Love

RORY

“I haven’t seen you in forever,” Freya exclaims as she spots me in the halls, one brace still on my arm for show. “Are you okay?”

“Yeah, I’m better now. It just took some time to heal. Plus, Everett was hesitant to take me back to school considering I died for a few minutes in addition to all the injuries,” I explain, walking beside her.

“I still can’t believe you just live with him. So he decided whether you come to school or not?” she asks.

“Well, I told him I was going back to school whether he liked it or not, and eventually he just agreed to it. I can’t get here without a car, so I did need him to like it,” I tell her.

We begin to chat about gossip that’s been around the school for the past few weeks. A lot of looks are being sent my way; everyone has either heard about my accident or seen me be taken off the road just outside the school.

Skye joins us, greeting me, then we break away from our classes.

“You’re back,” Jax comments. I forgot this was the lesson I have with him. “I can’t believe the puppeteer let you out of his grip.”

I decide to ignore that comment, waiting patiently for the teacher to enter.

“What do you see in him? Is it the money? Looks? Babe, I can give you anything. My dad is CFO of a massive tech company. If that’s what you want, you don’t need him.”

I huff loudly to show him I’m not engaging in this conversation.

“Come on, Rory. You’re not talking to me now?”

“Not if you’re berating my relationship. We can talk about the book we’re reading in this class if you want,” I reply.

He chuckles at my response and leans back in his chair. “You know, Oliver and the other guys told me you were shy and sweet and innocent.

“When I asked about you because I had an interest in you, they laughed and told me you’d probably be easy, too, from the attention and my charm.

“But since I’ve known you, you’ve been anything but shy, sweet, and innocent.

“You’re sassy, you can talk back, and you had sex with your adult manipulative boyfriend. You’re nothing like they described; they don’t even know what they described anymore.

“One guy changed you? And you don’t even know it.”

“It’s not just him, although I’m grateful for him. Being sweet and shy and innocent has only ever gotten me hurt. Unfortunately the other thing that gets me hurt is my clumsiness, which I can’t help.

“But I’d rather not almost die again with something I can change,” I tell him seriously, and his eyebrows furrow at me.

He pauses, and I think I’ve stumped him. He just stares at me, and doesn’t even stop when the teacher enters and begins the lesson. He keeps doing it throughout the lesson too.

“Does it hurt? I know you broke a lot of bones in the accident,” he asks in a whisper.

“No, I’m better now. It’s just my arm. I’ve been immobile for a while. I couldn’t walk for three weeks and then I had to wear leg braces.”

“How did you do anything then? I can’t imagine not being able to walk,” he comments.

“Everett helped. He stopped me from using the wheelchair where he could, just because he thought, with all that metal and the wheels, I’d probably hurt myself even more.

“And he’s right. I’ve hurt myself just eating with a fork,” I say.

He laughs quietly, shaking his head lightly.

“He doesn’t even let me near most things in the kitchen. He sits me up on the counter and I just watch him cook.

“I slipped in the shower a couple of times, so he made the floor in there foam and fixed the settings to one place so I can’t accidentally turn it up and burn myself.”

He just stares again, completely fixated on me.

“Why would he do all of that? What does he get?” he questions.

“Because he loves me. But before, it was because I was his responsibility. He found me and helped me and decided that he was responsible for me because I had no one.

“The first thing that I respected about him was his sense of duty. He’s not manipulative, or my puppeteer.

“He can be overprotective, most of the time, but I know it’s for a reason and I know it’s because he cares, and not anything malicious. I’m sorry that you like me and I don’t like you back.

“I mean, I think you’re a good guy. But I don’t need someone trying to ruin my relationship so they can have one with me. You wouldn’t like me anyway.

“I’m clumsy as shit, as most people tell me, I’m reading most of the time, I’m quite fragile and small and weak. And I’ve been through a lot. I’m…complicated.”

“Yes, you are. You’re very complicated. I don’t even understand it. Any of it. Everything you said that happened back where you lived, that’s insane.

“I’ll back off though. You’ve found someone already, I’ll respect that. But if he hurts you, or you don’t like him anymore, you can come to me.”

“Love,” I correct. “I love him. And thanks. There’s plenty of girls here though who have a crush on you. You can take your pick and have a new interest.”

When lunch rolls around, Skye and Freya are arguing about whether the tater tots are healthy or not. Bethany, Oliver, and Jax decide to join us as usual.

Bethany and Oliver are disagreeing over some petty thing.

Their relationship appears solid, although Bethany was always complaining to me about Oliver before my little sabbatical, and she still does.

He’s cheated on her a couple of times, just kissing people at the many parties he goes to. I would tell her she could do better, but now, I don’t want to be a hypocrite.

I tell all of them that I can make my own decisions about my relationships, so I can no longer comment on other people’s in such a way. But I still believe she could do better.

A tap comes at the window and I’m surprised to see Everett, dressed in a hot leather jacket with a white shirt underneath. He gestures for me to come out to him with his finger in that Alpha commanding way.

“Get your stuff. You’re leaving school early today,” he declares, muffled through the glass.

I nod and sling my bag over my back, heading out of the canteen to see what Everett wants. Before I reach his car, I hear Eddie call out to me. I sigh, knowing this may be a big thing yet again.

Everett just watches, and even though Eddie believes we are far enough away for Everett not to hear anything we’re saying, I know his wolf hearing is very superior to my own and he can easily hear us.

“Don’t go with him,” Eddie pleads, a pained expression on his face. “I know you’re scared, but you don’t have to be with him because you think you have no choice. I love you. I’m in love with you, Rory. Don’t go with him.”

What is he talking about? He loves me? This is crazy. I’m with Everett, in love with Everett. Why is Eddie saying this?

“I love Everett. We were only together for a month, Eddie. I don’t know what you want me to say.”

“How can you love a guy like that?” he questions, glancing over my shoulder at him. “He’s possessive and violent and controlling. You love that?”

I look back at Everett, noticing that he’s waiting for my answer, raising his eyebrows at me to Eddie’s question.

“He’s aggressive when he’s protecting someone or something he cares about. He’s incredibly protective and he hates seeing me hurt. He’s an amazing guy and I love him. I have to go,” I conclude, beginning to walk away.

But Eddie grabs my hand, which alarms me, especially with Everett as an onlooker. It’s safe to say he’ll be an onlooker no more.

I’m yanked away from Eddie by the waist and lifted into the air, my back hitting a broad muscled chest. My body becomes locked to this chest by tree-trunk-like arms caging me in.

“Lay a hand on what’s mine again and I won’t control my temper next time,” Everett growls loud enough for Eddie to hear.

He breathes in my scent to soothe him, nuzzling his head into my neck, which lifts me even farther off the ground. “Are you hurt, little one?”

He’s acting as if Eddie’s touch burned me, but I understand his Alpha and mate protectiveness. I’m Everett’s and he’s mine. It’s an insanely strong connection between us, now that we’re mated.

Being away from him physically pains me, creating this dull ache in my heart that gets stronger the farther I am from him.

But when we’re together, right up against each other, everything feels perfect, and it’s hard to be mad at him for such protectiveness, when I can understand it. I would do anything to keep Everett with me and safe as well.

“I’m fine, Everett,” I mutter. “Where are we going?”

“Get in the car and I’ll tell you on the way back home,” he replies, setting me down on his other side, away from Eddie and closer to the car.

He nudges me toward his car as he takes my bag from me and follows after me, completely ignoring Eddie standing there.

Once we’re strapped in and Everett pulls out of the lot, I ask the question again.

“We’re going to the annual conference I told you about. Don’t worry, little mate. I won’t let anyone hurt you.”

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