“I didn’t have much of a choice.”

“If you had let Levi take care of your registration, you could have had anything you wanted.”

“I bet.” I wasn’t going to let Levi do me any extra favors. Getting me in last minute was plenty. “The real question is what are you doing here?”

“Just doing my job.”

“Your job is to annoy the hell out of me?”

He leaned in closer. “No, but if that’s a side effect, I don’t mind. I’m protecting you. Levi would have signed up for it himself, but he needs certain credits still to graduate, so for two classes you’re stuck with me.”

“Two? What other class?”

“Some sort of chemistry thing. I don’t know.”

“Organic Chemistry? You’re taking organic chemistry with me?” I opened my notebook up to a blank page.

“Yeah, that’s it. I’m not really into science so you better be ready to tutor me.” He smirked.

“That’s a joke, right? Please tell me that’s a joke.”

He was prevented from answering when the professor walked in.

Professor Talcom looked exactly the way I pictured a college professor would look. With graying hair and thick glasses, I had no doubt he knew a lot about economics.

He made a quick introduction and then started taking attendance. It didn’t take long before he got to my name. “Allison Davis.”

“Here.” I raised my hand.

A guy and a girl in the front row turned around and looked at me.

Somehow I knew the stares I was getting had to do with Levi. I nudged Jared, but he ignored me, answering with a loud “here” when the name Jared Florence was called a few people later.

“If you could all take a look at your syllabus, we can get started.”

I got a pen ready and watched the professor.

“As you can see, the majority of your grade will be determined by four exams and the final. There will be one short paper as well.”

I made an asterisk next to the grading section.

Jared snickered.

I nudged him and he stopped.

After discussing the syllabus and his expectations for the semester, the professor let us out thirty minutes early. The same kids turned to look at me before leaving the classroom.

“See ya.” Brian gave a small wave as he left.

“Bye.”

I packed up my stuff, and I walked out with Jared. “They knew who I was, how?”

“Word’s out Levi chose a mate and your name’s circulating. Most people just don’t know what you look like. They were checking out their future queen.”

I checked my phone out of habit, but I didn’t have any missed calls. “How can you say that so calmly? That’s insane.”

“Not really. I mean you wouldn’t have been my choice, but evidently Levi wanted you.”

“So, it doesn’t faze you that I had no say in any of this?”

“Why should it? You obviously like him; I don’t see why you’re fighting so much.” He dug into his bag without slowing down and pulled out a pair of sunglasses.

I groaned. “Forget it. I don’t know why I asked.”

“All right, so your next class is all the way in Newcomb. We can head over there now if you want.” He put on his shades. He looked even more intimidating that way.

“You know where my next class is?”

“Of course. Owen’s probably already there. Such an overachiever.”

“Owen’s in my French class?”

“What? Were you expecting Levi to be in intro French? He’s fluent.”

I don’t know what I was expecting. “Well, I guess if it’s going to be one of the three of you, I’d rather it be Owen.”

“Don’t let Levi hear you say that.” He put a hand in the pocket of his cargo shorts.

“What? That I detest him the least?”

“That you’d rather spend time with him.” With the sunglasses on, I couldn’t get a good read on Jared’s expression. I wasn’t sure if he was seriously suggesting Levi would be annoyed about that.

“Why? What would Levi do?”

“You want me taking Owen’s spot in all your classes? Because that’s what would happen.”

“Okay, keeping that statement to myself.”

Jared chuckled. “Fast learner.”

“But Levi wouldn’t actually get the wrong idea, would he? I mean, obviously, I don’t like Owen.”

“He knows, but he still wouldn’t like it. Trust me. If you haven’t figured it out yet you’re even dumber than I thought, but Levi is really possessive of what’s his.”

“Stop.” I grabbed Jared’s arm.

“Stop what?” He turned toward me as people stepped around us.

“Referring to me as his. I’m not his. I don’t belong to anyone.”

Jared picked up my hand, pointing at the ring. “This ring says otherwise. You’re his.”

I tugged at the ring. “You know I’d take this thing off if I could.”

“Shh, keep it down.” He looked over his shoulder.

“What?”

“Okay, you not living with Levi is one thing, but trying to explain to the underlings that you’re not even with him right now, isn’t cool. Got it?”

“Underlings?”

“Yeah, got a problem with the terminology?”

“Yes. It’s disrespectful. God knows what you say about me when I’m not around.”

He laughed. “Is that a joke?”

“No.”

“I might be Levi’s friend, but that doesn’t mean I’d ever get away with bad mouthing his mate. You don’t get how important you are, do you? Everything will make sense eventually.”

“That’s real helpful.”

“I know I am.”

I groaned.

“Okay, this is Newcomb, you’re on the second floor.” We’d reached another quad of sorts. I knew my dorm was right on the other side of it.

“Thanks for the delightful conversation.”

“Don’t mention it. See you later.”

“What, no door to door service?”

“Your next chaperone is right there.”

I looked over my shoulder to see a smiling Owen. “Chaperone? I thought you were my bodyguards.”

“Bodyguard, chaperone, take your pick.” He pulled down his sunglasses for a moment so he could catch my eye before replacing them and walking off.