BENJAMIN’S P. O. V.
I couldn’t believe that asshole would call her that. He had a great mate like Olivia and he treated her like dirt. I should have hit him harder. I mean what more could you want in a mate then Olivia. I really feel like beating that guy’s brains in. Then to keep insulting her, bastard.
I walk into History and she is sitting at our table. She looked so good. She has her face down. I can tell this morning still bothered her. I hope she doesn’t think that I think differently about her. I slide into the chair next to her and slide it right next to hers. If Peter can do it then so can I. I placed my hand on her thigh like I did yesterday only this time it is a comforting way and not a menacing way. I can feel her tense at first, but then relax when she sees I’m not going to hurt her.
“Sorry about this morning. I didn’t think Hector would make a big scene like that.” The fact that she has to apologize for what that asshole did is sickening to me.
“You have nothing to apologize for. He’s a jerk.” I started rubbing my hand up and down her thigh. “You never have to apologize for being treated like crap.” I lean my head towards hers and place my chin on hers so that she is cradled to my chest.
Then the professor steps up behind me. “I am glad to see you two are getting along so well. Just remember you are still in class. Boy, what a difference a day makes.” He chuckles as he heads to the front of class. We sit up a little straighter in our seats. “Alright class. Today I am giving you time to work on your projects. I am going to expect that you read chapters one and two for tomorrow’s class. So, go ahead and work in your groups. I will be here if you have any questions.”
Olivia grabs her paper out of her bag. “This is what I got on my packs History of perception for this instance. I was wondering, since I am moving to your pack should I let the professor know, he might want to change our groups.”
“Then don’t tell him. I don’t want him to move you.” I looked at her. She has still been looking down until now, now she is looking right at me.
“Why? Why are you and Peter being so nice to me? You don’t know me. You only met me yesterday and half that time ya’ll hate me.”
“We are man enough to admit when we are wrong. You are good people and we can see it. Just accept that Peter and I are going to look out for you and we aren’t going to reject you like your old pack did.” I have kept my hand on her thigh this whole time. It feels so nice there. I am having a little bit of difficulty concentrating on everything, with the feel of her body in my hand.
“So, do you have your perception done?” Olivia grabs my hand. She doesn’t move it though.
“Actually you are going to kill me. I left it at home. I was putting the finishing touches on it this morning before you came over and I left it on the table when we left.”
“That’s OK we can look over mine and make comparisons. We will work with yours tonight when I come over.”
“You’re still coming over?” I can’t hide the shock in my voice.
“Unless you don’t want me to.” She looks to me for the answer. I can’t tell what she is thinking. I don’t know if she doesn’t want me to or if it is an invitation to insist. I would rather insist.
“I most certainly want you to come over.” I reach my other hand over and lay it on her hand. “I just want you to know I think Hector is an idiot. I would never have rejected you as my mate.”
“I can honestly say that is about the sweetest thing ever said to me. I will treasure it.” She looks away shyly.
I reach up and pull her chin back towards me. “Don’t ever forget it.” I whisper. Maybe a bit too intimate for class, but I really don’t care. I only see her anyway.
She smiles up at me, still looking very shy. The sight of her smile sends my insides reeling. I want nothing more than to kiss her right now. Before I can lean forward and claim her lips, the professor clears his throat in the front of the class.
“Alright attention class. I want to remind you that these projects are due on Monday. I am going to dismiss class, because it is getting a bit too noisy here for any real productive work to get done. So, get out of here and tomorrow come to class with chapter one and two read. Olivia please stay behind. I have some questions for you.” The whole class focuses their attention on Olivia. This does not help her to bring her head up.
“I’ll wait for you in the hall, OK.”
“Yeah, see you in a few.” She stays seated while I head out. I stand right outside the door so I can hear what the professor is saying to her.
After everyone leaves he approaches her. “So, Olivia, how are things going? I understand that some of the other students harass you.”
I like that he is concerned, but he should have seen that I had it under control.
“I am doing fine now. I have made a couple of friends that keep the others at bay.” She sounds a little more confident now, maybe she was worried about something else.
“Speaking of which, I heard a rumor that you are going to be changing to the Black Forest Pack. Is that your choice?” He asks like she is being forced.
“Yes, I don’t want to stay in a pack where I am not wanted anymore. Does that mean that I am going to have to switch partners?” A little bit of panic raises in her voice.
“No, there were a lot of reasons that I partnered you with Benjamin. I am really glad that he is there for you now. He just needs to keep his hands a little bit more to himself during class. You hear me Benjamin?” His voice didn’t raise a bit, he knew full well I was listening.
Of course he knows I’m listening. I poked my head back into the class and smiled, “Yes Professor.”
“As I expected, now I don’t need to repeat myself. Keep your hands to yourself. I am glad you opened up your eyes, Olivia is a catch.” He smiled and walked towards me to head out of class. “Don’t let her get away from you.”
“I have a bit of stiff competition.” I laugh.
“Yeah, but you can handle it.”
“Boy, you really know everything don’t you.”
“I am a guidance counselor as well. I need to know everything in order to help guide. Like I said there are a lot of reasons I pick my partners. Plus I am on the Council of Elders, Alpha Victor would lose any contention brought against Olivia.” He winked and walked down the hall, I am assuming, to his office.
Olivia joins me in the hall, “He’s a funny one huh.” She said it as a statement not a question.
I put my arm around her shoulders, then kiss her forehead. “Yeah, but he hasn’t been wrong yet.”
“So you have competition in what?” She smiles like it was a joke.
I pause, I am not really sure how to answer that one. “UH, well… you I guess.” I look away a bit more shyly than I should have. I should have looked suave and cool, but no I looked like a nervous dork.
“Really,” She smiles at me. “I find it hard to believe that. Don’t you have a mate you’re waiting for?”
Any smile I had falls. “My mate died in a rogue attack last year. I had just found her, I didn’t even get to ask her her name yet, when a rogue came out of nowhere and killed her right in front of me. I couldn’t do anything. I have never felt more of a failure than I did at that moment. You are supposed to protect your mate and I couldn’t do anything. I killed the rogue of course but the deed was done.”
She pulls her arm around my waste and squeezes it comfortingly. “I don’t think you are to blame. I can understand. I can see how it happened. You are not a failure. I know you would protect anyone that you could. But you aren’t a superhero, and even they lose people sometimes.” She has her head resting on my chest.
All I can feel is content. She is so great. How do I ever deserve someone like her? I pull her around a corner and set her up against a wall. She looks at me in shock. “Don’t move.” I whisper it, but the command is clear.
Panic reaches her eyes. I bend my lips to hers, pressing lightly. I want to devour her but I hold back. I linger on her lips. My hands have now slid under her shirt and are resting on her hips right above her pant line. I love the feel of her skin. Slowly her hands slid up my arms and then pulled on my neck to deepen the kiss. Now my hands are sliding along her back under her shirt. I am starting to feel light headed but I don’t want to stop.
I can feel her reluctance as she pulls back.
Then out of the blue I am pushed from the side. I quickly release Olivia so she isn’t brought down with me. I stumble to the floor and when I look up I see a pissed off Hector. His face is contorted in rage and his fists are clenched ready for a fight.
“What the fuck is wrong with you?” I growl at him.
“She is my mate, back the fuck off.”
“You rejected me, you asshole. Back off.” Olivia pushes him back.
He lunges for her, I jump to my feet and throw him back. Hector hands on the ground. He springs back up. “She is mine.”
“I don’t think she wants you.” I snarl at him.
“I don’t care what she wants. She will not have another man. I worked hard to make sure no one would want her.” Hector growls. “I will be damned if some pompous asshole takes her from me.”
“Well, then you are damned, because I will never give her back to you. Even if she doesn’t choose me. You rejected your mate and for what, so you could keep sleeping around. You are the worst kind of wolf there is. Get the fuck away from her and keep away.” I prepare for the attack that I am sure will come.
Hector however, throws me off. He stands, then glares at Olivia. “This isn’t done.” Then turns and walks away.
I wait until he is out of sight then I turn to Olivia and start scanning her for any wounds. “Did he hurt you?”
“No, I think he was more interested in getting you. That fucking asshole has made my life a living hell since my birthday. Why can’t he just leave me alone?”
I expected her to break down and cry but instead she is just pissed. She is just fuming. I have a feeling that if Hector hadn’t backed down then it would have been two on one. She isn’t some weakling who needs someone to protect her.
I pull her closer to me and run my hand over her hair trying to calm her.
“I was serious that I won’t let him do that to you again. He is a chapter that will be closed in your life. He doesn’t control anything any more. You now have an Alpha that will protect you and Beta who will be right by your side.”
She heaves a big sigh. “You are too good to be true.”
“Not even close. I have my bad qualities too, you know.”
“Oh, yeah, what’s that?”
“I can’t think of anything but you.” I smile at her. Her head is buried in my chest and she doesn’t see it. But I don’t care, I finally said it.
“You are lying, but it is fine for now. I’ll take it.”
“I wish I was lying. I barely slept last night just thinking about how I fucked up so bad yesterday. I want to make it right. I wanted you to be laying next to me. I never want to let you go. This almost feels as strong as the mate-bond. I know you have a choice and you really don’t know me, but I feel so strongly for you, I feel like I am crushed with the weight of it. If I didn’t know any better I would say that you are my mate.”
She squeezes me. “If only you had been. Then I wouldn’t have gone through any of this.”
“Then I don’t think you would be the girl you are right now if you hadn’t gone through all of that. I know I would feel the same though. I would just hate for you to lose that spunk.”
She laughs, “Spunk huh?”
“I like a spunky girl.”
She laughs more. Then turns to look back at me. “Will you walk with me to my next class? I don’t really want to run into Hector alone right now.”
“For you I would walk anywhere you wanted.”
“Don’t be so silly. I would never ask for anything unnecessary. So, we were talking about your competition before, who is it?”
I laugh, “You don’t know?”
“No, I don’t.” She really looks like she has no idea.
“Your new Alpha.”
“No, he is just a big flirt. He isn’t interested in me.”
“Oh, I assure you he is. Does that mean you like him more?” Panic rises in my voice.
“No, I am not a rankist I don’t care what rank you are. I am just shocked that anyone would be interested in me. Although I can honestly say that you have been the sweetest guy to me in my life. I think I agree with the professor, he isn’t serious. I can tell that you are. I just need time to get to know you. Can we do that?”
“I will wait for you forever.” She laughs, “but seriously don’t make me wait that long.”
“I won’t.” She slides her hand in mine and intertwines her fingers. We start to walk to her next class that I know she has with Peter. I know she will be safe enough with him there.