Jackson had circled the town for what felt like the 11th time.

He was trying to kill time, waiting for Areum to get off of work. He had to learn more about his mate if he was going to convince the elders and his parents that she wasn't fit for him and the only way he could do it was if he could talk to her without her job in the way. There had to be something that he could use against her. Something that would make her an unsuitable mate aside from the fact that he hated her. 

His stride slowed down when he noticed that all the lights in the store were turned off. He saw the owner locking the doors and quickly ran up to her.

"I'm sorry but are you closed?"

The old woman nodded with an apologetic smile. "Yes, we close at 10 every night. But we'll be open tomorrow."

Jackson nodded, distractedly, "Did Areum leave already?"

The woman blinked at him before watching him suspiciously, "Why? Are you one of those kids from school?"

Jackson just gave her an odd look. He didn't have time to play 20 questions with this human woman when his mate was wondering off somewhere, "I'm sorry?"

"That girl has dealt with enough trouble from you kids at school, are you really going to give her a hard time at home too?"

Jackson balked at the woman. "I…uh…think there's been a misunderstanding. I don't go to her school."

The woman titled her head at him before straightening up. "Oh, so…who are you? Why are you looking for her?"

Jackson searched for an excuse but he wasn't sure what would satisfy this woman. "I'm…um…" Jackson's eyes lit up when he found the perfect ruse.

"I'm her boyfriend." Technically it's not a lie.

The woman's eyes lit up as she started bombarding Jackson with questions, asking him when they started dating, when they met, why she didn't tell her, what his name was. He didn't expect his plan to backfire this badly.

"So…did she leave already?" Jackson interjected politely, while not answering any of her nosy questions.

"Oh, yes, she left a little while ago." She pointed out the direction and Jackson thanked her before walking off in search of his annoying loud mouthed mate.

He had  no idea why he was even following up on her when his impression of her was below positive. But he figured that he spent so much time waiting for her that he might as well get what he came for.

He had been walking for a few minutes when he started feeling his strange panic in his chest. Jackson's heart sped up suddenly, making him stand up in a jolt. He felt…distressed. He started to pick up his pace, but it did nothing but just increase the fear in his chest.

What the is going on with me?

His mind was utterly lost, but his body was pushing him to walk faster. He started running when he noticed a group of kids crowded around something.

Or someone.

He was about to turn away, thinking it was just a bunch of under aged kids drinking or smoking when he heard what they were saying.

"So you're the infamous, Jo Areum. I wonder if you're easy as everyone says."

Jackson's eyes and ears perked up at the sound of his mate's name but his expression suddenly darkened when he realized what was happening.

"Awww, don't look so scared, baby, we just want to have some fun. Come play with us."

Jackson felt rage flicker up his system when he saw the boy reach out to her hair. Areum slapped it away and glared at them, but Jackson could smell her fear from where he stood. She knew she was outnumbered and the thought of his mate being scared of someone made him angry.

Borderline furious.

One of the boys grabbed her arm and yanked her forward and that's when Jackson snapped. He stormed towards the group of boys and watched them whistle at her.

"Let's see how many rumours we can prove, tonight."

Jackson's hand clenching into fists, his finger digging into his palm, his arms trembling in anger. He could feel bile coming up his throat at their vulgar words. His mate was a goddamn princess. She was royalty yet they still had the nerve to talk to her like that?

Jackson came up behind the boys and glanced at Areum who was starting to shake. He grabbed the boy who was holding her and dug his nails into his shoulder before spinning him around.

"What the , dude?!" One of them snapped in annoyance for being interupted. 

"Don't touch her." Jackson's voice came out so low and so grumbly that it was barely understandable.

The boys snickered, "Oh, are you her boyfriend? How cute, she ed enough guys to have her own personal bodyguard."

Jackson was losing his patience. If only Areum wasn't standing a few feet away he would've tore them to shreds. He could rip all their heads off in a blink of an eye. Even Yugyeom could take them all without a breaking a sweat but these punks were still challenging him like they stood a chance.

If his mate wasn't cowering in the corner he would've laughed.

An angry growl burned in his chest and escaped his lips, making him sound inhuman. His eyes flashed a bright, intimidating purple. "I said leave her the alone, you prick."

The boys gaped at the boy's animalistic response. "What the hell?"

Another one let out a nervous laugh, "We don't have to listen to you."

Jackson grabbed his neck and slammed him against a nearby tree. His friends cursed in response but none of them interfered. Jackson was pretty sure he had picked the leader of their little gang.  

Thunder cracked over their heads as Jackson's grip tightened on the weak boy's windpipe. Jackson's voice was so quiet, so deep and so soft that it racked fear down everyone's spine.

"I know your guys' type. You're the guys who think that you're some hotshot just because you act tough and push people around. You think that people should worship the damn ground you walk on just because your pants hang lower than your balls probably do. You think that you're entitled to everything, including women who see you as nothing more than little, pre-pubescent children. But here's the thing, in a few years this whole cool image will wear off and you'll have nothing but a legacy of being an . So grow the up and stop acting like a bunch of immature babies."

The boy's eyes started watering and his face was turning red from the lack of oxygen, but none of it fazed him. When he heard a muted whimper from Areum, all he could see was red. No one. No one had the right to treat his mate like that.

She was better than everyone else.

She was the ing prince's mate.

"I told you to leave her alone. If you and your little lackeys don't scram in the next 5 minutes, I'll make sure that the next place you'll be visiting is the hospital and I can't promise that you'll make it there alive."  Jackson's voice was so grim and gravelly that didn't sound humanly possible. The boy started choking when Jackson cut off his breathing and clawed desperately at his hand.

"You're going to apologize to her and turn around and run away like the cowards you really are. Understood?"

The boy wheezed and nodded weakly. His friends started to yell at Jackson just as he unhanded the boy and let him fall to the ground.

He stood over him menacingly until the boy caught his breath and the flash of purple passing through the prince's eyes. He scrambled up to his feet and he gave his friends a terrified look before they all turned to Areum who had been watching the whole thing like it was a movie playing out in front of her.

It was just all too dramatic to be real.

"Sorry noona, we didn't mean to disrespect you. I hope you forgive us." They said formally as they bowed 90 degrees.

They didn't look as menacing now that they looked terrified, but that didn't mean she was going to accept their ty apologize. She narrowed her eyes and crossed her arms. "Just leave."

The boys nodded and did exactly what Jackson said and ran off in the opposite direction.  Jackson was looking away, running his hand through his hair as he tried to cool himself down.

The whole reason he chose to stay by the store was because he wanted to follow Areum around a little, to get a better understanding about his mate and if anything he was going to try to talk to her again and get under her skin.

But he didn't want to do this.

He didn't want to save the day and be her knight in white ing armour. He didn't want her to see him as her hero and fall in love with