Chapter Eight: Jace

Jace

"Who the fuck are you?" The Alpha is tall only a few inches shorter than me, not as broad either. He puts his aura behind the bark. I feel nothing from it. He had my fucking mate pinned with her back on the table. His hand bruising her delicate skin on her arms. The burnt honeysuckle scent becomes deeper. His eyes snap back to her. she begins fighting harder in his grip. It made me want to pull her to me and purr. Only one thing could that kind of reaction from an alpha, but I would think about that later right now I can only think of her distress.

Who the hell did he think he was? I could feel my anger building, a fiery heat spreading through my body. Rennee was mine, and this intruder had no right to lay a hand on her. I took a menacing step forward, my eyes never leaving his. I saw the challenge in his gaze, but he underestimated the depth of my connection with my mate.

I could sense her fear, and it only fueled my protective instincts. I bared my teeth, a low growl rumbling in my chest.

"Get your hands off her, now." My voice was a dangerous whisper, carrying the weight of my power. I could feel my claws extending, a warning in themselves. I wanted to rip him apart, but I needed to keep a clear head. Something wasn't right, and I needed to understand why this Alpha thought he could touch her like this. As if sensing my hesitation, he tightened his grip on her, and I saw the fear in her eyes turn to desperation.

"Your mate fuck that. She is my mate." He snorts and I thought the rage I felt when I walked in was bad, now it's been magnified tenfold. This is the prick that hurt her so deeply that she was worthless, that I would throw her away.

That was when I lost all sense of control. With a roar, I lunged, my eyes glowing with primal fury. I would not stand by and watch her suffer. Nothing would keep us apart, not even another Alpha's claim. A claim he no longer had.

He let her go. He had to. It was the only way to protect himself from the alpha's wrath.

If she had been anyone else, and I was any other alpha, she would have been hurt. I still had some control in this situation, and I was determined to use it to keep her safe. I stopped in front of her, looking into her wide, terrified eyes. She was trembling, but my words seemed to calm her a little.

"It's okay now, princess," I said, trying to reassure her. There was something in her expression that I couldn't quite place, but I didn't have time to dwell on it. She wouldn't feel completely safe until this fucker was gone.

So I turned back to him, the alpha who dared to lay a hand on my mate. I could see the anger just beneath his skin, ready to explode. But I was prepared. I had been training for this my whole life.

He lunged at me, his fists ready to strike. But I was faster. I dodged his attack and landed a swift punch to his jaw. He stumbled back, surprised by my strength.

"You dare to challenge me?" he growled, blood dripping from his split lip.

I didn't answer. Instead, I focused on my breathing, channeling my anger and fear into power. I was an alpha too, and I would not let anyone hurt my mate.

He charged at me again, and this time I was ready. I blocked his punches and countered with my own. We weren't evenly matched, but I could feel my wolf's strength coursing through my veins.

I saw her out of the corner of my eye, watching us with a mixture of fear and awe. But I couldn't let myself get distracted. I had to stay focused if we were going to get out of this alive.

With a final powerful blow, I knocked the alpha to the ground. He lay there, panting and defeated. I could have killed him, but I didn't. I wanted him to remember what happened when he crossed an alpha who had a mate to protect.

I turned to her, my breathing still heavy. She was staring at me, her eyes filled with a mix of admiration and gratitude. I reached up and gently stroked her cheek with my claw, a gesture of comfort and reassurance.

"You're safe now," I said, my voice soft but firm. She nodded, her face relaxing into a small smile.

I knew that this wouldn't be the end of our struggles. Being an alpha came with its own set of challenges, and I couldn't always protect her from everything. I knew she wouldn't believe that yet and now I can see why. Right now, it was enough that she was calming down.

As I watch her, I can see the determination in her eyes as she shakes off her daze and focuses back on her cooking. She's a strong woman, I already know she is always pushing through any obstacles in her way. I admire her for that.

"I need to finish the meal." She says and turns to do just that.

But I can also see the effects of the recent confrontation with the other alpha. She's still trying to calm down, using her cooking as a form of therapy. I know she loves what she does, that fact is perfectly clear and it's one of the things that draws me to her in the first place. Her passion.

I watch her for a few more moments, making sure she's truly alright before I turn to deal with the other alpha. He's starting to stand, waiting for me. I can see the anger still simmering in his eyes. I grab his collar to add insult to injury and drag him outside away from her. I throw him through the door. He gains foot and looks at me.

"This isn't over," he says, his voice dripping with malice. "You haven't claimed her yet. And until you do, I can still get my bond back." Then he turns and leaves.

My stomach twists at his words. He's right. I haven't claimed her as my mate yet, and until I do, she's vulnerable to him. I need to make things official and mark her as mine before it's too late. But I need her to trust me first,

Fuck.