Page 6

“If I needed help, which I don’t, I would not want it from you. Now, leave.”

Xavier’s jaw clenched and his eyes narrowed slightly. “So you’re saying you don’t need a hand with the essay?”

“Nope, more than fine.”

Xavier brought his hand back in a flash and slammed it against the door, breaking my grip on it. The door swung open and I saw his eyes turn a darker shade of green as he stare my packed bags on my bed.

“Yeah, looks like you are set up for a huge night of studying.”

I crossed my arms. “OK. So I lied. Get over it.”

“Where are you going?” He crossed his arms. And I couldn’t help but notice the way his muscles flexed. “Are you running away?” Hurt flashed in his eyes.

I let out a little grunt. “As if! That would stuff up my future plans.” My future plans of leeching off my brother, that is. “I’m just going to stay at a mate’s house.”

Xavier gritted his teeth. “And which mate would this be?”

He was acting jealous, like he always did. But he denied me. If he really wanted me, he could have me, but he didn’t. So this whole jealousy thing was getting boring.

“Scott’s or Dan’s. I haven’t decided.” I took a step towards him. I saw his eyes widened as I did. “Are you jealous?”

Xavier’s lips tightened for a moment, as I took another step towards him, a slim gap now between our bodies. “Are you playing games with me, Chloe? Again?”

I knew the hurt showed in my eyes for a moment and I knew he saw it. Because games were the only way I kept him interested in me.

“If you want me, Xavier, you just need to speak up.” I dragged a finger down his tight chest. “And I don’t play games.”

I tilted my head back slightly so I could stare up at him. His eyes were locked with mine. I would often get lost in the sea of green of his eyes. Out of instinct I pressed my body against his.

He closed his eyes for a moment, before pulling my hand from his chest. “I already told you, Chloe. I can’t. We can’t.”

I shook my head and took a step away from him, pulling my hand from his at the same time. “Yeah, I remember.” Bitterness and hurt coated my voice. “You’re my teacher and another member of the pack. Pity I can’t just hate you. Instead I am consumed with love for you and I hate it.”

Xavier’s lips twitched into a weak, pitiful smile for me. “I can’t make you happy, Chloe. You have to realize we aren’t meant to be.”

“Then why the hell are you my mate in the first place? If we aren’t ‘meant to be’?” I crossed my arms. “I think the whole point of having a ‘mate’ is we are meant to be.”

“I’m your teacher. I am six years older than you. I have baggage. I don’t like commitment and I can’t settle down.”

I raised my head slightly and, with an air of determination, I stood in front of him. “I do not plan on being your student for long. My father is nine years older than my mother. I am an alpha’s daughter. I never asked you for commitment and I never mentioned anything about settling down!”

I pushed his shoulder with force. Xavier stumbled back out of the doorframe. “I never asked anything of you, Xavier. The only thing I expected from you was for you to say yes to me, to claim me.”

I slammed the door in his face and stormed off in the direction of my window, scooping up my bag of the bed, on the way. Screw him. Screw the whole mate thing.

I was going out to have fun with my friends and, well, he could just be my gym teacher. And when I wasn’t a student anymore, he wouldn’t even be that to me.

Dropping down from my window, I landed on my feet with ease. Good thing my room wasn’t on one of the higher levels, I thought, as I darted into the trees that surrounded the house.