Stalker

The next day was calm. I didn't confront Caden for his thieving like Sage had asked me to. I was listening to orders. From a girl, I didn't even like. This was a common statement I told myself almost daily. When Sage would make me laugh or smile, I would wipe it away almost instantly reminding myself that I did not like Sage Fleur. It worked most of the time. Aiden had told us she didn't want to be followed anymore. I scoffed at that. I didn't want to stalk her anymore anyway. I told myself as I paced my dorm room knowing she was at work.

I had to also tell myself I had tea here. I didn't need to go to the coffee shop. Not even to make sure she was still alive. I looked at myself in the mirror and sneered. I was pacing the room like a lunatic. I didn't even like her. Why should I care if she falls into a sinkhole on the way home? I sat down on the bed and forced myself to relax. She would be fine and even if she wasn't I didn't care. I was halfway through the third episode of some show about a guy with a British accent when my phone rang. I picked it up without checking the caller ID staring blankly at the television. For the life of me, I could not remember anything about the show I had been watching.

"Yeah?" I answered.

"Dante?" The small, frightened voice stiffened my spine.

"What's wrong?" I asked Sage.

"Someone is following me. I'm halfway home and I keep hearing footsteps behind me and whenever I look there is no one there but I know there is." Her voice was terrified, and it broke something in me.

"I'm on my way," I said before running out of the door and shifting as soon as I stepped foot outside.

I could move faster as a fox and my senses were stronger. I crashed through trees and underbrush following the fastest way to where Sage would be instead of following the winding path surrounded by trees. I smelled her before I could see her. I rushed through the trees and leaves without making a sound. I was almost right on top of her when she squeaked out a shrill from my unexpected appearance. I swished my tails before wrapping her legs in them protectively. A sound piqued my interest. The sound of retreating footsteps but I couldn't scent anything near us. The person should be close enough to leave a scent, but they were hiding it for some reason. This wasn't a good sign.

My instincts urged me to follow my prey, but I couldn't leave Sage here unprotected. I was stupid. I should have gotten Maddox to come with me. In his shifted form he was even faster than me. He could have protected what was ours as I hunted the thing who thought they could mess with her. A low chafing growl escaped my throat before I turned away from the coward. My lithe body circled Sage once than twice before I pushed her on with my head. She started walking towards the dorms with my unspoken urging. We walked in silence as I listened and sniffed the air to be sure there were no more threats nearby.

I didn't let my guard down the entire way to her dorm room. Even then my hackles rose even more from the sight that greeted us at her door. A white piece of paper was folded and left in front of her door. That wasn't what made me suspicious about it. The strange thing was that there was no smell on the paper. If someone had touched it there should be a scent something to allude to who had left it there. Sage picked it up and read it to herself before she paled. I butted her with my head and looked up expectantly. "You want me to read it?" She questioned.

I stepped back and swished my tails in agreement. She took a deep breath before reading from the page. "It says: We are meant to be together. They keep getting in the way, but I will make it right."

The fur at the nape of my neck rose. I needed to protect her. But I didn't know how. She went to open the door of her dorm, but I nipped at her ankles. It wasn't safe here. She stopped and looked down at me. I turned towards our rooms further down the fall and looked over my shoulder at her. For a moment she paused before stepping toward me. I led her down the hall to the safest place I could think of. We stopped outside of the door, and I stared at Sage until she knocked on it.

It only took a moment before the door opened revealing a tousled-looking Maddox. He had obviously been in bed before we had arrived. He looked at Sage and then at me before opening the door wider for the two of us to enter. I sat by the door while Sage explained everything that had happened to Maddox. He offered to let her stay instantly as I knew he would. Silently I watched as he got her something to wear for bed and we sat in the room while she went to change. "Are you sure someone was following her?" He asked.

I chuffed my assent and he nodded. When Sage came back out into the room Maddox got her settled into his bed. I hopped up on one side of her before circling and settling in against her stomach. Maddox raised his brows at me, but I huffed at him. Sage's fingers delved into the fur on my chest, and I was surprised when a soft purring vibrated there. Nobody mentioned it before the lights shut off. A few moments later the bed dipped and there was quiet. I didn't fall asleep until long after Sage's breathing had evened out and deepened.