Chapter 6 Chapter Six : One Warning

Chapter Six

Tessa - POV

All of us are looking at the door. I blink through my blurry eyes slowly, and my vision clears. I squint. Is that Jaxen? "Jaxen," I mutter. His eyes study me, then shift into a frown.

"Well, well." Marcy's voice drips with amusement as she looks Jaxen over slowly, then cuts her eyes to her girls. "Does the big, scary captain not know how to read a sign? Girls' locker room, sweetheart. Or did they not teach you that at alpha training?"

Her gang dissolves into laughter behind her.

"Yeah, get out of here, Captain." her girl gang says.

"Can you not hear?" Marcy says.

Jaxen pays no mind. He crouches in front of me, meeting my gaze. "Who left this mark on your neck, Weakling?" His voice lands in mind-link.

"Marcy," I say without even thinking straight.

He turns to meet Marcy's gaze. The confidence drains out of her face, and her girl gang runs out of the locker room.

"You are still picking on my girlfriend." His voice makes me shiver with fear. This tone is scary and makes my skin crawl. He doesn't see gender. Whoever is in front of him, he can hurt anyone. Marcy's face goes paler.

"I... I... No..." Marcy can't even speak. She falls backward onto the ground. Jaxen towers over her frame. He crouches down, and I have no clue what his face looks like.

"Never lay a finger on her. Not if you want to live your life on this campus." Every word out of his mouth feels like a warning. "You have one warning. Most people don't get that."

"I am grateful leaving me with a warning. I won't touch... her." Her voice comes out thin.

"Good. Now scram." She scrambles to her feet and dashes out at wolf-like speed. Jaxen turns to me.

"You should not have come in here," I say.

"I came for you," Jaxen says.

"You could have waited outside for me." I reply, but I am grateful he stepped in. If not for him, I would be spending another day tending my bruises back in the dorm.

"Can you stand up, Weakling, or do you need my help?" he says in his mocking tone, and all the gratefulness I feel for him vanishes. I frown as I push myself to my feet.

My legs are weak, and I pitch forward, falling straight into Jaxen.

"No... No... hold me, don't let me..."

My body presses against his frame. His uniform carries a fresh, clean, dry scent. His arms don't wrap around me, but I can hear his heartbeat.

"If you wanted a hug, you should have just asked," Jaxen says. "You didn't have to throw yourself at me like this. " I try to pull away, but he doesn't let me. Instead, he pulls me closer against his frame.

"I heard you got hurt by Marcy. Are you hurt, Tes—" Theo's voice cuts in, and the next voice that follows belongs to

"Oh my god! Are you okay, Tess? I heard--" Naomi's voice trails off as she sees us, and I try to free myself from Jaxen's hold. Theo's face twists into a frown, and

jealousy is visible in his emerald eyes as the color shifts. He steps forward, rage rolling off him. I feel my heart beating faster.

"Jaxen, please let me go," I whisper.

"You wanted revenge on your mate, right?" he says.

"Yes," I whisper. "Theo will hurt you." He scoffs at my remark. 

"Theo, please wait. The principal is here." Naomi's words make Theo's steps falter. He doesn't stop, but before he can swing, his fist flies at Jaxen, who doesn't even bother to look at him. He is that confident Theo won't land a hit.

I shut my eyes and shove my face into Jaxen's jacket. His hold stays firm. I hear a loud crash, and Jaxen's grip on me doesn't loosen at all. I step back slightly to find

Theo flat on the ground. I look around to see who did it. Another guy in uniform stands there, and it was him.

"What is going on here?" Principal Kenneth's sharp voice rings out with authority.

My body goes still. Jaxen's hold on my waist doesn't ease, and Theo's gaze burns a hole in my direction, eyes heavy with jealousy. Why am I feeling so satisfied seeing that look on his face? 

Principal Kenneth's voice cuts through the locker room before he even steps fully inside.

"Not one more word."

The room goes still.

He doesn't raise his voice. He doesn't need to. His eyes move across the scene slowly -- Tessa against Jaxen, Theo on the floor, the boy in uniform standing over him.

His expression doesn't change.

"This is Wolvershire. Not a street corner." He lets that land. "Whatever is happening between the three of you ends here."

He looks at Jaxen first.

"Release her."

"She is my girlfriend," Jaxen says. "And my future mate."

"I did not ask for your relationship status, Mr. Sherman. I gave you an instruction."

Jaxen holds for one beat longer than he should. Then he steps back.

Kenneth's gaze shifts to Theo, still pulling himself off the floor.

"She is my mate," Theo says, jaw tight. "He is taking what belongs to me."

"Belongs to you." Kenneth repeats it quietly. The way he says it makes it sound worse than Theo intended. "And yet I am told you were in the boys' locker room this morning with Ms. Marcy. Is that incorrect?"

Theo's mouth opens. Nothing comes out. His eyes meet mine briefly, a regret flash in his gaze. So he is fucking Marcy in the locker room. It’s not a one-time thing; he lied to me last night. 

"That is what I thought." Kenneth clasps his hands behind his back. "I am not here to referee your personal failures, Mr. Collins. I am here because two students nearly came to blows in a girls' locker room and thought that was acceptable behavior."

His gaze moves to Jason briefly, then back at Theo and the third guy.

"Jaxen. Theo. Jason. Two weeks. Cleaning duty and detention, starting tomorrow." He pauses. "Ms. Tessa. One week."

"I didn't do anything," Tessa says before she can stop herself.

I couldn't even read Principal Kenneth stoic gaze that land on me.

"You are standing in the middle of it. In my experience, that is never accidental. One week. Unless you would like to negotiate upward."

"No, sir."

"Good." He turns toward the door. "Jaxen. My office. Theo and Jason, you will follow."

He doesn't look back to confirm they obey.

So much happened in just a few minutes, and sitting with all of it, especially learning Theo is still lying to me, still cheating, I feel tears burning in my eyes.

"Are you okay, Tess?" Naomi holds me in her arms.

"I am not okay, Naomi. Betrayal hurts like a bitch," I whisper.

"I am sorry, Tessa. This suffering of betrayal is the worst, but maybe you have a chance here to overcome this feeling," Naomi says.

"Tell me how can I overcome this?" I ask.

"Jaxen and you are dating now, right? You should focus on him. They say that if someone new enters your life, the suffering and the ache of betrayal lessen gradually." I sigh. I want to tell her the truth. No one should know about this deal. I recall Jaxen's words.

"Yeah, Maybe you are right," I say with a weak smile. Jaxen is crazy. I am scared to even think about looking at him that way. He irks me. But then I recall being in his arms. No. It was just an act. I felt nothing. He is just annoying. But this arrangement does bring something good. Marcy's scared face and Theo's jealous face. That is something good.

"Let's get to class," Naomi says, and I follow. Slipping my hands into my blazer pockets, I feel a folded piece of paper. I pull out the note and read it.

You should be careful around Jaxen. Don’t trust his words

That is all it says. I stare at it. I have no idea who left it in my blazer. Could it be this note left in my blazer by Jaxen mate who cheated on him.