His Human Mate

That Cannot be Fixed

As soon as Asher and Nick stepped into the bar, the pulsing beat of the music and the dim, neon-lit atmosphere hit them like a wave. Asher’s eyes immediately scanned the room, and it didn’t take long for them to land on Rayla. She was on the dance floor with Scarlet, her head thrown back in laughter as she moved to the rhythm of the music. She looked carefree, radiant, and completely unaware of the storm raging inside him.

Asher gritted his teeth, his wolf stirring restlessly at the sight of her. The idea that she could be so happy after spending the day with Zack burned in his chest like a wildfire. He clenched his fists, his nails digging into his palms as he fought to keep his emotions in check. The mate bond was a relentless pull, but he wasn’t going to let it control him. Not tonight.

He was acutely aware of the lingering gazes from the girls around him as he made his way through the crowd. Their eyes followed him, some bold enough to smile or wink in his direction. Normally, he would’ve ignored them, but tonight was different. Tonight, he wasn’t going to let Rayla’s happiness—or his own torment—stop him from doing what he wanted.

Nick had already made his way over to Scarlet, leaving Asher alone at the bar. He ordered a drink, downing it in one go before ordering another. The burn of the alcohol did little to dull the ache in his chest, but it gave him something else to focus on. As he leaned against the bar, a girl approached him, her eyes dark and inviting as she brushed her hand against his arm.

“Hey,” she said, her voice low and sultry. “You look like you could use some company.”

Asher’s gaze flickered to her, his jaw tightening as he forced a smirk. “Maybe I could.”

She smiled, stepping closer until her body was almost pressed against his. “I’m Mia,” she said, her fingers trailing up his arm. “And you are?”

“Asher,” he replied, his voice rough. He didn’t miss the way her eyes lit up at his name, but he didn’t care. All he cared about was the distraction she offered—a way to drown out the thoughts of Rayla that were consuming him.

They flirted for a few minutes, Mia’s touches growing bolder as she leaned in to whisper something in his ear. Asher’s wolf growled in protest, but he ignored it, his anger and frustration overriding everything else. When she suggested they step outside for some air, he didn’t hesitate.

As soon as the back door shut behind them, Asher slammed her against the wall, his hands gripping her waist as he kissed her hungrily. It was rough, desperate, and fueled by the storm of emotions he’d been trying to suppress all night. Mia didn’t seem to mind, her hands tangling in his hair as she kissed him back with equal fervor.

But even as he kissed her, Asher’s mind was elsewhere. The taste of her lips, the feel of her body against his—none of it could erase the image of Rayla laughing on the dance floor. None of it could silence the voice in his head that screamed she was his mate, his to protect, his to claim.

Asher was caught off guard when the back door swung open, the dim light from the bar spilling into the alley. Both he and Mia turned to see Rayla standing there, her expression unreadable but her eyes locked on his. For a moment, time seemed to freeze, the noise of the bar fading into the background as the two of them stared at each other.

“Umm, can I help you?” Mia asked, her voice dripping with sarcasm as she glanced between Asher and Rayla. But neither of them looked at her. Their eyes were locked, a silent tension crackling in the air between them.

Asher’s chest tightened, his wolf stirring restlessly as he took in the sight of Rayla. She looked… different. Her cheeks were flushed from dancing, her hair slightly disheveled, and her eyes—those damn eyes—were filled with something he couldn’t quite place. Anger? Hurt? Curiosity? He didn’t know, but he couldn’t look away.

"Leave."

Mia, clearly annoyed at being ignored, smirked and stepped closer to Asher, her hand reaching out to snake around his arm. “You heard him,” she said, her tone smug as she glanced at Rayla. “He’s busy.”

But before her hand could touch him, Asher pushed her away, his voice sharp and commanding. “Leave.” His eyes never left Rayla’s, his gaze intense and unwavering.

Mia blinked, her smirk faltering as she looked at him in disbelief. “Excuse me?”

Asher finally turned to her, his expression dark and unyielding. “I said leave,” he repeated, his tone leaving no room for argument.

Mia’s face flushed with anger, but she didn’t argue. With a huff, she straightened her dress and shot Rayla a glare before storming off, muttering under her breath about “wasted time.”

As soon as Mia was gone, the alley fell silent, the tension between Asher and Rayla thickening with every passing second. The dim light from the bar cast long shadows across the pavement, and the distant hum of music and laughter felt worlds away. Asher’s chest heaved as he stared at Rayla, his wolf restless and his emotions a tangled mess.

“What are you doing here?” he asked, his voice harsher than he intended. The words came out sharp, laced with frustration and something else he couldn’t quite name.

Rayla scoffed, the alcohol fueling her courage as she crossed her arms over her chest. “Sorry, I didn’t know you owned the bar too,” she shot back, her tone dripping with sarcasm.

Asher’s jaw tightened, her tone hitting him like a punch to the gut. Her defiance, her sharp tongue—it stirred something in him, something primal and uncontrollable. He took a step closer, his voice low and rough. “You ruined my hookup.”

Rayla’s eyes widened slightly, but she held her ground, her chin tilting up in defiance. “Oh, I ruined it? My bad. I didn’t realize I was supposed to stand by and watch you make out with some random girl in an alley.”

Asher took another step closer, his intense gaze locking onto hers. The alcohol-fueled courage she’d had moments ago began to melt away under the weight of his stare. Rayla gulped, her heart pounding as she instinctively took a step back, her back hitting the cold brick wall behind her.

Asher didn’t stop. He closed the distance between them, his hands resting on the wall on either side of her, caging her in. His breath was warm against her skin, his eyes dark and unreadable as they searched hers. “Why do you care, Rayla?” he asked, his voice low and dangerous. “You’ve got Zack, right? So why does it matter what I do?”

Rayla’s chest rose and fell rapidly, her mind racing as she tried to find the words to respond. But the truth was, she didn’t know why she cared. All she knew was that seeing him with someone else had stirred something in her—something she couldn’t ignore.

“I don’t care,” she lied, her voice trembling despite her best efforts to sound confident. “I just… I didn’t expect to see you here, that’s all.”

Asher’s lips curved into a humorless smile, his eyes never leaving hers. “You’re a terrible liar, Kitten.”

Rayla’s breath hitched at the nickname, her heart skipping a beat as she stared up at him. The air between them was charged, electric, and for a moment, neither of them moved. Asher’s gaze dropped to her lips, and Rayla’s stomach twisted with a mix of fear and something else—something she didn’t want to name.

“You don’t get to do this,” she whispered, her voice barely audible. “You don’t get to act like this and then pretend nothing happened.”

Asher’s expression softened, his hands dropping from the wall to rest on her hips. “I’m not pretending, Rayla,” he said, his voice rough with emotion. “But you are. You’re pretending you don’t feel this. You’re pretending you don’t see it.”

Rayla’s breath caught, her hands instinctively resting on his chest as if to push him away. But she didn’t. Instead, her fingers curled into the fabric of his shirt, holding on as if she were afraid he might disappear.

“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” she said, her voice trembling.

Asher leaned in, his forehead resting against hers as he whispered, “Yes, you do.”

Rayla’s eyes fluttered shut, her heart pounding in her chest as she felt the warmth of his breath against her skin. She wanted to deny it, to push him away and run back to the safety of the bar. But she couldn’t. The pull between them was too strong, too undeniable.

Asher’s hand moved to her cheek, his thumb brushing over her skin as he tilted her face up to his. “Tell me to stop,” he murmured, his voice barely above a whisper. “Tell me to stop, and I will.”

Rayla’s lips parted, but no words came out. Instead, she leaned into his touch, her body betraying her as she closed the distance between them. Their lips met in a kiss that was anything but gentle—it was raw, desperate, and filled with all the emotions they’d been trying to ignore.

Asher’s arms wrapped around her, pulling her closer as he deepened the kiss. Rayla’s hands slid up his chest, her fingers tangling in his hair as she kissed him back with equal fervor. The world around them faded away, leaving only the two of them and the undeniable connection that had been building between them from the moment they met.

When they finally pulled apart, both of them were breathless, their foreheads resting against each other as they tried to make sense of what had just happened.

“Rayla,” Asher whispered, his voice rough with emotion. “I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have done this.” He stepped back, his hands dropping from her as if she’d burned him. His chest heaved, his wolf howling in protest at the distance he’d put between them, but he forced himself to stay still, to give her space.

Rayla stared at him, her eyes wide and filled with a deep hurt that cut him to the core. Her lips, still swollen from the kiss, trembled as she took a shaky step back, her arms wrapping around herself as if to shield herself from him. The warmth of the moment was gone, replaced by a cold, heavy silence that felt like a chasm opening between them.

“You’re sorry?” she repeated, her voice trembling with anger and disbelief. “You kiss me like that, and all you can say is you’re *sorry*?”

Asher ran a hand through his hair, his jaw tightening as he struggled to find the right words. “Rayla, I didn’t mean to— I just… I lost control. I shouldn’t have—”

“Stop,” she snapped, her voice sharp and cutting. “Just stop. You don’t get to do this. You don’t get to act like this and then pretend it didn’t mean anything.”

Asher’s eyes darkened, his wolf growling in frustration. “It meant something,” he said, his voice low and intense. “You know it did. But you’re with Zack, and I—”

“Don’t,” Rayla interrupted, her voice breaking as she took another step back. “Don’t you dare bring Zack into this. This is on *you*, Asher. You kissed me. You started this. And now you’re acting like it was some kind of mistake.”

Asher’s chest tightened, his hands clenching at his sides as he fought the urge to reach for her. “It wasn’t a mistake,” he said, his voice raw. “But it shouldn’t have happened. Not like this.”

Rayla let out a bitter laugh, her eyes glistening with unshed tears. “Of course it shouldn’t have happened. Because you don’t want it to mean anything. You just want to mess with me, to confuse me, to make me feel like I’m losing my mind.”

“That’s not true,” Asher said, his voice rising as he took a step toward her. “You have no idea what you’re talking about.”

“Then tell me!” Rayla shouted, her voice echoing in the empty alley. “Tell me what this is, Asher. Tell me why you kissed me. Tell me why you’re looking at me like that. Tell me why I can’t stop thinking about you, even when I know I shouldn't!”

Asher froze, his breath catching in his throat as he stared at her. He wanted to tell her. He wanted to tell her everything—about the mate bond, about the way his wolf howled for her, about the way he felt like he was losing his mind every time she was near. But he couldn’t. Not like this. Not when she was angry and hurt and looking at him like he’d just shattered her world.

Instead, he took a step back, his voice quiet but firm. “I can’t.”

Rayla’s expression hardened, the hurt in her eyes replaced by a cold, steely resolve. She straightened, her shoulders squaring as she looked at him with a mix of anger and determination. “Then don’t ever come near me again.”

Asher’s heart sank, his wolf howling in protest as he watched her turn and walk away. He wanted to stop her, to pull her back and make her understand. But he couldn’t. All he could do was stand there, his hands clenched into fists, as she disappeared into the bar.

The alley felt colder now, the weight of her words hanging heavy in the air. Asher leaned against the wall, his head falling back as he let out a long, shaky breath. He’d messed up. He’d messed up bad. And now, he wasn’t sure if he’d ever be able to fix it.

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