Chapter 31 FORBIDDEN NAME
Asher's POV:
I pulled into the Cleveland College driveway just as the morning air settled over the campus.
The engine cut off, but my thoughts didn’t.
I stepped out of the car, the gravel crunching beneath my boots as I headed toward my office - each step heavy, each breath tighter than the last.
My mind hadn’t rested since Dylan showed up.
Not his face.
Not his threats.
And definitely not the final blow—
the fact that he’d be staying for a while.
Which meant one thing:
He’d be watching Clara.
Tracking her.
Studying her every move with that cold, predatory precision only a Blackwood wolf could manage.
It twisted something in me I didn’t want to acknowledge.
This whole revenge mission…
It was starting to feel like a weight I couldn’t shake off.
Heavy. Draining.
Exhausting in a way even my wolf couldn’t shrug away.
For a moment - just a flicker - I wanted to abandon all of it.
Just walk off the path my father carved for me.
But then reality clawed back.
The person responsible for my father’s death was still out there.
The reason the Blackwood Pack was scattered… broken… living in ruins while other packs thrived.
And giving up now?
That would make me weak.
And Blackwoods weren’t known for weakness.
Just as I grasped the doorknob and twisted it open, a voice called my name from behind.
“Professor Asher?”
I turned to see Mrs. Brooklyn, the principal of Cleveland College, walking briskly toward me, her expression a mixture of surprise and cautious curiosity.
“Umm… Professor Asher, it’s… you?” she asked, clearly taken aback.
I gave her a small, polite bow of my head. “Yes, ma’am,” I said evenly.
She hesitated for a moment, as if trying to measure her words. Then, in her precise, professional tone, she continued,
“How… How are you feeling today? You seem… quite well now.”
Huh?
I squinted at her, not quite understanding. “I’m sorry, ma’am?” I asked, my brows furrowing. “I should be present today, shouldn’t I?”
She blinked, her posture straightening, and let out a small sigh that hinted at genuine confusion. “Not quite what I was expecting. I was informed you were unwell.”
I tilted my head slightly, the puzzle pieces not fitting. “Unwell? I… what does that even mean?”
Her gaze was calm but firm, radiating the authority she always carried. “A lady came in your place today.”
“I initially thought she was here to apply as a lecturer, but she presented a letter from you… stating that you were severely ill, and requested her assistance with your duties for today and for the foreseeable future. She asked to act on your behalf.”
I froze for a heartbeat, processing the information.
Mrs. Brooklyn’s voice softened, yet remained professional, carrying a tone of genuine concern. “Given your workload, Professor Asher… your responsibilities are significant, and I thought adjustments might be necessary.”
“I was surprised not to hear this directly from you. Had you informed me personally, we could have made proper arrangements.”
She paused, and her eyes softened slightly, admiration flickering through her professionalism. “Ever since you joined, you’ve been an exemplary and dedicated professor. Your students respect you, and we respect your work.”
“We wouldn’t want to lose that… your commitment. So, when I received her letter, I trusted it and allowed her to take over your duties, believing it was in your best interest.”
I nodded slowly, but my mind was racing.
Who was this woman?
Where had she gotten the authority to write on my behalf?
And who had access to this information about my so-called “illness”?
I opened my mouth to speak, but no words came immediately. My gaze met hers, and I realized she had spoken nothing but the truth.
Her professionalism, her respect for me, and her genuine concern for my well-being were all evident.
But the question that burned in my mind was simple, sharp, and undeniable:
Who the hell had done this?
I decided I had to know. The question clawed its way out before I could stop it.
“Ma’am… What's her name?”
Mrs. Brooklyn tilted her head, as if reaching into the corners of her memory.
“Umm… what was her name again… oh! Yes, I remember now - Elsie… Elsie Silver.”
Time froze.
The words didn’t just register - they slammed into me like a thunderclap. The world seemed to stop spinning.
Every sound, every movement around me dulled, like I’d been submerged underwater and only that name existed.
No.
No way.
No. Fucking. Way.
It couldn’t be her.
And yet… deep inside, I knew. That name only belonged to one person. One dangerous, infuriating, impossibly untouchable person from my past.
How the hell had she even found me here? Why now?
Elsie Silver.
She was one of the reasons I hadn’t returned to the Blackwood Pack in years.
One of the reasons I had kept my distance, kept my life meticulously controlled, kept everyone at arm’s length. And now… she was here. At Cleveland College.
My chest tightened. My wolf growled low, a warning that resonated through my bones. This isn’t right. She’s dangerous. She doesn’t belong here.
“Professor Asher?” Mrs. Brooklyn’s voice cut sharply through the fog of my thoughts, pulling me back. “Why are you asking about her? You should… be aware, right?”
I blinked, caught between rage and the need to maintain control. I pressed a hand to my forehead, letting out a slow, measured breath. “Oh… right. Actually, ma’am, I’ve been… severely ill. Memory slips, I… tend to forget things at times.”
“I genuinely apologize for not informing you sooner or notifying the school management. I just… decided to come in, do some final touches on my work. Even if I wasn’t required to be active today, I didn’t expect to run into you.”
A lie. A clean, precise lie. But it bought me a little time.
Mrs. Brooklyn’s eyes softened, still professional, still genuinely concerned.
“It’s fine, Professor Asher. Just… make sure to inform us next time. I have all my staff’s best interests at heart. I do hope you recover fully and return actively soon.”
I nodded curtly, forcing a polite smile that didn’t reach my eyes.
But the question that had been gnawing at me would not wait. “Ma’am… where is she now?”
Mrs. Brooklyn’s answer hit me like a punch. “Oh… she’s tutoring your students. They’re having literature now.”
My heart dropped.
No. She wasn’t supposed to be here. Not anywhere near Clara.
A fleeting thought crossed my mind - maybe remove her from the schedule, maybe not hire her at all.
But before I could act, Mrs. Brooklyn’s phone chimed. She glanced at it, gave a quick, polite nod, and turned on her heels, disappearing down the hallway.
I muttered a sharp curse under my breath, “Fuck!” my fist connecting with the nearest wall. Pain shot up my arm, but I didn’t care.
Shit.
This was it. My life - already complicated - was about to be thrown into chaos.
I hadn’t even seen her yet, but the mere mention of her name, the knowledge that she was here, ignited a fire in me I hadn’t felt in years.
Rage. Pure, unfiltered, all-consuming rage.
And my wolf? He growled from deep within, low and dangerous, teeth bared even under the surface. She’s here. She shouldn’t be here.
Elsie Silver. My forbidden mate. The one person I’d sworn to forget, to sever all ties with, to never allow into my life again.
And now… she was here.
And nothing… Nothing about this was going to be easy.