“Trey?”
“Ah, you remember my name.” He sat down in front of her, pulling his bag in front of him. “Why are you eating out here?”
Biting her lip, she looked down at her food. “Erm, I don’t, erm, I never eat in the lunch hall.”
“Why not?”
Staring at him, Scarlett wondered if he even thought about what he was saying. “It’s safer to eat out here.”
He continued to look at her, confused.
“I’m not exactly popular. It gets boring being called a pig every day.”
Trey’s cheeks went red. “You’re bullied here?”
“It’s, erm, it’s a given. I’m overweight, and it’s not really—” Scarlett stopped feeling her own cheeks heat. “I don’t actually know what to say.”
“May I sit and eat with you?”
She nodded.
“Where are your other friends?”
Staring down at her sandwich, Scarlett started to lose what little appetite she had. “I’ve not really got the best track record with friends.”
No one wanted to hang out with her in case the bullying turned around on her.
“Well, I’d love to be your friend.”
Looking up, she saw he was smiling back.
“Are you sure? They could bully you as well.”
“I can handle myself, believe me.”
Chuckling, she closed her book and stared back at him. “Okay, if you want to risk it.”
“For you, I will.”
Heat bloomed inside her. It was nice to have someone who wasn’t calling her names.
Chapter Four
Marshall stopped outside of his locker room. Everyone was charging toward the lunchroom. Hunger filled the air, but something caught Marshall’s attention. All of his senses went on high alert at the smell of fresh roses, the earth, and home.
Mate!
His wolf came roaring to the surface, demanding he find her.
“Whoa, Marshall, what the fuck, man?” Jack put a hand on his shoulder.
Gritting his teeth, Marshall struggled against the need coursing through him. His body was burning up. The need to claim was stronger than ever before. This couldn’t be happening, and yet it was.
“She’s here,” Marshall said.
“Who?”
Closing his eyes, Marshall blew out a breath. The scent of his mate was fading. Where was she? Who was she?
“Mate.”
“Holy fuck, for real?”
“Yes.”
“Shit, do you want me to call your father?”
Marshall shook his head. He didn’t want his father here. It wouldn’t help. His wolf would calm the moment he found the woman meant for him, the woman who’d calm the beast inside him.
“No. I’ve got to find her.”
“Shit, I hope it’s not a teacher. That would be totally messed up.”
Laughing, Marshall slammed his locker closed. He’d find his mate and everything would be okay.
“Let’s go and find her.”
“You’re going to sniff her out like a dog?”
“I’ve got to do this on my own. Get us some food.”
“Are you sure?”
Marshall didn’t want to share this moment with anyone else. This was all him, and the thought of having Jack there didn’t ease him at all.
“Yeah.”
“I can’t wait to see who it is.”
He waited for his friend to leave before he picked up the floral scent once again.
Go. Find her. Claim her.
Marshall came to a stop at the doors leading outside. The moment he went outside he was at risk of losing her.
She’s out there. Go now!
His wolf pounced, and Marshall walked outside.
The scent increased as he made his way around the building. When he saw a blond guy around his age sitting in front of the tree, Marshall froze. There was no fucking way his mate was male.
Marshall would rather die than fuck another man.
Then he heard her voice. It was soft, delicate, and belonged to his true mate. He closed his eyes as he basked in the sound and scent of his mate. She was leaning against the tree. His cock thickened, ready to mate. Stepping closer, Marshall felt his whole world collide, explode, implode, shatter, and fall around him.
Underneath the tree sat his mate, Scarlett Fields. The one girl he’d spent a great deal of time bullying. Was this the reason he was obsessed with her? His body had known before him that she was destined to be his mate? She was oblivious to his presence, smiling at the mystery guy. He didn’t like it. His wolf growled, clawed, and spat wanting to kill the man who was making their mate smile.
Scarlett is my mate.
He stood reeling from the knowledge. There had always been something about her over the years, but he’d never understood what it was. The scent that had clung to her had always been nice. This time, his wolf senses were addicted. Her overweight figure no longer seemed wrong to him. She would be able to handle him, take his cock inside her warm body. Scarlett was built to be his mate, to handle his wolf.
Without thinking, he stepped closer. He snapped a twig on his way over to her.
Scarlett looked up, and he was drowning in her brown gaze. Marshall stopped as mixed with her addictive scent was the undeniable smell of fear. She was afraid of him. Her eyes went wide as she stared back at him. Did she know what he was? Who he was?
Then the other dawning horror struck him. His mate was human.
“Scarlett? Are you okay?”
Her gaze flickered away from him. “Yeah, I’m sorry.”
Do something.
He was making a total ass of himself. Walking up to Scarlett, he leaned against the tree.
“Hello, Scarlett, I was wondering when I was going to see you.”
She tucked some hair behind her ear. The glossy brown length made him want to run his fingers through the locks. Her hair looked so damned soft to the touch.
“Hello.”
Wow, fucking hell. The one word from her lips had the beast inside him calming.
“Who are you?” The male’s voice interrupted that calm, invading his thoughts.
Glaring down at the blond, Marshall smelled the human didn’t like him. What fucking ever.
“Trey, this is Marshall.” Scarlett made the introductions.
“You’re new here?”
“Certainly am. Scarlett here is making me feel right at home.” Trey’s smile was filled with so much promise.
“Scarlett, can I talk to you?” Marshall asked, glaring at Trey.
“What? Why?”
“I really need to talk to you.”
The fear increased, and she looked down at her bag as if looking for an excuse not to. “Erm, okay.”
She got to her feet, leaving her bag on the ground.
Reaching out, he went to grab her arm but stopped when she flinched away. She was totally afraid of him. All of his father’s warnings crashed through him as stared into her brown eyes. Not only did his father’s warnings come over him but all the years where he’d been cruel to her, came upon him all at once. He’d done this. His mate, his very reason for living, didn’t trust him.
His wolf wasn’t happy.
Marshall didn’t touch her. Stepping away from Trey, he waited for her to stand in front of him. She wore dungarees that hid a great deal of her body. The white shirt underneath was rolled up to her elbows showing her arms. His body responded to the sight of her. This time he wasn’t unhappy about his body’s response to her. He relished it. He’d found his mate.
“How have you been?”
She continued to frown, glancing around him. “What’s going on?”
“Nothing. I just want to know how you’ve been?”
Scarlett licked her lips, and the very action had a groan releasing from his mouth. He couldn’t stop himself from touching her plump bottom lip. Sliding his finger over her lip, Marshall jerked his hand away when the fear gathered around her. He could think of something else to do with those full lips.
“Why are you doing this?” she asked, looking behind her.
“Who are you looking for?”
“I’m waiting for the butt of the joke. What are you going to do?”
He rubbed at his temple.
You hurt her, and now she’s waiting for you to hurt her some more.
“I’m not going to hurt you.”
His words didn’t calm her down. In fact, she looked more nervous.
“May I go?”
Marshall opened his mouth as if to say something more but then stopped when she took a step back. This was a big problem. His wolf slammed against him, and he turned away, going into the lunchroom. Marshall needed the chaos of the school to calm his wolf down. He found Jack sitting alone with three lunch trays.
“Where is she? Did you find her?”
Grabbing the carton of juice from the tray, Marshall took a long swig, needing to distract his wolf.
“Shit, it’s a teacher, isn’t it?”
He shook his head.
“What then?”
Marshall didn’t speak. He took several gulps of his drink. “I found her, and it’s not a teacher.” Part of him wished it was a teacher as it would make life so much easier.
“Go on then, spill. Who was it?”
“Scarlett Fields.” The name had his insides twisting and turning. It was heaven to him.
Jack burst out laughing. “Yeah, right. Come on, stop trying to make me laugh.”
“I’m not trying to make you laugh.” Marshall glared at his friend. “She’s my mate.”
The smile on Jack’s face dropped.