"About what?" This did not sound good. He already wanted to punch Derek right in the face, and he didn't even know what happened yet.
"I had him go to her house and I told her to stop dating you. Told her it wasn't a good idea. That she was a bear shifter and you were a wolf shifter."
"You little fucker." He grabbed Derek around the throat. He yanked him up off the ground so hard that Derek's legs dangled. Then he let go, throwing him to the ground. "What gives you the right to interfere with my life? If you have a problem with the way I'm handling any situation at all, you come to me. You don't go scaring young females who are alone in their apartments. You said you went to her house? Who does that? Was she scared?"
"I don't know. She didn't act scared. In fact, she gave him a piece of her mind."
"Thank God for that. I'm glad she's tough. What time of day did he go?"
"It was late at night."
"Are you a moron? I hope you realize why that is so wrong."
"I do now. Which is why I wanted to tell you," Derek said. "I don’t want this hanging over us."
"Are you still doing stuff like that?"
How had he missed this? Why hadn’t she told him?
Because you left her.
"No. I'm not. I swear."
"I don't even know what to say to you right now. I can't believe you would try to intimidate a young female when I was out of town. What if she'd been really upset? She lived there alone without a clan and I was miles away."
Derek hung his head. "I know. It's bothered me ever since. I've never done anything like that again. I'm very sorry. I hope I can earn your forgiveness.”
“It's not me that needs to forgive you. But since Everleigh doesn't live here anymore, it's not like you can apologize to her. Just never interfere in my life again. You think I need help, you tell me to my face, male to male.
"If, somehow, she comes across your path again, you stay the hell out of her way," he barked.
Jesus. Sometimes he wondered why he bothered with a pack at all.
Then because he was an idiot, he let the date fiasco happen again. Just a week ago.
"Listen, there's this female and she's in town to visit the University," Jameson said.
"Then she's too young for me." He didn't want a college student, for God's sake.
"No. She's a teacher. She's a professor, or maybe not a professor, but an instructor. I don't remember the terms but she's twenty-seven years old, and she's a wolf shifter so you could just meet her."
Jameson sighed. "You always say no. Yet you tell us that being mated is the greatest gift in the world and that we should cherish our mates. How will you find your mate if you don't ever meet anyone?"
Because I've already met my mate.
"Okay, I'll meet her."
He forced himself to put in some effort to get ready. It was tough because he knew in his heart this wasn't going anywhere. It almost seemed wrong to meet her. He would be honest with her about the fact that he wasn't looking for a relationship. That way no one's feelings got hurt. And he would placate his brothers.
She refused to be picked up but insisted on meeting at the restaurant. She was very pretty. She wasn't nearly as striking as Everleigh, but then no one was.
She stood up and shook his hand. "Hello, nice to meet you," he said. "I don't know what Jameson told you, but I'm not looking for a relationship. I am looking for a new pack. Or at least one to spend time with while I am teaching here. I have at least a five-year contract with the University in Juneau.”
"You're not looking to date?"
"No."
"Then why did you come out with me?"