Chapter 9 Chapter 9 RIVER " I'll take you home , " I said , grabbing my car's key . : " You don't have to , " Dakota said quickly . " I know my way back home " A B 56 vouchers " Are you sure you don't want me to take you home ? You are worried your stepbrothers will get mad- " " No , River , " she said smiling . " I just don't want to bother you ." " I'm not complaining , Dakota . It's my fault you didn't return home with your stepbrothers . The least I can do is take you back home and make sure you are safe . " " It was my decision to come with you , so it's not your fault , River . " " Alright , " I said nodding . " I'll see you off and make sure you get a cab . " We began heading out . " Mom , I'm seeing Dakota off . I'll be back before you know it , " I yelled as Dakota and I stepped out of the house . I stopped a cab and watched Dakota get in . I bent over . " Hey man , make sure you get her home , safely . If anything happens to her- " " River , you don't have to threaten him , " Dakota chimed in . I grinned . " It was just a harmless warning . " " Bye ," she muttered , waving at me . I stood still , watching the car until it was out of sight . I turned around and returned inside . Brenda was in the sitting room holding a mug . " Why did she leave in a hurry ? " she inquired , staring at me . " Because she has a complete family that must be worried about her , " I said , placing my hand on my waist . Brenda opened her mouth and shut it quickly . " I didn't mean it like that ," I said , realizing my statement must have hurt her . " It's fine . You deserve better and that's why we are here , son ," she said , tightening her grip on the mug . " You also deserve a complete family . And I'm going to make it happen . We will get back to how we used to be before . All you have to do is trust me ." " " He left us ," I reminded her . " He gives no fuck about us . He doesn't even care if we are dead or alive . He left Chapter 9 us , again ." 1265 vouchers " He didn't , son , " Brenda said , shifting her gaze away from me . " He left us because of a lady who doesn't want us to be a complete family . " I sighed . " Listen son , it's okay to make friends but falling in love shouldn't be an option- " " You have no right to decide that for me , Brenda ," I interrupted . " We have a reason for being here , son , " she paused , approaching me . " Falling in love may ruin our plan . " " Okay , I get it , " I said , and began walking away . " I have refilled your blood bags ," she yelled . I returned to my room and shut the door . The next day ; I woke up with a dull ache behind my eyes and the echo of my mother's words still ringing in my ears : " Falling in love may ruin our plan ." I stared up at the ceiling , gripping the edge of the bed , torn between the weight of my past and the fire Dakota lit inside me . She wasn't just some girl . She was my mate . That kind of connection wasn't supposed to be ignored , not in our world , not in mine . After a quick shower and throwing on a black hoodie , I grabbed some of the refilled blood bags Brenda had left and tucked it into my backpack . I didn't want to deal with her this morning . Not after last night's conversation . She meant well - maybe - but her obsession with revenge and making things " right " had warped her sense of what love or peace could actually look like . Yes , I wanted revenge too but I wasn't blinded by it . As I headed out the door , I found her in the kitchen , humming softly to herself . " Good morning , sweetie , " she said , looking at me . " Morning , " I muttered and walked out before she could try to trap me in another talk . The drive to school was quiet . As soon as I stepped into the hallway , the noise hit me like a wall . Everyone was moving fast , chattering about the latest rogue attacks near the western border . And of course , her name was already in people's mouths . " Did you hear Dakota ditched her brothers and left school with that new guy ? " someone whispered . " She's been acting weird since he came to town ." 16:05 Fri , Sep 19 d ... Chapter 9 " Alpha Maddox's sons don't like him . Bet something's going to go down . " I clenched my jaw but kept walking until I reached my locker . 61 55 Vouchers I spun the lock absentmindedly , trying to block out the whispers , but every mention of her name scraped against my nerves like claws . " River . " The voice came from behind me . Low . Controlled . Threatening . I didn't need to turn around to know who it was . Logan . I shut my locker slowly and turned to face him . He was leaning against the row of lockers across from mine , arms crossed , eyes cold . His jaw ticked , and I could see his wolf just under the surface , coiled and tense . " I told you to stay away from her . " " And I told you to mind your business , " I replied calmly , though my blood began to simmer . Logan stepped closer . " She is my business . She's my mate ." " You rejected her ." His eyes flared with fury , but he didn't deny it . " Which means , " I continued , " you forfeited the right to call her yours . " " That doesn't mean I don't care about her ." " Could've fooled me , " I said . Logan's voice was low , dangerous . " What do you want with Dakota ? " I didn't flinch . I stuffed my hands in my hoodie pockets . " Back off , Logan . Mind your own damn business ." He took a step closer , eyes narrowed like a predator sizing up its prey . " I want to know what you're doing with Dakota . " I raised an eyebrow , my patience already thin . " Why do you care ? " Logan's jaw clenched . " It's my duty to protect her . Stay out of her way . " " You don't get to pretend you care about Dakota now . Like I said before , you rejected her . So don't act like some knight in shining armor . " Logan's fists clenched at his sides . " I swear , if anything happens to her , I'll kill you . " I stepped closer , eyes cold as steel . " I'm ready to hurt anyone who hurts Dakota , just as you are . You think 16:06 Fri , Sep 19 d Chapter 9 about hurting her , and I'll break every bone in your body . Got it ? " 60 55 vouchers He stared at me for a long second , the fire in his eyes battling the restraint in his gut . Then , without another word , he spun on his heel and walked away . I let out a breath I didn't realize I'd been holding . The hall suddenly felt suffocating , and I had to remind myself why I was here - why I was staying . I leaned against my locker , the image of Dakota's face flashing in my mind . The kiss we shared . Before her , I didn't believe in love at first sight . Hell , I didn't want to believe in love at all . But she made me believe . She was my mate . My anchor in a world that threatened to rip me apart . I glanced up as Alicia slid into the space beside me . I hadn't even noticed her before , despite working in the same project group . She was pretty in that understated way - blonde , with curious eyes . " You okay ? " she asked , voice gentle . I nodded . " Can you look out for me ? " " Why ? " she asked keenly . " I need to do something and I can't risk anyone else seeing it ." She mouthed and nodded . " Okay ." I pulled out a small blood bag from my backpack and opened it . I sipped carefully . She turned back at me and raised an eyebrow , tilting her head . " What ... is that ? " I shrugged . " It's a drink I can't go without . " She wrinkled her nose . " Smells like ... blood . " " Yeah ," I said flatly . " Because it is ." She blinked , confused , then laughed . " You're joking , right ? " I met her eyes . " Do I look like I'm joking ? " Alicia's smile faltered for a second before she laughed again , though this time it was more nervous . " So what , you're a vampire or something ? " " I'm something ," I said , flashing her a glimpse of my sharp canines before returning my blood bag into my backpack . She went quiet after that . " Come closer ," I said huskily . She obeyed . 16:06 Fri , Sep 19 d Chapter 9 60 ER 55 vouchere I gently placed my hands on her shoulders and stared into her eyes . " Forget what I told you . Forget you saw me drinking blood and go to class . " AD ~~ mment