Chapter 34 THE FIRST BREAK.
Asher's POV:
My hands were still resting lightly on her waist when she suddenly pulled back.
I blinked, a slight frown tugging at my face, and in that instant, my wolf stirred - sharply, disapprovingly, breaking the silence it had kept all day.
The movement was subtle, just a pressure behind my chest, a reminder that something was off.
I cleared my throat, pinching the bridge of my nose, my gaze fixed on her. I was quietly observing and assessing her.
And then… damn.
She was close enough for me to see every detail, and my brain refused to let me ignore it.
The black gown she wore clung perfectly, accentuating her curves in a way that made my jaw tighten against the instinct rising in me.
And just like that, the pieces fell into place.
She really did go out with him. Jake.
The thought stabbed me sharply in the chest, a twist of anger and something I refused to name.
Clara tucked a loose strand of hair behind her ear, her movements slow, deliberate, almost graceful, as if she wanted me to see her clearly.
She dabbed at her face with her hand, lightly pressing her palm to her skin like she was wiping away sweat.
And… my frown deepened. It was freezing out here.
What the hell had she been doing that left her like this?
Her eyes finally met mine, and she fully acknowledged me this time, her voice soft but steady, carrying that calm politeness she always had - but now layered with something I couldn’t quite place.
“Professor Asher,” she said, inclining her head slightly, almost like she was aware of how closely I’d been watching her, how much I noticed.
Her greeting should have been normal. Simple. But right now, it hit me with a weight I couldn’t shake off.
I just continued staring at her, arms folded across my chest, keeping my distance but not moving away.
I didn’t respond to her greeting, didn’t even offer a word, because… why was she alone?
And more importantly, where the hell was this Jake guy?
He should’ve been responsible enough, gentlemanly even, to have dropped her off.
Her eyes met mine for a moment, blinked as if she registered the stern, heavy look on my face, then she quickly looked away.
With a slight bow of her head, she began to walk past me.
But just as she did, her foot caught on something - she tripped.
A loud, sharp yelp burst from her lips, and she stumbled violently onto the floor.
Every muscle in me tensed instantly. In one fluid motion, I crouched down to her level, my hands reaching for her as my eyes took in the scene.
Her hand clutched at her toe.
And then I saw it.
Blood.
A small, bright streak staining the floor and her delicate skin. My pulse stumbled, a hitch of alarm shooting straight through me.
I lifted my gaze to her face. Pain was etched clearly across her features. Her brow furrowed, lips parted slightly, and she blinked up at me.
Fear.
It was immediate, raw, undeniable. And the sight of it sparked something dark and sharp inside me.
Why was she always nervous around me?
I couldn’t help but notice the way her eyes flicked away, the slight tremor in her hands. Her breath hitched faintly, and…
“Damn it,” my wolf hissed quietly in my mind, a low, dangerous rumble, breaking the silence I’d clung to all day.
“You’re truly one to talk, aren’t you? You’ve given her every reason to be scared. And let’s not forget—you actually plan on eliminating her soon.”
I pinched the bridge of my nose, trying to steady myself, to shove the thought down. My inner wolf was whispering truths I didn’t want to admit, but the protective part of me couldn’t ignore her like this.
Without giving it much thought, I gathered her into my arms, feeling the immediate stiffening of her body.
Her hand shot up instinctively and gripped my collar as I steadied her.
“P…Professor Asher, what are you doing?” she whispered, her voice trembling, a mix of surprise and protest.
I didn’t respond. I simply began walking ahead, my pace steady, determined.
“I’m fine, Professor Asher, please…” she continued, her voice rising slightly, almost pleading.
“You don’t have to do this… seriously, put me down—”
I halted instantly, my eyes locking onto hers. The stern weight in my gaze was unmistakable.
“Shut the hell up, Clara,” I said sharply.
Her lips parted, caught off guard, a flicker of shock and embarrassment washing over her face. I didn’t miss the way her cheeks burned red.
She went silent after that, not daring to utter another word, and I resumed walking, my hold firm, unwavering.
I carried her through the dim hallway until we reached a bench tucked against the wall. Carefully, I placed her down.
Just as she was about to set her legs on the floor, I sat down in front of her and gently lifted her feet, resting them across my thigh.
She fumbled with the folds of her dress, clearly unsure of what to do, glancing at me nervously.
But my attention wasn’t on her awkward movements or the way she tried to regain composure.
My eyes were locked on her injured toe, tracing the small but alarming streak of blood.
Why the hell was she bleeding this much?
I stood up, carefully lifting her leg and placing it gently back on the bench before walking over to the locker.
My fingers found the first aid kit, the weight of it grounding me slightly, though my mind was still storming.
I opened it, grabbed a bandage and some antiseptic, and headed back toward her.
“Stay still,” I muttered quietly, kneeling before her again.
I poured a small amount of antiseptic onto the bandage and dabbed it lightly onto her toe.
Instantly, she flinched, a sharp hiss of pain escaped her lips as she pressed her hands over the injured spot.
“Clara…” I said, dropping my gaze back to her toe, jaw clenched. I blew gently on it to soothe the sting, but my chest was tight with frustration.
Finally, the words that had been simmering in my chest all day escaped in a low, sharp burst.
“You know, if you truly wanted to have fun, you should’ve done that with someone responsible. What the fuck’s wrong with you, Clara?!”
Her flinch was immediate. Every sound and movement seemed to freeze in the small hallway.
“P…Professor Asher,” she whispered, voice trembling, clearly taken aback by the sudden rise in my tone.
My patience snapped further.
“And don’t you dare lie to me, Clara, because I’m well aware of your whereabouts and who the hell you’ve been with all day!”
I leaned closer, voice low but deadly serious. “I actually thought you were damn serious when you said you had turned him down… when you said you didn’t have anything to do with him.”
“So, tell me, Clara… Why were you still out with him at this time of day? And why the hell are you bleeding so much? What happened? How more irresponsible can you get?”
Her hands fiddled nervously with her dress as her wide eyes stared up at me, unmoving. I could see the way her lips parted slightly, searching for a reply, but no words came.
“Do you even realize how worried sick I was knowing you were out there?” I continued, my voice rising, the raw edge I didn’t know I still had coming through.
“Knowing something bad - or worse - could have happened to you… And to make it worse, I couldn’t track your scent today!”
“Amidst all of this… did you even for one second think about your safety? Or how that could have made me feel?!”
Then I paused, mid-sentence, feeling the weight of my words finally hit me.
The sudden anger, the sharp protectiveness - I’d just reacted outwardly for the very first time, and it was… not like me at all.
My chest tightened, the rush of adrenaline still roaring through me.
Clara sat frozen, staring at me as if I’d suddenly become someone she didn’t know, someone capable of yelling like that.
Her lips parted slightly, her hands trembled as she clutched her dress, but she didn’t speak.
I forced myself to look away, steadying my hands as I wrapped the bandage gently around her toe, pretending nothing had happened, though my mind was anything but calm.
Out of the corner of my eye, I felt her gaze lingering on me, bewildered, trying to read me.
I packed the antiseptic and bandages back into the first aid kit and placed it carefully on the floor beside me.
Then I lifted my gaze - and froze.
Elsie.
Her figure was half-hidden behind a pillar at the far end of the hallway, her expression unreadable. She wasn’t moving, just standing there, watching.
Shit.
I had completely forgotten she had followed me all the way down here.
And most importantly… she had just witnessed everything. Every flinch, every hiss, every word I’d thrown at Clara.
She had been listening.