Jade
The afternoon sun dipped low in the sky, casting long, golden beams across the quad. I sat under the oak tree, my backpack lying forgotten beside me, pretending to read as my mind raced, my eyes flickering across the lawn. The bond between Zade and me pulsed like a steady heartbeat beneath my skin, constantly reminding me that no matter how much I tried to pull away, he was always there.
But I wasn’t prepared for what I saw.
Across the quad, near the library steps, Zade stood talking to a girl. Not just any girl. A she-wolf. I could feel the sharpness of her presence from here, the way she carried herself with the kind of confidence that only came from being a part of Zade’s world. And she was touching him.
I watched her laugh at something he said, leaning in closer as her hand casually rested on his forearm. I couldn’t stop the surge of anger that flared up in me. Why wasn’t he pulling away? Why wasn’t he pushing her off?
A cold, sharp twist tightened in my chest, and before I could even think about it, my book slammed shut. The noise seemed to echo around the quad, drawing a few curious glances, but I didn’t care. My heart was pounding so hard it hurt.
I hated this feeling. I hated how possessive, how out of control it made me. This wasn’t me. I wasn’t some jealous girl, some petty drama queen who would fight over a guy. But Zade—he was different.
And that girl—she was touching him. Laughing with him. And I couldn’t stand it.
I wanted to march over there, rip her hand off his arm, and shove her back. I wanted to make it clear that he was mine—no question about it. But I couldn’t move. The bond between us held me in place, my feet rooted to the ground, even as my mind screamed at me to act.
Zade finally glanced up and saw me. And that was when everything shifted. His eyes locked onto mine, and for a brief moment, I swear the world around us disappeared. His smile faltered, the easy charm he had with the girl fading into something unreadable.
The she-wolf followed his gaze, and when she saw me, her smile dropped. Her lips tightened into a thin line, and I saw her whisper something to Zade, her voice sharp.
But Zade didn’t respond. He just turned, without a second thought, leaving her standing there. The sight of her gaping at him in disbelief twisted something deep inside me, but I didn’t let myself feel any satisfaction.
I stood, my legs shaky as I faced him. He was walking toward me, his strides long and purposeful. His eyes were intense, dark with something I couldn’t read. But I was already angry, already boiling with jealousy, and I wasn’t about to back down.
“You think you can just flirt with her right in front of me and nothing’s wrong?” My voice was low, sharp, and full of accusation. I wasn’t holding back anymore. “You think I’m just supposed to sit back and watch while you entertain every she-wolf that comes your way?”
Zade’s jaw tightened, his hands curling into fists by his sides. “Jade, it’s not like that,” he growled, his voice rough.
“Not like that?” I sneered, taking a step forward. “Really? Because that sure as hell looked like you were enjoying every second of it.” I stabbed a finger toward the quad where the girl was still standing, clearly watching us. “You were laughing with her, letting her touch you. What the hell do you want me to think?”
Zade’s expression darkened, and he took a step closer, his voice dropping dangerously low. “I’m not hers. I’m not anyone’s, Jade. Not like that.”
“You can’t just talk to me like I don’t care!” I snapped. “Like I don’t feel anything watching you with her. You think I’m just gonna sit here and let you flirt with someone else like I don’t exist?”
He took another step toward me, his body blocking out the sun as he towered over me. “I’m not flirting with her,” he said, his voice strained. “She’s just someone I know. Someone who doesn’t matter.”
The anger in me boiled over. “Then why the hell were you letting her touch you? Huh? Why didn’t you pull away?”
Zade’s eyes flickered to the girl, then back to me, and for the first time, I saw something close to regret in them. “Because I didn’t think it would bother you.”
I scoffed, the bitterness in my tone unmistakable. “Well, guess what? It does. And I hate it.”
I could see the guilt starting to seep through, but I wasn’t done. “You can’t just keep doing whatever you want without thinking about how it affects me,” I continued, my voice rising. “I’m not some second-rate option for you to play with when it’s convenient.”
Zade opened his mouth, probably to apologize, but I didn’t want to hear it. I didn’t want his excuses. I didn’t want him explaining it away like it was nothing.
“You think I’m just some girl you can keep at arm’s length?” I demanded, my chest heaving. “No, Zade. You don’t get to do that to me anymore.”
He reached out like he was going to touch me, to calm me down, but I pulled away.
“Don’t touch me,” I spat, my breath coming fast and ragged. “Just stay away.”
Zade froze, his hand hovering in the air before dropping back to his side. “Jade… I didn’t mean to hurt you.”
“Well, you did,” I hissed, my eyes blazing with the intensity of everything I felt. “You hurt me.”
And with that, I turned and stormed off, leaving him standing there. But deep inside, I could feel the bond between us screaming, tugging at me, making me want to go back.
But I couldn’t. Not like this. Not when he’d made me feel so small.