Alpha's Disguised Mate

My hair fell in clumps around my feet, the scissors trembling in my hand. The bathroom light flickered, causing shadows to crawl up the cracked mirror. I tried to ignore my reflection— pretty, dark eyes, lips pressed tight, cheekbones sharper than I remembered. I looked nothing like a boy. But I had to try. My heart pounded so hard I thought someone would hear me. I pressed a towel against my chest, swallowing a sob. I couldn’t cry. Not now. Not when every second counted. I grabbed the roll of binding cloth from my backpack and wrapped it around my chest, tighter and tighter, until I could barely breathe. My ribs protested. There’d be bruises by morning, but that was better than what waited for me. “Liam,” I whispered to myself, practicing the name. “You’re Liam now.” Not Lila. Not the omega girl promised to Beta Rowan, the cruelest wolf in our pack. The sad part? My own parents were in support with those crazy people. They all saw omegas were possessions. Breeding stock. If I stayed, I’d be caged for the rest of my life. The only way out was to become someone else. Someone strong. Someone free. I pulled on the baggiest clothes I’d found—loose jeans, a hoodie that swallowed my frame, a cap tugged low over my newly shorn hair. My hands still shook as I zipped my backpack closed. The Silverfang Alpha Academy waited for me. All-male, all-powerful, and completely forbidden. If anyone discovered what I was, I’d be exiled. Or worse—dragged back to Rowan and his bruising hands. My stomach twisted as I slipped out the bathroom window, my boots hitting the wet grass with a soft thud. The night air bit at my skin. I ducked into the shadows, moving fast, every sense straining for danger. ** The academy’s iron gates loomed ahead, taller than any house back home. Wolves patrolled the grounds, their eyes catching the moonlight—silver, cold, deadly. I pressed my back to the stone wall, heart hammering. “You can do this,” I whispered, my voice barely audible. “Just one more step.” The gates creaked open as a supply truck rolled through. I darted behind it, my breath catching in my throat. The guards barely glanced my way. Maybe they saw a scrawny new recruit, another would-be Alpha desperate to prove himself. Maybe they saw nothing at all. Inside the grounds, the academy glowed with golden lights. Laughter echoed from one of the dorms—low, rough, all boy. I squared my shoulders, trying to mimic their swagger. Head up. Voice low. No fear. I found the admissions desk in a side hall, the clerk barely looking up as I handed over my forged papers. “Name?” she grunted. “Liam. Liam… Parker,” I said, praying my voice didn’t crack. She stamped my file, tossed a dorm key at me, and pointed down the hall. “Wolfe Hall. Room 302. Don’t get lost, rookie.” I nodded and hurried off, clutching my backpack like a lifeline. The hallways smelled of sweat, wolf, and something sharper—testosterone and dominance. I kept my head down as I counted the doors. Room 302. My hand hovered on the knob. I took a shaky breath and stepped inside. The room was bigger than I’d expected. Two beds, two desks, one window. The walls were plastered with posters of football teams and rock bands. One side was a mess—clothes draped over the chair, textbooks scattered on the desk, a half-eaten protein bar on the pillow. The other side, mine, was bare. And there he was. Asher Wolfe. I recognised him almost immediately. The popular Alpha Asher Wolfe… every girl's dream mate… Not me. Yes, he was cute but I wasn’t interested in him. He leaned against the window, arms folded, eyes gleaming in the dim light. He was even taller up close, every inch carved from muscle and confidence. His hair was dark, messy, his jaw sharp enough to cut glass. He was beautiful in the way a wolf is beautiful—dangerous and wild. He looked me up and down, slow and deliberate, a smirk curling on his lips. “You’re my new roomie?” he drawled. I forced myself to meet his eyes. “Yeah. Liam.” He sauntered over, stopping close enough that I could smell him—pine, cedar, and something darker, almost electric. My stomach did a backflip. I swallowed hard, praying he couldn’t hear my heart pounding. Asher’s gaze lingered too long, his nostrils flaring. For one terrifying moment, I thought he’d see right through me. “Guess you drew the short straw,” he said, tossing a blanket onto my bed. “Hope you don’t snore.” I tried to laugh, but it came out as a squeak. “I’ll try not to.” He grinned. “Good. ‘Cause I don’t like being kept up.” He turned away, but I could feel his eyes on me, burning. I busied myself with unpacking, keeping my movements slow and steady. Don’t drop anything. Don’t let the binding slip. Don’t let him see. The night dragged on. Asher sprawled on his bed, scrolling through his phone, occasionally glancing at me with that same unsettling focus. I lay awake, staring at the ceiling, every muscle tense. I could smell it. The mate scent! It hung in the air, faint but undeniable—like a storm building on the horizon. No. It couldn’t be. Not now. I squeezed my eyes shut, willing myself to sleep. But the bond thrummed between us, a pulsing thread I couldn’t ignore. My skin tingled where his gaze had touched me. I must have drifted off, because the next thing I knew, Asher was tossing and turning, muttering under his breath. I froze, heart in my throat. “Can’t get rid of it,” he growled. His voice was rough with sleep. “That scent… Why won’t it go away?” My blood turned to ice. He’s dreaming about me. About my scent?! Oh no! That meant the mate bond was real. I shrank into my blankets, holding my breath, terrified he’d wake up and see me for what I was. For what I wasn’t. This can’t be happening. If he figured it out, if anyone did, I was dead. But I couldn’t leave. Not now. Not when I’d risked everything to get here. Not when the only chance I had for freedom was to outlast everyone, to win. To become Alpha, or at least survive long enough to be forgotten. The room was silent except for the sound of Asher’s breathing, deep and uneven. I pressed my fist to my mouth, fighting back tears. Tomorrow, I’d have to face the academy. I’d have to fight, to lie, to blend in with boys who could break me in half. I’d have to fool them all—including the boy whose wolf was already hunting me in his dreams. I rolled onto my side, staring at Asher’s silhouette in the darkness. He was dangerous. He was everything I’d been taught to avoid. But already, I was caught. The mate bond was a fire burning in my veins, and I couldn’t douse it—not even if I wanted to. I shivered, pulling the blanket tighter. I was so close to freedom, I could taste it. But now, the risk was greater than ever. If Asher found out who I was, my life was over. And somehow, I knew he wouldn’t stop until he got the truth. The clock ticked toward dawn, each minute dragging me closer to disaster. I lay awake, counting my heartbeats, waiting for the next test—the next chance to slip up. I stared at the ceiling. My lips moved in silent prayer. Let me survive this. Just one more day. One more lie. Asher shifted in his bed, the bedsprings creaking. “Liam,” he murmured. I held my breath, waiting. But he didn’t wake. He just rolled over, reaching for something in his dreams. Dude was dreaming of me! He could feel the mate bond too. I closed my eyes, wishing for sleep. But all I could see was the edge of my secret, glittering sharp as a knife. Tomorrow, I’d have to fight for my life. I had to do something about this. I wasn't ready see my life fall apart. No. Never!