Your Protector ✓

|15|

Elik

     I slam the ball with my fist, watching it fly across the court as two males dive for it at the same time. They aren't so lucky. Their heads knock together, and Umner bursts into laughter.

     Grinning slightly, I turn to Penelope who sits patiently on the side lines, legs swinging as she watches. She claps her hands in applause. She agreed to come along to our game, and I'm glad. I wouldn't have come if she didn't want to come with me. Not only would she be stressed being by herself, I would be worried the whole time she was out of my sight.

     I'm glad she not only wants me for protection, but she also wants to spend time with me. It is a miracle to be lucky enough to be with her, let alone be the center of her attention.

     "Rashin! Pay attention. We can win this." Ooli grumbles, rubbing his head as Umber continues to laugh and tease them. It's clear that the one called Rashin is embarrassed. He's one of Umner's friends, and he's just as young and dumb as my team member.

     We are easily beating them. The large ball is tossed back and forth over the barrier where the other two males try to keep it from hitting the floor. We gain a point whenever the ball touches the other player's side.

     It's not a very complicated game, and you can have many people playing as long as the number is even. But, it does get difficult when you are competitive, and the rest of the players are just as eager to be on the winning team.

       Starting another round, we beat the ball back and forth a few times. It flies through the air easily before it hits Rashin right in the head. He yelps, slamming to the ground. His partner, Ooli, gets agitated very quickly.

     "What do you think you are doing?" He demands, motioning to the ball that lay motionless on the ground. I wince, the poor kit, that ball is very heavy, it could not have felt good to be hit in the head with it.

     Rashin shrugs, and then tilts his head, feeling it with his palm as he checks for injuries. I catch him looking off the court. I follow his eyes, finding myself very displeased with where he's looking.

     "Stop that." I demand, and his brown eyes fall on me. I glare at him, taking a dangerous step forward in warning.

     "Here we go again." Umner complains, rubbing an annoyed hand down his face as he watches.

     "What? She is a female. She is beautiful, and I've never seen one before." He helps defensively. What he says is true, and I cannot deny that. Penelope is beautiful. She's absolutely perfect to be exact.

      Of course I should not deny any male the right to gaze at a female when the majority of our race have never seen one before. It's unfair to say they cannot steal a glance. But, I can't control the overwhelming jealousy that fills me with it's vicious fire.

     I don't want anyone to look at Penelope. I want to yell from the hill tops that she's mine, and mine alone. No male should look at her. No one should try to take her away from me.

     "I don't want you looking at her."

     Not only does it infuriate me in general, but Penelope is delicate. She is scared of males other than myself, and I don't want her to be frightened. She's so small, and our males are very large. It's no wonder she gets intimidated by our mere presence.

     Rashin growls, taking a step towards me. Gone is his shy, youthful ways. He's been threatened, and he knows it, and he does not like it.

     "You have no claim on her." He tells me, and I disagree.

     "She's claimed me."

     "Then why isn't she your mate?" Rashin counters, raising an eyebrow and glancing at Penelope. I follow his gaze once again.

     The fragile human female has a pale, long neck, a neck that holds no claim mark on its soft flesh.

     He has a point. I haven't claimed Penelope as my mate. It's my deepest wish, other than her happiness. Her joy is my priority, and I won't force my wishes on her if she doesn't happily agree.

     It's why she doesn't already bear my mark to the world.

     "She is there for the taking. Any male could take her from you. She's not yours. She could choose anyone, including me." He brags, and I have finally had enough of talking. I won't listen to another word.

     I jump the barrier, all thoughts of fun and games leaving my mind as I land on him. I hear shouts from the other males, and a more feminine one as well. I leave it all behind when my body retaliates from the argument.

     My fists fly in a blinding force of rage, each contact of my knuckles with Rashin's face aleives some of the fury that he's built up inside me. This is his fault. He took this on himself.

     I growl when he struggles, and I feel someone grab my arm from behind. I wrench my elbow from the assaulting grip, continuing my search of pain.

     Another attempt at pulling me away is made, and this time it's successful. I'm torn away, my arms being used as handle bars to get a grip on me, the two males using their combined strength to defeat my wrath. I snarl, wanting to get at Rashin but failing.

     He hastily wipes the blood from his nose, his eyes wild as he glares at me. He opens his idiotic mouth to spew more hatred.

     "Call the guards. Get him arrested. He deserves to be behind bars." He spits, and I find myself wondering why Umner would ever choose to be friends with him. He's a lunatic.

      I hear a cry of outrage, a very delicate cry. I look back to see Penelope running over to where we stand. She stumbles, and I try to run to her to catch her, but I'm still being held firmly by Umner and Ooli.

     The brave female steps between me and Rashin, and she's trembling from head to toe. I growl. He's terrified her, and so have I. She is traumatized enough already, and now I've shown her more violence and terror.

     "No. Please. Please, don't take him away. Please." Her voice breaks at the same time as my heart. Umner loosens his hold, his mouth dropping open at the sweet but panicked words.

     Penelope never speaks unless it's to me, and my friends are always shocked when it happens.

     I use the opportunity to pull away, taking my precious female into my arms and picking her up. Her legs wrap around my waist, her arms winding around my neck. The poor thing clutches at me. She sniffles, and I know her well enough to know that she is trying to keep it together like the strong female that she is. She buries herself on my shoulder.

     Rashin has the nerve to look sorry as the female shakes with silent sobs. I don't pay any attention to him, I simply carry her away, knowing she my one and true purpose.

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Next chapter will be on Wednesday. Love y'all so much.
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