Chapter 4

Throughout Emery’s first few lessons she feels herself weakening in regards to Dane's command and wanting to lower her head in true submissive form to escape all the heated, some hostile and many confused looks. However as Dane is her mate and he is her Dom she finds herself urged to obey him or try her best to. Plus the promise of a reward serves to reinforce that desire for obedience and if it’s anything like yesterdays she can’t wait.

By third period however she feels more secure in knowing Dane will be in her class. At least in this class she can stare at his gorgeous, thick, bronze hair like always; rather than having to feel the stares boring into her from all angles.

"Dane," sighs Emery, happy in relief at seeing his face.

Dane manages to shake off a few of his friends as he perches against Emery's desk. He places his hand on her exposed shoulder and smiles gently at his adorably innocent mate. If only she could hear the turn his thoughts turn when she sighs his name like that.

"Have you been a good girl for me, Emery?" he asks, his voice smooth as silk and seductive enough to get her heart accelerating.

"Yes Dane, I've been doing exactly as you asked," she whispers back inclining her head towards his stroking hand in a cat like gesture. The submissive action has the Dominant in him perking up with glee and words causing his hand to trace up her neck and then slowly stroke his thumb over her cheek.

"Well done Honey Bee...Now I'll be waiting outside your class at the start of lunch so don't even try slinking off to the library today..." he drops his voice for only her to hear, "or any other place without my permission or you will be punished, understand Emery?"

"Yes Dane," she whispers her thoughts wondering about his punishments. She’d had a taste of the pleasure he can give her but what about the sinfully delicious pain?

"Good," he mutters leaning down and placing a soft kiss on her forehead.

Then straightening up, he walks to his own desk positioned nearer the front. Emery watches his broad shoulders, muscled back, and cute ass stride away with her heart sinking slightly and a soft sigh escaping her parted lips.

As fourth period flashes by Emery’s stomach butterflies turn into colossal birds. She hasn't entered the school cafeteria in about 2 years and to now do so means utter dread washing through her. Last time she had visited she had sat on a table by herself and watched people walk by totally ignoring her-well actually, that's not strictly true- some, especially a few new kids had been bitching and whispering about her, however the rest of the school by then had been well aquatinted with her loner position and had got quickly bored of thinking up mean things to say about her.

Outside the class she lets out a stuttered breath as her heart eases its erratic beating at the sight of her mate.

"Let's go," Dane softly says placing his hand around her side and sharing the calmness of his own steady pulses. As Emery's heartbeat grows louder and harder getting nearer to the cafeteria, Dane starts growing worried-not that he lets it show.

"Emery," he says spinning her around to press her against the wall adjacent to the wide and currently closed doors of Emery's personal hell.

"Dane I can't do it. Please Dane, I can't go in there," she begs, eyes wide with fear. Under the supervision and safety of her teachers, nobody had dared say or do anything to her but just appraised her in silence. However now, in the heap of loosened rules and chaos she felt vulnerable.

"Emery. Trust me. I will always be by your side, okay? You have nothing to worry about. I'm right here Honey Bee," Dane soothes watching her intensely as she sucks in long breaths to calm herself. Glancing up at her mate she nods. She can do this! After all, Dane's right beside her now.

"I'm proud of you Honey Bee," he whispers to her causing her stomach to flip in happiness and a smile to appear on her features.

Walking flush next to Dane's side the cafeteria considerably quietens as people take in the scene before them. For the first time since being at the school Dane Carter has his arm around somebody, and looks like he wants it to be there. And it’s not just any somebody but a hot somebody. Many of the seniors who'd had classes with Emery start sharing their knowledge of her to anyone interested.

Like something out of a cheesy Disney film; the plain ugly loser has turned somewhat hot, and much to their surprise, as Tyler informs them, Dane Carter and Emery Collins are mates.

Charlotte who had previously been one of Dane's one night stands feels herself grow angry, envious and hurt by the Carter brother having found his mate. The boy had proven himself a magnificent man in the bedroom, taking care and paying attention to her. Treating her with so much respect-giving as much as he got. And the orgasms! Oh God! The orgasms were out of this world. Out of all the other high school boys, Dane Carter is different; he’s sexier, mature, more passionate; and Charlotte would be damned if she let some pathetic nobody steal him away from her.

"See you're fine," encourages Dane as he buys lunch for her.

Emery nods and picks at the pizza slice. Her lack of appetite isn’t due to an eating disorder but rather habit. Food is prohibited into the library so instead of eating lunch and then going to the library she usually just skips the meal completely and eats as soon as she gets home. But today Dane had insisted and not wanting to hold up the lunch line she’d just picked the plate with a pizza slice on.

"What is it Honey Bee?" Dane asks seeing his mate look around the room. He’s well aware many of the students in the cafeteria are staring at them but he doesn’t care. What he does care about is his mate and the idea of her being unsettled by some nosey, snooty teens angers him.

"Nothing Dane...Thanks for buying me lunch," replies Emery waving off the matter. She feels far more confident with Dane there and even if Dane may not be in this for the long run, it doesn't change the fact that he's sat having lunch with her and not any of the others girls in the cafeteria.

"Not a problem Honey Bee...After all I don't want you wasting away to nothing," he grins and kisses the side of her head.

Across the cafeteria, Charlotte seethes with fury. Her grasp on her fork gets so tight it cracks the plastic.

"That bìtch! How fúcking dare she?! Who the hell does she think she is?!" spits Charlotte venomously. Kate glances at her best friend and then back to her salad, before shrugging. "They're mates Char-"

"Says who?!"

"Tyler. He says Dane announced it this morning. I think they're cute together," chirps Kate, which just seems to make Charlotte even madder. She refuses to believe that for even one second. No way could Dane have such a god-awful mate like Emery.

"'Cute'?! Ew! That Emery girl is nothing but…-but an ugly loser! She's pathetic! She doesn't deserve Dane! Dane's..." Charlotte let out a sigh, "Dane's so hot and perfect. He belongs with me not some...Ugh! Some bìtch like Emery Collins!"

Kate frowns at her jealous friend but says nothing. She knows Charlotte fixates on Dane way too much and sometimes even half wishes they could have been mates so she wouldn't have to hear Charlotte venting so much. But now that it turns out that it's the poor library girl, Kate only hopes the girl can stand her own against Charlotte's wrath.