Chapter 5: Chapter Four

DAX

The sensation of shifting was akin to the most profound release one could experience, second only to the intimacy of sex. It was a cathartic expulsion of all my pent-up tension and frustration.

~And God, did I have a lot of that.~

My mate’s sharp tongue was going to be the end of me. I tried to be understanding, considering she was grappling with a world she didn’t comprehend, but it was a test of my patience.

I’d spent countless nights praying for my mate, and now that she was here, she was oblivious to the concept of mates and werewolves. I found myself being hauled out of the cafeteria by Braxton, and into the surrounding woods.

Werewolf U, the largest campus in Louisiana, was mostly a sprawling expanse of woods, providing us with ample space to run. And I needed it. I barely made it to the tree line before my clothes tore and my wolf sprang forth.

~“You should have just kissed her, you idiot,”~ my wolf chided.

~“Don’t start with me. You saw her reaction. I couldn’t just kiss her,”~ I retorted, knowing it was futile to argue.

~“Whatever. You’re just a coward.”~

~“Care to repeat that?”~ I challenged. ~“I’ll keep my distance from her and her wolf.”~

~“You wouldn’t last a week without her, jerk.”~

If only I could punch him without hurting myself. I darted through the trees, my chocolate fur a blur, weaving between branches and leaping over logs.

I ran until the sun hung low in the sky. I needed to be back in time for the start of the football game. The presence of the lycans always put everyone on edge.

It was the one game I despised. The one game that made me give up football. Lycans were underhanded and corrupt. Everything about them made my skin crawl.

I needed to be at the game in case one of them tried anything with Savannah. It wasn’t uncommon for the males to pursue a female werewolf, and I’d kill any who dared touch her.

I returned, grabbing a set of clothes from one of the many hiding spots scattered throughout the woods. I often wondered what a human would think if they stumbled onto our property and found random articles of clothing strewn about.

I met Kayden at the entrance of the football stadium. His mate, Stephanie, was with him, and I tried to feign excitement. I wasn’t. I was seething with jealousy.

“Don’t look so thrilled to be here,” Kayden remarked.

“I’m not. I can feel the tension from here,” I replied, handing my ticket to the usher at the gate.

We climbed the bleachers, and I scanned the field. It was teeming with lycans. Most of Werewolf U’s crowd sat rigid, their faces etched with worry.

We settled at the top of the stands, in a corner. Stephanie snuggled into Kayden, while I sat on the other side, searching for her.

I wasn’t sure if she’d come, especially after Mrs. Jamieson likely filled her in on everything. She was probably plotting her escape as we spoke.

The thought made my wolf howl in agony. I couldn’t let her go. Not that I believed Werewolf U would let her leave after discovering the truth about the university.

~They have a plan for her, don’t they?~

Rogues were rare among Werewolf U and the surrounding areas. But occasionally, things went awry, and a werewolf would go rogue.

But that wouldn’t happen to my mate, because she didn’t even truly believe she was one.

Kayden nudged me. “The lycans are dominating this year,” he muttered.

I hadn’t even noticed they’d scored. My mind was elsewhere.

“Have you ever met a lycan?” Stephanie asked Kayden.

He nodded. “Only here. Never outside of the arena. My parents were strict about me avoiding them growing up.”

Lycans, on the other hand, had a higher number of rogues than werewolves. They were ruthless, and many struggled with accepting authority.

They lacked discipline.

By halftime, they were leading twenty-one to fourteen, and I could sense the hostility in the crowd. Kayden stood to get Stephanie a drink when I felt something.

~Annoyance. Then fear.~ It was Savannah. I stood abruptly, my gaze sweeping over the crowd for her, but she wasn’t there. I pushed past Kayden and descended the bleachers, heading for the entrance.

Her scent grew stronger as I neared the concession stand, and her panic washed over me like a tidal wave.

My wolf howled and clawed, desperate to break free, but I couldn’t shift without a valid reason unless I wanted to be expelled.

She was by the fence leading to the bathrooms, her roommate Jaka trying to fend off some guy. My fingers clenched and unclenched, and my teeth ground together in fury.

Savannah’s eyes met mine over the guy’s shoulder, and I thought I saw relief flicker across her face. I yanked him back, coming face-to-face with a lycan.

His scent was a potent mix of rage and frustration. He stood tall, his blond hair slicked back with an excessive amount of gel, revealing icy blue eyes and a prominent scar running down his cheek.

“Back off,” I growled. “I don’t think she appreciates you touching her.”

His laugh was like a needle under my skin. “Oh yeah? And what makes you think that?” he retorted, reaching for her hair and twirling a strand around his fingers.

Savannah tried to retreat but was blocked by the chain-link fence. I intervened, swatting his hand away like a misbehaving child. “Touch her again and I’ll rip your face off.”

His gaze shifted from Savannah to me, a smirk playing at the corners of his mouth. “Is this your mate, Doll?” he asked, reaching forward to inspect her neck for my mark. “You aren’t marked—”

I couldn’t contain myself. I lunged forward, sweeping his feet out from under him. Chaos erupted around me as my fist connected with his face again and again.

Tunnel vision consumed me. My wolf craved blood, and I yearned to see him regret ever laying a hand on what was mine.

He kicked out, catching me off guard, and I was sent flying back against the wooden gate that blocked the bathrooms, demolishing them in my descent.

The lycan’s eyes flared red as I rose to my feet and advanced on him. But before I could reach him, Braxton seized the back of my T-shirt, yanking me backward as someone else stepped in front of the lycan.

“Cool it,” Braxton commanded, forcing me to meet his gaze. I looked up into his stormy eyes and he shot me a look that screamed ~“Don’t you dare.”~

I jerked away from him, raking my fingers through my hair. “Do we have a problem?” Braxton asked the professor from the other school.

“I don’t know. Do we, Luther?”

The lycan glared at me over his teacher’s shoulder, shaking his head slowly. “No.”

Braxton dragged me over to the gate, jabbing a finger in my face. “Daxton Allaire,” he hissed. “I know you’re new to this mate stuff, but I promised your dad I’d keep you out of trouble.

Don’t let your jealousy land you in any. You need to graduate with a clean record to take over your dad’s position. No pack wants a troublemaker for an alpha. Not a good one anyway.”

~“Tell him to piss off. I want to see the lycan bleed,”~ my wolf growled.

Sighing, I dragged my palm down my face, trying to calm my nerves. The one thing that could truly soothe my nerves was standing by the fence, her wide hazel eyes fixed on me.

Braxton glanced over at her. “Go over there. But don’t start any more problems.”

He stormed off and I was relieved. Savannah watched as I approached her and Jaka.

“That was, ~wow~,” Jaka said. “Thank you. He wasn’t listening to me, and he was being really pushy with Savannah.”

I nodded, but my gaze never left Savannah. She bit her bottom lip and I found myself tracing her lips with my eyes.

“I didn’t mean to get you into trouble,” she whispered. “Thank you, for… standing up for me. You didn’t have to mess up the guy’s face, but maybe he’ll think twice next time.”

I knew there would be a next time if we crossed paths with him again. He seemed relentless, and it meant he would do anything to provoke me, especially if Savannah remained unmarked.

And I didn’t see that happening anytime soon, given her reluctance to even be near me.

“You’re welcome,” I said.

An awkward silence fell over the three of us, and I mentally kicked myself. This was not how I wanted to impress my mate. “Well…”

“Wow, dude. I thought that was you fighting,” Kayden said from behind me. “Leave it to you to beat up a lycan. What was he doing?”

“Touching Savannah,” I muttered.

He stopped in front of us with Stephanie and gave Savannah a once-over. “You must be Savannah, I’m Dax’s friend.”

Savannah nodded, but didn’t say anything else. She seemed uncomfortable and my wolf was irate about it.

Stephanie extended her hand to Savannah. “I’m Stephanie. I think they called your name today in Luna 101 but you weren’t there. Could you not find it?”

A blush crept onto Savannah’s cheeks and my blood heated. “I was… with Mrs. Jamieson.”

Jaka chuckled beside her. “She shifted in front of her and Savannah fainted.”

Savannah shot her a death glare.

“You fainted?” I asked, stepping closer to her. “Are you okay? Did you hurt yourself? Why didn’t anyone call me?”

She straightened and crossed her arms.

“I’m fine. It was a bit of a shock to see, since two days ago I didn’t think anything like this existed, and now everyone is staring at me because I don’t know what a mate is and don’t want some random guy ~claiming me~.”

~“Tell her she’s ours,” my wolf urged. “~Tell her if she’ll just give in, we’ll make her feel good.”~

“And because of that night, I can’t go to one class without hearing whispers about me. I should have never gone to that alpha party—”

I clenched my jaw so tight I felt my bone pop. “Well tough shit,” I snapped. “Because it doesn’t matter if you went to the party or not. We’re mated and I would have found you.”

I took a step closer, ignoring Kayden tugging at my forearm. “And if that little boyfriend of yours shows up, I’ll mess him up worse than the lycan.”

She tried to slap me, but I caught her small wrist in my hand. Sparks danced on my skin and spread along my arm like butterflies.

Her hazel eyes were ablaze, and my heart pounded against my ribs. I wanted to kiss her so badly my soul ached. I could smell that Kayden had kissed Stephanie. Their scents were all over each other, and I wanted that.

I knew Savannah sensed something, because her heart rate quickened and she couldn’t tear her gaze away from my mouth.

“Oh, really?” she challenged, her voice laced with defiance. “Well, you’ve found me now, and I don’t see you making any moves.”

~Kiss her, dammit,~ my inner wolf pleaded, aching for the contact.

I yearned to do just that, but if she was intent on playing this game of cat and mouse, I was more than capable of joining in. As I advanced, she retreated until her back met the fence. She looked up at me, her gaze unwavering and full of challenge.

“You really think I’m going to make a move in front of the entire school?” I questioned, our bodies so close that the space between us was barely discernible.

“Or could it be that you’re certain I won’t?” I murmured, tilting my head and allowing my eyes to leisurely trace the curve of her chest. “Why don’t you test that theory when we’re alone, Savannah?”

Her jaw tightened, and her nostrils flared in response.

“Because you’re aware that when I do get you alone—and I assure you, I will—you won’t be able to resist. You want me.

You crave the feel of my lips against yours, and it’s inevitable. And when it happens, you’ll forget all about that pathetic excuse for a boyfriend.”

With that, I stepped back, leaving her standing there, her breath coming in ragged gasps. I knew her reaction wasn’t out of anger, but rather, a desire that mirrored my own. She wanted me just as desperately as I wanted her.