Jezebel's Lion (7 page)

Once they had tickets they walked hand in hand
towards the cinema. Jess enjoyed the feel of his touch, and for once in her
life she didn’t mind the attention she got for being with Brandon, and he was
getting attention. The females couldn’t seem to keep their eyes off him, and
even some males were eating him up. As they lined up Jess suppressed a groan as
Mac Fierce came up to them with a huge smirk on his face, and a pretty junior
whose name Jezebel couldn’t remember was on his arm.

“Pride, it looks like we’re going to see the same
movie.” Mac winked at her. “Who have we got here?” He reached for her hand, but
Jess avoided his touch. Mac was a douche-bag, a hot one, but still one. His
brows furrowed at her avoidance of him.

Brandon chuckled. “My mate is a good judge of
character to stay away from you, Fierce.”

Jess smirked at Mac. “He is in a couple of my
classes. Mac has a short attention span.”

Brandon’s chuckle turned into a deep loud laugh.
Brandon gathered her to him so her back was against his chest. He leaned down
and kissed her head.

Mac was studying her. He had no idea who she was.
Jess knew he wouldn’t recognize her. Mac hung out with the gorgeous, popular
people. He’d never glanced her way.

“You have no idea who I am, do you?”

Mac’s eyes narrowed, and she could see the cogs
working overtime as he tried to figure out who she was. His date didn’t seem
happy that he was giving a lot of attention to her.

“
Maccie
, she’s the fat
chick in drama group. She hangs out with two guys all the time. You know,
Kelsey calls her ‘Jell-O Jezebel’.”

Jess shrank back from the words she’d heard many
times. She didn’t mind hearing them. She was used to them, but she was
embarrassed Brandon had had to hear them. He growled, and Jess felt him tense
behind her. Jess noticed Mac’s eyes widen.

“Get her away from me, Mac, or God help me.” He
moved from behind her, and Jess grabbed him as he stalked the girl who backed
away. “You, little girl, have just insulted my mate. Your parents will be hearing
from me.”

The girl with Mac paled, and Mac dragged her away
muttering, “Steph, you just dug your own grave by insulting a Pride’s mate. Even
I’m not that stupid. My dad won’t…” His words were lost the further he walked
away.

Jess turned to face Brandon. “Thanks for sticking up
for me, but I can look after myself. I’m used to hearing stuff like that. I’m
sorry you had to hear it.”

Brandon cupped her face. “No one should ever treat
you like that. I will never let anyone speak to you like that. You are not what
she said.” His hands trailed down her body, and Jess almost forgot they were at
the movies. “I love your curves. I think you are the most beautiful woman in
the world.”

It was corny, but Jess couldn’t help melt at his
words.

The line moved, and she and Brandon sat in their
seats. As they sat Jess reached for Brandon’s hand. She liked his touch, and
she realized that usually after a bunch of name calling or getting into a
situation like she’d just had with Mac and the girl, Jess would withdraw, but
Brandon had defused the situation and made her feel good.
 
Jess knew then that she could very easily
fall in love with Bandon. He made her happy.

****
 

The last two nights had been the best nights she’d
had in a long time. Brandon was amazing. He made Jess feel beautiful and
desired. It was a new feeling, and Jess liked it.

Jess was going shopping after school. She needed new
clothes. If Travis or Zeck wouldn’t take her she’d get her mother to take her.
Jess wanted to look nice for Brandon. He’d told her when he’d left her at her
house that he’d see her today. Jess was eager to see him. She loved the feeling
he gave her.

Travis had picked her up this morning to take her to
school. Things didn’t feel right with her friend. Travis was quiet the whole
trip to school. He didn’t ask her how the date went, and it was almost like he
was brooding. Jess thought if they were still acting weird at lunch she would
say something.

Lunch was unusual. Britney, Brandon’s sister, called
her over. She’d sat with them very rarely and only when Sasha was with them and
she couldn’t find Travis or Zeck. Sasha wasn’t at school today. Jess really
didn’t want to go over to Britney, but she wasn’t the kind of girl you said no
to or ignored. Looking longingly over at Travis and Zeck, she slowly walked
over to Britney and her friends. Jess wasn’t a fan of most of the girls Britney
hung around with. Kelsey had been a nasty bitch to her since primary school.

Think
of the devil
. And as she thought that, Kelsey appeared. She came
and sat at the same time as Jess. Then she sniffed the air as she sat with her
food tray next to Britney. “Why the hell does Jell-O Jezebel smell like your
brother Brandon?”

Jess cringed at the name and clenched her fist in
her lap and told herself not to smell herself. She’d showered. Jess had no idea
why Kelsey thought she smelt like Brandon. Maybe the girl last night had told
her she’d seen her at the movies.

Britney punched her friend and glared at her. Jess
stared opened mouth at the scene before her. “Don’t be a bitch.”

Kelsey smirked. “But I am.”

Britney punched her again. “You know what I mean.
Jess smells like my brother because she is his mate. He mated her.”

Jess shut her mouth and smiled at Britney as Kelsey
let out a screech that was deafening. “What?” Her black eyes turned to Jess,
and she shrank in her seat at the deadly stare.
“Your poor
brother.
How did he get stuck with a heifer like her for a mate?”

Okay, that was it. Jess didn’t have to listen to
this. She stood with her tray and didn’t wait to listen if there was a response
from Britney. She walked, well almost ran, over to her friends. As she sat next
to Travis, she told herself she would never again listen to people treat her
like that. If Britney wanted to speak to her she could come to her.

Travis’s arm came around her, and Jess knew everyone
had heard what was said. “Don’t worry about them. They’re just a bunch of stuck
up bitches. Not everyone is thin like them. Not all men like that. I
don’t.”
 

Snuggling into Travis’s safe hold she leaned up and
kissed his cheek. “Thanks, Travis. I’m so lucky to have you as a best friend.”
He flinched, and she frowned wondering what she’d said. He sighed and hugged
her tighter, and Jess pretended it was just her and her friends, that the rest
of the world didn’t exist.

“Holy shit.”
Zeck’s
comment had her turning to him to see him staring wide eyed behind her.

Jess was scared to turn, but taking hold of Travis’s
hand she spun to see Britney with her tray of food. “May I sit with you? I
don’t like the company over at the table I was sitting at before.”

Jess looked at Travis, who shrugged and Zeck, who
nodded eagerly.
“Sure, Britney.”

Britney sat next to her and smiled showing two
dimples. Jess had seen dimples like that before. Last night when Brandon laughed
or smiled she’d seen them, and they were just like Britney’s. Jess turned back
to her food and felt good that she had support. That Britney didn’t agree with
what Kelsey said. When she turned back Travis’s arm came back around her.

Britney paused with food to her mouth as she glanced
at Travis, then at her. “Brandon is going to freak when he smells you.” Britney
leaned towards her and took a whiff of her.
“Yeah.
If
I was you I’d cover myself in deodorant. You smell like him.” She nodded her
head in Travis’s direction.

Jess bit her lip and furrowed her brows. Britney was
acting strange. Not that she really knew Britney, but she’d just sniffed her,
and she was talking like Brandon would know that she’d been snuggling Travis
just by smelling her. “Are you saying I smell?”

Britney nodded, and Zeck burst out laughing. Jess
shot a glare at Zeck and noticed that Travis was strangely quiet. “You smell
like your friend. You only smelt of him faintly before, and my brother’s smell
was stronger, as it should be. But his smell is starting to overpower it,
probably because it is full of
lu
—”

“Don’t. I think Jess gets the idea.”

Britney stopped, not finishing what she was saying
as Travis butted in. Britney looked behind her to Travis studying him for a
moment. “You know, don’t you?
How?”

“My sister is mated … argh, married to one of you.”

Britney nodded. “That’s why you let her go with my
brother even though you didn’t know him, wasn’t it?”

“I didn’t think he’d stay at home with her. I
thought he would go out and work.”

“Fate’s a bitch.”

Jess had no idea what Britney and Travis were
talking about. It sounded like a code for something. Jess glanced at Zeck to
see he was struggling to understand what was going on, too. Jess wanted to know
what was going. Travis was acting strange.

“What are you over here for, Britney?” Mac Fierce
startled her out of her musing. When he noticed her he walked around and sat
next to a wide-eyed Zeck.
“Hi, Jezebel.
Good to see
you again. Did you enjoy the movie last night?”

“Yes, I’m looking forward to the next one.”

“I’m sorry for Steph. I didn’t realize she was like
that. I’m not taking her out again.”

Jess was sure she’d stepped into the Twilight Zone.
Why the hell did Mac Fierce care whether or not she liked the girl he dated? “It’s
your call, Mac, not mine. Don’t stop seeing her because she said what most
people have and do.”

“What she said was wrong. The Prides are close
friends of mine, and we don’t treat people’s mates like that.”
 

“Oh I get it. So if I wasn’t Brandon’s friend, mate,
whatever they call it, you’d be okay with her calling me those names?” Jess
couldn’t help herself. Poor Mac, he knew instantly he’d put his foot in it and
had no idea how he was going to dig himself out. He sat squirming and looking
around for help.

“Britney, want to help a friend out?”

Britney giggled. “You’re an idiot, Mac. Your charm
won’t work here. I’m looking forward to you digging your way out of this one.”

Feeling sorry for him, Jess winked at Mac. “Don’t
strain your brain, Mac. We wouldn’t want to hurt it.”

He sighed and smiled at her, and Jess laughed as it
dawned on him that she’d insulted him. “Hey, I am apologizing, and you’re
picking on me.” He drastically pouted his lips and batted his eyelashes.

Jess knew Mac hadn’t taken offence. “I’m sorry. No
more teasing.”

Mac winked at her. “I like teasing, especially the
flirting kind.”

Brittney shook her head beside her.
“Oh Mac, quit while you still can.”

The banter and talk went around the table. Zeck and
Travis even joined in. By the time she walked to class Jess was feeling better
about her friends being okay her being with Brandon.

Chapter
Five

Brandon had a sense of
déjà vu
as he sat in the high school car park. Only a couple of
months ago he’d been sitting in almost the same spot next to his brother
waiting for Sasha to come out of school. This time Brandon was waiting for his
own mate.

He got out of the car as the time came for the bell
to go and winced as his broken ribs protested. Brandon had let his lion loose
last night, and they’d fought creatures that usually Brandon would need backup
to help kill. Both he and his lion weren’t happy to have to drop their mate
back at her parents’ house and not his home, their home now. Brandon didn’t
want to come home to an empty bed and house. He knew if he hadn’t mated her he
wouldn’t be feeling as crazy as he was. Brandon’s lion was prowling, eager to
touch their mate, to breathe in their combined scent, to touch his lips to
hers. His dad was right in giving him a break from working the clubs until he could
get this sorted.

The mass of students swarmed out of the school.
Brandon stood by his car, a coiled spring, ready to pounce on his mate. Britney
and Mac came over to him. Britney wrung her hands the closer she got. She
glanced at Mac.

“You tell him, Mac.”

“Hell no.
I
want to live. He won’t kill you. You’re his sister. He loves you.”

Britney shot a glare at Mac, and Brandon broke on a
roar. “What the hell is going on?”

Britney took a step away from him. “Jess had a free
period, and so did Travis. They left early to go shopping.”

“What?”

“She didn’t know you were picking her up though.
Really, bro, you should have told her.”

“Where?
Which mall?” he snarled.

“Maybe you should wait until she goes home?” Mac’s
comment had him turning to him ready to lunge. He held his hands up. “Okay,
looks like we are going to the mall, Britney. There is no way we can let your
brother go by himself. He’s likely to kill poor Travis.”