Jerome watched the runt fight with Gaby. He tried not to be partial as his girl bested the young man, again. He was so proud of her.
The runt pulled a dirty move grabbing for her breast. Jerome stepped forward. Gaby's eyes narrowed, she side-stepped her opponent and punched him in the face.
Jerome's stance relaxed and he smiled. Pride resonated from him. He stopped the training.
"Ow, that really hurt!"
"Man up Ryan, you were about to grab my boob. My mate will not tolerate anyone touching what's his."
Ryan frowned, "Aren't you a bit young for all that?"
"Exactly, if my mate isn't trying to jump my bones then who the hell are you to touch what he's respectfully leaving for the right time?" Gaby snapped.
"He's probably scared of you. I'd hit that anyway since the Goddess provided." Ryan mumbled under his breath.
"Ryan, knock it off. Women, young women, and girls are to be respected and not treated as sexual objects. Try to touch her again and I'll fight you for her honor. She's under my care." Jerome growled.
Gaby stuck her tongue out at Ryan. Ryan scowled. "Why do you care? Doesn't her mate get mad at you for touching her?"
Jerome smiled, "I think her mate is smart enough to know that anything I do with Gabriella is for her well-being."
"Is that why you get a boner for her every time you watch her when you think she isn't looking at you?" Ryan sassed.
Jerome frowned. "You can't tell the difference between respect and care for a femme and lust. How would you feel if the Alpha was all over your mate?"
Ryan rolled his eyes, "Obviously I'd be mad."
"Right, do you think as a future Alpha I intentionally want to endanger my mate?" Jerome asked patiently. Part of him was irritated that anyone dared to question his intentions towards his rightful mate.
Ryan frowned, he knew that Jerome had more than just friendly feelings towards Gaby. Gaby had a huge crush on Jerome. She'd read all his articles, essays, and research papers.
Ryan knew she thought Jerome was a genius even though she disagreed with some of his research findings. Gaby never once spoke to Jerome about it during training she pretended as if she was his little sister. Ryan huffed, he couldn't believe they were both in denial.
"No, you would not endanger your mate."
"Exactly. Do not question me where my mate is concerned." Jerome gave him a stern look.
Ryan felt the authority and bowed his head. He felt proud of his future Alpha. Now to get him to loosen up and get him some loving.
Jerome saw Ryan grin mischievously and wondered what the boy was plotting now. For a runt, he was reckless and had very little fear. At times Jerome did not know whether that was a good or a bad thing.
Jerome had suspected he was in the middle of a love triangle where he loved Gaby and Gaby liked Ryan and Ryan adored Gaby. He had decided to let her have relationships. That was so that when he was able to claim her fully she would have no regrets.
It had been one of the toughest decisions he'd made. He'd been upset because Gaby kept talking about Ryan and how cute he was and how she wanted to protect him. It had driven him nearly berserk.
In the end, he'd told her to ask Ryan out and she'd looked at him as if he'd grown another head. She'd given him such a disapproving look Jerome had felt his heart skip. She couldn't possibly know, could she?
The possibility of her knowing alarmed him. He was unsure of his control if she decided to act on the bond. His dreams were a clear indication of what could happen. He knew he would never forgive himself if he took advantage of her.
He'd been relieved and amused when she spoke to him slowly in a condescending tone about how she merely was concerned about Ryan's survival.
She then stated very plainly the entire pack was her concern. And Jerome felt uneasy all over again.
He was damn proud of her but he doubted she knew the significance of her words to him. It was an odd predicament, she did and said things that elicited primal feelings in him. Had she been of age he would have kissed her.
Instead, he looked at her in awe and told her she was amazing. He had decided that the best he could do was show her that he valued her. He forced his actions to be platonic no matter how tempting it was to show her affection as his mate.
She was truly an extraordinary femme and he felt honored to have her as his. Most of the time he could reel in his errant thoughts but sometimes, especially when he was half awake and she came in to clean his room as was her duty, it was extremely hard.
His father had thought that her cleaning for him was a fair exchange for the training lessons. Jerome had thought so too until he realized that having her so close was like starving and not being able to touch the food in front of you.
It wasn't all the time, just some days when he woke up from a mouth-watering dream, and then the object of his sinful dream walked in. Those mornings he greeted her and then went out for a run.
Normally, by the time he got back, she was almost done and he could just jump in the shower and get ready for the day. On other days his body confused him because her scent was everywhere and he would find himself inhaling her scent on his pillows. Some days it calmed his nature. Other days...
On those days somehow she'd always come back and ask him if he was okay. He'd given up lying to her because on those days she'd hug him for a very long time.
While he tried not to make it obvious he inhaled her scent and gently held her until his True Nature calmed down.
Then she would let go and tell him everything would be okay. Her smile was always genuine and he would smile back, feeling a lot better.
He'd thank her for being his best friend and she would give him a sad smile and then disappear as quickly as she came.
His favorite moment was one day when he came back from a run and found her in one of his shirts. True Nature had begged to claim her fully and do the things in his dreams. She'd looked like a child caught with her hand in the cookie jar.
"What are you doing?" He asked amused though in True Nature.
"I-, I-, I'm sorry Alpha Jerome, I was curious to see just how much bigger than me you are and..." Her voice trailed off in utter embarrassment.
"Okay, now you know." He responded slowly, still very much in True Nature. He stayed still knowing he wasn't thinking straight. She shook in fear. That angered him and he could tell that she felt the anger.
"I promise not-"
"It's fine. Just finish up and go." He walked into his bathroom shutting the door and locking it to keep himself from going back out.
He had heard her groan and fall back on his bed. He could practically see her. Well, his imagination supplied the image. He kept telling himself she was a child and so was he, in terms of Alpha-dom.
He'd showered and left the bathroom wrapped in a towel only to find her asleep on his bed. He'd walked into his closet, locked the door, and gotten dressed. When he came out she had his pillow hugged to her.
His imagination had imagined her much older and he'd felt a rush of possessiveness. When she grew up...things would change. The plus of going to camp was that she'd be in his room so when he came back it would smell of her.
He imagined her falling asleep in his room a lot and the thought warmed his heart. She felt safe in his room. He loved that. He could wait.
***************************************************************************
Jerome glanced back at his room and went over his checklist once again, he had everything he needed. Except for something from Gaby. He'd even packed the shirts that he'd asked her to help him fold.
He asked her to put them on too so that her scent covered them a bit more. She'd wondered if he was punishing her for trying on his shirt but he'd been careful to watch her from afar. His canines had elongated and he hadn't been able to hide it from her.
In the end, she'd asked him if he was trying to get over his anger at seeing her in his shirts by making her do it over and over again. He'd simply told her he was trying to learn to control his True Nature. He hadn't been lying.
It took everything he had not to cross the room and do things that he'd regret but enjoy. It had been tough. At one point he'd broken out into a sweat.
The crazy part was that he knew she was too young. Way too young. There was a part of him that didn't care and that frightened him more than anything.
His father had arrived as she folded the last shirt after taking it off. Jerome was frozen staring at her. Jerome had been panting from the exertion of staying where he was instead of marking his mate, properly.
Jacob had run into the room ready to avert disaster only to see his son bent over as if in pain. His curiosity had sent Gaby away on a chore so that he could ask his son what had happened. His amusement had been overridden by Jerome's discomfort.
Jerome smiled. His father was someone he'd always looked up to and hoped to be as great as. They didn't have the usual Alpha tug of war and for that, Jerome was grateful. Just as he turned to go he heard a wistful howl.
It was Gaby, she was sad. The desire to run to her gripped him faster than he could control himself. It was broad daylight and he was ready to tear apart whoever was hurting her.
He tore past the houses and trees faster than ever before. People (all pack members) were blurs. Moments later he found himself in her mother's backyard before he could think of the consequences.
He jumped over the fence as if it wasn't five feet tall and landed in a crouch facing the fence. He was afraid of what he might see because she wasn't hurt physically and the pull was primal. He took a deep breath.