Savage Desire
Chapter 13

Ryan looked at the packed auditorium in shock. His class had never been that filled to capacity. He could guess why it was so though. The Vice chancellor had told him that morning that there were rumours on campus that he'd been taken by an animal. "I hear you got devoured or sacrificed by tigers or wolves at the Stanton Woods." The amused elderly man had said by way of greeted when he'd seen Ryan that morning. "Really?" Ryan had gasped with a pounding heart.

"I think it was rather vampires." The man frowned as he tried very hard to remember what exactly the rumour was. "Ugh I can't remember. You know students and their stories. Glad you're back Professor Hicks."

So Ryan wasn't surprised at all at the crowd. They probably wanted to ask him silly questions about supernatural beings. Damn that Timmy York. Ryan quickly moved his eyes around but couldn't see Timmy in the crowd. Good riddance to bad rubbish, he thought as he adjusted the tiny microphone attached to the lapel of his black blazer.

"Wow." Ryan said, looking at the curious faces. The students laughed.

Most of them were not supposed to be in his lecture but there they were. Ryan knew students very well. So rather than drive the non-zoology students out, he decided to take the opportunity to advise them before they trooped into Stanton Woods in their numbers, in hopes of seeing a werewolf.

"Now, I'm not going to pretend the reason this class is so full of my good looks is the students erupted." he laughed.

"You're gorgeous, Professor Hicks." One female student screamed, causing more laughter.

"Why, thank you." Ryan grinned. He was used to the female students passing such comments. "So...Stanton Woods." More laughter. "I've heard the same weird stories you've heard about Stanton Woods. But don't believe everything you hear and try not to get tempted to go and see for yourselves." Ryan paused and looked at the attentive but curious faces. "Because I'm pretty sure the only thing you're likely to get if you make that trip, is a trespassing ticket. So do me a favour and stay out."

The students erupted into laughter. Ryan had electively burst their bubbles and they found that funny. Ryan couldn't help but chuckle. Students were so predictable, he thought. The look on the faces of the students when he'd mentioned the trespassing ticket had been priceless. They'd obviously been expecting something revealing from him. Definitely not a threat of a ticket.

"Now, can all non-zoology students kindly leave my lecture hall for me please?"

More than half the class stood to leave, laughing as they went.

'Nicely done. Ryan heard Jeremy in his head and looked around to see where his mate was.

He spotted Jeremy at the top right corner of the lecture hall and just stared at the man. 'Why didn't I smell you?' Ryan asked in surprise.

'That's 'cause I've masked my scent. Jeremy replied smugly.

'What are you doing here?'

'Watching you teach, Prof.' Jeremy grinned, and then actually laughed when he saw Ryan blush.

'You're not my student. Ryan stated the obvious as he moved behind the lectern to look down at his notes. 'I'm teaching Animal Behaviour today. You already know your behaviour first hand so... 'Ouch.' Jeremy pinched the bridge of his nose. 'I still want to listen!

'Suit yourself. Ryan said and then began his lecture. His students wouldn't mind Jeremy being there because they were used to having observing lecturers in their lectures once in a while.

Jeremy watched his mate do what he loved to do best and felt so much admiration for the man. Ryan looked so good in black shirt with no tie, black slacks and a black blazer. The contrast between the all-black attire against his creamy skin and white hair was simply stunning. He'd noticed the exact moment Ryan had looked around trying to spot the York boy. He'd also felt Ryan's relief when he didn't see the boy. Well, he wasn't going to see that boy anytime soon. On one of Stan's visits to Ryan whilst he was in the hospital with his injury, he'd managed to get the name of the boy who had gotten him to come to the Stanton Woods. But unfortunately, by the time they'd gotten to the boy, he'd already spread the rumour of a possible murder of his professor, by werewolves. Much as Jeremy had been pissed of] at the fact that the boy knew about them...thanks to his hunter grandfather, he'd been grateful that the boy had led his mate to him. So although his sorcerer had worked her magic on the boy and his grandfather and gotten them to forget about the supernatural, he'd urged the boy to tell him what he really wanted. Timmy had confided in Jeremy that his plan had been to study at Oxford University with his girlfriend but he hadn't gotten in. He'd added that he virtually thought about the girl all the time so couldn't concentrate much on his school work. Jeremy had called in some favours and gotten Timmy into Oxford, with a strong warning to concentrate on his studies. His grandfather, who had virtually lost his whole family to hunting, had been too happy to move to the United Kingdom to be closer to his grandson, who was his only living relative. It had all worked out just fine. With that smart mini-lecture by his mate, the students would hopefully forget about the tales they'd heard about Stanton Woods. Jeremy turned to look at a girl who was asking Ryan a long unnecessary question. His eyebrow shot up when he noticed the blatant 'come-f**k-me' look the pretty brunette was throwing at his mate.

'You didn't tell me in all your talk about how you loved your job, that you got sweet little tight-arsed chics creaming their panties over you! Jeremy murmured through his and Ryan's link. 'What?' Ryan automatically turned to look at Jeremy.

'The girl asking the silly question...she wants to f**k you.' A hint of a smile, showing teasing amusement touched Jeremy's mouth.

For a moment Ryan looked confused, his eyes riveted on the sexy mouth of his mate. Then he shifted his eyes back onto the girl with a subtle lift of his shoulder in an o hand shrug. 'Well, she's hot.' He shot back, his deliberately smoky gaze, trained on the girl. 'What hot-blooded male wouldn't want to hit that? I wouldn't mind at all. Call it the perks of teaching hot, young babes. Ryan murmured, his voice made husky by his own desire from staring at his mate's sexy mouth.

All the amusement and teasing left Jeremy's face. He actually growled out loud. When the students turned in his direction with surprise and curiosity written on their faces, Jeremy pointed at his throat.

"Sore throat." He lied hoarsely.

"For a moment I thought it was a wolf." One of the boys shouted jokingly, making the class burst into laughter.

"A wolf in a zoology lecture." Jeremy intoned with a look of surprise...as if that strange possibility had just occurred to him." He chuckled, making the students laugh even harder. But Ryan didn't miss the fact that his mate's laughter didn't reach his eyes. Jeremy looked pissed.

After the lecture, Ryan spoke to the students who waited behind to talk to him. About four students asked him where his eye glasses were. He told them that he'd decided to use contacts instead of glasses. Some sentences are incomplete if you are not reading this novel on Ebookex.com. Visit Ebookex.com to read the complete chapters for free. One young lady assured him that he looked hotter without his glasses. She'd even made Ryan promise not to go back to the glasses. He was glad to know his students had missed him. When the last student left the lecture hall, Ryan went up to sit beside a subdued looking Jeremy. They sat quietly for some time till Ryan broke the silence.

"You know I hadn't been with anyone till you." He said softly.

"I know." Jeremy sighed. "It still hurt."

"Can't you take a joke?"

"It's how you said it. It came across as though you really wanted her and I didn't like it." Jeremy murmured. "You didn't sound as if you were joking."

After about three minutes of silence, Ryan slowly moved his right hand to touch Jeremy's left hand. And still staring straight ahead, he entwined their pinkies, fighting the urge to moan at the thrill that tiny touch roused inside him. The tiniest touch from Jeremy gave Ryan a feeling so sweet it was almost euphoric.

'You got jealous.' Ryan said through their mind link.

Jeremy gave a short humourless laugh and replied by speaking. "I've never had to feel jealous over anything so I wouldn't know how it feels like. I just knew it hurt when you said you wouldn't mind hitting that." Jeremy turned his head to look at his mate. "If that is jealousy, then...this is the second time I'm experiencing it. And I hate it."

"What other time did you feel that?" Ryan turned to look at Jeremy.

Jeremy gave a shaky exhale. hospital...when you allowed Philip growled at me when I attempted to."

"That day in the to stroke you but

"You had just raped me Jeremy. I didn't trust you."

Jeremy nodded. "I knew that but it didn't stop me from hurting." He shrugged. "Do you trust me now?" He asked quietly.

Ryan went quiet for a moment. Then he answered quietly. "Somehow I feel safe when I'm with you. Ironic don't you think? But that's exactly how I feel. I trust you to keep me safe. So yeah, I guess I trust you. Why do you ask?"

"Just wanted to know. Do you have another lecture for today?"

Ryan nodded. "At two."

"Can we go and grab something to eat?" Jeremy asked, looking at his expensive and classy Louis Moinet Meteoris wrist-watch. "You didn't eat this morning."

"Don't you have a job or something?" Ryan asked with a curious look. "I know you're rich and all but...surely you must have something important to do."

"You're my mate, Ryan. You're more important to me than any job in the world." Jeremy breathed.

"Really?" Ryan gave Jeremy an amused look. Too bad you forget that when you were manically pounding away at my arse, Ryan thought unconsciously as he stood up.

Jeremy swallowed hard. He suddenly looked as if iced water had been poured over him. "I'm sorry, Ryan." The alpha croaked.

Ryan turned to look at him with a confused look. "For what?"

Jeremy looked at Ryan. Sometimes being able to read Ryan's thoughts was actually fun. But other times such as that very moment, it sucked. "Never mind." Jeremy said quietly.

"I'll just put my stu in my office. Then we can go." Ryan said as he started back down to the front of the lecture hall. When he finished packing his laptop, he looked up to where Jeremy still sat and almost gasped at the look of desolation on Jeremy's face. His mate looked as if he didn't even know where he was. What was wrong with the man, Ryan wondered. "Coming?" He called out.

Jeremy blinked and got to his feet shakily, wondering whether it wouldn't be better to end it all. For as long as he lived, all Ryan had to do was to see his face, to remember the pain he'd caused him. Shouldn't he just end his mate's misery by... Jeremy shook his head to clear his thoughts but they wouldn't leave him. He knew that what he was thinking about was a coward's way out which went against everything he stood for but he just couldn't help himself. He hated the accusation and bitterness he sometimes saw in his mates eyes. What killed him most was that he had to live with that for the rest of his life because Ryan didn't look like he would ever forgive him. And he didn't blame Ryan at all. He sometimes wondered whether a lifetime of being loathed by his mate was his punishment from Luna. Cursing himself and that bloody Ojah power for the thousandth time, Jeremy stated walking towards Ryan. He really wished he hadn't given Ryan his word not to harm himself. That was the silliest promise ever, Jeremy thought regretfully as he followed his mate dejectedly out of the lecture hall, looking nothing like the tough and proud alpha that he was.

"How did you replace the lecture?" Ryan asked as they headed towards his office.

"It was insightful." Jeremy responded quietly. "Are all your lectures three-hour long?"

Ryan gave a soft laugh. "No. The afternoon one is just an hour."

"How's your leg?"

“I'm fine, Jerr... Jeremy." Ryan suppressed a groan at his slip. "Are you going to stay for my second lecture too?" He unlocked his office.

"Yep. Will it bother you?" With Philip's words from that morning still running through his mind, Jeremy had no intention of leaving his mate's side. Although ideally, such attacks would start after days of planning, Jeremy didn't want to take any chances. He closed the door behind him and went to the wall that displayed Ryan's numerous awards.

"May I know exactly why you feel it's necessary to follow me around at my work place?" 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 actually did enjoyed 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 o? 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 replaces a mate and already has f**k 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. Like 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 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 on 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 of 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 s*x 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 replaceing 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 stily 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 of at him.

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

"Like 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 of 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 o]. 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!