Chapter Eight

Tanner was over to a chair beside the window and sat. He always likes sitting at the window at every class, so he could feel the natural air in the environment. His worries have now increased because he was going to be seeing his mate daily and he wasn't really ready to have any mate or to get bonded to any mate either. He just wants to live his life as a normal person. Throughout the lecture his mind wasn't there, so he couldn't grab anything from the lecture until it came to any end. He could see other students going for the next class but he wasn't just interested in going out of the class because he knew he couldn't still focus,so it was best if he remained there and had enough time to think.

After about a few weeks Astoria had then become very close friends with Leo and Lia. Leo, who doesn't talk much in their presence, has gotten very used to the fact that he was a guy in the midst of ladies. Though he had other male friends, he hung out more with the ladies. It was finally close to the day and Astoria and her friend gathered together and started heading out of the school compound. They have become so close that they always wait for one another before heading out of the school premises. "Astoria, when are we going to have a sleepover?" Leo asked. "I don't know for sure but that question should go to Casey, because she is the master planner of every event." Astoria pointed out. "Hmm," Casey exhaled. "Really?" Casey asked. "Yes, don't tell me you don't know?" Lia smiled. "And all her planned events are always fun." Astoria added.

"Wow, I never knew I was that good." Casey said smiling. "Yes you are good, that's why we want you to plan a sleepover for us." Leo said. "Oh then I will give that a thought and work something out." Casey smiled and they all grinned. "We can't just wait for that sleepover." Astoria smiled as they got to the gate. They took different cabs and went to their various homes.

"Casey, I will be right back. I need to go get myself some coffee." Astoria said while walking out from the house. "Astoria, wait." Casey said, while she stood still and waited for Casey to get to her. "What's up with you and coffee these days?" Casey asked. "Nothing Casey, you and I know I like having coffee." Astoria pointed out. "Yes I know but it's just kind of weird." Casey stated. "There is nothing weird about it, it's totally normal." She defended. "Ok whatever, just go and come back as early as possible." Casey said. "Oh mine I actually have a dance rehearsal tonight, I think I should head there already."

"Oh ok,so after having coffee I will head there." Astoria said and pressed her lips together. "Ok, get going,so you won't be late for you rehearsal." Casey advised. "Yes,see you later." Astoria waved at Casey as she walked out of the door.

Astoria walked into the coffee shop and signed for Tanner to get her usual. Astoria has also become close to Tanner but they were just mere friends. They never go deep in their friendship to sit and talk about any secrets or family. They never even have time to know more about themselves. Tanner seeing her sign from afar took her usual coffee and went over to her table. "His Astoria." Tanner smiled. "Hey Tanner," she smiled back. Tanner dropped the coffee on the table and was about to attend to other customers when she called him back and paid. "Why are you paying already when you haven't had your coffee?" Tanner asked.

"Well about that, I will be taking my coffee with me, I'm not sitting, I have something to attend to." Astoria pointed out and he just nodded before she left. She went for her rehearsal and spent some time there before heading home.

Leo and Lia were sitting in their dining room and they were having the dinner Lia had prepared for them. "Leo, I just can't wait to that sleepover to be done." Lia said. "Oh ok me too." Leo replied. "You might never know when one of those Ragner loyal slave will find out about her, we need to be at alert." Lia pointed out. "Yes very true, everyone is a suspect, we can trust anyone around her." Leo said. "She is the future of the pack without her, there is no future for us." Lia sighed. "You know I will we could convince her to come for a training session with us then she could be able to defend herself at any given time." Leo suggested. "Yes but we can't just asked her to do that right now, because she would never know she had any reason to be trained." She stated.

"Hmm," Leo exhaled. "You are right though." He replied. "All we have to do is to try and protect her at every given time, because we don't know when they will strike, so we can't take any chances." Lia said. "Ok then, let's just try our very best." He added as they continued eating their food silently.

Casey waited for Astoria to get back from her rehearsal. She had waited for hours and still didn't see how to come in and she got worried. Astoria has never stayed this late in her dance rehearsal, so there must be something wrong somewhere. Casey took her cell phone and called the Astoria number but her number wasn't going through and her worries increased. "Did anything happen to Astoria?" Was the question that came out of Casey's mouth. "Please do nothing she did to Astoria." She added while paving round the sitting room with her phone in her hands while she continued dialling her number. "Did she go somewhere else from rehearsal?" She asked no one in particular. "Maybe I should call Lia, she might be with them." She said and quickly dialled Lia number.

"Hi Casey." Lia said with excitement in her voice. ''Hey, is Astoria there, will you guys?" Casey asked in a panicking voice. "Casey calm down, you look worried, where is Astoria?" Lia asked worriedly. "She went for a dance rehearsal since noon and uptill now she hasn't returned, so I thought she was actually with you guys that was why I called." Casey spoke up. "What!" Lia exclaimed. "We will be there in a minute." Lia said and disconnected the call.

Lia quickly snatched off the blanket on her body and jumped out of her bed hurried over to Leo's room. "Leo ! Leo !! " She screamed his name as she walked towards his bedroom. "Lia what's wrong?" Leo asked, sitting up on his bed. "Our Alpha is in trouble." She said sadly

"Who is in trouble?" Leo asked. "Astoria is missing." Lia said, earning a scream from Leo. "W…w.hat are.. you..tal..king about?" He stuttered in his speech. "We need to go over to Casey place now, she is so worried and we don't have much time to waste we need to go search for Astoria." Lia said. "I will get dressed immediately." Leo said as he walked over to his closet. And Lia left his bedroom and went back to hers to all get dressed.

They were both at Casey place in a few minutes. They knocked and Casey, who was already in tears, ran to the door and opened it almost immediately. "Casey when did she leave the house?" Leo asked. "She left the house at noon." Casey managed to say with a shaking voice. "Leo no time for questions let's just go and find her." Lia said and they all went out searching. They first went over to the coffee shop but it was already locked but they were able to see one of the workers there that confirmed that she was actually there today but she had left immediately she came. They thanked her and proceeded on their search. On their way to the dance rehearsal studio. They met with terrible traffic while making them get down from the cab and ran all the way to the dance rehearsals studio. They got to the studio panting heavily as they stayed out for a while to catch their breath before finally walking in. They saw some people standing on their own stretched out and walked out to a lady.

"Excuse me miss, have you seen this lady here today?" They asked one lady there. "I'm sorry I haven't seen her but you can ask others though because it hasn't been too long since I got here." The lady said. "Ok thanks." They thanked her and went on asking others but none of them agreed to have seen her claiming they just got there, but the last person they asked directed to the teacher. "She has been here all day, so she should know if she was here or not."