I was able to alternate between bathrooms gradually moving closer to my second period class. I never thought I would be a bathroom hopper to get to class and avoid the man I had just found who happened to be my mate, but here I was. After a long deep breath, I swung my bag over my shoulder. I only needed to make it across the hall and slide into a desk surrounded by other students at the last second so he can't change seats then rush out of the room at the very first second the end of period bell rings. Easy.
"I can do this." The warning bell rang, and I poked my head out of the bathroom and glanced both ways. I dropped my shoulders and walked out of the bathroom.
"Hiding in the bathroom. Very mature." I sighed and turned around to see Adam leaning against the wall that separated the boys and girl's restroom.
"Well guess you've got the short of the stick being stuck linked to me as your mate." The words came out of my mouth like venom and I felt him flinch back but try and compose himself. I do not know why I was so angry. I did not expect him to fully believe me, but I did not expect the anger. Logically he should not believe someone he just met. That made sense, but it did not change how I felt.
He reached out and touched my hand. I wanted to pull away, but I could not. I met his eyes and they were sad and hurt.
"I'll look into your concerns. I promise. I can't have someone being after my Luna, can I?" An apologetic smile appeared on his lips and I nodded. He took his hand away and we walked into second period together right as the final bell rang. Luckily, we were able to find seats next to each other.
Our teacher began to call roll letting each of us raise our hands when our names were called. With roll done the teacher picked up on her lesson where we left off the day before. Adam kept glancing over at me sending a blush across my cheeks every few minutes.
I heard all my life that finding my mate would be the most peaceful feeling I would ever experience. Humans thought it was this instant sexual attraction and that is what the instinct was rooted in. But reality was it was like finding your best friend. They could sense your feelings right away. As soon as your eyes meet, you will have a connection. Your body will instantly warm like you are standing in the sun on a beautiful summer day. There will be an energy drawing you towards them. Even if you are miles away if you are still strong enough to produce an energy pulse then your mate will be able to focus on that energy and find you. There is some speculation that many wolves find their mates before ten, but they do not understand the pull they feel, or the emotions attached to it.
After fully 'mating' for the first time the bond changes. Instead of feeling just an energy pull there is a need to be near each other. Mates can speak telepathically if they are within a few miles. Before mating a shifter will be sterile and unable to produce offspring, but after the first time with their mate a shifter can produce an offspring with any human or shifter who has found their mate. At that point, the two shifters will feel a need to produce especially if they are of alpha or beta lineage the need to create a stable pack comes before anything else. Before that point mates can grow apart.
There's no magic way to reject a mate and never feel them again unless they are dead but if the two never officially mate and decide to go separate ways they just won't ever be able to have children or find another true life partner until their original mate dies. It does not happen often, but I imagine it would be hard to resist that energy pull even if the physical need were not at the highest level of strength.
The bell signaling the end of class shrilled through the room causing some dozing students to jump. I shoved my books in my bag and stood up beside Adam's desk.
"Walk me to my next class? I think you might enjoy running into Noah as well." He nodded and stood up throwing his bag over his shoulder. It was awkward to say the least. We both knew we were supposed to spend our lives together but neither of us knew where to start. Do we talk? Do we hold hands? Do we skip the inbetween getting to know each other phase and skip straight to trusting each other with our lives?
We finally ended up at the door to my chemistry class. Adam poked his head in and waved to Noah already sitting in the seat next to mine. He pushed his stool out leaving his books. Adam looked back at me. I could feel even more nerves radiating from his body.
"Would you be interested in maybe going on a date with me? Maybe tonight at eight?" I could not imagine a universe where I might even consider saying no, but he looked like he was bracing for it anyway
"I would love to." His whole face lit up and he pulled me into a tight hug before quickly letting go. He rubbed the back of his neck as Noah peaked around the door frame.
"tsk tsk tsk what do we have here?" Adam glared at him then turned to walk away giving me a small wave. I waved back before walking right past Noah to my seat.
The day went by quickly and excruciatingly slow. Every class I had with Adam I spent most of the time begging him to tell me where we were going. All he would do is smile and shake his head.
After the final bell of the day rang, I stepped outside of class to find a waiting Josh. He grabbed me up before I could register what was happening and spun me around in a circle. I glanced back at Adam who was standing a few feet away. His brows were knitted together in confusion. I could tell he was not sure if he should be jealous, laugh, or try to protect me from the giant brute picking me up. I wiggled out of Josh's arms and laughed.
"Josh this is Adam. He is...the next in line to the new pack that just moved in." Adam seemed hurt that I did not immediately tell him we were mates, but I just was not sure where this all was going, and I just was not ready to shout it out to everyone yet. Telling Josh would be like sending an immediate text to all the pack members that I had found my mate. Josh accepted my answer and shot his hand out to shake Adam's. Adam smiled and reached out.
"Nice to meet you Josh. I'll see you tonight Lily." He turned to walk away but the boy that stopped us was so close to him that he almost ran straight into Adam.
"Henry! Hey funny running into you on this hallway. I didn't think seniors came to this one." He tilted his head to the side meeting my eyes. Josh pushed me behind his back out of view before I could react while Adam looked back at us confused.
"Why are you talking to her Adam?"
"Why is that any of your concern?" Adam's shoulders tensed and he went from normal high school boy to future alpha. Henry backed down and raised his hands.
"It's not. Just curious is all. Having a friend to the elements would be a beneficial ally." I could feel the energy from the bottle of water in Henry's bag fighting against the top that was holding it shut. I took a deep breath trying to calm my energy so maybe the bottle would not explode. Josh backed away a few steps then quickly turned around and pushed us towards the door and into his car.
"He can't hurt me Josh." I rolled my eyes but buckled my seatbelt secretly thankful to be away from his energy.
"I know but I am not about to have Alpha yell at me for letting someone cause a scene in the middle of the hallway."
The car ride home was mostly quiet. At first Josh tried to ask questions but I turned up the radio drowning him out. I was not sure where my head was at, but it made him stop asking questions. A feeling of not being able to trust Adam completely had settled in my gut after our conversation this morning, but maybe that would change after the Henry run in today as well. The kid was clearly following me. Adam had to see that. I think.
I waved goodbye to Josh and slid out of the car. There were two people I knew I could tell though. I swung open the door and saw Dad on his knees in front of Mom. His hands were on both sides of her stomach with an ear pressed firmly against it. His eyes were closed but I could see the pink splotches on his cheeks that he had been crying with a comfortable smile on his face. Mom's hands were intertwined in his hair. When I closed the door, both seemed shocked I was home already and laughed at themselves. I wondered how long they had been in that position.
"What's going on? Mom are you okay?"
"Of course!" Her voice was almost a song when it came out of her throat. She rushed across the room and grabbed both of my hands in her own. I did not realize that my hands were freezing until her warm ones wrapped around them. "We're going to have a baby Lils!"
I instantly wrapped my mom into a hug and felt my own tears prick my eyes. "Congratulations! That's so exciting Mom!"
She bounced up and down on the balls of her feet and glanced between Dad and me. "Well. The cravings should be hitting any day now, so I think I need to take a trip to the grocery store." She picked up the keys, but dad pulled them out of her hand before she could finish her sentence.
"I'm not letting you go anywhere off pack property alone. Not with the new pack here, we'll go together." Mom nodded and they started to walk out the door.
"Oh! Guys By the way I have plans tonight at eight so if you're not back, I'll see you later tonight." Dad looked over his shoulder and I thought I saw his eyes darken just a little. It was not like me to make plans at all much less on a school night.
"What kind of plans and with who?"
"Well...a date...of sorts." His shoulders tensed but his eyes returned to normal. The protective side of his wolf seemed to be okay with letting the protective dad side handle this one on his own.
"Of sorts? With whom?"
"Adam Young. The future Alpha of the new pack." He walked closer to me and I could feel his wolf fighting for control behind his eyes. They switched back and forth between light and dark.
"I told you not to speak to them yet. We have no proof! How does it look for my own daughter to defy my commands? Do you think if you don't follow them the rest of the pack still will?"
I looked down. He did not have to know that I had talked to him about the situation. I could pull this off in my favor. "Dad it's not like that. We have a lot of classes together and well the first time we met it was...he's my mate."
Mom's tears came faster, and she pushed dad out of the way to give me a giant hug. I could see him deep in thought over her shoulder. He was not comfortable with the idea, but he did not have much of a choice anymore. I wondered if part of him thought that I was making the whole thing up just to be able to handle this issue behind his back.
When mom finally let go and headed back towards the door Dad followed. "Don't do anything stupid tonight Lily. You will be followed and removed at the first sight of any possible danger."
I nodded and waved as they walked out. I knew Dad would try to be here in time to intimidate Adam, but with a pregnant Mom at the grocery store he could very well be there until eight.
I flipped the lock on the door behind them and pulled out my phone from my backpack before throwing it in a heap beside the door. I held down the number two button and waited as the phone barely got through the second ring. "Harmony speaking, your neighborhood best friend, how can I be of service to you today."
I could not help but laugh. She always found a new and somewhat clever way to answer her phone when I called. "I have a date, so I need you to come and work some Harmony magic on me." There was only a squeal and then the line went dead. I could practically see her in a full sprint makeup bag in tow running the four house lengths to us. Sure, enough there was a knock on the door in less than ten minutes.
I swung it open and realized I had been deeply mistaken. She held three makeup bags instead of just one.