She Wolf

4.

I arrive at school, met by Cara in the student parking area. She greets me over excitedly like always. I can't help but smile at her. Pushing this morning's stuff out of my head and trying to meet her enthusiasm.

"So, have you thought about our conversation from yesterday?" she asks, locking her arm into mine. "Hi to you to Car." I say sarcastically. "Hi babe. So, are you coming to the dance?" she almost yells out.

"Have you asked her?" I hear Jess and Marie in the distance. They are sitting on the steps waiting for us.

"So?" Cara asks again.

"Yes." I say in a whisper sigh. Almost at the same moment, my ears start ringing with the sound of their high-pitched screams.

"My ears guys, really!" I try to wriggle free from Cara's grip but she has me in a lock that makes me wonder if she'll ever let me go.

"Have you asked Marcus?" Marie chimes in.

I'm thinking the answer to this question will mean even more to them than the fact that I agreed to go to the dance.

"Yes." I simply say. I can see that me being guarded is starting to annoy them to their breaking point. All three are staring at me, longing for an answer, mouths open ready to react to whatever I am about to say next.

Bracing myself for their reaction. "He will be my date." I say, with a scrunched face.

And there they go again.

Screaming and jumping, making every person outside look our way. But their excitement is contagious and I find myself joining in on their happy party.

The school bell rings, reminding us that we are at school and that we should probably go to class. As I walk to my locker, I think how stupid I was getting dressed up this morning when I will be changing into my PE uniform for first period. That makes me think of Marcus and the fact that the only words he basically has spoken to me today was ‘f**k’ and ‘go get cleaned’.

I send him a text:

** Hi **

** Hi ** I get back a few seconds later.

What the hell is up with him today?

I see he is typing another message.

** My dad wants to see you when you get back from school. In my office. **

Shit, okay. Something must really be wrong.

** Okay ** Not knowing what else to say to that, that’s all I type out.

I find it difficult to concentrate in class the rest of the session. I trip over a cone. A f*****g cone!

The day seemed to go by in a flash. I remember talking to the girls at lunch about the dance, but as for what was said; I have no clue.

Driving home, I am still in a daze. Not even the familiar forest scent that I enjoy snaps me from my thoughts.

I park outside and head up stairs to Marcus' office. I have been to his office before, yet this time, standing just outside and looking at the door, I can't help but notice how intimidating this door is. What is going on? I feel like a little kid about to get scolded, only I don't know what for.

Just go inside Jo. Why am I giving myself a pep talk? You are being stupid.

I give a soft knock on the door and I hear Alpha's voice, "Come in Jo."

Shit.

I open the door and see my dad and the Alpha sitting by the conference table. Marcus is leaning against his desk. His arms crossed over his chest.

His biceps bulging. What a sight! Goddess he is handsome.

Urg... Focus Jo.

I walk over to my dad and greet him "Hi love,"

"Hi daddy." I say sounding like that little girl in my head that's about to get the scolding of a lifetime.

I can feel Marcus' eyes following every move I make. I haven't made eye contact with him. I guess I am mad at him for his comments this morning.

"Alpha, Marcus said you wanted to see me?"

"Hi Joanna, please sit down dear."

Dear he said. Maybe he is not mad? But why am I here then?

The tension is killing me.

Alpha Stone clears his throat. "Jo, we received some unsettling news this morning after..." He was cut short in his sentence by Marcus.

"You're not safe Jo. The vampire they caught this morning confirmed that he was trying to find you!"

"What?" I ask looking at my dad, totally confused as to what they just said.

"Just listen sweetheart." My dad tries to calm me. The Alpha clears his throat again, shooting daggers at Marcus with his eyes.

"We don't know why and what they want with you. But now that we know, I want you to understand that you are safe here and the pack will be doing everything in our power to find out what their motives are."

"What?" I ask again looking at Marcus this time. I must be looking like an i***t now, not being able to comprehend what they are saying.

"Jo, sweetheart, we have discussed it and we think it best if you do not go to school for the rest of the week, maybe next week too." My dad continues.

"But it's exams and the dance!" I am still trying to put their words together.

"We know those things are important to you, but we are obviously concerned about your safety, Jo. He called you by name." Marcus continues like they each rehearsed their part of the speech perfectly.

I jump up. They had me at 'your safety' .

Seriously? That really gets my blood boiling.

"I can take care of myself, you know that! You have met me, right?"

"Jo!" My father raises his voice, also now raising from his chair.

There's that scolding look.

"I am sorry Alphas." I seriously over stepped a line. "That was disrespectful." I continue.

"But, I am more than capable of handling a few vamps coming my way. And you are right, going to school with humans might be mundane to some of our kind, but I do take it seriously and it is important to me. I refuse to let one vampire interfere with that."

All three men are now looking at me with concern. Obviously talking to each other via their link, planning what they should say next. f*****g hell. I almost raised my hands in defeat.

I take a deep breath trying to calm myself before I speak again.

"If it will make you feel better, I will allow a pack warrior in a car outside of school while I am there. He or SHE can even drive me." I make sure to emphasis the 'she' part. Dammit these men and their egos.

Anyway.

"But find out what is going on please. This is just ridiculous and I refuse to put my life on hold."

"We understand dear. And we will find out their motives." Alpha Stone was the first to respond after my little rant.

"We accept your compromise, but I will take you to school every day and wait there until it is time to come home." Marcus insist. He Alphad me again. That is the verb I have decided to use from now on whenever he uses his Alpha voice on me. I can't argue with him. The room falls quiet.

"Lucky for you, I'm your date to the dance as well." He says, finally cracking a smile.

The tension that's been hanging in the air seem to lift and I take it as my cue to thank them and excuse myself.

"Thank you Alphas, daddy." I say in my formal voice.

I turn and walk out of the office as fast as I can. Practically running to my car as soon as I left the pack house.

What? Why would they want me. I keep repeating while I just sit in my car.

A knock on my car window shakes me out of my daze.

"You're home early sweetheart." my mom peeks inside my car with a loving smile.

I lower my window.

"Hey mama, yeah, I had nothing on after school. Uhm, I was wondering if you and Luna could help me pick out a dress for the dance?"

I had to think fast. I don't know if she is aware of the conversation I just had upstairs. I don't want to upset her. I think it's best if my dad tells her - that is if she does not already know.

Either way I know picking out dresses will distract her.

"Oh goodie, I'll find Selena. We will meet you at the house." my mom says clapping her hands together.

I start the car and give her a kind smile. "See you just now mama."

The Luna and my mom walk in the house chatting. So cheerful.

"Marcus did not tell me that you are going to a dance dear. How exciting!"

"Yeah." I say widening my eyes to the Luna’s comment.

"So I thought I will just wear one of my old dresses. It's not like anyone from school have seen them."

"Are you sure you don't want a new dress sweetheart?" mom asks.

"No I'm good." I say as I walk upstairs to my room.

I can hear them talking downstairs. It’s unclear what they are saying, but I hear Marcus' name as well as my own.

I smile while trying on the first dress. They are probably talking about their hopes of us being mated.

I walk down wearing the first dress. It's a black lace, off shoulder, fitted mermaid dress. I wore this to the Annual Alpha ball last year. Attendance by all high ranking members and their families are required. It was very formal.

I wore my long brown hair straight and slicked back.

I stand before them, gently swaying from side to side. My mom and Luna both nod in approval.

I smile at their regal behaviour.

I run upstairs, ready to try on the next one.

After dress number 6, some nose scrunches, many ooohs and aaawhs, I am now pretty fed up and not yet sold on any of my options.

Sitting defeated in the last pink dress, the door suddenly bursts open. Jenna walks in.

If looks could kill!

"So you did not think I would like to be part of this!" she says, every word dripping with sarcasm.

I jump up screaming of joy. My decision to go to the dance had been so last minute and, in all honesty, with what happened this morning, I did not think to give her a call.

So stupid.

I am elated that she is here.

"When did you... How did you…?" I am at a lost for words.

"Marcus phoned me." she said shrugging her shoulders. Sounding a little too impressed with him.

I give her a look with my eyebrow raised.

"He told me about the dance," "and about this morning." she said with her mouth practically closed and hand raised to cover her mouth from my mom and Luna.

She flops down her bags. She's staying for a while it seems. Not that I am complaining.

"So have we chosen a dress yet?" she asks with so much enthusiasm, yet I have still not said anything sensible.

"This is number 6." I say, sitting down, gesturing to the poofy pink dress I am now literally sitting in.

"Oh dear." She simply let's out with a frown.

I hear my mom and Luna giggle next to me.

"I'll go get us something to drink," mom says. "Maybe you should take Jenna up to your closet. She has a better eye." she continues as they walk to the kitchen.

I lock my arm in Jenna's, so happy that she is here.

She looks in my closet making all kinds of faces as she goes through my formal dresses.

"What about this one?" she says, pulling out a satin, crimson-red dress.

I had forgotten about this dress. I take the dress from her to inspect it further. It's beautiful.

"It's perfect," I hear a deep voice coming from my bedroom door. "You'll look perfect," he says leaning against the door frame.

"Marcus." Jenna greets him with a smile.

"Hi," I give him a feint smile as he walks further into my room, eyes locked on me.

"Jenna, could you give us a minute?" Marcus asks, still just staring at me.

"Sure. I'll just be downstairs." She gestures to me.

After a while of us just standing in silence, he speaks.

"Jo, I..." He started.

I hold up my hand to stop him from talking. I’m pretty annoyed with his interruption. "I understand that responsibility, stress and what-not comes with your title, but as my friend you do not get to talk to me like you did this morning." I interrupt. "And I am angry at you for not trusting me with my own safety." "I know." he says frowning while looking at the floor. "I know that you are my Alpha and that I follow your authority, but I don't like it when you Alpha me unnecessarily." "I know" he says again.

Why is he not looking at me? He is the freaking Alpha and he looks down when I talk to him?

"Look at me." I say after a while.

I get a shock when he finally does. His eyes are pitch black.

I let out a gasp. "What..." when he pushes my back to the wall. Squeezing my arms under his big hands.

"I came here to apologize," he says with his jaw tightly clenched. I still can't get a word out. "Your safety is important to me and you, dismissing my efforts to keep you safe and your stubbornness is not going down very well with me." He says. His head now buried in my neck, breathing deeply.

"Marcus, you..." I can feel his grip starting to loosen as I try to talk.

"You still don't seem to understand that I will do anything for you." He lets out a big sigh. "I'm sorry."

He lifts his head, now looking me again. His eyes back to being bright green.

"Okay" is all I could muster, taking his hand in mine. His muscles start relaxing from my touch. He lowers his head on my shoulder again with a big sigh.

"I cant wait to see you in that dress." I can feel him smiling on my shoulder.

I stay quiet. I guess he was just really stressed. Scared even?

We walk downstairs in silence. My mom, Luna and Jenna are all sitting in the kitchen sipping Mimosas.

"Really ladies, Mimosas?"

"Of course." Jenna turns, handing me a glass.

"I’ll leave you to it then" Marcus says with an awkward smile.

"See you later honey." Luna says.

"Lets go have a look at that dress." Jenna says, taking my hand and I follow her to my room.