Alpha's Disguised Mate

Chapter 2

I barely slept. Every time I closed my eyes, I saw Asher’s face in the dark, his eyes open and searching, his voice whispering about a scent he couldn’t shake.

I kept waiting for him to sit up and point at me and say, “You. It’s you.” But the night dragged on and nothing happened except the steady, brutal pounding of my heart.

By the time the first bell rang, I was already awake, staring at the ceiling, clutching the blanket like it could save me.

I heard Asher get up—his bed creaked, then the soft shuffle of his feet as he pulled on a shirt.

I kept my eyes closed, faking sleep, waiting for him to leave first. I needed a few minutes to breathe, to bind my chest tighter and pull myself together before anyone saw me.

“Up and at ‘em, rookie,” Asher called, his voice annoyingly bright for this early. “First day’s always the worst.”

I grunted and rolled away from him, pretending I was just another moody boy.

In the silence, I heard him moving around, grabbing his duffel and keys. Then the door shut, and I was alone.

I sat up and sucked in a shaky breath. My chest ached from the binding, my face felt tight from not crying.

I changed quickly, pulling on my hoodie and cap, then tried to make my face look like someone who belonged here. I practiced my swagger in the mirror, shoulders back, chin up. I looked like a scared kid playing dress-up.

But that had to be enough.

I joined the flow of trainees heading down the hall, all of us half-awake and hungry. The cafeteria was chaos—boys shouting, laughing, shoving each other in line for food.

The smell of wolf was everywhere, mixed with eggs, sweat, and something sharp and wild.

I kept my head down and grabbed a tray, forcing myself to eat a little. I couldn’t afford to faint during drills.

Asher was already at a table, surrounded by his minions. I guess. He caught my eye, grinned, and jerked his chin for me to sit.

I hesitated, but ignoring him would only make me stick out more, so I took the empty seat beside him.

He leaned in, voice low. “You look like you’ve seen a ghost.”

“Didn’t sleep well,” I mumbled. “Nerves.”

He laughed, clapping me on the shoulder so hard my teeth rattled. “You’ll get used to it. Or you’ll die trying.”

The other boys snickered. I forced a smile and stared at my eggs, wishing I could disappear. The mate scent was thicker this morning, or maybe I was just more aware of it.

Every time Asher shifted in his seat, his shoulder brushed mine, and my skin tingled like I’d been burned.

After breakfast, we filed out to the training yard. The sun was just rising. Instructors barked orders, splitting us into groups. I tried to look bored, like this was just another Monday, but inside I was shaking.

Instructor Kade stood at the front, arms folded, eyes hard. “Today is combat evaluation,” he shouted. “You’re here to prove you have what it takes to be Alpha. No holding back. No mercy.”

Some of the boys cheered. I tried not to shrink.

Kade started calling names, pairing us up for sparring matches. My stomach twisted tighter with every name. I prayed I’d get someone small, someone I could at least pretend to fight. But luck wasn’t on my side.

“Parker!” Kade barked. “You’re with Toren.”

The crowd went quiet. Even the wind seemed to stop.

Toren was huge. He looked like he’d been born in a weight room—arms like tree trunks, neck thick, jaw set hard.

He sneered at me, his lip curling. “They’re letting pretty boys in now?” he said, loud enough for everyone to hear.

A few boys laughed. I tried to stand taller, keeping my voice steady. “Ready when you are.”

We stepped into the ring. The dirt was loose under my feet. Toren circled me, cracking his knuckles. I copied the other boys’ stances—fists up, knees bent—but my hands were already slick with sweat.

Kade blew the whistle.

Toren lunged.

He was fast for his size. His fist shot at my face, and I ducked just in time. The wind from the punch stung my cheek. I backpedaled, trying to remember every self-defense move I’d ever learned, which wasn’t much.

Toren kept coming, swinging hard. His eyes were bright with hatred.

“You don’t belong here,” he hissed, grabbing my hoodie and yanking me off my feet.

I hit the ground hard. Pain shot up my spine. The binding around my chest shifted, squeezing tighter.

I gasped, struggling to breathe, but Toren didn’t give me a chance to recover. He kicked at my side—hard enough to bruise, but not hard enough to break anything.

All around us, the other trainees were shouting, jeering. I heard Asher’s voice, sharp and furious, but I couldn’t make out the words.

I scrambled to my feet, dizzy. Toren came at me again, but this time I dodged, adrenaline pushing me forward.

I threw a punch—not strong, but fast—catching him in the ribs. He grunted, more surprised than hurt.

“You little—” he snarled, grabbing for my throat.

I twisted away, but his hand caught my shirt, dragging me close. My binding shifted again—too loose on one side, too tight on the other. I could feel it slipping. If it came undone, if anyone saw—

Panic exploded in my chest.

I clawed at his arm, desperate to break free. All I could think was, Not like this. Not here. Please.

Suddenly, someone crashed into us, breaking Toren’s grip. I stumbled back, sucking in air. Asher was there, shoving Toren away.

His eyes were blazing.

“Back off,” Asher snarled.

Toren glared, but even he knew better than to fight the golden boy. He spat on the ground and stalked off, shoving past the other trainees.

The yard was silent. Everybody was staring at us.

Asher turned to me, his hand on my shoulder. The touch sent a jolt through me—a spark, a pulse, something raw and uncontrollable. For a second, the mate scent flared so strong I thought I would faint.

“Are you okay?” he asked, his voice low.

I nodded, swallowing hard. “Yeah. I’m fine.”

He searched my face. “You sure?”

“Yeah,” I said again, forcing myself to sound normal. “Just got the wind knocked out of me.”

He didn’t look convinced, but Kade blew the whistle again, calling the next pair. Asher squeezed my shoulder one last time before stepping back, but I could still feel the heat of his hand, the weight of his stare.

The other boys were whispering now, glancing at us. I caught snatches of their words—Asher, protecting a newbie, weird, something’s up.

I tried to ignore them, focusing on fixing my binding as discreetly as possible. My hands shook, but I managed to tuck the fabric back in place before anyone saw.

Kade’s eyes found mine from across the yard. He didn’t smile, didn’t blink. He just watched me, like he was seeing through every lie.

When the drills ended, I limped back to the locker room, every muscle aching. I changed as fast as I could, keeping my back to the other boys. I tried to blend in, but it was impossible to stop shaking.

Asher found me by the sinks, blocking my exit.

“What was that about?” he demanded, voice soft but urgent.

I swallowed. “Just a fight. Toren doesn’t like me, I guess.”

He stepped closer, eyes searching. “You’re different.”

I forced a laugh, but it sounded fake even to me. “Yeah, I get that a lot.”

He frowned, leaning in until our faces were inches apart. I could see the flecks of gold in his irises, the way his jaw clenched.

“You smell… different, too,” he said, his voice barely above a whisper.

My heart stopped. “Maybe you need to clean your nose.”

He didn’t laugh. His hand shot out, grabbing my wrist. The mate bond roared between us—hot, wild, impossible to hide.

“Are you sick?” he pressed. “Or is it something else?”

I pulled my hand free, forcing myself to look away. “Just a late bloomer. My wolf hasn’t come in yet. That’s all.”

He stared at me, not moving.

I kept my face blank, hiding every fear, every secret.

Finally, he let me go. “If anyone gives you trouble, you come to me.”

I nodded, too afraid to speak.

He left, the door slamming behind him.

I leaned against the sink, breathing hard. My reflection was pale —eyes too wide, lips trembling. I splashed water on my face, trying to calm down.

Before I could leave, Instructor Kade appeared in the doorway.

“Kane,” he said, sharp and cold. “My office. Now.”

My stomach dropped. I followed him through the halls, every step echoing with dread.

He opened the door and pointed to the chair across from his desk.

“Sit.”

I sat. My hands clenched in my lap.

He closed the door and dropped a letter on the desk in front of me. The seal was familiar—my home pack’s crest. My blood ran cold.

Oh no! I prayed it wasn't what I was thinking.

“I received this today,” Kade said. His voice flat… straight to the point. “It’s from the Kane pack. They’re looking for a missing omega girl. Disappeared the night before you arrived.”

I didn’t move.

He studied me, eyes sharp and unblinking. “You wouldn’t know anything about that, would you?”

I shook my head, keeping my voice steady. “No, sir. I’m an orphan. Never knew my parents.”

He leaned in, close enough that I could smell the coffee on his breath. The look on his face was so suspicious.

What if he knew already?!

What was I going to do?

Sweat had started beading on my forehead.

I was about to speak when he said something that made freeze…