CHAPTER 9

Charles' P.O.V.

I knew she was up to something when she asked me to come to her dorm. I was curious enough to see what her plan was, so I agreed to meet her there. My mate knew how to drive me mad with the things she did.

The way she pouted, the way she wasn't afraid to just follow me into the woods the other night. I loved the way she told me off as if I am not this huge guy that could crush her. It was getting harder not to want to be around her.

I was so close to a cure, so close to graduating with no distractions. She just came barreling into my life unexpectedly. I wanted to stay away, but she was everywhere I went. Her smell of sunshine and berries always enticed me. The way her eyes looked at mine defiantly always turned me on.

I loved the way she crossed her arms or stuck her tongue out when she was mad. It was really adorable and quite funny. I enjoyed making her mad just to see it.

It was hard to stop last night. I wanted so badly to guide her to her orgasm, but I had to pull myself away or I would have claimed her then. She needs to realize she's mine and only mine, even if I can't have her just yet.

I plan on claiming her when the time is right, and she'll just have to wait patiently. Which is what she will do now. I know she has something planned for me and I'm excited to see it, but I won't go to her for a few more minutes.

A smile crept on my face as I thought of her pouting with her arms crossed. I texted her asking for her room number and sat around my apartment for about 10 minutes before heading out.

I smiled with excitement most of the way there, until I reached her building, refusing to let her see how much she affects me. I felt like making her wonder if I wanted her, would keep her interested in me a little while longer.

I approached her door, calming my wolf down as he wanted to knock the door down and make her ours already.

'Why won't you just claim her?' Gunner was growing frustrated with me. He wanted his mate already.

'You know why,' I told him as I knocked on her door.

'I don't like it,' Gunner said, sounding really annoyed.

'Well, too bad, bud. That's how it's going to be.' I heard him growl at me with that.

I waited for Rain to open the door, but she was taking her time. I knocked again, wondering if maybe she didn't hear it. My heightened hearing picked up on some shuffling inside.

Is she ignoring me now because I took too long? She's such a child. I almost walked away when I heard her yell help. My heart raced with fear. My mate was in danger.

I practically knocked the door down. I froze in place as I took in the scene before me. What a cruel mate I had. She had called me in to see her with another man while wearing my hoodie. My heart broke as anger rose in me. I couldn't believe she could be so cruel. I wanted her to look me in the eye before I left and never returned.

When I saw her eyes, I realized how mistaken I was. There were streaks of tears down the sides of her face. Her eyes stared at me with such fear, pleading to be saved. That's when I realized this guy had her pinned down. Her bottom half laid exposed over the bed, her underwear torn. He had bruised her cheek and thigh, leaving marks that will only grow darker. This fucker hurt her, and Gunner and I were out for blood.

The school forbids us to shift on campus or use any supernatural abilities against each other, but I pulled my claws out as I rushed at him, knocking him off her. I picked her up off the bed, pulling my hoodie down over her exposed half. I pushed her behind me as Luke got back up.

He went to punch me, but I caught it with my palm. It hurt a bit, but it was obvious this guy was no beta, yet alone an alpha. I stood straight, pushing my chest out more, letting out a low growl. I felt my teeth sharpen, taking everything in me not to let Gunner out and just kill this man in front of us.

My claws dug into his fist, causing blood to ooze out slowly. He let out a yelp of pain, trying to pull his hand from mine. I punched him in the face, hearing a small crack on impact. He fell to the floor again, but quickly got back up. I let out a louder growl as I could feel myself growing feral.

"What were you doing to her?" I demanded to know.

"What she wanted." He smiled, and I lost it. I punched him in the gut, hearing the air escape him. I jumped on him, furiously punching him repeatedly. His face was bloody, but I couldn't stop. That's when I felt her hands wrap around my arm.

Why was she protecting him after what he did? Why wouldn't she let me finish him? I looked at her, hurt by her actions. Her cheek was so swollen from where he had hit her. I wanted to keep hitting him, to cause him twice as much pain as he had caused her. I brushed her hands off my arm.

"Stop, please, you'll kill him. You can't kill him," she pleaded. Again, I couldn't understand her words or her actions. "I can't handle losing you," she added as more tears streamed along her face. Lose me? "They'll expel you or, worse, charge you with a criminal offense. You told me you wanted to focus on your studies. How can you do that from jail?"

She was desperate for me to stop. She was right. I wasn't sure if she was really worried about me, or if she just wanted to save Luke's life, but I couldn't risk going to jail or being expelled. I got off him, letting him go finally. His head dropped to the floor as he laid unconscious and on the brink of death.