The phoenix wolf will rise

Jealousy

“will you come back to the packhouse?” he asks. “I think I need to stay here for a while,” I tell him and he nods. “All right. I need to go back and figure some s**t out about the pack. Chad is already here.” He says and I nod “all right. Will you be here tonight?” I ask and he nods “I told you, we would share a bed every night. Even when we fight, I’ll just creep in and hold you in your sleep,” he says and smiles at me. I smile back and kiss him sweetly. He returns it and when we break it he gets up “I love you,” he says and smiles “love you too” I answer him. He walks out and I hear him turn and run off. I sigh and push my face into the pillow he used when holding me. I feel tears coming up and I scream into the pillow in frustration. I feel like my heart is breaking, memories of him return and I cry. My door opens and arms wrap around me, my brother's scent wraps around me “Shhh, I am here now” he whispers while rocking me in his arms. “It’s okay, you’re safe. You’re here with me” he keeps whispering, knowing exactly what I need. I calm down not long after wrapping my arms around him tightly “You okay?” he asks and I shake my head “I will be” I tell him and he nods hugging me closer to him again. “come on” he says and helps me stand “What?” I ask “You need to assure yourself that you’re here and not there,” he says and drags me downstairs. My parents are at the breakfast table sipping coffee, my father reads a newspaper and I sigh in relief. Two plates of breakfast are on the table, and Arun and I sit at the table and eat breakfast. “Come on, you’re going to school,” he says when we finish and I smile widely and he grins at me. I run upstairs and change. I haven’t been to school since I got my voice back and the rogues came. Chad drives me and Arun to school, he explains that after Arun talked to him Derek helped to explain to the school that I needed bodyguards, but needed it to be discreet so they would join in the classes. I walked into the class and took my seat, Arun sat next to me and Chad in front of me and I smiled. Julia walked in and sat next to Chad giving me a big beaming smile. I got up walked to the teacher and grabbed a notepad ‘I have a surprise’ I show her and she nods. I walk to the school board and write it on the board. I wait for everyone to sit “Quiet down” the teacher says. I open the board ‘I have a surprise’ is written and they all frown “What is it” Julia pipes up, knowing what I am doing. I wiggle my eyebrows at her “I can speak again” I say out loud and they all gasp and then cheer for me. I chuckle and sit back down in my chair “I am happy for you” the teacher says and she starts the class. The day goes as usual and I introduce Chad and Arun to our group of friends. “Where were you?” Jackson asks smiling sweetly at me. “I had some family matters. You see Arun is my long-lost brother” I tell them and they all gasp and Julia chuckles. Jackson grabs my hand “I am glad you are back” he says and smiles at me. He doesn’t let go of my hand so I retract it shooting Julia a look. She wiggles her eyebrows and I roll my eyes at her ‘he has a crush on you’ my brother chimes in my head and I shoot him a glare making him chuckle “What was that about?” Jackson asks “An inner joke between siblings,” I tell him writing it off. Jackson inches closer to me, setting his arm on the back of my chair. Chad keeps glancing at him ‘knock it off. I’ll deal with it’ I mind-link Chad, who glares at me but then nods. The bell rings and we head off to the class. Jackson is ahead of Arun and sits down next to me, Arun and Chad shoot me a look before taking the seats in front of me. Jackson inches his chair closer to mine and drapes his arm on the back of my chair again. I groan inside of my head, ‘take care of it’ Chad mind-links me. I sigh shake my head and focus back on the class. At the end of the day, Jackson walks with me to the entrance walking creepily close “So do you need to do a lot of catching up? I could help you with that if you want?” he asks. “Hmm, no Julia made sure I kept up with my work,” I say and smile at him while making the distance bigger. I hear girls screeching when we are almost at the entrance of the school. We round the corner curious about what is going on and then I groan, seeing that the reason is my mate. Then an idea pops into my head ‘make a show’ I mind-link him. I see a grin on his face and his eyes stop on me ‘was already planning on it. Is it that douchebag next to you?’ he asks ‘ugh Chad couldn’t keep his mouth shut huh? To warn you it has been subtle and he hasn’t touched me alright’ I tell him while shooting him a glare. He smiles and nods and then gets up from the wall and walks up to me “He babe” he says “He” I say and smile he wraps his arm around me and lowers his mouth on mine. He kisses me sweetly and then breaks the kiss without letting me go, his eyes land on Jackson he lets me go but grabs my hand “Hé, a friend of yours?” he asks me “Yeah, this is Jackson” I tell him. Derek holds his hand out, Jackson takes it “Derek, nice to meet you” Derek says “Yeah, uhh nice to meet you” Jackson says stealing glances at me. We walk to the entrance with the three of us ‘you’re being subtle, had expected you to be worse’ I mind-link him ‘oh I am not done’ “so how long have you been friends?” Derek asks. “A little over a year now. How about you two. Didn’t know you had a boyfriend Ana” Jackson says. “Oh, he is someone from my former town. We reconnected at the party” I say smiling at him “I was trying to win her over but her ass disappeared on me. Wasn’t going to let her go again” he says while slapping my ass lightly. I chuckle “Sorry,” I say and lean into him. “Did you get a lot of homework?” Derek asks “some, but not a lot. Julia has been keeping me updated” I tell him and he nods “Want to do it at our place or your parents’?” he asks ‘devil’ I mind-link and I see him smile but I see the twinkle in his eyes. “hmm, my parents’ have some stuff still there that I need to grab. Along with most of my school work,” I tell him and he nods “all right” he says and kisses my forehead. “See you tomorrow Jackson,” I say and wave “See you,” he says and gives me an awkward smile. Derek leads me to his car and helps me in before closing the door and walking over to the drivers’ side. “that was mean. Now I have to explain how we’re already living together.” I glare at him. He chuckles “Julia will take care of that, already put her on it. She’ll put on a show tomorrow. Just play along like today,” he says and winks. I shake my head but chuckle as well. “I almost expected you to go all aggressive and practically f**k me against the lockers,” I tell him “Oh, babe if I had known you wanted a college quicky, I would have obliged, you just have to ask, perhaps I should pick you up tomorrow as well, letting everyone know you’re mine,” he says with a husky voice while inching his hand up between my thighs. I slap it away “No, thank you” I growl at him and he just laughs. He parks at my parents’ house and we get out. Derek is still grinning like he won the lottery. We walk inside “Oh god you should have seen his face!” Julia

yells from the living room “Enlighten me” I yell from the hallway. “oh, they are here” Julia says. We walk into the living room “God, he was all awkward when he kissed you and you wrapped your arms around him. Just seconds before he was trying to inch closer to you when you were mind-linking with Derek” she explains “Oh, hadn’t noticed that” I say. “No, you were too focused on your man,” she says and chuckles. I shrug “hope he gets the message,” I say and sigh. “I think he did,” Julia says and chuckles. We lounge the rest of the day on the couch chatting and relaxing.

The next day I am going to school again and I smile. Feeling at ease again. the morning is quite peaceful, laughing at my brother who doesn’t understand s**t from the classes and is bored to death. The bells ring and it’s lunch. We make our way to the cafeteria and sit down at our table. “Hé chick,” Julia says and ploffs down, not long after Jackson joins us “Hé,” he says smiling at me sweetly. He sits down next to me again and I shoot Julia a look “so, Derek huh?” he asks “oh, god you met him?” Julia asks “Yes, yesterday,” Jackson says “God, he is so amazing. All badass, but when it comes down to his woman he is all sweet and a big teddy bear,” she says and dreams lazily “Wish I found someone like that” she adds. I chuckle “yeah, he is great,” I say and smile “Well, he did kind of put you on display yesterday,” Jackson says and that rubs me all wrong “What are you saying?” I ask him. “Well, kissing you like that in public. It’s putting you on display” he says and shrugs “It was just a normal kiss, a greeting, showing me he missed me what is so wrong about that?” I ask him “well, the way he touched you. That is something done in private, not in public. He shouldn’t show off like that,” he says “he showed me affection,” I tell raising an eyebrow at him “No, he was showing everyone that you can be touched like that anywhere. Like you are some w***e or slut” he says looking seriously at me. My gaze hazes, I raise my hand and slap him across his face “I’m done.” I say and get up to walk away ‘Derek, I need you’ I mind-link him. Arun follows me “You shouldn’t have said that!” Julia screams at him “WHY? It was the truth!” Jackson says “YOU just said she acts like a w***e or a slut!” Julia says and the haze reddens even more. I grab Aruns arm and squeeze “you okay?” he asks and I shake my head. “WHAT DID HE SAY!?” I hear Derek bellow. “DON’T!” I yell at him and walk over “I need you to calm me down” I whisper. He wraps his arms around me, I nuzzle my face in his neck. Wrapping my arms around him “I’m here” he purrs in my ear. I breathe out and relax “Look at that! He is putting her on display! Right now! For everyone to see” I hear Jackson yell and feel Derek tense “What the f**k, he is hugging her. Comforting her because your words cut her deeply!” Julia yells “GET OUT!” She yells at him. “What the f**k” Jackson grumbles but he walks off. Derek’s hand goes on the back of my head massaging my scalp. I start purring into his neck and he chuckles “You okay now?” he asks “yeah, thanks. Was afraid for a moment I would go all phoenix on him” I tell “Well, I would have paid money to see that” Julia says from behind me making me chuckle “yeah, well I don’t think this is the place to show everyone that I’m not normal” I say and raise an eyebrow at her. “True,” she says and we laugh. “how did you get here so fast?” I ask Derek “I was patrolling in the area,” he says and I nod “good thing,” I say and he chuckles and kisses the top of my head. “You good?” he asks and I nod “I need to get back to patrolling,” Derek says and I nod and kiss him “Be safe,” I tell him “you too,” he says and smiles. We make our way to the class and Jackson keeps glancing at me from the other side of the room and it is annoying the f**k out of me. When the last class finishes he makes his way over “Can we talk?” he asks “No, I will talk and you will listen” I tell him “we are done. I don’t want to see you, hear you, or catch you sneaking glances at me. You will not join us at our table, if people want to sit with you they are welcome to do so, I will not stop them but you will not join us. I don’t want to hear anything from you” I tell him. “I never meant to offend you,” he says and looks down “you didn’t offend me, Jackson. You stabbed me with a blunt butcher's knife right into my back. you don’t know s**t about me, If you did you wouldn’t even think it” I tell him. “Now we’re done. You can’t make this up. You screwed up royally” I tell him and push him to the side and walk outside where Arun and Chad are waiting for me “can I skin him?” Chad asks “No,” I tell him and we make our way outside. Derek is waiting for me with a sweet smile again. I walk over and hug him “You okay?” he asks “I am now,” I tell him and look up at him to smile at him. He smiles back and cups my cheek. He lowers his head and kisses me sweetly. “Again!?” Jackson yells. Derek tightens his arms around me and breaks the kiss “What the f**k is your problem?” Derek asks him “That you’re showing her around like she is a piece of meat!” Jackson yells “so it is forbidden to kiss my girlfriend? Seriously dude. I can see your crush for my girlfriend I am just staking my claim since she is mine” Derek says. Jackson laughs “Seriously? Staking your claim? What are you an animal?” he asks. I turn around squeezing the death out of Derek’s hand “For your knowledge. I am completely and utterly his, just as much as he is mine. He is not the only one staking their claim, I am doing it just as much” I tell him and he scoffs “never took you for that kind of a person” he says and shakes his head “As I said earlier. You don’t know me at all.” I tell him. “I’ve known you for a year,” he says “So? Do you know anything from my childhood? Why I came here? Who I live with? Where I live? No, you don’t” I tell him. “And he does?” he asks “yes. He does, he knows me inside out” I tell him and he cringes “Like I thought a f*****g w***e” he whispers thinking we don’t hear it. I growl loudly but Derek stops me “If I hear one other thing that offends my girlfriend you are going to have to deal with me. I don’t like to meddle in her business too much but now you’re getting under my skin buddy. I recommend backing off” Derek says and starts to lead me outside “Oh, and what the f**k will you do? Beat me?” Jackson taunts. Derek turns around and if looks could kill, Jackson pales “I will kill you” Derek says and leads me outside again, he helps me into the car closes the door, and gets into the drivers’ side. “if he wasn’t human” Derek grumbles and I chuckle “That’s the whole problem at the moment” I agree with him. “I’m sorry that I got you into this though,” he says and smiles sadly at me “don’t be. As you said you were staking your claim. I asked you to do it. And you didn’t do it in a way that would embarrass me. You showed affection, that’s it. He is overreacting” I tell him and he nods.