"Do you have to go to school today?" Jackson asked as he watched Areum make breakfast for herself. The two of them had slept for an hour before they decided to just come down the stairs.

Areum flipped the egg and shook her head, "The class is still on the trip, so technically no."

Jackson smiled, waking up behind her and wrapped his arms around her waist, burying his nose into her neck. He had imagined her perfect neck so many times and he just loved how soft and comforting he felt tucking into her crook.

"Good." He mumbled in her skin.

Areum flinched at his touch before melting against him. She was still getting used to be touched so intimately all the time, but every time that he did, shivers would run down her spin before she relaxed against him.

"Don't you have to go back too?" She asked as she transferred the food to a plate.

Jackson nuzzled his nose against her shoulder, "No. My week is up today."

Areum froze as her eyes widened. Panic filled her veins and her hand started shaking. "W-wait. You're not coming back?"

Jackson let go of her and let her turn around. "Yeah, the dean only let me stay for a week."

"Why can't you just take the job and stay there for good?" Areum asked, biting on her lip.  

Jackson made a face and blinked at her, "I'm not a real teacher, you know. Those documents weren't real, I just got them to stay near you. I can't exactly take the job."

Areum smiled stiffly and laughed awkwardly, "Right. Duh. Obviously."

"What's wrong?" Jackson asked when he could hear her heart sink.

 She tied her hair into a ponytail with a tight lipped smile, "Nothing. I guess I just didn't think you'd be leaving already."

Jackson narrowed his eyes at her  when he smelled panic off of her, "You know that I'll still be here right? You can come over any time and I'll drop by whenever you want."

Areum nodded and turned away, "I know."

He placed his hands on her waist and lifted her up to set her on the counter before handing her the plate of food, "So why do you smell so betrayed?"

Areum looked at him strangely. "Smell?"

He leaned forward and looked her seriously in the eye. "I can smell your emotions if they're strong enough."

"That's creepy."

Jackson poked her forehead as she took a bite of her food, "Stop changing the subject." 

"I'm going to miss you." She mumbled angrily.

Jackson's eyes flashed a surprised purple and his back straightened as his heart started to race.

He was going to go insane because of her.

Every time he adjusted to her subtle ways to showing she cared and her harsh personality, she would say something so forward that would make his heart spin.

He slowly slid his hands up the side of her thighs and slanted towards her. "Are you so obsessed with me that you're going to miss me for a few hours?"

Areum shot him a look and kicked her legs at him. "Shut up. It's not that, you jerk."

Jackson chuckled, "Then why are you so wor--"

Then he remembered.

Even though she now had Yang and Yoomi, everyone else still made her life hell. When he was around, people laid off of her because they either feared him or were attracted to him, but now that he'd be gone, they'd just go back to targeting her.

She was going to be back to being alone.

Areum must have seen him put it together in his head because she suddenly jumped off the counter and placed her empty dish in the sink.

"Whatever. It's fine. At least Yang and Yoomi will keep me entertained." She brushed it off, but Jackson just frowned.

Jackson grabbed  her elbow when she tried to walk away, "I'll pick you up every day. I'll walk you home and if anything or anyone gives you a hard time you tell me and I'll handle it."

Areum gulped and gripped onto his shirt before smiling brightly, "Don't worry. I'm a big girl. I don't need a body guard."

He slipped his hands around her waist and pulled her close to him as her hands automatically came up around his neck. "Those panthers are still there. I can't be at the school, but I'll be keeping an eye on them. Stay away from those guys at all costs."

"I know." She replied.

He hugged her tighter, "As for the other kids I--"

"Jackson." She said as she pushed him away. "I've dealt with them for 2 years. Which means two years before you came into my life. I managed on my own just fine. Don’t worry, I'll live. I beat you up, didn't I?"

Jackson snorted and watched her walk around him. How could he forget?

His eyes followed the back of her head until he noticed something tucked behind her ear.

Is that…?

"Woah, woah, woah. Hold on." He raced after her, into the living room and grabbed her shoulders to stop her from walking while he bent down to get a better view.

"What are you doing?" She asked in confusion when she felt his breath over her ear.

Kites rise highest against the wind, not with it.

He re-read the ink that was carved behind her ear and smiled softy. "My princess is insanely strong."

Areum's face twisted in confusion but died into a gasp when she felt soft kisses press over her tattoo over and over again. Her stomach twisted as adrenaline turned her guts into goo. His arms wrapped around her shoulders as he nuzzled the spot and closed his eyes while breathing her in.

He wasn't lying.

The whole time he spent around her was just a reminder that she was one of the strongest humans he had ever met. She was damn near fearless and never needed anyone to come to her rescue.

Areum glanced over at and smiled slightly, "Are you enjoying yourself?"

He chuckled huskily, kissing behind her ear a few more times, "So much. You don't even know."

She shook her head, but stayed in his arms, leaning back towards him, "I got it when I turned 18. It was Ara's birthday gift to me. Kind of a reminder."

"To stay strong?" His voice rumbled in her ear.

"And to not let anything take me down." She replied lightly.

"You don't always have to. You have me, now."

She swallowed the sudden tears that were building behind her eyes, "I have you."

He squeezed his arms around her body and bent down to kiss her. Her palms slid up his chest and around his neck as she brushed the hairs at the back of his neck. He on her bottom lip humming into , his inner wolf doing flips as her softness.

It was all so new to her but she knew that she was going to love getting used to this.

She tilted her end and sighed into him. She flicked her tongue at his lips, making him gasp as he slipped his fingers into her hair, pulling on the strands soft enough to make her moan.  

"Oh."

"Wow, um… okay."

"Called it. I could hear them making out last night."

"Quick! Someone cover Yugyeom and BamBam's eyes!"

"How cute! They worked it out."

"This is all because of me. I did this. You all owe me. I deserve a medal."

Jackson groaned into Areum mouth and pulled away before shooting daggers at his pack who were watching them from the stairs.

"Can I help you?" He hissed through his clenched teeth.

"So I'm guessing you guys are good, now?" Mark asked with a -eating grin.

Areum rolled her eyes when she heard Jackson growl.  "It's none of your business."

Jinyoung couldn't fight his smile, "What are you talking about? Last night you were almost dying and now you're making out with your mate. We'd like to be filled in."

"You guys are annoying."  Jackson groaned.

BamBam leaped on Jinyoung's back, "Aww ,  don't be so angry, you're a man in love now."

"I'm going to murder you all." Jackson snapped.  

Yugyeom snorted, "Why are you so mean? Areum is so much nicer."

"We should just kick Jackson out of the house and let Areum move in." Jinyoung teased.

Areum couldn't help but burst out laughing. The whole situation was hilarious to her and seeing Jackson seem so irritated only made it better.

Jackson's anger melted away when he hear the soft sound and his attention immediately fell to her as he watched her eyes curve up in happy crescents as they glittered in joy.

"Would you look at that. If I didn't know any better I'd say he's in love." Jaebum muttered.

The pack watched in shock as the prince's features softened as he stared at his mate like she was the center of his universe.

He reached up and brushed the tattoo behind her ear until Youngjae decided to cut in.

"So are we going to talk about how you said that you hated her and that you couldn't stand being around her?"

Areum's jaw hung open as she stared at Jackson. "You said that?"

Jackson held his hands up before she could hurt him, "That was before I got to know you!"

"You don't deserve her. She could do so much better. She could be with a normal human who wasn't such a jerk to her and didn't put her life on the line." Youngjae continued.

Areum froze when she saw something like pain flash past Jackson's eyes before they were replaced with fury.

"Shut the up, Youngjae." He grumbled, his body tensing up.

The rest of the pack looked amused when Youngjae strolled down the stairs, "It's true isn't it? You basically ruined her life and she'll always be in danger because of you. Not to mention the pressure of being human royalty over a district of wolves. She'd be so much happier with someone else."

Areum glowered and looked at the boy incredulously. "Youngja--"

"Hell, I bet I'd be a better mate to her than you are. Or maybe one of the panthers would, too."

That made him snap.

Jackson started charging for Youngjae who flung the front door open and jump off the stairs.

"Bring it!" Youngjae's eyes flashed magenta in taunting, before shifting into a black and white wolf, half the size of Jackson who shifted in front of them.

Areum looked stricken, stunned about what occurred in front of her. Jackson had left her side so quickly that she was still swaying because of the force. Suddenly a warm arm wrapped around her as she was dragged outside.

"Come on, you're officially part of the family and you're really going to enjoy watching this." Jinyoung said as they stepped into the cold air.

The rest of the pack followed them with smiles as they leaned up against the railing, watching the two of them face off.

Jackson waited until Youngjae launched into the air before whipping the small wolf into a tree, making him squeal.

"Jackson Wang!" She yelled angrily, authority reeking in her tone.

Jackson glanced at her through the side of his eye before brushed her off. He launched into the air and tackled Youngjae and started swiping at him.  

Areum gasped and watched the scene in horror, "Shouldn't you stop him?"

"Nah, they'll be fine. Youngjae kind of deserves it anyways. He was provoking him on purpose." Jaebum said leisurely.

"He won't actually hurt him." Jinyoung added.

Areum still didn't feel at ease when she watched the two wolves go at it. W