Andrew's POV
I got out of my car and walked to the front office. I don't really know why I'm in school. I don't need it. I am the soon-to-be Alpha of the local pack, the Green Falcon Pack, in town, thanks to my dad moving us here after coming to an agreement with the pack Alpha. I literally just had nothing else to do with my day.
Once in the office, I walked up to the desk clerk.
"May I help you?" She asks.
"Yes ma'am, my name is Greyson Andrew Michaelson. I'm new," I reply.
"Ah, yes, I have your schedule, your locker and combination, and a map of the school. If you have any questions, please, do not hesitate to ask. Have a good day," She says.
"Thank you, Ms....," I start.
"Oh, how rude of me. My name is Ms. Stetson," she says.
"Well, thank you, Ms. Stetson. Have a wonderful day," I reply nicely.
"Thank you."
I walk out studying the map to try and find my locker. As I am walking down the hallway, the most amazing scent hits me. It smells like candy canes on Christmas. I immediately start looking around to see if I can find the intoxicating smell. I use my nose to lead me through the school. I stop in my tracks when I see the most gorgeous girl I have ever seen. She has to be a super model. As I make my way to her, I use my werewolf hearing to listen in on her conversation.
I immediately start to get angry when I hear the guy in front of her but then her answer calms me down. She friend-zoned him. If I wasn't thinking of ways to impress her and not get friend-zoned like this guy, then I would have laughed. Like out loud and rolling on the floor, tears coming out of my eyes.
When I start to walk over to her, I realize that I smell a werewolf and a vampire. I knew the werewolf, Ace, he is a part of my pack, well soon-to-be pack. But why is he hanging around a vampire? More importantly why is he letting my mate hang around a vampire?
"Hey Ace," I say. I wanted to talk to my mate, but I don't even know her name.
"Sup Andrew. Fancy seeing you here," He replies.
"Well, I figured I would take your advice about school. I mean what else am I going to do with my day?" I ask sarcastically.
"Yeah, I'm smart like that. Anyways, these are my loyal companions, my fellow musketeers, my best friends, Aiden and Felicity," Ace says.
Felicity. Wow, that's a beautiful name. She is beautiful. Wow, how did I get so lucky? Why do I keep saying "wow"?
"Wow, how dramatic of you," Aiden, the vampire, states sarcastically. Again, why are they hanging around a vampire. "Nice to meet you" He finishes, while shaking my hand and smiling.
"You, too. Ace, may I talk to you a minute?" I ask. I just cannot get over the fact that he is hanging around a vampire. Can Ace not smell him? I just cannot wrap my head around it.
"Sure. What's up?" Ace replies.
I look wearily at Aiden, and then look at Ace and say, "In private."
Ace starts laughing so hard that I think that he lost his mind or something. He is doubled over and like crying laughing. I really wish that they would have the ceremony, where I get probably initiated into the pack, already. Then I could mind link with Ace to know what the mess is going on.
Finally, Aiden asks, "Ace, why are you laughing?" Then he looks at me and says, "Ignore him. He thinks he is so smart but obviously he is not."
I have to say I agree with the vampire on that statement. I never thought that would happen. It's not that I don't like vampires, I just don't think vampires and werewolves always mix.
"Andrew, they know my secret, just like Felicity and I know his," he says, after a few minutes to calm himself down enough to tell us, while pointing at Aiden at the end of his sentence. Then, at this Aiden starts laughing really hard. They must think I'm a comedian or something to laugh this much. I was agitated before that my mate was around an unknown vampire, but now I'm getting angrier because they are mocking me.
MATE. How on earth did I forget my mate?!?! What is wrong with me?!?!? Where is she?!?! Wow, I am the worst mate in the world. UGGHH, here we go again with "wow"!
I look around for Felicity, and I don't see her anywhere. Now, I'm starting to freak out. I keep looking around frantically, but I don't see her. I turn to Ace and Aiden.
"Where is Felicity?" I ask, probably sounding like a crazy psycho.
"Woah, no way. I cannot believe it. On your first day?" Ace says. I guess with him being a werewolf he knows that Felicity is my mate.
"Yes. Now, please, where is she?" I ask again.
"She probably went ahead to class. She likes to be early to read before class. Can you please tell me what's going on?" Aiden says quizzically.
"Felicity is Andrew's mate. That is why he is freaking out. The wolf part of us struggles with being apart from their mate in the beginning. But, Andrew, you are going to have to deal with it for a while. You see I can't tell you all of it because it's not my story to tell, but there was an accident when she was younger. You are going to have to earn her trust. You could tell her you're her mate, but everything else has to be taken slowly." Ace vaguely states.
He just spiked my curiosity even more. I can't wait to get to know her. She already occupies all of my mind, and I'm the idiot that didn't even introduce myself to her. Man, I'm so stupid. She is going to hate me.
I pull out my schedule and hand it to Ace and Aiden.
"Can you tell me what all classes I have with Felicity?" I ask.
Ace starts laughing again, as does Aiden.
"Why are you laughing now?" I almost yell. I'm getting extremely frustrated with not having answers and being mocked.
"I am laughing because fate is on your side today. Not only did you find your mate you have every class with her." Ace says still laughing.
"Oh, thank you, Moon Goddess. You are a life savior," I say gratefully in my head.
"Let's get to class. Felicity is probably getting worried," Aiden states.
"Felicity is probably knee deep in some other realm that her book of the day has taken her to, to notice that we aren't in class yet." Ace says, kind of seriously and jokingly.
"Wait, does she really read a book a day?" I ask, kind of amazed and kind of scared because there is no way that I can relate to her or even talk to her if she spends all her time reading.
"Yes, well some books. She reads pretty quickly because she is OCD, she hates when she has to stop in the middle of the story. It nags at her until she finishes the story. Then she picks up another one. And from there it goes." Aiden explains.
By this time, we are walking into the classroom with the smell of candy canes on Christmas.
Felicity. I scan the classroom and spot her in the last chair of the front row by the window. She looks so beautiful sitting there looking out the window. She looks so deep in thought that I don't want to interrupt her, even though I'm dying to introduce myself to her. I want to hear her voice. Correction, I NEED to hear her voice.
As Aiden starts a conversation up with her, I zone out day dreaming about our future together. What can I say, I'm optimistic. But then the most angelic voice hits my ears. It's like music to my ears. I have never heard anything like my mate's voice. There is literally nothing I can compare it to for you to understand how amazing it is.
They start reminiscing about something funny Felicity did. I start to laugh because she I just so darn cute. They were talking about a time when she wanted ice cream and she made them pause their game to go to the store to get because, and I quote, "they could pause their game but not her stomach's grumbling for mint chocolate chip ice cream." I would not have even argued about pausing the game. I would give her the Sun, the Moon, and the stars if she'd let me. I would do anything to see that beautiful smile.
I start feeling sad. But how can I be sad? This day couldn't be better: I found my mate. I looked over at her and saw that her face had deflated after the bantering back and forth with her friends. Oh, I'm feeling her sadness. But how? That isn't supposed to happen until after I mark and turn her. Yes, because she is human, I have to turn her. Well, I hope to turn her. She has to allow me to. I really hope she will let me because I want to spend the rest of my long life with her. You see werewolves aren't immortal we just age a lot slower than humans after our first shift, at 18. Plus, we have to do the mating process. I'm going to have to talk with my dad after school today. Right now, I need to focus on why my mate is sad. I come out of my thoughts to see her stand up and walk out.
"I'm going to the restroom," She says quietly, while quickly leaving the room.
I'm about to stand up to follow her when Ace grabs my arm.
"Give her time. She needs a minute alone to collect her thoughts. She will only get more upset and then angry if you bother her before she can handle it herself." Ace says.
"But I'm her mate. I can help her." I almost whine. I really didn't like seeing her like that.
"And we are her best friends. We knew her before and after the accident. She needs time by herself first. When she gets back, we will talk to her. We aren't trying to keep you from her, we are only trying to help you understand her." Ace says. "Plus, she doesn't know you are her mate yet. You need to tell her first before you go all lovey-dovey crazy on her."
"You're right. What all have you told her about mates?" I ask. This way I know what needs to be explained and what she will already know.
"I gave her a brief version she could understand, from a human perspective that is. I did not tell her about what happens if we have humans as mates. I basically had to let her know why I didn't date much." Ace states.
"Okay." I state. Well this should be fun. I really hope she doesn't hate me.
I was deep in thought about how I was going to explain mates to Felicity when she walked back in. She sat down in her seat and hung her head down. I gave her another minute and right as I was about to ask her if she was okay the teacher walked in. Mrs. Cunningham is her name, I think.
I zoned out the rest of the class period. When the bell rang, I got up and followed Felicity out. I needed to know she was okay. I could feel that she wasn't as sad anymore, but something was still bothering her. I was going to get to the bottom of it.
Aiden and Ace tried talking to her, but she just shut them down. I figured I'd give it shot. So, I followed her to her locker, and after she gathered her books, she turned to go to class she ran right into me.
"May I walk you to class?" I ask.
"May I ask why?" She asks rudely, but I had this gut feeling that she didn't mean to be rude. It felt like whatever was bothering was causing her mood. Even knowing that I still felt hurt. I wasn't mad or upset with her, I was mad at me for ignoring her this morning.
"Because I want to," I state but it almost seems like a question.
I could see her mind turning and analyzing the situation. I'm starting to understand what Ace and Aiden are talking about. But what comes out of her mouth next renders me speechless.
"You want to walk me to class now, but this morning you completely ignored me. Why the sudden change in heart?" She asks.
I didn't have an answer yet. I was going to ask to drive or walk her home after school, whatever she was comfortable with to explain mates to her. Plus, I couldn't right out and say that I didn't know Aiden was a nice vampire, I just knew he was a vampire, and I didn't want my mate near him.
She side-steps me and starts walking down the hallway. I was still puzzled how to play this. I did know we had all of our classes together, so I turned to follow her. I easily caught up to her.
She looked lost in thought and jumped when she noticed I was beside her.
"Andrew. Geez, you startled me," she says.
"Sorry. I didn't mean to." I apologize. I look away sheepishly.
"It's okay. What are you doing?" She asks.
"Well, I'm sorta walking you to class and sorta following you to class," I say honestly. I mean how exactly am I going to walk her to class, I'm new? I have no idea where anything is.
"What do you mean?" She asks.
"I showed my schedule to Ace and Aiden. They pointed out that I'm in all of the same classes as you. Earlier I was an idiot to ask you if I could walk you to class, even though I really wanted to. I'm new, how could I walk you to class without knowing where I was going? I don't even know where my locker is. I was just trying to spend time with you. You seemed upset earlier and I wanted to make sure you were okay." I ramble. I do that a lot when I'm nervous.
During my nervous rambling, I noticed, and felt, her get mad but then I felt happiness. I was confused. I don't know what I said to make her mad or happy but I'm glad we ended on the happy part. I already don't like it if she is anything but happy and I only meet her about two hours ago.
"So, we have every class together?" She asks.
I pull out my schedule and hand it to her. She looks at with a small smile.
"Do you sing or dance?" She asks after handing it back to me and starts walking back down the hallway with me walking beside her.
"Sing," I say. "Why?"
"Well, we are in every class together. One of those classes is music. So, I was wondering which one you did," she states.
"Oh, that makes since. Which one do you do?" I ask in return.
"I sing, not very well but not terrible either. I also have a fear of singing in front of people," she answers.
"Then why take the music class if you don't like singing in front of people?" I ask.
"Requirement. It was either art or music and I do enough drawing and painting on my own then to sit in a classroom and hear someone go on and on about technique. I use it as an outlet not a grade." She states, while taking a seat in what I now know is the same seat in every class: front row by the window.