Chapter 25
Zane
I stare down at this worthless piece of trash and do my best not to kill him where he stands.
Not only did he grab my mate and put his lips on hers, he hurt her.
I heard her cry out in pain. I’m shaking with adrenaline as I try to keep my wolf under control.
“Don’t touch her,” I say around fangs that have already dropped in preparation to defend our mate, to kill for her.
“Or what?” Jace says in a low voice. He steps closer to me.
“Why don’t you give everybody watching a show?
Show them who you really are.” I suck in a breath, trying to use my iron-clad control to keep from slipping in front of the students who are very invested in what’s going on right now.
I grit my teeth and manage a small step back.
I feel Evie right behind me, and she grounds me.
I can’t lose it in front of her and scare her.
“You backing off so soon?” Jace taunts. He steps towards me, so that we’re chest to chest. “You not going to defend your mate?” his words are soft, and yet I hear them.
Every muscle in my body goes still. “If you’re not going to claim her, I will; and I’ll thoroughly enjoy corrupting her and touching every part of that soft—” I grab him and yank him close as rage courses through me.
“Zane. Let him go; he’s not worth this.” I feel a hand on my back. Her touch and voice are the only thing that could have called me back. I shove him away from me and turn. My eyes lock on her bottom lip that’s bleeding.
Reid puts a hand on my shoulder. “Just let it go.”
I fling his arm off and watch as Evie’s eyes widen.
I struggle to breathe; I can’t contain my rage.
I want to shift and kill him. All I can see is the drop of blood on her lip.
My precious mate, and I didn’t keep her safe.
I’m aware of the fact that she takes a step back, but I can’t control my rage. It’s all-consuming.
From somewhere far away, I hear my best friend’s voice.
“Evie.” His voice is so low, it’s almost inaudible to human ears.
“Can you give him a hug, just to let him know you’re okay?
Please?” Reid’s voice sounds different, but I can’t focus on it right now.
I feel my nails turn into claws, and my spine cracks.
I relish the feel of my wolf rising. He’s powerful and dominant.
Everyone will know that Evie is our mate.
We will protect her and defend her against anyone that would hurt her.
We’ll take her far from here and make sure she is safe and happy and fed and.
..Arms close around me, and my mate’s scent hits me hard.
I wrap my arms around her small body instinctively.
“It’s all right, Zane. I’m okay. Everything's all right.”
Her voice is like a piece of meat to a starving man.
It’s everything, and in this moment, I need her more than I’ve ever needed anything.
I can feel my wolf begin to loosen his control and recede.
I pull Evie tighter into my arms, being careful not to hurt her.
Not only is she female, she’s human, something I can never forget.
I lean forward and take a lungful of her sweet scent into my lungs and let it soothe every part of me.
She begins to relax in my arms, not holding herself as stiffly.
I’m pretty sure I’m never going to let her go.
She’s the best thing I’ve ever had the privilege of touching.
And this is the calmest my wolf has ever been in my entire life.
That is until I remember that she was bleeding and that the enemy is probably still nearby.
I lift my head and scan the area. My eyes take in the students still lingering, but most of them have moved on by now.
I’m pretty sure that’s due to the wall of muscle in front of us.
I've never been so thankful for the members of my pack than I am right now. Quint and Reid are blocking Evie and I from view. I let my eyes fall on my beautiful mate. Thankfully, the blood is gone now; but I won’t ever forget what he did to her.
Wide, rich chocolate brown eyes stare up at me, and as tempted as I am to get lost in those eyes, I don’t.
“Are you okay?” My voice is gruff, but I don’t try to change it. I’m not sure I can.
She nods. “I’m sorry. I—”
“Please don’t apologize for him,” I grind out.
To her credit, she doesn’t overreact. She studies my face a moment. “I wasn’t apologizing for him,” she says quietly, and I regret jumping in. I love that she doesn’t seem to fear me. “What I was going to say was that I’m sorry that you had to get in the middle of that.”
I stare down at her, a million thoughts spiraling through my mind. I slowly release her and take the smallest step back. Even that small distance is killing me. “Are you still dating him?” The question burns coming out.
She laughs, but it’s not her usual laugh.
This one is bitter. “No. We’re done, not that he will answer his phone.
I’ve been calling him all week, trying to talk to him.
I didn’t want to break up with him over a phone message, but he refuses to answer his phone.
” She shakes her head, and I watch as she pulls out her phone and types something.
A moment later, she pockets her phone. “I told him we’re done, and then I blocked his number. ”
Something like unease slithers through me.
I haven’t had a chance to process everything that went down yet, but I have a feeling when I do, there are going to be some serious ramifications to what went down here.
Her phone buzzes, and she pulls it out of her pocket. “It’s Tessa; I need to take this.”
“Go ahead.” My voice is more gruff than I want, but I’m still trying to shake off the lingering effects of my wolf. I turn to face the guys, and Reid’s eyes meet mine. A look passes between us, and I read so much in that look. But neither of us says anything, not with Evie still right here.
“Hey, Tessa.” She pauses a moment, and her gaze flicks to mine a moment.
I wonder what she’s thinking. “Yeah.” I watch as her cheeks turn a delicious shade of pink and wonder what her friend said to her.
I could use my shifter hearing to pick it up, but I’m trying to give her some privacy.
But if she keeps blushing like this, I might have to listen in. Evie nods. “Okay. Yeah. Okay, bye.”
I want to ask what that was about, but I’m trying to not push myself on her too much too fast. “Uh.” I watch in fascination as Evie bites her lip.
“Tessa wants to know if you want to grab dinner, but I told her I was sure you had dinner with the team.” Her words all run together, and it takes me a moment to decipher them.
“I’d love to.”
She blinks in surprise. “Really? You don’t have to like go out with the team or anything?
I would have thought you guys went out and celebrated.
I mean you should after a game like that.
You were amazing!” Her words flow over me, and I feel seven feet tall.
She seems to catch herself suddenly, and her face turns pink again for the second time in less than five minutes.
The carnal part of me would love to see how many times I could make her skin turn that perfect pink, but I don’t want to scare her off.
“Normally, we do; but tonight, I want to celebrate with you...and Tessa,” I think to add a moment later. I hear a laugh from one of the guys, but I ignore it.
Her eyes brighten, and her beautiful lips turn up into a smile. I pledge right then and there to do my best to always keep a smile on her beautiful face. “Okay. Do you want to meet at—”
“Panda Express,” I blurt out.
Her eyes widen. “You like eating Panda Express too?”
“I love it,” I say getting caught up in the moment. I hear what sounds like another laugh from one of my packmates and then a cough, but I ignore it all.
“Oh, okay.” Her bright smile is back. “Me too. Let me just text Tessa.” She glances back up at me. “Did you want to go now, or...”
“Now,” I confirm, smiling at her and trying to ease her nerves.
She gives me a soft smile that makes my heart race.
“Okay.” She looks down at her phone and texts, and I use the moment to look at my friends.
Quint is grinning broadly and mouthing something I don’t even bother to try to decipher, and Reid has a smirk on his face.
I resist the urge to flip them off, but I’m sure they can read it on my face.
Evie finishes and puts her phone back in her pocket.
“Are you guys coming too?” she asks, turning to my friends.
“No,” I interject before they can say anything. “They have plans.” I don’t even bother looking at them.
“I’m free,” Quint says, stepping forward.
“No, you’re not.” I put my hand on his chest without even looking at him and push him back.
“Bro, I’m hurt. I can’t crash your party?”
“Nope, it’s just Evie and me.” I don’t take my eyes off Evie’s face when I say it.
“And Tessa,” she adds.
“And Tessa,” I quickly correct.
“Great. I’ll keep Tessa entertained while you two gaze hopelessly at each other over orange chicken.”
I smirk at his words, and Evie scrunches up her nose. The look brings a smile to my face. “Uh, that is not what we’re going to do.”
Quint grins at her, and it makes me want to growl at him. “You sure about that?”
“Yes.” She doesn’t miss a beat. “I’ll be too busy eating orange chicken to stare at him.”
That earns a hoot from Quint and a chuckle from Reid. Quint slaps my back. “Second place to the chicken. That blows.”
I don’t even bother responding to him. “Ready?” I ask Evie. She bites her lip a moment and then nods. We turn and walk away from the stadium.
“Will I get ambushed or anything?” she asks as we walk.
I spin towards her as thoughts of Jace return to my mind. “You are perfectly safe with me.” My words are filled with aggression.
She looks up at me with raised eyebrows. “Uh, I meant from other girls because I’m with you.” She says the words slowly and carefully.
Oh. “If anybody tries to ambush us, we’ll sic Quint on them since he volunteered to come with.” I grin maniacally at Quint.
Quint frowns. “That’s not what I signed up for.”
“Deal with it,” I call over my shoulder and put a hand on Evie’s back, leading her forward.
I know I probably shouldn’t touch her, but it’s the only way to keep my wolf calm right now, especially now that we’re talking about Jace again.
I know the moment he left back there, but that doesn’t stop me from scenting the air and using my wolf’s vision to watch all around us.
I’m going to have to deal with him very soon.
Right now, I just want to keep Evie safe and enjoy dinner with her.
I look down at her and see her sweet smile, and it eases something in my chest. If I felt like I could, I would reach down and take her hand in mine.
But I comfort myself with the thought that I will.
It will happen; I just need to be patient until it does.
Suddenly, I feel something. It hits me in the center of my chest and nearly knocks the air from my lungs.
A grin fills my face because I’m pretty sure I just felt Evie’s joy, as if it were my own.
That means a bond is starting to form between us, as it’s supposed to.
Right now, it’s super light. Eventually, I’ll be able to hear her every thought and feel her every emotion.
We’ll also be able to communicate from a distance through our bond.
I wasn’t sure if I’d feel anything from her until I actually claim her as mine, since she’s human.
But I’m happy to report, I can. She won’t feel anything from me until we complete the bond, and I may not feel anything but strong feelings from her until then, but I’ll take what I can get.