2 Chapter 2: The mate pull
Zack's POV
Zack remembered his father's warning that it would be painful. What he didn't know was that it would occur too soon and would drag on for too long. But his was a rare phenomenon. Usually, no werewolf shifted till they were at least 18. And usually, it was quick.
A week before his first shift, Zack started experiencing enormous pain all over his body. It was preparing to break and reconnect and remake itself. He didn't once get up from his bed other than when his best friend Alex came to visit him in his hostel room.
Zack told Alex that he was down with some sort of flu. He thought it would best explain his high fever and why his room smelled like a wet dog. Alex never asked any questions. He never did from when they met each other in the very boarding school they have been in for six years old.
A memory played at the back of Zack's head. A six-year-old Zack was running behind a car and crying for his mom when he suddenly fell on his face. Nobody came to lift the kid from the ground.
The car in which his parents sat sped past the school gates without noticing the crying kid.
He felt somebody coming and sitting next to him on the road without bothering him. He could hear slurping noises from the newcomer.
In the middle of wailing, he looked up to a kid who was the same age as him, sucking on a lollipop. He could smell the strawberry waft from the new kid.
Little Zack pursed his lips and glared at the intrusion. But his attention was now on the lollipop. None of this seemed to bother the kid who was sitting there in the middle of the road next to him. The honks of the cars passing them to proceed towards the exit of the school didn't bother both.
Slowly Zack raised himself and dusted himself from all the grit that now covered his face and hand. He extended a hand towards the new kid as if in command. Without taking it the other kid stared right into his eyes, and after a second, gave the widest of smiles.
"Alex," He introduced himself.
Zack was not interested. He extended his hands again in a more urgent manner and said, "Lollipop."
Pulling out another lollipop from his little pocket, Alex said, "It's okay. My sister Elize cries a lot too. Don't cry. Friends?"
Zack grabbed the sweet and glared at Alex. Then pursed his lips and said, "Fine."
Alex was always like that since then- always there for Zack. They went through heartbreaks, weird food cravings, jailbreaks from boarding school, and fights in the years they stayed there together. Never once did they stay apart for a day.
Zack's father would tell him seeing them both that when he would undergo his first shift, he'll have stronger feelings for his pack. But Zack knew that Alex would always come first for him. He didn't tell Alex about the secrets his family held, or that he wasn't exactly human. It was too big of a burden to put on a human's shoulder- keeping all those secrets. It would put Alex in danger.
Hence Alex never knew that his best friend was undergoing his first shift as a werewolf right in front of him. Day after day, Alex kept him company after class, delivering the oh so many letters random girls shoved in his locker. The week passed painfully slow for Zack. The day he shifted, Alex was on his way home.
The first shift is always the toughest- Zack could hear his father's words. But he was only sixteen. He was not ready.
His bones started cracking one by one, each one more painful than the other. He could hear his flesh tear and blood curdle. A small howl started forming from his throat. Thankfully in the woods behind his hostel, no one could hear him. He wanted to scream with all the pain, and so he howled at the top of his lungs. In the place of the blue-eyed boy stood a huge wolf.
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The wolf ran through the thickets of the jungle, often coming out as the forests cleared to give way to the city and then back to the forest for cover. To his relief, nobody noticed him. He couldn't stop running. Something was pulling him somewhere. Something warm and nice. He needed to reach it.
He stopped at a cliff when he sensed the object of his attraction nearing him. He looked below the road that wound around the hill. A car was speeding towards a blind turn. The driver couldn't have noticed the truck coming straight towards them. He knew that whatever he yearned for was in the car. He needed to reach it before the inevitable.
Without thinking for another second, he jumped down the cliff straight on to the car. He thrust the door open and yanked something right out of the car just before it crashed with the truck.
He held it close to his body and jumped a safe distance to watch the horror unfurling right in front of him. He could hear it- a scream so wretched, a cry for help that tore his heart apart. He felt helpless as he looked down upon what he held in his arms.
It was a little girl. Her black hair shone blue in the moonlight. Her tanned hands were digging into his fur in her exasperation.
He knew that if he let go, she would run towards the car without thinking twice. He had a strange urge to protect her. His heart was beating fast as he turned her around to face him.
This was it. He knew with every fiber of his body. His mate. He found her! He was overwhelmed with joy! This feeling of pure bliss at someone's presence. This must be what it means to have a mate.
He looked at his object of affection. The little kid seemed to be scared of him. He wanted to reassure her. To look into her gray little eyes and tell her that he will protect her against the whole world.
But as he watched, fear turned to horror on her face and she started edging away from him. A small whimper escaped her lips.
He had only one way to make her stay where she was.
'Sit!!' He forced the command onto her mind.
She seemed to shiver from his voice. But she obliged - all the while shivering.
'Good girl. I want you to listen carefully. Help will be here soon. You have to sit here till they come. Don't move.'
She seemed to not have any problems. She nodded. Poor thing, she was scared. Zack knew. She must be only human and there were no packs on this side of the world. She was his to protect. Until she is of age he'll protect her. The pull towards the kid was too strong for Zack. He slowly walked towards her. The little thing closed her eyes out of fear. He felt desperate. As if by instinct, he licked the little girl's face. He will protect her, he thought.
He could hear the ambulance blaring behind him. He knew she was safe. At the same time, he picked up a familiar scent. He had to hide!!! He dashed into the woods and ran as fast as he could. He could hear someone calming the kid down. Most probably her father, he assumed.
He wandered around for a while until he finally found her house. It was easy for him. She was his mate. He could follow her scent to the ends of the world.
Someone was beside her on her bed- a boy. His back was turned towards the window so Zack couldn't get a good view. But something told him that it was a very familiar back. He looked around the house, sniffing for what exactly felt wrong. He knew that in this form he'd be able to reach her room easily. He has to see her. The urge was too strong to resist. He managed to climb over the balcony to her room in his wolf form and by then, the girl was all alone. The kid seemed to be fast asleep. Poor thing was whimpering even in sleep. He wanted to get a closer look.
He jumped into her room.
*Thud*
'Shit!' He should learn to land with much less noise, Zack thought.
It seemed to have done the job. The kid was up and looking around startled.
"Alex!" She called out.
Dread filled his mind. What?! Alex?! No, it can't be. Of course, it can't be his Alex! He wanted to get out. Too late. She spotted him.
He carefully spaced his steps very slowly to not startle her. He needed to be close to her. Yes, that's exactly what he needed- he thought. As he went closer her face registered a look mixed with awe and fear.
Of course. She was a kid. She wouldn't feel the mate pull until she was older. He had to keep that in mind. Although the kid might feel weirdly drawn to the wolf, she could easily be scared too. She was innocent. He had to be careful. As if to ease his worries, she extended her hands and rubbed the fur on his head. That felt good. It felt nice to be petted like that. Zack purred to his surprise. He smiled inside.
That's when it hit him. His best friend's scent. It was coming off of her. Was the boy who sat with her a while ago his Alex?!
Shocked, Zack pulled back from her suddenly. It seemed to have startled the little kid. This little kid was his best friend's little sister. No!
'This can't be! I can't drag my best friend's little sister into the world of wolves! I can't do this to him!!!'
Zack felt overwhelmed for a moment.
Meanwhile, he could hear the little girl calling for her brother. Louder and louder each time. He had to make a decision. There was nothing to think about.
With a heavy heart Zack boomed into her mind- 'I Zachariah Ze'ev reject you Elize as my mate! Never will I come before you again!'
As soon as he said these words, pain shot up his legs to his heart. He had to get away! He had to get away from her! He can't let her see him in pain!
