Page 16 of Forbidden Mischief
I can hear a distant howl echoing from somewhere behind the school, like Asher’s lost in his own world. It stirs something in me, makes me want to call him back or reach out. But even ifIcouldtrack him down, I’m not sure he’d want to see me right now. I mean, what could I even say?
The smell of pine and fresh-cut grass fills the air as I wait by the parking lot, my heart pounding in my chest. It’s a smell I’ve come to associate with Asher—the way he smells after a run. I shouldn’t notice these things about him, but I do.
The moment Alice pulls up in her car, I slide into the passenger seat, slumping back against the leather. She doesn’t ask any questions, just gives me a steady, understanding look before turning her gaze back to the road.
“Thanks for coming,” I say, breaking the quiet.
She nods. “Of course. He’s my son. I’d do the same for you, Zayne.”
That simple statement twists something in my chest, making it ache.
Alice turns onto a side road leading to the edge of the forest. “He’s probably near the river. Back with the pack whenever he was upset, that’s usually where he went.”
I nod, feeling a small bit of relief. It’s a place I know well here, a place I spent my childhood. I used to spend hours there, skipping rocks and talking about everything and nothing with Harley. We’d stay down there building forts and playing all sorts of games until it was dark and Dad would call us home.
The car bumps along the dirt path, and I’m suddenly grateful for the silence. Gives me a moment to get my thoughts in order. Because I’ve been…feelingthings for Asher that I probably shouldn’t. And it kills me a little every time he puts up another wall between us.
As we pull up to the edge of the treeline, I feel a sense of urgency. Asher’s howl echoes through the trees, and it sounds closer, more desperate. Like he’s calling out.
I look at Alice. “I’m going to look for him too. I can’t just sit here and wait for you, okay?”
She nods, squeezing my hand. “Be careful, Zayne. If he shifted spur of the moment, his wolf is in charge and not thinking clearly.”
I slip out of the car, heading into the woods. The trees close in around me, and the scent of pine fills my lungs, grounding me. I hear the rush of the river up ahead, and a small shape darts through the trees, just at the edge of my vision.
“Asher!” I call.
I know he hears me. I feel it in the way the air shifts, a prickle of magic brushing against my skin, mixing with the traces of his wolf energy.
When I reach the riverbank, he’s standing there, his back to me. His midnight fur ruffled and tense, muscles bunched as if he’s ready to flee. His entire stance is rigid, ears angled back, tail low. He seems to be wrestling with something, emotions barely contained within his powerful, wild frame.
Asher lets out a low, guttural growl, the sound rough and filled with primal energy. But somehow, I understand him, clear as if he’d spoken words."Why are you here, Zayne?"
I freeze, blinking in confusion. What the hell is this? I speakwolfnow? Like…Harry Potter with Parseltongue? The realization sends a shiver down my spine.
I don’t have time to think about that right now. Right now I need to know what’s going on with Asher. Why did he shift like that and just run away?
I take a slow breath, letting the cool forest air fill my lungs. “Because you ran. And you didn’t say anything. What the hell happened back there?”
“You wouldn’t understand.”
“Then explain it to me. Help me to understand.” I step closer, feeling that familiar, unsteady beat of my heart. He’s close enough to touch, and that makes this whole moment moresurreal. “Asher, please. We’re supposed to be brothers. Your mom is worried about you. Hell, I'm worried about you.”
He finally turns, his eyes flashing with that golden light, piercing through me.“Do you really think you can handle this, Zayne?”
My throat tightens. I want to reach out, to touch him, but I hold myself back. “Well, I won’t know if I can until you tell me.”
Whatever he’s hiding, whatever he thinks will drive me away—I want to know.
He looks at me, his gaze softening, and I can feel the tension between us shift, like something fragile yet unbreakable. I step closer, my hand reaching out, hovering just inches from his snout.
“Asher,” I say gently, my voice barely above a whisper, “just…shift back and come home. Alice is out here, looking for you. She’s worried.” I see his ears flick back at the mention of his mom, a slight twitch of his tail, but he doesn’t move otherwise. “The team’s freaked out, man. You know we see shifters, sure, but not like that—wolfing out right after a hard tackle?” I try to keep my tone light, almost joking. “Coach is probably gonna have you in detention for a month.”
He lets out a low, rumbling growl, almost like a huff, but his eyes stay locked on mine, and I catch a brief, unmistakable hint of sadness in them.
“You need to come back with us,” I press, hoping my words can cut through whatever walls he’s put up. “If you don’t want to talk to me, fine. But talk to your mom. Hell, call up Prunes.”
Asher looks away, but his gaze snaps back to mine with an intensity that makes me catch my breath. There’s something in his eyes—a spark that stirs a strange warmth deep in my chest, something I’m not ready to name.
