James' POV
Alex and I are sitting in Biology when the lunch bell finally decides to grace us with its presence. Standing from my seat, I follow him out of the room, before we part ways outside the door. I raise my voice to be heard over pack members greeting me, mine and our sister pack alike.
"I'm going to pick up Jessica from English." I tell him expecting the reaction that comes. Alex rolls his eyes in exasperation before nodding and making his way towards the cafeteria as I turn on my heels, ignoring the waves and greetings as I think.
I understand Alex's aversion to Jess and I's relationship since she's not my Mate but it's been two years since I turned of age and I still haven't found the one I'm supposed to spend the rest of my life with. Jess is a year younger than me but in the same boat. Alex has tried to convince me that my Mate may be in our sister pack or maybe they're younger than me, but I don't want to give myself false hope only to end up alone, bitter and Mateless.
I finally arrive at Jessica's classroom and I see her leaning against the wall, her shoulder length hair held back by white sunglasses that frame her face beautifully. She's gorgeous and sometimes I wonder why she couldn't have been my Mate but if I'm honest, I'm relieved that she's not. Something tells me I wouldn't like her as a permanent fixture in my life for some reason.
As soon as she sees me, she pushes herself off of the wall and comes to stand by my side sliding her fingers through mine. I slightly stiffen but nonetheless lace my fingers between hers as I lead us back to the Cafeteria.
Jess almost bumps into two boys at the entrance of the cafeteria but at the last minute my tug on her fingers has her stepping out the way just in time to save the oblivious wolves from an untimely collision.
I let go of her hand to grab my lunch tray, sighing as her long manicured hands wrap themselves around my bicep.
"How was the game last night?" Jessica asks me, referring to the soccer game Alex and I had went to at the human school in town.
" It was good. Our friend Cameron and his school won by two goals. It was a good game." She hums in delight over Cameron's victory knowing how close Alex and I were with a few of the humans. Our elementary and some middle schools are integrated with the supernatural and humans. Everyone is taught the basic history and letters and numbers together hand in hand until we reach high school. There, the two are separated when we learn in depth our individual histories and such.
Though some of us keep in contact with our human friends as we grow older, a lot of supernaturals loose contact and begin to stick to their "own kind". It disappoints me but I can't force people to stay friends and open minded.
"I'm glad you had fun, but you know you could've hung out with me, too." Jessica pouts and though I once found it adorable, lately it's only managed to make me cringe.
"I know, Jess. I can't ignore my friends though. Even the humans."
"Not even for your girlfriend?" She asks, though I can't tell if she's serious or not. To avoid hurting her feelings, I grab her favorite snack and give her a quick hug which makes her smile.
We quickly head to our table at the front of the room, greeting everyone that greets us. As we settle down in our seats, Jessica tries to sit on my lap, but internally panicking in virgin, I kindly use her hips to maneuver her into her own seat, much to her annoyance.
I try and swallow the growl of frustration as Alex, who's sitting across from me gives me a knowing look. For the past few weeks, Jessica has been trying to start an intimate relationship with me. I have never shamed anyone for what they chose to do with their virtue without their Mate. But I, like many other wolves, am not partaking in any sexual relations without my soulmate, even if it means I'm a virgin until I am forty-two.
Alex is the first to start a conversation, always the one to try and relieve whatever tension is in the air.
"Someone else found their Mate today." Alex reveals, face spilling into a grin that's answered around the table. No matter who is is, whether a Vamp, Were, Faerie or anything, finding our Mate is something to be celebrated and treasured. Being a school of freaks and abominations, there is almost never any bullying, judging or hate. Of course there are those that don't get along, but we all have more important shit outside of high school that's than who has the nicest shoes.
"Oh, yeah?" Caleb asks, a third year Vampire who found their Mate in their best friend on their birthday. Joey's scent is no where to be found, so I guess she's practicing with the other Water Faeries in the pond out front.
"Yeah, it's a senior who had been looking for her Mate for two years. Apparently she never found him because she left to take care of her family right before their birthday. Today was her first day back. Man you should've seen the small girl face when's she's tackled by a tall lanky Earth Faerie." The table is full of Awws and chuckles as everyone either imagines the story or reminisces on their own.
Thinking about finding my Mate so suddenly even after two years, has me slipping my hand from Jessicas tight embrace and fidgeting in my seat.
"What's the seniors name?" Caleb asks Alex, his smile warm and gentle. "We might know her and be able to congratulate her."
Alex looks around the room as if looking for someone but soon stops on someone right behind my shoulder. "There he is. The skinny brunette, his name is Taylor. The small one over there is Carramel." Alex says warmly. At first I wasn't going to look. I was just going to continue eating and try to avoid Jessica's confused gaze and wandering hand. But just as I went to pick up my next bite, I felt this strange presence beside me. One that had my back straightening and hands pausing.
"Look." A voice so sudden and so quiet, I can't tell if someone whispered it, I thought it, or if I simply imagined it. Either way, I follow the direction of everyone's gaze and turn my head slightly to the left to find the table of discussion. And though I know they were talking about the lean, fit girl with the chiseled jaw I recognize from the sophomore year Soccer team, that's not who my eyes lock into.
No, my eyes find the face of the most gorgeous girl that I have ever seen. Her chocolate colored curls that frame her olive tone skin immediately catches my eyes. Focusing on my eyesight, I allow it to strengthen to my wolf's level to take in the brown scattered freckles that litter her face, the pink pouty lips that move softly when speaking and the thin round glasses that frame her face beautifully. Since everyone has perfect eyesight within our school, being abnormal and all, the glasses must be for fashion unless she's a Omega wolf or a half-breed.
A jolt of shy electricity traces my spine the longer I look at her. A whisper of the feeling that is said to help identify one key person in everyone's life. I feel my heart beat harder, faster at what the feeling implies. Of what it may mean.
I continue my staring, drinking in the way her hands flutter nervously as she talks. How she can't hold the faerie's, Taylor's, eyes for too long. Her nervous giggle that somehow makes it across the room to caress my ears softly.
I feel someone kick my leg and it takes me a second to clear my head enough to turn and see what Alex wants, knowing it's him, seeing as he's the only one not too scared of my position as future Alpha, to treat me as everyone else. Once I drag my eyes away, I turn my attention towards him though my body is still half turned.
His gaze is questioning but excited as his eyes trace the expression on my face.
"How old is she?" I ask, ignoring how the table is quiet enough to hear my curious question. And though I already know the answer, the confirmation is something I need right now. The possibility of false hope too much to bear.
Alex's eyes alight with pride and an emotion I'm able to identify as jealousy before he hides it completely. "She turns sixteen next week." He confirms, his smile growing as mine does too. The table sharing knowing looks all except Jessica who seems more confused as ever.
"Who are we talking about?" Jessica asks. But I ignore her, finally having a reason to abandon her. And the reason being that I finally found what I've been looking for for two years. I've finally found who I've been looking for. After so long, I've finally found my Mate.
"No one," I hear Caleb answer her, but my mind is elsewhere.
I'm too curious and enthralled by my newfound discovery to give her any once of my attention any longer. Besides, I'm too busy trying to figure out how to make my newfound Mate fall in love with me. The sooner the better.