in deep pain. As I walk out, I see him sitting, his head towards the floor with his hands over his legs. 

Ignoring that massive body casually lifting his head and staring holes down my back I boiled some water. 

"I-"

"I don't have the energy to kick you out of my personal space right now Asher. So could you just be considerate for once and leave me alone today?" that was my only request. Yet, thinking about being alone, left by myself gave me sadness. 

I feel his presence behind me and my heart nearly stops as his palms rest on the counter, beside my body. he was caging me between his arms. While my body was weak, in pain, and exhausted, I still felt my heart throb slightly. Feeling his warm breath on the back of my neck I clench my teeth stopping myself from shivering under that stare. I gulp, standing there frozen and the steam from the water began to slap my face.

I couldn't think when he was around me and that was making me annoyed. 

He stood behind me silent for a moment till I turned off the heat and gave a sigh. That was for me to clam my nerves down. I wanted to stop letting his presence affect me. I saw him grip the edge of the counter tight, his veins suddenly popping out of his skin, revealing that muscular arm.

"Dad died during the summer break." 

Unable to comprehend those words I turned around, expecting to meet his gaze but, his eyes were on the ground. 

"They said it would be better for me to leave town. People would be after me to get hold of my father's assets, not to mention, the authority-" 

Authority? I stare at him as he breaths deeply. I could see his jaw clenched, his brows creasing showing his frustration. As he tried to blink away his anger. 

"What?" That was all I could say as he looked away, to the side, and I see his eyes slightly sparkle under the light before he blinked. 

"I was too young to have a say in anything. Mom left, I suppose she wanted out of that life. I moved in with my aunt, My uncle erased all my previous connections to that town. I could do nothing but sit there, watch them protect me till I grew up-" 

"Asher why?" I found myself asking as my tears rolled in. 

He suddenly chuckled in pain and moved his gaze towards me, for a moment he froze, staring at my neck. I frowned as he suddenly pushed away my shirt making me jerk back at the new feeling. 

"You still wear that?" 

I had forgotten about the chain on my neck. Almost like it was a part of me. And he saw it, something warm spread over my heart as he touched the pendant. 

It was no lie that Asher King was the man I always cared for, and always will. That boy took away my heart the first time I met him. I could never stop thinking about him. And yet, as he stood so close to me, after all these years, I found myself hesitating to even touch him. Something I wanted to do for a long. He had changed, there was no longer the sweet soft gaze he gave, and his voice was harsh and cold. His expression no longer held that kind of presence they once did. 

"I need you. I have no one but you." His hand softly grabbed mine and I squirmed between his chest and the counter behind me. 

"I still can't believe you." 

My eyes froze seeing his chest come closer, he leaned in, his lips almost touching my ear and I couldn't think suddenly. 

"You either believe me or stay indifferent, I will be right here next to you whether you like it or not" 

Those weren't sweet words, no. That was a warning. 

"That isn't n-nice" Shit, I stuttered. And I could see his smirk already. 

"Sure," he said before pulling away. 

I felt empty when he did that, I was staring at the floor wondering how I would feel if I never got to see him again, and I hated thinking that.

But as I stared at the man who never dared touch a bug punch a guy right between our group of friends, my heart clenched.

"Asher, What? stop it!" I couldn't raise my voice, I was too scared, that face looked deadly calm for someone who just punched an innocent man for no reason. "Keep your hands off her, you hear me?" He said calmly as we all stared wide-eyed. It was just another day of us standing outside the gates of our college chatting when the guys started teasing us girls for random things. They insisted on going to the lake nearby but I refused, I was too exhausted and I felt shitty on my second day. 

"Come on Honey, how long are you guys gonna sulk here let go!" Sam wrapped his hands around my shoulder pulling me into his chest from behind. 

I cringed trying to get away from his hold, not that I hated him. I just didn't like men touching me like that, Sam was a nice guy, just crossed his limits a lot more than he should have. 

As he ranted my eyes landed on a familiar distant black car rolling near the walls beside us. 

"Uh, I think I should go" I mutter as they continue chatting. 

I tried moving, but Sam stopped me. Squeezing my shoulders and leaning in, "You are always tryna run away-" He stopped as we heard the door of that car slammed shut and we looked at Asher. 

Before I knew It he had pulled me back and punched Sam. 

***

"Hey, not here, the guards will call the cops on us. " One of the guys said pulling Sam away as he stared at Asher with his hand over his cheek. 

"Fucken Hell" Sam cursed walking to his car with his friend leaving us be. 

I didn't even look at others as Asher stepped towards his car and glanced at me side way. There was no need to tell what to do. 

"Could you hold back on destroying everything you see? " 

He smirked pulling his car out of the driveway and speeding off the roads of our college. 

"Never" 

"It's not funny Asher they are my friends! he did nothing wrong!" 

"I saw the way you cringed your face when he touched you! You think I'll stand there letting him touch you like that!?" 

"He didn't mean it-"  I was cut off by his condescending words again.

"Stop tryna please everyone at the cost of your comfort-" 

"You know nothing OKAY!" I yelled. But I got another smirk my way as he glanced at me. 

"I'll do what I think is right when it comes to protecting you, Lia." 

"I am not in danger. I am not you!" I knew that was rude but, I said what I said. 

His cold chuckle sends shivers down my spine. 

"Ya, Perhaps I should be protecting you from me." 

I stayed quite till he pulled over at the side of an empty road. I didn't bother looking at him as I heard him undo his belt and lean into me. 

I was caught off guard as he held my face in his hand and pushed my face towards him. 

"I am sorry okay, I don't want you mad at me." 

There was something very wrong with him, the way he demanded me to forgive him. I could only nod under that tone as he held my jaw in his hand and begged me to forgive him.