Running from His Claim (Beauty and the Beast #2)

Chapter 14

I turned back to my locker and focused on my books, trying to ignore Victor's words.

"He's going to be very present wherever those boys are..."

I had never been more effectively threatened in my life. Was being an honorary member really a responsibility? I had never actually considered it before. All it had meant to me was supporting the guys and accompanying them to every game. It felt more like a free pass - and yes, a chance to continually gush at my then boyfriend.

But was it more than that? Did I really raise team spirits just by being there? Was it a psyche thing?

I was pulled out of my thoughts by the sounds of a commotion. I looked up to find members of the basketball team pushing a junior around. Chris was at the forefront, muttering furiously. All the guys seemed tensed up for a fight. I didn't recognise the guy they were surrounding, but the fear on his face was easy to read.

"Look guys, I really wasn't looking for trouble," he said desperately.

Chris shoved him hard against a locker and he winced.

"No trouble?" Randy echoed, looking angrier than I'd ever seen him. "I wonder why you didn't think of that before?"

Chris flexed and shoved his arm against the guy's throat, pinning him to the lockers. "Let me handle this one."

"Christian, do desist."

My heart stopped at the sound of that glorious, mildly amused voice I hadn't heard in so long, then picked up with a heavy thud. Warren strode over to his team. He looked, if anything, more surreal than I remembered with that gorgeous mane of silky raven hair. He wore all black as he seemed to do all the time now. He was clearly hitting the gym more, and his T shirt was absolutely failing to hide the results, instead just clinging to him...

He stalked to Chris, his eyes on the junior who now looked terrified out of his mind. Chris stepped back but the junior didn't move. They both watched Warren step right to the kid, his cold eyes giving nothing away. Warren shoved both hands into his pockets and leaned closer to the boy until their eyes were level. By now there wasn't a single sound or movement in the hall. All eyes were on Warren. He stared for a full minute, then muttered, "Disappear."

He swung away from the boy towards the team. The kid wasted no time in doing exactly as he was told. Warren smirked at Chris. "You have my undivided attention."

"He was all over your girl," Chris explained, still fuming. "I may not be her number one fan, but that kid needs to learn some respect. She's your territory."

Warren's smirk widened and he raised his eyes past Chris. I spotted Caitlin a short distance away, standing defiantly with her arms crossed, daring Warren. "Yes, she is," he said softly, then his gaze swung over and speared right through me. I froze, pinned in place by his emotionless eyes. "And I'm very territorial." After a minute, he released me from his gaze and turned back to Chris. "I'll handle it."

Finally released from whatever hold he'd just had on me, I grabbed my books, slammed my locker shut and fled. Throughout the rest of the day, I was plagued by that look in his eyes. Why had he looked at me? The memory kept popping into my head at odd moments.

When I finally got home that afternoon, I faced the fact that it wasn't just going to go away until I processed it. I was home alone, so I decided to be useful and do the laundry while I let my mind roam.

Why had Chris wanted to beat the guy up? It took me a moment to remember the team's code: one member's fight was everyone's fight, a sort of one for all. And it had been Warren's fight because Caitlin had clearly been leading the poor guy on.