Teacher's Pet

Chapter Nine:

Alec Wolfe:

As soon as Crystal set eyes on me, she began marching towards me, with a look in her eye, I knew all to well. I was done for. I didn't stand a chance. 

"Alec, baby," she purred, seductively. "You missed me?" she questioned, running her bony hands along my biceps trying to seduce me, though it wasn't working. It was at that moment that I was reminded of the foolish decision I'd made, the year before I graduated, to sate my sexual frustations by fucking Crystal, on the regular. Afterwards, she became so clingy and possessive of me, that I had to end it. Despite the fact that I tried to make it as clear as possible, that I was never interested in her, in that way, she still tries to use any opportunity to get me back. 

Glancing up, in the direction I last saw Katie, her glistening blue eyes stared back at what was happening, seethingly. I looked back down to the slimy girl attached to my shoulder, Crystal's constant attempt at seduction angering me, now. The realisation of what was happening, and what Katie would have seen, sent a sharp pain through every cell in my body, infuriating my wolf.

"Crystal, fuck off." I growled, at her, shoving her cold, skeletal hands off my arms and staring at her with a mixture of defiance and disgust. Looking at me, with a brief expression of agitation and shock, she scoffed and stalked off, in the direction of Katie. Nothing seemed untoward, until I observed huge amounts of students heading for the hallway, where the sound of shouting was coming from.

Following the shouting, I came to a horde of people, surrounding Crystal and her two delinquents, who were encaging someone else. Shoving past a mob of people, getting closer I noticed it was a girl, significantly shorter than them. Someone with golden-blonde hair. Katya.

"Stay away from him, you little slut." Crystal barked at Katie, enraging me so much that I had the urge to go over there and rip Crystal's head off. I moved closer to the front of the crowd, ready to protect my mate, from those snakes. How dare she speak to her, like that! I was mere seconds from yelling at Crystal for talking to her, that way, and for ganging up on someone who was, very clearly, intimidated. But my wolf halted me, at the last second.

"Stop. Wait,"  Axl ordered, his voice resonating loudly, in my head.

"But I have to help her, Axl." I pleaded "Crystal cannot get away with talking to her, that way!" I moved to the very front of the crowd, as close as I could get, so that I was able to see everything happening, as clear as day.

"Stop, Alec!" Axl commanded "Look. Look at her hands..."

I searched for Katie's hands, finding them behind her back, forming white-knuckled fists that shook with anger. Her nails were digging into her palms, blood slowly oozing from the crescent-shaped cuts that her sharp nails had created. What? 

Instantaneously, I realised that I didn't need to do anything because she was the one actually in control of this situation. Even if Crystal thought she had the upper hand, what I was seeing told me otherwise. Katie raised her eyes to meet my own, a wounded look covering her face, her brows furrowed. I suspect that she was bewildered as to why I was just stood there watching, my mouth slightly agape. 

Needing some air, I hastily exited the building, as the crowd dissipated. Leaning my back against a wall, with my head tilted back and my hands frustratedly running through my short, soft locks, I drew in a few deep breaths. I released my hands from my hair, running them down my face, out of frustration, hundreds of questions swimming through my brain about what the hell that was. Why wouldn't she defend herself, if she could? And, if she can defend herself, how did she let someone hurt her, the way they did, a few days ago? 

This question triggered a dark thought that sent shivers of anger and fear through my nervous system, as the realisation hit me: What if she's in some serious trouble, with someone really bad? I started rubbing my forehead, trying to relieve the stress headache that was coming on, just thinking about it.

I let out a deep, exasperated sigh, before marching over to my car, turning on the ignition and speeding off into the distance. I didn't care where I went, or how long I drove for, I just knew I needed to think. I would have carried on for far longer than the four hours I had already been driving for, but my stomach began to grumble, alerting me that I hadn't eaten all day. Spinning the car around, I headed back to town, where I stopped at a nearby diner.

Pulling into Donnie's Diner, I parked in my usual space, walking through the front double doors, confidently, and sitting in my usual spot, in the corner. I had been coming here since I was twelve, with my father, and everyone here knew me. Donnie became a close friend of the family, and after my parents died, he became the father figure I needed, whenever I needed advice that I couldn't get anywhere else.

Sat in the comfy, fire-engine red sofa chair, the brown wood-effect table in front of me, I glanced over the menu until I finally decided on a double cheeseburger with onion rings and curly fries. I was just about to get up and order when the tall, rotund figure of Donnie arrived, wearing his signature white chef's uniform, his short, black hair covered with a grey hairnet. His face was covered with stubble, but he probably just hadn't shaved in a few days. His warm brown eyes took in my facial expression, looking at me with understanding and taking a seat opposite me.

"Now, I know you aren't just here for food," he said, smiling. I chuckled in response and nodded slowly. "What's up, son?"

I sighed, wondering where to begin. But I decided it was probably best to start from the beginning, starting with: "I found my mate."

He looked at me with surprise and happiness, and that made me smile; he always wanted me to me to find my soul mate, knowing that I had been miserable since my parents died, and the only family I had left was Jason, who was by no means caring or supportive in any way. At least, it didn't ever seem that way, if he was.

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Donnie and I sat talking for quite a while, discussing my options on what I should do about talking to Katie, now, and what to do if Jason found out and tried to harm her to get to me. We spoke for close to two and a half hours before he had to get back to work. He'd never earn enough money if he spent the whole day talking. It was then that my wolf chimed in.

"If you want to know, so badly, why don't you just ask her?" 

I knew Axl was wise, for a reason. Deciding he was right, I threw some cash on the table to pay for the meal that I'd eaten and sprinted out the door, jumping in my car and heading back to the high school.

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I leant against my car, calmly waiting for the bell to ring, signalling the end of the day. The familiar BRRIING sounded a few seconds later and explosions of students exited the building, filling the parking lot with people making their way to their vehicles. I stared, continuously, at the door, waiting for my mate to exit the building, but nearly everyone had left and I still hadn't seen her.

For a moment, I thought maybe she had left after the hallway fiasco, and would probably never see or talk to me again, after how I acted. But then, like the first ray of sun after a storm, there she was, slowly walking down the steps from the front entrance. 

"Katya." I called out to her. Her eyes shot up to my direction, locking onto mine, an expression of shock and bewilderment making it's way on her face. She paused momentarily, then walked the short distance to my car, stopping a mere few meters in front of me.

"Can we talk?" I asked, my eyes begging. She seemed hesitant, but then she looked up at me with those shimmering blue eyes.

"Sure."

"Come on," I said, grinning, "I know the perfect place."