ASHER
I made it through exactly three days before everything started falling apart. Three days of avoiding Reed's eyes in the hallways. Three days of sitting alone in the cafeteria because Julian had finally given up trying. Three days of the bond whimpering constantly for an Alpha who'd made it devastatingly clear I was nothing more than a convenient fuck.
Then Marcus made the mistake of being kind to me. I was in the library, buried in organic chemistry, when he sat down across from me.
"Graham," Marcus said quietly. "You look exhausted."
I didn't look up. "I'm fine."
"No, you're not." Marcus leaned forward. "Look, I know something's going on between you and Reed. I don't know what exactly, but—"
"There's nothing going on."
"Asher." Marcus's voice was gentle. Concerned in a way that made my chest ache. "I've known Reed since we were in first grade. I've never seen him act the way he acts around you and I've never seen you look this—" He stopped. "This broken."
