Arrow Inferno
Chapter 43: Jeremy Stanton vs. Ryan Hicks Feral attraction in the midst of hatred… Queue in the attacks!

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"May I know exactly why you feel it's necessary to follow me around at my workplace?" Ryan shrugged out of his blazer. "Vincent is already here."

Vincent was the werewolf who had been assigned to Ryan as his bodyguard. He went with Ryan anytime he had to go to his apartment. Ryan had protested that morning when Jeremy had insisted that Vincent accompany him to school. After a lengthy argument, Jeremy had promised to stop Vincent immediately he was convinced Ryan could defend himself in an attack. Grudgingly relenting, Ryan had left home with the nice man...werewolf. He did enjoy Vincent's company anyway so it wasn't so bad.

"I just want to." Jeremy still had his back to Ryan.

"Jeremy!" Ryan groaned, taking a seat at the edge of his desk. "If you have any respect for me at all, you'll be truthful with me at all times. I'm not dumb you know."

"I respect you, Ryan." Jeremy turned to face his mate.

"Really? And you expect me to swallow that bullshit?" He combed his fingers through his hair. "Does this have anything to do with what you were saying about it being dangerous to... Where's Timmy York?" Ryan's eyes narrowed suspiciously. "He's fine," Jeremy said with a smile. "He's now at Oxford, where he wanted to be in the first place. With his girlfriend. He's okay, Ryan. We didn't harm him."

"Thanks," Ryan mumbled. "So if that threat is no more, then why..."

"The current threat is even worse, Ryan." Jeremy moved to stand in front of Ryan. "That announcement last night...when I told everyone in the arena that you're my mate..." "They hated it." Ryan groaned.

"No, no. On the contrary, they are very happy that I found you."

"So what's the problem?"

"Well... I haven't exactly been celibate." Jeremy said with a sheepish look on his face. "And some of my former...lovers would want to attack you. Show exactly why you're not suitable for me but they are. It's a wolf thing." He shrugged. "So now I have to contend with the wrath of your...lovers on top of my woes." Ryan didn't sound amused at all.

"I'm sorry." Jeremy grimaced.

"Shouldn't my being your mate rather scare them off? Can anyone just attack the alpha's mate and get away with it?"

"Well...they will attack with the intention of defeating you not kill you. Once it remains a mere attack, they can't be punished unless they actually..."

"Kill me," Ryan concluded.

"Yes."

"Does this happen to everyone who finds a mate and already has fuck buddies?" Ryan was getting irritated. And fast.

"No, not everyone. I'm the alpha. I need a strong mate. So they instinctively try to prove that they're stronger than my mate and must be taken instead."

"Interesting. And has an alpha actually picked one of his fuck buddies over his mate before?" Ryan tilted his head to the side and looked at Jeremy curiously.

"No. But that won't stop them from trying. As I said, it's a..."

"...wolf thing." Ryan finished in a bored voice. "One would have thought you being half-humans and all would have given you more sense. But obviously, you're animals first." He rasped. "So I guess I have to get ready for premeditated attacks, huh? Just my luck." He muttered. "Listen, isn't there anything I can do to avoid all this?"

Jeremy went quiet. Then he pinched the bridge of his nose in frustration. "You're not going to like what I'm going to say."

"Just tell me." Ryan snapped.

"You'll have to accept my mark in a proper mating ceremony."

"You're right, I don't like it. Not gonna happen. Any other solution?" He looked up at Jeremy. "None."

"It's settled then." Ryan moved off the desk. "Please tell Stan I want to begin my training with him this evening. The earlier I learn how to fight, the better. 'Cause I'm sure as hell not going to hide or stand quietly whilst your women kick my arse." "Ryan, it's not going to stop till I mark you." Jeremy felt he owed his mate the truth for his safety.

"I'll take my chances with your lovers," Ryan responded tightly. Although he knew it didn't make sense, he was so pissed off at the fact that Jeremy had even slept with those women in the first place. Jealousy ate at him, clawing and twisting his stomach... making his blood boil... It's only natural for a hot-blooded man such as Jeremy, to have lovers for fuck's sake, Ryan screamed at himself but it didn't stop that unpleasant feeling within. "So tell me, was it okay to go around fucking people simply because they didn't have mates? I'm assuming those women couldn't have had sex with you if they had mates..."

"The werewolves that I had that kind of relations with were older wolves who had lost any hope of finding themselves mates. Most of my women were humans." Jeremy watched annoyance flash across his mate's face at his words and groaned. "Ryan I didn't have a mate then. And I have needs."

"Oh I know just how ruthless and excruciatingly violent those needs can be." Ryan's tone was deceptively neutral. "Had a starring role in one of such...assuagement of needs, remember?" He went to sit in one of the couches and looked up at Jeremy. "So you were going with cougars huh?"

Jeremy exhaled roughly. He knew Ryan was hurting but that didn't make that barb hurt any less. "Depends on who you call a cougar. Werewolves actually look younger and hotter than their age. So they may be fifty but actually, look twenty. Now that I've explained, care to give me a number?"

"Fuck you," Ryan muttered, looking at his fingers clasped tightly together in his lap. "I've suddenly lost my appetite. You'll have to go and eat alone."

"Hey. Come here." Jeremy said, reaching for Ryan's hand and pulling him up into his arms. He remembered how he'd felt earlier when Ryan had merely implied he wouldn't mind fucking that girl. It was only natural for Ryan to hurt, hearing about his mate's lovers. "I know how you feel. And I'm sorry." That was the best he could do under the circumstances. Apologize.

Ryan stood stiffly within Jeremy's arms. "I'm so mad at you right now." He mumbled but Jeremy heard him perfectly.

"I know and I'm sorry." Jeremy pressed a kiss against Ryan's hair. He hated that Ryan was so upset and pissed off at him.

"But you're forgetting something," Ryan said after a while. "Who would want to attack the mate of an Ojah?"

"As I said, it's a wolf thing. Besides, I'm their alpha and they know I wouldn't hurt them." Jeremy said.

That statement was all it took to make Ryan even angrier. Jeremy's lovers, and the pack for that matter, had faith that their alpha wouldn't hurt them. But being Jeremy's mate hadn't stopped the alpha from hurting him. He clearly remembered the injustice done to him by someone who was supposed to be his mate and protector. Jeremy knew he'd said the wrong thing immediately he felt Ryan tense up against him.

"I guess to you, a mate is rather at the bottom of the food chain," Ryan muttered as he pushed out of Jeremy's embrace.

"Oh my God Ryan, you know that's not true..." Jeremy groaned, so frustrated he wanted to scream. "I'm sorry for what I did to you but don't tell me you wouldn't mind if I started to harm people in..."

"Don't mind me, Jeremy." Ryan quietly cut Jeremy off as he went behind his desk and settled into his chair "I'm just...ugh!" He rubbed at his face, as he released a frustrated breath. "Go get something to eat, okay? No one can attack me here. From what I've been taught, they wouldn't want to expose themselves. I'll be fine."

"Ryan..."

"Just go, Jeremy," Ryan said without looking up.

With a long and slow exhale, Jeremy pulled out his cell phone and dialed a number. He proceeded to order some food to be delivered to Ryan's office and then sat down to read a magazine. When Ryan stood after about ten minutes and headed towards the door, Jeremy got to his feet with a curious look on his face.

"Where are you going?"

"To the washroom." Ryan snapped.

"I'm coming with..."

"I don't need you protecting me, Jeremy." Ryan cut him off. What wolf would possibly attack him in broad daylight? "It's not necessary."

"Trust me, it's for your own good."

"No, it's insulting and totally uncalled for. Don't you dare attempt to follow me. I'm not a child." With that, Ryan opened the door and stepped onto the quiet corridor.

Almost all the lecturers were busy lecturing around that time of day so it wasn't surprising that the place was so quiet. As Ryan walked to the washroom which was at the far end of the corridor, he caught a glimpse of Vincent, leaning against a tree and shook his head in amusement. Jeremy had assured him that he wouldn't even know Vincent was there because the hunk of a man would be as inconspicuous as he could. Yeah right, Ryan chuckled as he opened the door to an empty washroom. He didn't notice the pretty, curvy blond in the sexy sportswear, with her back to him, pretending to be doing something important on her cell phone. Neither did he notice her turn to follow him with an evil smile on her face. It was on!