My lips parted, and I leaned forward.

Axel! Van's voice cut through my foggy head. My first response—fully instinctual—was to snarl in anger, but I barely managed to suppress it. 

Axel, Alex. Calm down. I can smell you from here and I'm three classes over, Van continued, voice piercing my tumultuous state.

He's mine, I growled back. 

I could feel Van reeling in surprise, but in just a moment, he was there, so much so that I thought he was physically next to me, giving off those familiar calming vibes.

We know, Van soothed, firm and steady—with just enough submission to keep me from feeling confrontational. Everyone knows. We're pack, Alpha, we know. He's yours.

I felt my muscles unclenching, but my only response was a discontent noise. 

He's yours, so you don't want to scare him, right? Van encouraged. I hesitated. That's right, he's a human. You're going to be gentle and calm with him.

... I don't think I've ever been gentle and calm with anyone, I responded wryly. Van snickered, relieved.

Thank goodness, Van sighed. I was about to run over there and pull you out of class. You stink like hell, by the way. I can smell you from here.

I looked around the classroom. The sharp scent of unease from the other wolves in my pack filled the room, and they all kept glancing and peering over, unsure whether to run to or away from me.

I closed my eyes, inhaling out deeply, from the core of my chest. My wolf spirit was still discontent, but I pushed past it, sympathetic but firm. My scent died down, and I gave them an apologetic nod.

The other wolves relaxed, accepting the show of my control over myself as the signal that everything was okay.

Oliver, thankfully, seemed to not notice—or just ignore—my slight loss of control. It wasn't surprising, considering it was mostly supernatural. He couldn't speak the language of scents like we did.

Instead, he'd returned to sitting at his desk, and was writing away in some folder or the other.

Sorry, I apologized to Van, who was still keeping himself connected to me. School was a waste of time to me, but I knew Van cared about it, and I was distracting him from class. 

Oliver leaned over and his neck was in my face... I explained. Have you ever smelt him before?

I have, Van deadpanned. And it didn't send me into a fit.

. . . I scratched my neck. Satisfied that I'd calmed down, Van snorted and removed him presence from me, making me gulp as Oliver's scent filled that space instead.

It was already overwhelming, and I could feel my wolf spirit return already. Not now, Alex, I snapped, trying to dull myself to the tempting scent Oliver was letting out.

"So," I cleared my throat, scooting my chair over next to his. Oliver looked at me briefly, focused on what he was writing. "What's up?"

He didn't hesitate. Oliver went right what he was his proposal for the project, and I tried to pay attention. He went through a couple points, but instead of focusing on the words he was pointing to on the paper, I couldn't help but stare at his hands.

There was nothing particularly small about them, but they certainly didn't compare to me. His hands were a bit smaller, but not that much smaller... 

Would his hands be large enough to wrap around my—

No, no, no! Shit, what the hell was I thinking?!

The images flooded to mind, even when I focused on the ripe old body of the gym teacher out the window. 

Oliver's smooth, unblemished neck in front of me, as he leaned closer, his hands struggling to wrap around my length as he stared up at me with those rebellious eyes. The way he'd furrow his brow in concentration as he worked me, the same way he furrowed his brow when he was explaining his notes.

I clenched my jaw, the urge to leave my mark on him coming back in full force.

Oliver always looked so composed—but I'd break that facade apart when I pushed him down on the bed, pinning him to the mattress and taking my place between his parted legs. 

The way his eyes would flutter shut, the way he'd try but fail to keep back all the erotic noises I'd tear out from him—I'd make him unable to doubt that he was mine.

Fuck. I knew I must stink again, but Van didn't interfere—in fact, I could feel his vague sense of amusement and despair. 

No shit. Even I was shocked and despairing. What the hell was I thinking about?!

"Does that sound okay?" Oliver asked, still concentrating on the assignment. "If you're fine with it, we can ask him to approve it right now."

"Yeah, sounds great," I grabbed the binder, held it in front of my crotch and stood up. Oliver blinked up at me, his olive eyes almost making my cheeks feel hot. Did he know what I was thinking about? "I'll go get it approved, you stay here."

"Ah...okay." Oliver watched me with confusion, but I hightailed it to the other end of class.

I tried to ignore the knowing looks and badly hidden snickers of amusement from the other wolves. Frustratingly—embarrassingly— my glares were ineffective in shutting them up.

Our lazy chemistry teacher barely took a few minutes to go through the proposal, and when he gave it a thumbs up, I hesitated, not ready to return to Oliver. 

But when I looked over and saw him flirting with the group sitting a few seats away, I scowled.

Watching Oliver joke and laugh with the people around him made something in my chest feel weird. 

He was charming, I'd give him that. Even I had to admit he seemed pretty damn likable and sweet.

To everyone but me, of course. When I came back to Oliver's desk, the others left. And so did the smile on Oliver's face.

"Did he approve it?" he asked.

I nodded. The flat tone he used with me was so different than the laughter from just seconds ago. There was a vague sense of disappointment in my chest...probably just the wolf spirit, I ignored it.

"Great, I already started on the outline of the lab. Since you're already up, go get this approved too." Oliver waved me off with another paper.

I glowered. I was not some little puppy that could be treated like a messenger boy! I was the goddamn Alpha! 

Nevertheless, I went and handed it in to the teacher, getting another lazy thumbs up, before storming back.

I didn't even get a chance to complain. Oliver had written a list to divide the work between us, and sure, I didn't have a single clue what was going on, but it pissed me off!

"Why do you have so much more work than I do?" I demanded. I was stronger, I could take it!

"Because I don't really trust you. By the way, make sure to send me your stuff when you're done with it, okay?" I glared. 

What did he mean he didn't trust me?! And why did I have to get everything checked by him? I wasn't a child! Sure I wasn't the best at school, but I wasn't failing or anything! Van tutored me!

Oliver must have noticed my look because he sighed. "You can check over my stuff too, if that makes you feel better, Mr. Alpha."

Even though it was sarcastic, him calling me Alpha was very satisfying. I did not want to be turned on again, so I cleared my throat.

"So, when should we meet up?" I asked, going back to the original plan of inviting him over and seducing him.

Oliver cocked his head, and damn it—why was that cute?! 

"Thursdays and Fridays don't work for me, but any other day is fine. Where do you want to meet up? All the library rooms are booked weeks in advance, and I don't have any free periods. And you aren't coming to my place," Oliver ran through the options, his tone very matter-of-fact.

I frowned. Why couldn't I come over? 

His guard would probably be lowered in his own territory, so I could use that to get a hand up over him... 

No, it would be more convenient in my territory. I'd have the advantage there.

"I can't do Tuesdays or Thursdays." I had pack and Alpha duties I couldn't skip out on. "We can work at my place."

"Then, Mondays and Wednesdays after school, and maybe the weekends?" I nodded. "Great. Where do you live? Is there a bus that goes past your area?" Oliver took out his phone, poised to search up the address.

I frowned. Why would he take the bus? "It's fine, I'll just drive you there."

"No thanks," he swiftly refused me. "I'll take the bus. What did you say the address was?"

My frown deepened. Why was he so stubborn? "Just let me drive you."

He shook his head. "Do you live to the north? The buses there—"

"Damn it Olive, just let me drive you!" I burst, irritated. Why the hell was he refusing me so insistently?! Couldn't he let me do anything for him? He didn't have to be so damn—

Oliver stared, taken aback, and I realized I called him Olive. Olive. Shit, that was—I struggled to keep my cheeks from turning red. 

I could call him Olive if I wanted to! He was mine! I didn't have to feel embarrassed about it!

Finally, he sighed but nodded. "Fine, but if you're busy—with your girlfriends or whatever—I'll just take the bus."

His casual emphasis on the plural took me aback. Was that why he wouldn't let me drive him? 

"I don't have any girlfriends," I hurriedly cleared up. "That slut at lunch just threw herself at me. I swear, it didn't mean anything!"

He gave me a strange look. "Okay? That's... cool." There was an awkward moment of pause.

Oliver continued. "That's right—you started dating Rebecca last week, didn't you?" He couldn't sound less interested if he tried, gazing out the window.

I stared. It was clear as day that he didn't really care. He was talking as if to just fill the space. Is this what small talk was? 

I hated how performative it felt, but at least I could clarify things with him.

"We're not going out." I left no room for interpretation. "I'm not with anybody... yet." I leaned in with that last bit just a bit, watching his reaction.

Oliver leaned away casually, pretending he was resting against the wall. "That's cool."

The indifference pissed me off. I was getting nowhere with him.

"So..." I trailed off, thinking. "Do you want to start on the project, and come over today?" I gestured to the folder. "Might as well get a head start, right?"

Oliver cocked his head, considering it. "Let me check." He was on his phone in just a moment, holding it up to his ear.

My enhanced senses let me eavesdrop in on his conversation.

"What?" A female voice asked when the call picked up.

"Hello?" Oliver responded. The lady grunted. "Yeah, hi. I'll be coming home late tonight."

"Drugs and parties?" The lady asked.

"Worse, a shitty chem project with an asshole." Him lowering his voice was futile. I heard everything. And I wasn't pleased.

"Cool. What time will you get home?"

"Probably still before you, but definitely before sunset?" Oliver frowned. "I think. I dunno, you know I've always kinda hate chemis—"

A noise over the phone cut him off, and I strained my ears to listen in.

"Yeah, I'll be right there, tell them to wait another two minutes," the lady was telling someone else in the background. "Oliver?" she returned to the phone.

"Yeah?"

"If that's all, see you at home."

"Okay, see y—," the phone call ended in the middle of his sentence. Oliver turned back to me.

"Was that your mom?" I jumped in before he could say anything.

Oliver blinked at me. He opened his mouth, and then closed it. "Yeah...?"

"Cool." I scratched my neck, curious. Then I remembered what he said. "I'm not an asshole, by the way!"

"Oh, whoops, did I say that? Axel and asshole are very similar," Oliver gave me a smile I knew was fake. "In more ways that one, haha. My bad."

I clenched my jaw. I'm not an asshole! I'm not!

"Anyways, yeah, I can come over tonight," Oliver began backing his bag. Was class already over?

"Oh, great. Right. Um. I'll pick you up from your locker—"

"What?" Oliver gave me a questioning look. "Why? I'll meet you out front."

"Right." That's right. Oliver wasn't a girl, he wasn't charmed by things my exes loved. I couldn't get away with just treating him like a girl. Shit. How was I supposed to court or seduce a guy? "My car is the newest model of—"

"I know," he cut me off gently. "I've seen it."

"Right." I had been parading her around since I got her. She was a beauty, but Oliver didn't seem impressed. I scratched my cheek.

Oliver busied himself with something on his phone, and I sat there, watching him. The silence was deafening. What was I supposed to say? He wasn't interested in talking and I didn't know what to say. Who else could I talk to?

Mom, dad, I'm bringing Oliver home tonight, I linked my parents. My mom gasped.

Your mate?! Oh honey, I'm so excited! I can't wait to meet him, my mom gushed. 

I waited for her to finish. Oh no, the house is a mess! We've got to clean this place up—Axel, don't spring things up on me so last minute, what kind of impression do you think—

The house is cleaned daily, mom, I rolled my eyes. Oliver isn't coming over to inspect the floors, we're working on a school project.

Axel, what did I say about giving people a warning before you link them? My dad chastised, slightly distracted. You know I'm at work.

Sorry, I grunted. Anyways, can you make sure nobody shifts around the house when we get back? He's human, so...

Alright, Dad agreed. I want to meet this mate of yours. Is he staying for dinner?

Oh, he has to! My mom insisted.

One sec, I cut them off and turned to Oliver. "Hey, are you going to stay for dinner?"

Oliver hesitated.

I saw the opportunity and took it. "We'll probably be working for a while, and we eat dinner pretty early at my place," I hinted. "And my family wouldn't mind at all, it wouldn't be a problem."

"... If you're sure they won't mind," Oliver agreed, tentative.

"They won't," I assured. "My parents want to meet you."

Oliver raised an eyebrow. "Oh?"

I coughed. Shit, that totally made it seem like I talk about him or something. He stared a moment longer before getting distracted by something on his phone.

Yeah, mom, dad, he's staying. Please act normal, for once in your life, okay? I sighed. He's human.

Oh honey, when aren't we normal? My mom questioned with an airy laugh.

My dad and I both were silent. My mom huffed.

Well, there's no need to worry, she continued. I've already got Janice and Sichan cleaning the area up—we're getting the nice drapes out tonight!—and Sahra and Lily are going to be helping out with the cooking—by the way, Sahra came up with a recipe for this amazing new dish—

I zoned out, and I'm sure my dad did too. Luckily, the bell rang, so I had an excuse to cut her off and leave. I had to go get ready to take Oliver home, and tell Van and the others that we'd be having a guest.

Even when Oliver and I left the classroom and headed separate ways to our lockers, his scent clung to my skin. My feet felt light, my head chest thrumming with anticipation.

Finally.

Finally I had a chance. I'd seduce Oliver at my house, mate with him, and then inherit my position as Alpha. I knew just how to get someone want to be under me once we were in bed and alone.

I just had to stop thinking of how good Oliver would look underneath me.