Chapter 8
"What are you reading my Luna?"
The Alpha's low timber voice filled the car prompting Fleur to look up at him. His eyes stayed on the road but he was a predator and she knew that just because he wasn't looking at her didn't mean that he didn't know exactly what she was doing at all times.
Last night when she had come home from their date, she had seen the yellow eyes of wolves in the forest around her house. Just behind the tree line, out of sight but never not there. Somehow it made her feel uneasy. No doubt these wolves were listening in on her every breath and reporting it straight back the Alpha.
When she had brought it up to her mother at breakfast her stepfather had reprimanded her concerns as unwarranted. Even her mother had simply placed a kiss on her forehead and told her not to worry about it.
"It's about the political instability of human democracy prior to the wolf takeover" Her honey voice filled his sensitive ears. The melodic rhythm of her cadence soothing his soul.
"That's heavy reading so early in the morning" Theo's lips had pulled into a gentle smile but with his fangs poking against his bottom lip it looked more like a primal grimace. His eyebrows lightly twitched in amusement only his Fleur would try to solve the issues of mankind at 8:30 in the morning.
"It's for extra credit in our politics class" Fleur mumbled her attention back on the page in front of her. She didn't know how she felt about this inquisition in the morning. With Andrew the mornings in the car were always quiet. He knew that she enjoyed to read on her way to school and so their exchanges were minimal.
The Alpha, however had been trying to make conversation all morning since she had gotten into his Jeep. Asking her how she'd slept and what her plans were after school. She knew it was just small talk but if there was one thing Fleur wasn't it was a morning person.
Theo glanced at her. Eyebrows scrunched together in concentration and the tip of her highlighter was placed softly between her voluminous lips. By the goddess she was a vision. He felt a shiver dance down his spine at the image in front of him.
"You don't seem like the kind of girl who would need to get extra credit" His perfect little studious mate wouldn't have missed an assignment.
"I do need it" She muttered in response flipping to the next page
"Oh yea? How come?" He was intrigued now. Had she not turned something in? Naughty scenarios started playing out in his head. His naughty little student. He would make sure she wouldn't miss another assignment.
Fleur pretended not to hear him. She didn't know how to tell him that it was to get a better grade so that she could apply to better collages. She knew she was already one of the best in her class but she had dreamed of attending the best human university in one of the territories in the west. She knew the acceptance rate was astronomically low but she wanted nothing more than to study there.
Could she tell him that? Was she even still allowed to go to university? Or would she be forced to live out the rest of her life in this town by his side with no opportunity to make a life for herself. She didn't know how she felt about that but she also understood the importance of mates and especially what a Luna meant to a wolf pack. She just wasn't sure if she could live up to those expectations.
Her mom would always be incredibly melancholic when Andrew would leave for a few days to go back to the pack. Then when he came back to them, her mom would always be around him, touching him almost as if they were magnets.
"I just want to be good" She said quietly even though the omission of what was going on in her head tasted sour on her tongue.
Oliver couldn't help but smile when he saw his uncles car pull into the school parking lot. Yesterday after the little Luna had left his uncles residence he and Johnny had been commanded back over and briefed as Fleur's new security details. His timetable had been changed to mirror hers so that someone constantly had an eye on her.
Oliver was waiting outside the school entrance as his uncle putt the car in park. He could tell that more students than usual were lingering outside most likely hoping to get a glance at the new Alpha couple. It was normal, wolves needed their leadership and because the Alpha had been without a Luna for so long the pack needed her even more.
As his uncle got out of the car Oliver made his way over to them.
"Alpha" He greeted his uncle his a small nod. Theo was busy helping Fleur out of the Jeep. Oliver has never seen his uncle be so gentle in his entire life. As he held Fleurs hand helping her step on the icy ground it appeared as if he was handling a rare treasure. Oliver smirked at himself. That's what Fleur was after all. The promised Luna.
Once Fleur had stepped out the car Theo started pulling a scarf she had never seen before around her neck. Standing this close to him made her heart hammer in her chest. Strange though was how her heart felt warm at the sight of this massive man clucking around her.
"Little Luna" Oliver's baritone voice settled over her. She could see him standing behind his uncle a small smile playing around his lips and a mischievous twinkle in his eyes.
Oliver couldn't help it seeing his merciless uncle fussing around his mate to make sure she was warm was a sight he didn't think he'd see in his life. When Theo was finally happy with all the layers that had been wrapped around his mate he took a step back.
"Oliver – you know what your job is" And just like that Theodore Deveraux was back. His penetrating gaze and authoritative voice fell like a cold shower over Oliver who immediately stood up straighter under the gaze of his Alpha.
Then Theo turned to Fleur who stood to his left. Their hands still intertwined. She was looking at Oliver and the nasty possessive side of him wanted to snap her eyes to him.
"My little flower" Easily Fleur came into his embrace "Be good for me yes?"
Fleur looked up at Theo. Her cheeks turned red when she registered his words. They stared at each other for a second and Fleur knew he was waiting for her to reply but her mouth felt dry and her stomach funny.
Theo looked at his dazed mate. She smelt of confusion but his sensitive nose also picked up a sweeter sent. Arousal. Was it because he had told her to be good? Did his Luna want to be called a good girl? He brought her wrist to his lips kissing her on her heavily beating pulse.
He needed to get out of here before he pounced her.
"I'll see you later Fleur" With that Fleur was moved into Oliver's arms and all she could do was dumbly nod.
A heavy arm slung its way across her shoulder as Oliver guided her towards the school building.
"Ready for another day of torture?" He smiles down at her "Goddess I can't wait to graduate"
"Are you my babysitter now" She graced him with a genuine smile and he let out a breathy laugh in response.
"You call it babysitter I call it bodyguard" He shrugged as they made their way up the stairs to a pair of picnic tables. Fleur recognized some of the people sitting there from her classes. They were also seniors and presumably Oliver's friends.
"In any case I now have the hottest job in school making me the most desirable person on this campus" He sent her a wink which made the tips of her ears turn red. Thank god for the beanie that Theo had pulled over her locks earlier.
"What's supposed to happen to me at school?" Fleur mumbled as they reached the picnic table.
"Don't know ask the Alpha but for now babysitting duty stands so please don't go running off" She laughed at the thought of her trying to outrun a wolf. Especially a wolf chasing his mate. The idea of that was absolutely ridiculous.
"Everyone this is Fleur – I'm sure you've all see her around but just keep an eye out alright?"
Fleur took in the group of six people in front of her. They were looking at her with curious but kind gazes. She started wringing her hands nervously as she became the focus of attention. After initial awkward hellos and pleasantries Fleur managed to blend into the background. The wolves were loud and playful with each other. Constantly in a flurry of movement.
"Luna you should totally join!" A high pitched voice ripped Fleur out of her thoughts. A girl that was in Fleur's politics class – Emma – smiled directly at her.
"Please call me Fleur" The reply was instantaneous out of Fleur's mouth. She wouldn't want people her own age calling her Luna. Hell she didn't even know if she wanted to be a Luna. Emma gave her a kind but almost pitying smile.
"Do you want to come to the volleyball tryouts?" Emma asked again energetically
Fleur started shaking her head frantically. Absolutely not. She had the hand eye coordination of a blind person. It would a safety hazard even for a wolf.
"Oh no I couldn't I don't do well with balls flying at my face" She tried to explain politely
Oliver almost choked on the coffee he was drinking. He wasn't the only one as all the other surrounding them were chortling affectionately at the innocence of the words of the Luna. Although Fleur had just acted out of instinct he knew that telling Emma to call her by her first name had been a huge compliment to the she wolf.
Before anyone could respond, the first bell rang signaling they had five minutes to get to class.
"Off we go little Luna!"
They had just taken their seats in politics when Fleur realized that Oliver was in class with her.
"Don't you have your own class to go to?" She whispered softly to him. Or had he been in her class all along but she hadn't realized?
"Silly goose how am I supposed to fulfill my babysitting duties from another class?" He laughed softly at her.
The teacher entered the classroom and while Fleur had always participated and sat in the front however the teacher by no means paid any special attention to her. Now however when Mr. Richards entered he stopped in front of her table and bowed deeply.
"Luna" he acknowledge her with an intensity that made Fleur's eyes triple in size and take in a gasp of air. Fleur had never felt more uncomfortable in her whole life. Before she could even really understand what had just happened the moment was over and Mr. Richards made his way to the front of the class to begin his class.
Hours later when it was finally time for lunch all Fleur wanted was to go home. In every single one of her classes the teachers had made a point to acknowledge her presence. With every single class she felt herself intruding more and more into herself again.
Oliver noticed it too. This morning she had laughed at his jokes and spoken without a stutter. Now when she tried to talk to him she was nervous, picking at the skin around her finger nails, eyes drifting to see if anyone was listening in on their conversation. He knew that Fleur was an introvert but he hadn't realized how all this new attention was going to impact her.
When he recommended they go to the cafeteria for lunch Fleur decided she wanted out.
"I-I think I'm just going to head to the bathroom really quickly – but uhm I'll meet you there" Fleur lied through her teeth. She hated lying more than anything but the anxiety in the pit of her stomach was causing her to feel dizzy. The idea of having to sit in the cafeteria with everyone observing her made her feel sick. No she needed to be alone.
Oliver gave her a questioning look, he was a fully grown wolf and could smell the lie rolling off of her. She looked so fragile right then, not meeting his gaze and hugging herself around the middle.
"Fleur" he said gently, his wolf urging him to guard his Luna from the source of her distress "Darling come here"
Oliver steps forward taking Fleur into his arms. She is almost limp in his embrace as he runs a comforting hand down her back.
"Please Oliver I just need a minute" Her voice is small as she makes the hopeful assertion.
"Okay little darling but I better see you in the cafeteria in the next 10 minutes or the Alpha will wring my head"
She nodded eagerly as Oliver took a step back and examined her critically. Fleur turned to enter the girls bathroom when she heard him say.
"10 minutes Fleur or I come hunting!"
All Oliver got in response was the door slamming in his face. A clear sign for him to make his way to the cafeteria.
As soon as Fleur was certain that she could hear Oliver retreating, she made her way out of the stall she was occupying to make her way to the library. She felt horrible for potentially getting Oliver in trouble but all she wanted was a little time without someone breathing down her neck. First the wolves in the forest behind her house and now Oliver at school. She needed to talk to the Alpha. She was so focused on nervously washing her hands that she hadn't realized someone else was in the bathroom with her.
"For someone who is trying to make a break for it you need to calm your heartbeat or your babysitter will come running right back"
Fleur's head snapped up in surprise. Looking up into the mirror she discovered that the cool smoky voice belonged a stunning tall, dark skinned girl who was leaning against one of the cubicles.
"Wolf hearing" The girl behind her added with a nonchalant shrug.
"You- you're not a wolf?" Although Fleur phrased it as a question she knew the tell-tale signs of wolves. The girl behind her for one was missing the typical glint in her eyes.
"Ahh our new Luna is perceptive!" The girl exclaimed sarcastically and pushed herself of the cubicle wall making her way towards Fleur. Fleur whipped around to face the girl. She was significantly taller than Fleur, with eyes the color of a starless night and skin of dark ebony.
"Noor Aziz" The girl stuck out her hand and Fleur was surprised by the gentle smile that now played around her wine red lips. Fleur reached out her own hand to shake Noor's and opened her mouth to reply when she was cut off. "I know who you are Luna no need to introduce yourself"
Slowly Fleur's hand fell back to her side as she studied the girl in front of her. Unsure if Noor was going to rat her out to Oliver or not she waited a beat to anticipate the girls next move.
"Uhm well uhm I-It's nice to meet you but I should.." Fleur left her sentence unfinished as Noor took another step towards her.
"I'm a witch Luna, we tend to be very solitary creatures, so if you want to get a couple of minutes of peace before your next class I suggest you follow me, I know all the good hiding places around here"
Fleur looked into her eyes trying to see whether this girl was actually here to help her with her plight. There was something incredibly intimidating about Noor's presence but Fleur assumed that she wouldn't be allowed on pack lands if she could be an actual threat to her. Plus the alternative was going to sit in the cafeteria with Oliver and the rest of the pack who would no doubt stare at her and analyze. The thought made a shiver run down Fleur's spine.
"Oh right uhm okay lead the way"
A/N
Hi!
Sorry life & school just got a lot but today I finally had the time to write something again! Hope you enjoy it and I hope I have the time to update again soon!
Probably a million spelling mistakes in this but I'll correct them soon. But yay!! Fleur makes a friend!
Enjoy!!