The Four Beta Brothers

Chapter 6 - Not A Date

JUNIPER

I waited outside the cafe for Asher to show up. I was excited about seeing him, and I ended up getting to the cafe early. There was a slight chill in the air, but I refused to wait inside. There were too many people in there, and crowds made me nervous in a way I had never experienced before. As president of the student council, I had been to countless student events. I had given speeches in front of large crowds. People had never made me nervous.

Things were different now. I couldn’t stand to hear the whispers about me anymore. The only place I felt safe away from the horrible rumors was when I was in my room with my headphones in. Everywhere I walked, I felt like I heard people saying my name, and I no longer knew how much of it was true and how much of it my brain was creating in anticipation.

“One iced coffee with cream for you, madam.” Asher stood next to me, holding two cups of coffee. He held mine a little closer, and the one for him looked filled with even more sugar than the last drink he got.

I took the cup with a frown. “I was going to pay for you today, since you paid yesterday.”

“Ah, but if I let the lady pay, then I couldn’t call myself a gentleman, now could I? Plus, if I pay, I can consider this a date.” Asher smiled brightly, and it made my stomach flutter. It was similar to the smile he used on others when he was flirting to get his way, but this smile felt personalized just for me.

“I never agreed to go on a date with you,” I challenged, even though the idea of going on a date with Asher sounded exciting. I took a sip of my coffee, and it was perfect to my taste.

“No, but by the time I walk you back to your dorm, you’ll realize that this was the best date of your life.” Asher was fully serious in his statement.

I smiled as innocently as possible and then said, “You probably have your work cut out for you. I’ve been on some pretty spectacular dates.”

“Wait, are you currently dating someone?” Asher’s face seemed to pale at the idea, which only amused me.

I shrugged my shoulders. “Who knows?” I wanted to keep it vague, because I was curious about his reaction.

The shock on his face quickly disappeared, and it wasn’t long before he regained his composure. “Well, if you were, I would ditch him for me, because I’m the one who is going to make you happy.”

Asher’s statement was bold, but there was something about it that still made my heart flutter. For a long time, I had been on my own. Moira’s parents made sure I had basic necessities, but they weren’t very giving when it came to love.

“And how do you plan to do that exactly, kind sir?”

He took a step forward and leaned in. His lips brushed against my ear, making my entire body shutter. “By making you fall in love with me.”

I chewed on my lip, trying to regain my composure, but it was difficult. Asher’s scent filled my nose, making my head swim. He was intoxicating in a way that didn’t make any sense. My wolf wasn’t screaming, "Mate," but she was purring, eager for more attention from Asher. She had never reacted like this to any other guy I had dated before, either.

I turned away from Asher, trying to hide the blush on my face. “So, what are your ideas for stopping these rumors?”

“I think you should try confronting Moira. She was your friend once. Maybe try having a heart to heart with her.” Asher’s knuckles brushed against mine as he spoke, making my heart flutter even more. Even the slightest touch made it difficult to focus on the conversation, and I couldn’t tell if he was doing it on purpose or not.

“I have already tried that. She admitted it to me, and she made it clear she had no intention of stopping.”

Asher turned, so he was looking directly at me. He wasn’t letting me hide from him. “Then maybe you should confront her in person.”

“I like this idea even less. Part of me wishes I could just hold my head down and push myself through to graduation. Then I could leave this place and these people behind forever, never to look back.” I didn’t know what I would do once I got my diploma with the valedictorian title, but I knew it would open doors to me that weren’t there before.

“That is an option, but it’d probably be a pretty miserable one. I can’t imagine it’s easy to hear the things people are saying. Sure, you could keep your head down until the next bit of juicy gossip comes along, but Moira tried to destroy you. Something tells me this isn’t something she’s just going to let disappear.”

I chewed on my lip as Asher voiced my inner worries. “I know. I want the truth to come out, and I want Moira to realize she was wrong. I just don’t know how likely that will be.” I didn’t want to just sit back while Moira destroyed my name, but I didn’t have influence like she did.

Asher shifted and grabbed my hand, locking his eyes with mine. “June, I don’t want to suffer for the rest of the year. I know it might feel easier to just keep a low profile until graduation, but I can’t imagine you’ll be happy. I think it’ll be better if you face this head on, and you don’t have to do it alone. I’ll be here, holding you up the entire time.”

“What if it doesn’t work?”

He leaned forward and tucked a piece of my hair behind my hair. “Then we can run away together. That way you won’t be alone.”

“You would do that?” I asked, trying to resist shivering at Asher’s touch.

“I would do anything for you, June.” He hovered close to my face, and for a moment, I thought he might just kiss me. Our breaths shared the same space, and a strange silence surrounded us for a moment. As I looked into his eyes, I knew I trusted Asher wholly and completely, and I couldn’t explain why. It almost felt like I had known him my entire life, even though it had only been a day.

Part of me wanted to question Asher’s motives. He hardly knew me, yet he was willing to do anything for me. It didn’t make sense. However, I felt the same pull towards him. I wanted to get to know him and be with him. Even though I had met him a mere twenty-four hours ago, if Asher asked me, I’d run away with him.

“So now that that’s settled, let’s get this date started,” Asher said, taking a step back.

The cool air filled the space he had just been in, clearing my thoughts. “I told you this isn’t a date.” I knew I was being stubborn, but even though I felt the pull towards Asher, I was still afraid to dive head first into something new, especially when school was supposed to be my priority.

“What can I do to make you change your mind?” His eyes sparkled as he looked at me.

It took everything in my power not to fall for his charms. “I’m not dressed for a date, and I have homework to do. Plus, you didn’t ask me to go on a date with you. You asked to meet up for coffee. That’s not how you ask someone on a date.”

“Will you go on a date with me?” Asher asked.

I pursed my lips at his pursuit. He was determined, and I knew I’d fall for his charms quickly, but I didn’t want to let myself get swept away too quickly. “You’re not going to give this up, are you?”

“Is he harassing you?” a new voice suddenly asked.

I turned, and my breath hitched as I saw Axel approaching us. I had been so swept up in the conversation with Asher that I forgot we were still in public.

“Of course not,” Asher answered for me. “I don’t harass women.”

Asher stepped forward, putting himself between Axel and me like a protective barrier. Tension filled the air around us, but Axel only smirked at Asher’s interaction.

“I believe I was asking Juniper that question, not you,” Axel said, shoving his hands in his pockets. He ignored Asher and looked at me instead. “If he’s bothering you, just say the word, and I’ll sweep you away to safety.”

Axel looked at me like he was a wolf on the hunt for prey. It sent a shiver down my spine, and I resisted the urge to shift under his gaze. His eyes made it hard to breathe, and his presence excited me. There was something pulling on my chest, urging me to step forward. It was similar to the way Asher made me feel, but it was somehow different at the same time.

The pull towards Asher made me feel safe and wanted, but the pull towards Axel made me feel a rush of adrenaline.

“No, he’s not bothering me,” I said, unable to break away from Axel’s gaze. “I was just telling him I don’t have time to go on a date, because I have homework to do.”

“Homework is boring. Dates are much more fun,” Axel said. Even though his words sounded like they supported the idea of me going on a date with Asher on the surface, there was an underlying presence saying, “Dates with me are much more fun.”

“Homework is a necessity,” Asher said. “If Juniper says she has to do homework, then I plan on supporting that.”

Asher and Axel shared a silent look, and even though they didn’t say anything, I could practically hear their conversation. Asher was telling Axel to back off, and Axel was taunting him in return.

I took a step forward, putting myself between the brothers. As I stood in between them, I felt myself being pulled in multiple directions. Axel or Asher? Asher or Axel? It all seemed to muddle together.

“Food!” I said suddenly.

Asher and Axel immediately gave me strange looks, making me feel foolish at the sudden outburst.

I cleared my throat and tried again, “I haven’t had dinner yet. Maybe the three of us could go get something to eat together.” I knew it was a bad idea to have both of them together based on the tension I already felt, but it was the first idea that popped into my head. Plus, I wanted to spend more time with Axel to figure out why I was feeling a pull towards him and Asher.

Asher looked at me, as if horrified that I had invited Axel. I couldn’t blame him. Just a moment ago, he had been trying to get me to go on a date with him, and if Axel joined us, there was no way it could be called a date.

“Axel has somewhere to be,” Asher said in response.

“Actually, I’m completely free,” Axel retorted.

I looked between the two of them, and I felt a lump form in my throat.