Chapter 2


    Dean (Ryder)


    School, I can''t believe I am going back to school. Again. I hated it the first time around. Frustrated, I ran


    a hand through my hair. Taking the ce of my younger brother, Dean, in this whole peace treaty


    sucked. It''s for the pack, I reminded myself. Also, for Aunt Helena, and everyone else suffering under


    my uncle''s cruel rule. I scowled and walked inside.


    "And it gets better," I mumbled when I saw how packed the office was. I nudged past two girls giggling


    in an annoying high pitch only fifteen-year-olds seem to have. I waited for my turn. The stench of


    sweat, fruity perfume, and musky cologne made my nose burn. Finally, I had the schedule, though my


    eyes were burning. It''s for the pack. Good alphas sacrificed for their pack. This would be my first.


    Outside the office, I breathed again. I looked at the schedule and groaned. English? I hated English.


    What was the point? I mean really? With another sigh, I waded through the halls, only to stop a second


    a cold day. Instinct kicked in, and I knew what it meant — my mate! Screw English ss, screw school,


    screw everything, I had to find her. I followed the scent like a starving cat you see in the cartoons.


    Something happened, and her scent changed to burntvender. It ended at a crowd of kids encircling


    my cousin Mike. Typical, some poor soul stuck at suffering his usual bullying. Mike was a mirror of


    Uncle Ryan. He often bragged about who and how he humiliated like it was a great aplishment.


    Someday I could show him exactly what I thought of his favorite hobby, but now I had to find my mate.


    Property ? 2024 N0(v)elDrama.Org.


    "Of course, it was a mistake. Everything about you is a mistake," Mike said, catching my attention.


    "What''s going on?" I noticed he''s holding a human girl by the back of her neck. Her reddish-brown hair


    covered her face as she stood limply in his grip. Mike turned to face me with a grin, sending chills down


    my spine.


    "Hey, Dean!" Mike pulled the girl around with him and the world stopped.


    This girl my cousin jerked around like a rag doll, was my mate. The pull I felt intensified as our eyes


    met - hers a green, brown hazel. They held a willful gleam, betraying the passiveness in her posture. I


    could tell she wasn''t one to be beaten easily not that Mike wasn''t trying. My eyes drifted to where Mike


    held her. Skin red, no doubt she''d bruise from how tight he was squeezing her.


    Everything turned red, my hands and jaw clenched. God, I wanted to rip into him, tear his hands off of


    her. I''d promise her he''d never touch her again. My ire went cold, doused by a chilly realization. I


    couldn''t help her, not if I wanted to help Dad, my pack, and the people here. If I stepped in now and


    imed her as mine, neither Mike nor Uncle Ryan would ever let me in. I''d lose the chance to get the


    evidence Dad needed to prove my uncle was dangerous.


    Pain stabbed at my chest, squeezing my heart, as I watched Mike smirk that cruel, smug smirk of his.


    "I''m just making sure little Missy Mistake here doesn''t forget her ce. This is Dean, Missy; he''s a


    guest of my father. Why don''t you say hi?"


    The fist around my heart tightened as some of the light drained from her eyes and they dropped to the


    floor. "Wee, Sir."


    "No. That won''t do, get on your knees and say it."


    Was he out of his mind? What the hell? She looked at me then to Mike, disgust, and horror in her eyes.


    My mate shook her head and refused. Pride warmed me, but her defiance only pissed off Mike. He hit


    her hard in the stomach, knocking her to her knees. I jerked as if it''d been me he hit.


    "Don''t you dare ever tell me you won''t again."


    I stepped forward, almost charging him. How dare he treat her like that? I clenched my fist tight, forcing


    myself to stay in control.


    "Now apologize," Mike insisted.


    This time, without hesitation, she apologized and sour bile filled my mouth. Mikeughed, pushing her


    further to the floor. "See Dean, I know how to train humans, eh?" He waved for me to follow,ughing. I


    didn''t want to go but stay with my mate. I hesitated for a moment before following my cousin, hating


    myself. The only silver lining was that once I finished, I''d take my mate out of here and away from Mike.


    "So what''s with the pathetic human?" I had no trouble to sounding disgusted.


    A nasty sneer crossed my cousin''s lips as we walked along the hall. "Missy is the stepdaughter of our


    beta. He''s stupid enough to be crazy for his human mate. Can you believe it? What is worse than a


    human? If that wasn''t bad enough, he not only lets Missy lives with them, but she knows what we are.


    Dad freaked when he heard about it.


    He wanted to take her out, but the beta pulled the whole she''s now part of his family thus under his


    protection crap. Dad can''t touch her or he''ll lose the beta. I can though and I make sure she knows


    she''s nothing more than a disgrace to the beta, even if he doesn''t realize it. She''s nothing, but a dirty


    mistake."


    "What a loser." At this point, I didn''t know who I hated more — Uncle Ryan or Mike. I wanted to hurt


    them both, and show them the only mistake here was them. My wolf howled for their blood, but we''d


    have to wait. I took a deep breath and pretended to listen to Mike. I''d have to call Dadter. If Mike tried


    to hurt my mate again, I didn''t know what I would do. "See ya, man. I got to get to ss."


    Mike scoffed and sneered at me before making ament about a teacher''s pet. I found his attempts


    to goad me as pathetic as he was.


    English was as invigorating as I expected it would be. The sses following it didn''t impress me much


    either. In all fairness, I didn''t pay attention. By the time lunch came around, I headed outside with my


    sorry excuse for a meal and found a secluded corner. I took out my phone. "Hey Dad, it''s me. We have


    a problem."


    "Ryder? You haven''t been in ck Mountain territory for forty-eight hours. What''s wrong?" Worry


    strained Dad''s voice.


    "I found my mate. Dad. She''s human."


    "That''s all?" Disbelief colored his voice now.


    "I wish. She''s the beta''s stepdaughter and Mike beats on her."


    "Oh, I see."


    "Dad what am I going to do? I almost lost it today. If he hurts her again I don''t think I can keep up all thi


    —"


    "Calm down. I understand. It''s okay. Try to stay in control but Mike hurts her again, I wanted you to step


    in and tell him she''s yours. No matter the consequences. She is your mate." I smiled, rxing with


    relief. Not sure why I doubted it. Dad would have my back. "Now tell me about our future alpha? What


    is the girl like?"


    "I saw her for only a minute."


    "Then go find out instead of talking to your old man. I want to hear all about her when you do."


    "I''ll do that. Thanks. Talk to youter." I More rxed, I tried to eat this whatever they tried to pass as


    lunch, but I give up after a bite or two. I put my game face on and walked back inside.


    The rest of the day dragged. Mike was in half of my sses. To make matters worse, almost every


    damn girl in the school hit on me. It seemed like the more I tried to tell them I wasn''t interested the


    more they flirted with me.


    Grumpy, I walked to myst ss and found my mate''s scent again. I couldn''t believe my luck. She


    was there, sitting in myst ss. I watched her for a minute as she looked out the window. She looked


    better now, almost happy. I didn''t realize I moved until I took the seat next to hers. My mate looked over


    at me, surprise shown on her face and followed by fear.


    I gave her a friendly smile, hoping she''d realize I wasn''t Mike. I wouldn''t hurt her, but she straightened


    in her desk and stared at the tabletop. Dread filled me. My mate was afraid of me. Of course, I did


    nothing to stop Mike. I didn''t protect her. What kind of alpha was I going to be if I didn''t even protect my


    mate? It wasn''t toote. I could fix this, right? All I needed to do was show her I wasn''t Mike and with


    me, she''d be safe. Unfortunately, the teacher got in the middle and droned on.


    During the whole ss, my mate sat like she was waiting for someone to take a swing at her. Light


    bruises were already visible on her neck. I''d fix this. I''d show her who I really am. When ss finally


    ended, I opened my mouth to say hey or something. With surprising speed, my mate gathered her


    things and ran off into the crowded halls. After a minute of sitting there like a dumbass, I put away my


    stuff and followed her. Several people tried to talk to me, but I ignored them.


    I followed her scent through the hall and to the girl''s bathroom. Damn. I leaned against the wall and


    waited for her; and waited and waited. I check the time on my phone. She''d been in there almost a half


    hour. My mate must know I was waiting for her. Was she too afraid toe out? I shrugged and


    walked around the corner. I turned and listened.


    Five minutester, my mate came out. Peeking around the corner I watched her nce around then


    grin. My breath froze as I watched her whole face light up with that one smile. I''d do anything for her to


    smile at me like that. I followed her, keeping my distance, and trying to ignore the sensation I was a


    creepy stalker.


    She stopped at a locker, and I decided it was now time to make my move. I leaned against the locker


    next to hers, I gave her my best swoon-worthy smile. "Hey."


    My mate flinched, putting her hands into her hoodie pockets, and took a step back. She nced


    around and back to me. Her gaze was still suspicious and usatory. "Hey," she said back in a sharp


    snap. "At least, give me fair warning. Is Mike waiting around the corner or somewhere close? This must


    be your idea. He''s never been this patient."


    Surprised by her this is business, as usual, attitude I wasn''t sure how to answer. "No clue, haven''t seen


    him since the fifth period." On instinct, I reached out to take a piece of her hair between my fingers.


    She jerked away from me pulling out a small can of what I assumed was pepper spray and it probably


    had silver in it too.


    She pointed it at me and by the look on her face, she was ready to use it too. "Don''t touch me. I don''t


    care who you are. Today we''re done. I''ve tried to be good, keep my mouth shut and do what Mike says,


    but there is only so much a person can take. Even if they are some pathetic unwanted mistakes like


    me. So back off and stay away. Let me go home, and we''ll see what happens in round two tomorrow!"


    I detected no fearing off her. She meant every word. Before I could tell my mate I wasn''t like Mike


    she grabbed her backpack and ran. It triggered my instinct to chase but I forced myself to not move. I


    didn''t want to suffer silver burns, but also I didn''t want her to feel threatened. I growled with frustration


    as my mate left my sight. That didn''t go as nned.