Jolene
Today is Friday. Yesterday I met with Merry at the Cafe and she told me that Lancelot did not take any girl to the Alpha’s house on either Tuesday or Wednesday. At least he is keeping his part of the deal, so far. I have managed to arrive early to class every day this week. Maybe I am becoming a responsible adult now.
I giggle while taking out today’s activity handouts and my notes from my bag.My students arrive and I begin the class with a smile. I am glad that I got this job. I really do like teaching. Lancelot is in the back row looking at me attentively. That is another thing I have gotten used to. The boy has a commanding look, but it is nothing I cannot deal with.
My brother, though, has this look that makes you want straighten up and show your neck in submission simultaneously. I have lived a very confused life with him. Larentia does get nervous when Lancelot does that, but she has learned to shut up and to not annoy me with her mate drama. I know it involves me, but she and I have an arrangement and I am not shy to remind her about it.
“I will hand out today’s activity,” I say passing the pages to the first students of each row. “You will work on these three problems for the first half of the class. From now on, we’ll be working with derivatives.”
I glanced at the activity sheet in my hands. After finishing derivatives, the would meet my friends the integrals. I chuckled. Poor kids. I could barely wait.
I look back at my students, who had begun to work in the activity. Except for Lancelot, of course. He was staring at me with an amused look. I lock eyes with him in yet another staring contest. This happens almost every day. After a while, I chuckle quietly. It was sad to admit that I was as mature as my seventeen-year-old student.
“Do you need help with something, Mr. King?” I ask him.
“Actually, I do,” he says with a mischievous smile.
I walk down to his seat and lean toward him slightly to look at his sheet. He has already solved the three problems that were supposed to take him thirty minutes. Why does he have to be intelligent too? As he was not cocky enough as it is. I take his sheet and take a look at his answers. He sure needs to improve his handwriting, but his answers are painfully correct.
“Excellent job, Lancelot. You are really intelligent. I am so proud.”
I beam at him and pat him on the back. He looks at me with a quizzical expression on his face. A pink blush spreads across his cheeks.
Oh, my! Is the arrogant little Alpha blushing? I bite my tongue to prevent any sarcastic remark from slipping out and smile brightly at him again. He looks away for a moment. When he turns to look at me again, his trademark smirk is plastered on his face. This boy, I swear…
“Thank you, Ms. Amores. May I know why you were laughing while looking at the activity sheet earlier?” He asks tilting his head to the side and tapping the table with his fingers.
“Oh that. I was just attracting bad Karma,” I say dismissively.
“I see.” He smiles widely. He was going to say something else but I notice another student had his hand up.
“Sorry, Lancelot. I need to help other students, but good job again.” I interrupt him and he frowns.
I pat his head, purposely messing his hair, and walk away. I always feel an intense stare fixed on me while talking to the other student. The student in front of me gulps and fidgets with his pencil. I could see the sweat running down the side of his forehead. The rest of the class seems uncomfortable as well for some reason. I turn to Lancelot who is staring at me like before, but something feels different this time. Maybe it is just that his eyes are flickering between black and baby blue… Maybe.
“What?” I mutter.
He lifts his eyebrows in surprise as if I had interrupted something important. I notice he is why the rest of the students are uncomfortable. His Alpha aura is making them nervous. They do not even dare to look at him right now. This has no effect on me, though. I have Alpha blood in me and I am the Beta of a stronger pack.
I walk confidently to him. “Lancelot. I forgot some books I need to explain the class and the printouts of next class’ topic. You are the only one who has finished the activity. Would you mind helping me get them from the teacher’s lounge?”
Some students gasp at this but still do not look at us. I clasp Lancelot’s hand and he calms down a little. He closes his eyes taking sharp breaths. He finally relaxes completely and opens his eyes. His eyes and the atmosphere of the room go back to normal. I try to let go but he grips my hand instead.
I look into his eyes but I cannot read him at all. After about 30 seconds, which I counted, he reluctantly opens his hand.
“Of course, Jolene.” He gives me a charming smile.
“It is Ms. Amores for you.” I am just wasting breath.
He steps out of his chair and walks to the door. I follow him right behind. He finally slows down once we are out of the classroom. The hallways are empty. I walk by his side but he suddenly stops in his tracks.
“Are you OK?” I ask him touching his forearm lightly and peeking at his face.
He gives me an anxious look and pulls me into a hug. I hear his erratic heartbeat and rub his back. I know exactly what is going on with him. He is growing up and becoming stronger. His Alpha power is increasing and sometimes it is difficult to control it. The same thing happened to my brother and me. My brother was 18 at the moment though, which is the usual, and Elena was able to calm him down each time. On the other hand, I had to learn to suck it up since I was 14. I was an overpowered troubled child. Yet, another reason to love my parents and brother. It seems like my little mate is going to be a strong Alpha.
He tightens the hug and sniffs my hair.
Does he not know that you are only supposed to do that with your mate? I think that his wolf has probably recognized me by now but has not dared to tell anything to this hard-headed kid to prevent him from doing something stupid.
‘Exactly what I think as well,’ says Larentia.
“Shh… Everything is going to be OK. Do not worry,” I whisper.
He pulls away and stares at my eyes adoringly. Once again he leans to kiss me. His grip on me is stronger this time, probably to prevent me from running away from him again. His lips are less than five inches away from mine.
It is time to use my secret weapon. I tickle his sides and he shrieks and lets go of me to try and cover himself. It seems that my little mate is ticklish, cute.
“Stop.” He pleads, but I ignore him.
He tries to tickle me back but that is just a lost cause. I only have one weak spot and he does not know it.
“Stop!” He tries again using his Alpha voice which has no effect on me.
I do not stop tickling him until I see him gasping for air.
“That will teach you not to touch me inappropriately without my permission,” I say smugly.
He growls at me in response, but his goofy grin gives him away. I walk away to the teacher’s lounge. I did forget my books and printouts there. I guess I am not becoming a responsible adult today. He follows me silently. Even when I give him the books and we walk back to the class, he does not utter a word. He seems lost in thought. The rest of the class goes on uneventfully. The students probably heard what happened in the hallway. However, knowing me and Lancelot, I am sure they know nothing too weird went down. The class ended and everyone left. Lancelot stayed behind. I hate it when he does that. His hot and cold game just stresses me out.
“This Saturday at 3:00 pm. Jolene,” he says as he approaches me.
“Excuse me, what?” I tilt my head and furrowing my eyebrows.
“We will hang out as friends. I will pick you up at your apartment. My mom already gave me your address. Wear something comfortable.” He literally beams at me with no smugness or sarcasm on his face.
My knees go weak and my breath hitches. I clasp my hands which suddenly began sweating. He notices my reaction and his smile turns into a sly one. That smile just reminds me of how he looks at all his lady friends. With that, the moment is ruined for me.
I give him a bored look. “Sounds good to me. I am never awake before 1:00 pm on Saturdays so the time is perfect for me. Is that it?”
I cross my arms over my chest and looking at him as commanding as my small frame allows me to. He seems startled by the whole change in my demeanor.
“No, that is it,” he mumbles leaving the room.
I am now driving back to my apartment. The rest of the classes helped me keep my mind off my friendly date with Lancelot. Thinking about what happened during my friendly date with Xander does not help at all. Oh, yeah, Xander! I will call him. I arrive at my apartment, take my shoes off, and strip myself before dialing Xander. Oh, the perks of living alone.
I would call Elena but since Oliver went back to town each time we talk she insists I should forget about my mate-to-be and marry Oliver. Xander answered on the fourth ring. Oh, right, it seems our engagement has not been called off. At least that is what he has been telling everyone.
“Hey, babe. You busy?” I said smiling.
“I am never busy for you, love,” he says. “Actually Alexander you are pretty busy right-” I heard someone else on the other side of the line say. Still, he is interrupted by growl coming from Xander. I heard whimpers, some rustling and a door being slammed. Mmmkay?
“Sorry, just people being annoying. As I said, I am never busy for you beautiful,” he says.
OK, whatever floats your boat bro.
“Perfect. I tease. What are you wearing right now, sexy?”
“It could be nothing pretty soon if you want me to,” he says chuckling.
“No clothes on is always the best outfit. Anywhore, how is your day going, dear?” I burst into laughter.
He sighs. “It is pretty stressful, but listening to your voice makes it better.”
“I understand what you mean and same… By the way, I am going to a date with my mate-to-be tomorrow,” I say leaning back on my bead until my back hits the mattress.
“Your mate, as in your underage student mate?” he asks shocked.
“Yup. It is a friendly date, though.”
“Friendly date, love? Seriously? Didn’t you learn anything from last time.”
I scoff. “So that was your plan all the time?”
He chuckles. “Just the part where we kissed, I promise. How did you even end up having a friendly date with him anyway?”
I tell him everything from the favor Merry asked me and the deal with Lancelot.
“That is a complete abuse of power! It is not fair to you! You are the mate. You are the one being hurt over and over again! Why don’t you just join my pack and forget about him?” He roared.
I had never heard Xander so upset. He is scary when he is angry. I take note of never getting on his bad side. I tell him what happened with Lancelot today, anyway.
“His wolf definitely knows something. His birthday is in about two months, right? His wolf must have realized it after being so close to you or a least he suspects it. He for sure has not tell anything to Lancelot. He must know that stupid kid would reject you and is trying to prevent that from happening.” He exhales a deep breath. “Please take care of yourself, love. I do not want you getting hurt. But I guess that is just your second nature.” He sneers.
“Hey… That is mean…” I say trying to sound annoyed.
“I will go to visit you soon. I have been working overtime to have time to go see my beautiful cougar,” he says.
“I AM NOT A COUGAR! Stop with that already!” I say my Alpha voice slipping out.
I never use my Alpha voice. The pack I was supposed to inherit was wiped out before I was even born. He went silent on the other side of the line. I did not feel like apologizing.
“Was that an Alpha voice, you just used on me?” he asks with a confused tone.
“Long story. I am not an Alpha, though. I am a Beta.” I admit. “What do you do for work, anyway? You are always so busy,” I say trying to change the subject of the conversation.
“You sound so sexy when you talk to me all dominant. Would… you… you… whip me is I asked you to?” he asks shyly.
“What. The. Fuck…” I say slowly.
“You could just spank me if whipping is too much for you,” he says sounding as serious as always.
“I am just going to pretend we are not having this conversation right now,” I say, pinching my nose’s bridge.
“I need to get back to work now, love. Stay strong. I adore you princess.” he says.
“Bye Bye. My charming masochist,” I answer. He snickers and hangs up. I am left with a silly grin on my face. Trust Xander to have that effect on me. Wait, he never did tell me what his job is. When I ask him about that, he always changes the topic in the most stupid ways. That sly mother-trucker…