Page 23

This wasn’t a date; it was a kidnapping, plain and simple.

The last thing Violet wanted was to spend any more time with this stalker, manipulator, emotionless jerk—you name it.

But then again, she had no choice. If she was ever going to get out of this academy, she’d have to find some way to appeal to Asher. Hopefully.

So when Asher said, "You should sit," without the usual coercion following his command, Violet understood it was his way of giving her a chance to "behave" before he took away her choice altogether. The underlying threat was still there, just beneath the veneer of politeness.

Without a word, Violet walked over to the plush leather couch in Jameson’s office and sat down. She could only hope that Principal Jameson would walk in at any moment and perhaps change the outcome of this situation.

But even as she held onto that faint hope, Violet knew better. It was becoming painfully obvious that Jameson was nothing but a puppet, and the real rulers of this academy were the Cardinal Alphas.

As soon as she sat down, Asher followed, casually plopping down beside her. He sat facing her, one leg bent, relaxed, his entire demeanor as if they were friends about to have a casual chat, despite the tension crackling in the air.

"Turn towards me," he commanded, his voice holding the authority of a king who expected nothing less than obedience.

Violet obeyed, though she let out an exaggerated sigh, a subtle form of rebellion. Not that Asher seemed to care. As long as she followed his instructions, she would have worn a sackcloth, and he would’ve been indifferent.

They sat facing each other with Violet wondering what exactly he had planned. Asher, however, seemed completely preoccupied with typing something into his phone.

His hair fell messily over his forehead as he concentrated, and for some inexplicable reason, Violet had the urge to brush it aside. However, she clenched her fists slightly, shaking her head. What was wrong with her? There was no way she was catching Stockholm syndrome already.

Almost immediately, Asher looked up, a smile breaking across his face as he set his phone aside. It was so sudden, so genuine, it caught her off guard. The happiness seemed real, and it looked almost... good on him. And he took advantage of her distraction, grabbing her hand.

"So, about my powers..." he murmured, holding her hand firmly as she tried to pull it away, his warmth enveloping hers.

"Mind control and mind reading are two very distinct abilities, even though they both deal with the mind. Technically, it’s possible to possess both.

In fact, if I really put effort into it, I could develop mind-reading as a secondary power.

But, honestly, mind reading can be chaotic and exhausting, and I’d like to keep what’s left of my sanity intact. "

Oh God, he just admitted his mind wasn’t complete. Violet cried inwardly.

Asher continued as if they were in some twisted classroom setting, all the while drawing small circles on her arm. If it was meant to soothe her, it sort of worked, though it only made her more hyper-aware of his presence.

"With my mind control ability," Asher began, "I can manipulate someone else’s thoughts, behaviors, and actions. It means exerting influence over their will, forcing them to act in ways they wouldn’t otherwise choose." He paused, adding casually, "For example, I could make you kiss me."

Violet’s entire body stiffened, her back going rigid. Her gaze flickered up to meet his heated eyes, first in shock, then disgust. But as she searched those strange, captivating orbs, an idea formed in her mind, maybe this was the key to solving her problem.

"The kiss..." she said breathily, the air between them suddenly feeling thick and charged, "Is that what you want? Is that your motive for all of this madness?"

Asher raised a brow, clearly taken aback by her words. Before he could respond, Violet had already pushed him back against the armrest of the couch, leaning over him, their bodies pressed close as she continued, "If that’s it, then let’s get this over with."

For a long moment, Asher just stared at her, stunned by her boldness, before he broke into laughter. Violet frowned, annoyed. She hadn’t been trying to be funny. Then she felt his hand glide up her neck, his fingers brushing against her lower lip, and she shivered despite herself.

His gaze lingered on her lips, the intensity of it causing a warmth to rush to her cheeks.

Asher finally spoke, "If all I wanted was a kiss, I would’ve taken it already.

And while I do admire the fire in your eyes, when we kiss, it won’t be out of obligation.

You won’t look as if you’re doing me a favor.

Your eyes will burn with passion, Violet, not defiance. "

Violet flinched as if he’d struck her, though it was only the force of his words that hit her so hard. She shifted back, allowing Asher to return to his previous position.

He grinned, knowing he had won that round. Without missing a beat, as if the moment between them had been just a brief interlude, he reached for her hand again. Violet resisted, baring her teeth at him. Asher didn’t back down, baring his own teeth in response, accompanied by a low, guttural growl.

That growl was enough to remind her that while Asher might look human, beneath that skin lay a beast. She hesitated, then reluctantly relented, letting him take her hand. Again.

"As I was saying..." he continued, "I can directly give commands, subtly influence decisions, or even completely override your own choices."

Violet shivered at the thought of him turning someone into a puppet. She wondered just how deeply he had already sunk his claws into her mind. How many of her actions were her own? Had he planted the idea of her coming here, just to orchestrate this twisted version of a "first date"?

No. Violet shook her head. She knew herself well enough to trust that she wouldn’t willingly stay at this academy after everything that had happened between her and this psycho. This was her decision, no one else’s.

"However..." His voice cut through her thoughts. "The effectiveness of my ability depends on my strength of will, my focus, and sometimes... the level of emotional connection between me and my target..." He trailed off, intertwining their fingers together.

It was a simple gesture, something that shouldn’t have affected her, yet Violet’s heart began to race for reasons she couldn’t quite grasp.

"If my target has a particularly strong will, they might resist the control, especially if they recognize it’s happening," Asher explained, his voice almost teasing. "But since you’re basically a baby taking its first steps, it’s safe to say we’ll be having lots of late-night dates, my purple queen. "

In other words, he was planning on visiting her dreams tonight.

The thought frightened Violet, but at the same time, a rush of strange anticipation went through her.

After all, it wasn’t every day one got a stalker pervert invading her dreams. No, it wasn’t romantic at all.

Yet Violet was still a girl, and the idea of a handsome guy pinning after her—even a slightly unhinged one—was thrilling.

"Why me?" Violet whispered. She needed to understand. She wanted to understand. Sure, her application had been "creative," but there had to be others that had caught his attention as well.

This time, Violet didn’t flinch when Asher ran his fingers through her hair.

His touch was gentle, massaging her scalp, and she nearly melted at the sensation.

She shouldn’t have been getting comfortable with Asher, the mind-controlling psychopath, yet there was something vulnerable about the moment that drew her in.

"Don’t you get it?" Asher whispered, his eyes blazing with intensity. "You’re my rebellion."

"What?"

"My future," he rephrased. "Our future has been laid out for us like a damn map. But you, my chosen, will wedge the knife. You will tear them all apart and, perhaps then, rip out my bleeding heart. How poetic would that be?" He laughed, his tone laced with something dark.

Violet pulled away, unsettled as his laughter teetered on the edge of madness.

Almost immediately, the door to the office opened, and Violet’s heart leaped, hoping it was Principal Jameson. But it wasn’t. Instead, a young girl in the Lunaris Academy uniform entered, pushing a trolley.

"Alpha Asher," the girl addressed him, bowing her head, waiting for his command.

"What is going on?" Violet asked with a frown.

Asher glanced at his watch, a slight crease forming on his brow. "You might be a bit late to your first class today, but don’t worry, I’ll take care of that. My purple queen must eat first."

"What?" Violet asked, bewildered.

Before Violet could fully process what was happening, the girl began to set up the food on the small table in Principal Jameson’s office.

"All done, Alpha," the girl announced, her tone eager, almost as if serving the meal had been a great honor.

Asher barely acknowledged her, dismissing her with a wave. Then his piercing gaze fell on Violet. "What are you waiting for? Eat. Don’t think I’ll let you wander around campus starving after your little breakfast disaster."

Violet was stunned that he knew about it. While it would have been easy to stubbornly refuse the food, but deep down, Violet was hungry. She decided to let it slide, just this once.

She looked down at the table, and her entire body went still. Goosebumps prickled across her skin as she stared at the meal set before her.

The food was exactly the same as what she’d ordered that morning, right down to the size of the portions and the drink.

This was beyond creepy.

It was borderline stalking.