"Why are Goldtooth Pack wolves near our property?" I asked Milo, pacing on the cream tiled floors of my home office. Fingers running through my scruff, I tried fucking hard to think straight but Bria seemed to be all I could think about.

Goldtooth wolves were some of the most ruthless around, originating about two hours south near a beach town. They had killed two humans last year during tourist season, and those were just the ones the police found.

I was not about to have them come near my property, especially not when my mate was human and couldn't protect herself against fiends who would do anything to get some even if that meant raping and killing an innocent girl.

Milo sat on one of my two saffron couches, tapping his finger against the leather. "We've watched them all day and couldn't uncover the reason why they're here. Don't think we will be able to without engaging."

After pushing out a breath, I shook my head and headed for the door. "Don't engage unless they do first. You know what they're capable of. It's too risky for us to start anything with college back in session."

"Where are you going?" Milo asked.

"I need a run."

Once I grabbed a spare of training clothes, I headed out on a needle-covered path back toward the university. I never ran on their trails, especially during school months but my wolf had been aching to search for Bria again. It had barely been a couple hours.

"Find mate now."

I pushed myself harder, inhaling the calming scent of softwood. Leaves rustled gently above me, rays of sun slipping through the tree branches. When I found myself jogging onto Arcane University property, I slowed and decided on a trail that would take me throughout the campus, an easy way to pick up her scent.

Students sat on benches and at picnic tables, eating early dinners. Others passed a volleyball back and forth on the square. And, then, there was Bria who laid on her stomach, reading her classics book for tomorrow on the lawn in front of a dormitory.

Like a fucking creep, I stopped about fifty feet away from her and watched her flip page after page, smiling to herself like she was actually enjoying the reading. Nobody ever enjoyed classic books, at least not in the classes I taught. Strands of her dirty-blonde hair swept into her face, and it took everything inside of me not to walk over to her and tuck them behind her ear. Goddess, I had wanted to do that this morning too.

Rubbing a hand over my face, I shook my head and turned away. I couldn't fucking do this. Why the hell was I just standing around and watching one of my students? If she saw me gawking at her, she could report me to the board and get me kicked out. Worse than that, then the Wolf Council would find out about it too.

"I have an idea," my wolf said through my mind.

"What?" I asked, desperate for something to get me closer to her.

Before I could stop, I found myself heading right in her direction, my legs moving on their on fucking own thanks to my wolf.

"What are you doing?" I scolded.

"Going to talk to mate."

"That's your idea?!"

When he didn't respond, I dug my heels into the ground and forced myself to stop ten feet away. Ten fucking feet. And in the midst of the softwood and food from the cafe a street down, all I could focus on was her sweet beachy scent that did nothing but drive me fucking crazy for her.

"Professor Lee!" someone called to my left.

From the corner of my eye, I saw Bria look over at me. And being the alpha I was, I couldn't help but feel my body tense. Not because I was nervous she saw me staring at her, but because I wanted her to like me, to find me attractive in the sea of frat boys and horny college kids from Arcane University.

"Hi," I said, giving the girl a small smile.

Don't look over at Bria. Don't look over at Bria. Don't look over at Bria.

I glanced over at Bria, my gaze lingering for a moment longer than it should've. She gave me a soft, small smile, then looked back at her textbook. When she pushed her legs a bit closer together and I smelt her cunt, I nearly lost it.

"Do we have—" the girl started.

"A quiz tomorrow morning?" I finished, canines extending. "Yes. Don't forget to read."

It was a lie. I didn't have any quiz planned for tomorrow, but I guess I had one now because I needed to get the fuck out of here before my wolf seized complete control of my body and took Bria on the university lawn.

All I could imagine was running my nose down her neck and sinking my canines into her neck, claiming her, taking her, making her mine. I'd bet her pussy tasted so fucking good, one damn smell of it and my wolf had already gone wild.

Turning my back toward Bria, I gave the girl a forced smile and jogged in the opposite direction, passing Levi and only stopping when I had stepped into the forest. I rested my back against a tree, taking deep breaths to suppress my wolf.

"Hey!" Levi called with a grin, jogging in Bria's direction. "Bria, right?"

I tensed and glanced behind a tree to see them chatting. My hands balled into fists, anger rushing through me so heavily that even with my enhanced hearing as a wolf I couldn't seem to listen. All I saw was him making my mate smile again.

After a moment, Levi nodded and turned back to the forest. When he reached me, I growled, forcing him to stop right in his damn fucking tracks. "Don't touch Bria."

"I was just inviting her to a party. She's a first year and—"

Unable to stop myself, I wrapped my hand around the front of his throat and thrust him against a tree, my canines lengthening past my lips and my claws nearly cutting into his neck. "Don't fucking touch her. Do you understand me?"

Levi widened his eyes at me. "Yes."

"Yes?"

"Yes, Alpha," he said, bowing his head.

I shoved him away from me and looked back at Bria who now laid on her back and shielded her eyes from the setting sun as she continued reading her classics book. I should claim her right here, right now. No horny fraternity asshole should have his hands all over my mate at a party.

Bria Benton was mine. Only mine.