You're Mine

15: Intense

Zander's POV

"Listen, James. I like you, I really do. But this is the only time I'm going to tell you to stay away from my girlfriend," I told him harshly. Being human, he didn't understand and in the moment I couldn't tolerate him.

"Look, I know you think you're being tough, or standing up for her, or something. But seriously, know your place, okay? I know Rose very well and I would never do anything she didn't want," he said with a low chuckle. My wolf grimaced as my posture straightened and I felt my body began to simmer as my blood boiled.

"Never speak that way to me again. If I tell you something, you listen and follow directions respectfully. I don't care who you think you are to my Rose, but this is the first and the last time that I tell you: stay away from her." I felt my eyes begin to change as I grabbed James by his collar. I resisted the dying urge to shift right there. I had never wanted to be in my purest form in the school before now.

"Woah, woah, woah. I get it, you're crazy. Leave me alone," he responded.

"I said respectfully." I growled. I would not be disrespected by a human who felt the need to kiss my mate on her first day of school in front of many people, after not even seeing her for years. He didn't understand how that looked on me as the alpha or Rose as the luna. I could tell he thought he had a chance with her, but what he didn't understand was he is temporary and I am permanent.

I gripped his shirt tighter and pressed him into the locker forcefully. Just before I was going to swing and destroy his face, Kobe interrupted, "Zander, what's going on here?"

"I'm trying to explain to our friend, James, here that he doesn't need to be talking to my m... girlfriend. But he doesn't seem to get it," I said. Mate, she was my mate. But he didn't understand that and, as the future leader of our pack, revealing our secret in a moment of anger would be devastating for all of us.

"Hey now, I think that's obvious, big brother. Why don't you come with me? I'm sure James gets the point, right James?" Kobe asked him. James nodded his head quickly in submission and Kobe pulled me away gently. As much as I wanted to tear James' head from his body, I was thankful for Kobe's interference. My emotions had been everywhere lately and I knew it was Rose. Everything about her was a tease of what my life was going to be within the next year. We graduated soon and then we would begin our forever.

James scurried away, late to class. Kobe and I just stood in the hall as I stared at the floor, deep in thought over Rose.

"We can't let you get like that, man," Kobe said. He was right. I had to be held to a higher standard.

"I know, I get it..." I said slowly. "But seriously, what am I supposed to do? How am I supposed to respond when they look at her? Or even worse, guys like that who think they can talk to her, and text her, and even touch her? They don't understand that she's mine. I can't take this anymore," I admitted.

"Zander, breathe. You have like a month left in this school. You'll feel much better after graduation. But for now, you have to play the game at human speed. I know that's going to be hard for you because you've never been one to do it like the humans, but you have to try. For Rose," he said calmly. "You're right. I'm just going to have to see what I can do to stay out of those situations because I can't not protect her," I explained.

"Miss school more often, maybe take her with you. Just spend more time with her and make your relationship more culturally acceptable to the humans who don't understand your bond. That's all I can tell you. It's not going to be easy, Zander," he told me.

"Well that's obvious," I retorted.

"How are you doing with self control around her? She knows everything, right? So how are you keeping the next few steps from her?" he asked me as we walked toward the parking lot.