First real encounter.

Beau 

"She was terrified'' Rex tells me as we walk into the school building. I raise a brow because I completely spaced. What are we even talking about right now? My mind is stuck in the meeting we just had.

It was a lot worse than I expected and the fact that I have to come to school, after all, that is annoying.

''Your one-night stand, her name is Lia by the way.''

Oh, he's talking about the girl from this morning. ''She kept on shaking till I dropped her off at the bus stop. What did you guys do last night?'' he is watching me but all I notice are the pile of books he is struggling to carry ''Why the fuck do you have so many books?''

He looks at his grip like it is the first time he is noticing those books ''They are yours, all your assignments done and ready for submission.''

Shit.

I didn't even know I had work that needed to be done. Rex is a lifesaver. I really don't know what I'd do without him. We stop in front of our lockers, he is beside mine. I open mine with the combination and he puts the notebooks inside. ''History, Maths, and biology, we just got to turn them in,'' I smile gratefully but before I get a word out Isabella jumps into my arms.

Isabella is just like me and she has been my best friend since I could remember. Apart from Rex she is the only other person I trust. ''What's up fool'' I am still holding her by the waist "Get off me'' I push her off and she lands on her feet. A smile is on her face ''What a fucking night, did you really take Lia back with you'' she questions with raised brows.

I furrow my brows "Lia....'' confusion is etched on my face.

Rex speaks up "Lia from this morning'' he reminds me. I chuckle at my mistake and face Bella. ''I did, and then I had to get her out somehow, it wasn't so easy''

''Dude you are a fucking rebel.'' Bella is dressed in loose jeans that are ripped to the point of almost being called tattered. Her shirt is body-hugging which accentuates all her curves. Her sneakers look worn out and there is mud smudged all over the soles. Bella is a tomboy, plain and simple but she is also the most beautiful girl I have ever seen. She doesn't see what I see when I look at her. She thinks she is ugly and that is why she likes to draw attention away from her by dressing so bad.

Bella found her link three months ago and being an alpha, the mating ceremony happened instantly. Justin is human, the ceremony happened in the wally cave. Which is not too far from my house. It was beautiful and the attraction between her and Justin was amazing. That is what I am looking for.

Blind love.

Love that Is unconditional.

''Where's Justin?'' I ask.

She shrugs ''The nerds in class already'' that's the difference between them. Complete opposites but when they are together, there is no one else in the world but them. They get lost in each other and I crave that badly.

I laugh.

The bell rings and we walk together to our first class. On our way, I feel my phone vibrate which makes me stop by the door as my best friends walk into the classroom ''Keep a seat for me'' I see the caller ID. It's my father. I walk back to the hallway and answer ''Hello'' I can tell he is calling me to scold me about being late this morning.

''You ran away before I could talk to you" he sounds calmer than I expected. One thing you need to know about wolves, we think with our fists first. Then after all the blood and bruises, we have regrets.

''I was late''

''You seem to be late for everything'' he is talking about the meeting. I sigh out of frustration. He won't let me hear the end of this. I know I am a disappointment but he doesn't have to rub it in all the time. I know I am supposed to take over and rule the pack but I don't think I am the right person for that.

''I'm sorry dad, I had a lot to drink last night''

'' And you brought a human to our safe haven''

Fuck.

How did he find out?

"I am sorry, I didn't know I did that. It was stupid and she didn't know anything'' I am trying to ease up the stupid shit I did. He doesn't say anything for a minute so I speak up "It won't happen again''

''You need to get your act together ''

''I know dad''

''You also need to start looking for her'.' I know what he is talking about but I also know it is not in my control, he knows that too but somehow he is going to make this something I did. She will come to me when she is ready; I cannot rush this process.

I just have to wait.

''I know dad.''

I agree with him because there is no point saying otherwise. I hear him sigh through the phone

''You know Fallon doesn't think you are ready. He will make sure he takes this away from you and I don't want that. I know you can do this,'' its admirable that my father believes so much in me, especially since I don't even believe in myself.

''I'm sorry dad,'' I groan internally because I want this conversation to end. ''I'll do better''

''Alright son.'' I end the call not even feeling up for class anymore. I walk out of the building and to the field. I play football and it is the greatest release ever—well except sex. I take off my shirt and start a sprint, running makes it all better that's why I am a running back on the team. The field somehow doesn't seem enough as I run a couple of times round. I need to come out of this shell that is my body.

''Fuck'' I mutter to myself with heavy breaths. If I don't shift, I will be intolerable for the rest of the day. I put on my shirt ignoring all the sweat and make a run for the woods. That is the one close to my home, it is the only one I would feel safe running around in my bare form. Shifting is a process; it is not the easiest one but it gives me a bittersweet pleasure. I feel it before I even see my body change. My bones crackle up from within, they bend and shift to the shape I will soon take. The pain is strong but it is also exciting. My skin opens and the hairs spring out. This takes a couple of minutes and then I am on all fours and running faster than I was in my weaker form.

The wind brushes the hairs all over my body and I howl from the excitement. Everyone In town hears. They have sighted us a couple of times. They know about us but no one ever tries to dig deeper. We stay on our own path and they do the same and no one gets hurt.

I run for hours, I run till I am exhausted and I run some more. I run till every thought that made me upset is out of my mind. I run until I forget it all.

The sun is setting by the time I feel okay to stop and I know I missed the whole day of school. I don't care because needing to run is more important to me. It is the only thing that keeps me sane. I am naked when I turn back and I sigh because now I have to go back home. I walk to the path that leads to the house. I stop when I notice Jabi. Jabi is the only Omega that doesn't have an alpha in our pack. He is always alone. People never associate themselves with him and I think it is pitiful. He is seated on a rock and he seems to be reading a book.

Jabi is just fifteen—still a kid and already shunned. I know he will find his alpha soon enough and he won't have to be alone but the last Omega that didn't find their alpha ended up dying of heartbreak. They suddenly get weak and their heart gives up.

I don't want that to happen to him.

I would hate for him to die of heartbreak.

That's why whenever I can, I try to be there for him. I try to make him not feel so alone. ''Hey mutt.''

I move closer to him and he jumps up, terrified. I don't mean to frighten him.

''Whoa, it's just me'' I raise my hands up in a peace offering.

He settles back on the rock and I walk closer to him. He manages a faint smile but he looks sick. He is getting skinnier. Fuck, he is still too young. "When last did you eat something?'' I ask him.

Worrying.

''Today,'' he stutters.

I frown ''I mean when last did you hunt. When last did you eat real meat fresh from the bone?"

Werewolves can eat normal foods; we eat everything but the only thing that makes us who we are is fresh meat—with the blood still dripping. Hunting the meat ourselves gives us more strength.

We can't survive without hunting; it is a necessity in our lifestyle ''A week ago" he answers and my heart drops in my chest.

What-the-fuck?

''Get up'' I tell him and my tone is firm. Another uncontrollable trait, I always get what I want. I am the Alpha; I am the one that is going to take over my father and the fact that Jabi is starving shows just the kind of leadership I am taking over.

He stands up immediately I see the bones on his body. His ribs are protruding out ''Fucking hell Jabi. Why haven't you gone hunting'' I ask him because for the life of me I can't understand.

Hunting is instinctual, we do it to survive and it looks like he doesn't want to survive.

''I've been too weak,'' he tells me meekly.

What does that even mean?

We stop in front of my house and I frown at him. He is just a kid and having lost his parents, he has no one. No one is looking out for him; he is all alone in this world and I promised him that I will make sure he survives and here I am doing a bad job at that.

I open the large door that leads to the entrance, Jabi doesn't follow me. He is scared; I don't blame him. He isn't allowed inside but I need to feed him. I need to give him meat and he needs it now.

''Get inside now.''

He trembles from the roaring that is my voice but he obeys me instantly. I led him to the kitchen and look for the freshest meat in the pantry. We hunt every day and the meat we keep is always fresh. I find a whole leg of a deer and drag it out. The blood smears all over the floor--I ignore it and drop the leg on the plate.

''Sit down.''

He sits on the chair in front of the food and watches it as if he has never seen meat before. I don't understand why it has to be this way. An omega without an alpha shouldn't be miserable. It is unfair that he has to go through this.

''Eat.''

I leave the kitchen and shuffle all the way to my room. I grab a pair of shorts from a drawer in my room and head back to the direction of the kitchen. Uncle Fallon runs into me in the hallway. ''You brought Jabi into the house"

''Hello, Uncle'' I greet him with an eye roll.

''Why is he eating in the kitchen?''

I frown ''He is hungry" that is the honest truth and I also care about the kid. I don't want him to die.

''You aren't allowed to bring people in the house'' he is telling me something I already know but I have never cared for that rule. I don't see any harm in helping Jabi, I don't see any harm in letting him come into the house.

''I know, he will be gone soon.''

He shakes his head ''You will never grow up,'' I don't understand why he has it out for me. I have never done anything to make him hate me so much. I don't know if he will ever change his notion of me.

He walks to the other direction and I sigh as I go back into the kitchen. Jabi is still eating when I walk in and he stops when he notices me. ''Finish up.''

He goes back to the food and I watch as he devours the food hungrily. He is already looking better. His cheeks are flushed and they have more color in them. The dead look in his eyes is reducing.

''T..th..thank you," he manages in between bites.

I smile ''You can't not hunt Jabi, you need it to survive'' I say deadpan. He knows everything I am telling him so I want to understand why he stopped hunting ''Why did you stop?"

He drops the meat on the plate and now he is watching me. He wants to talk but something is stopping him. ''I'm going hunting tomorrow. You are coming with me"

He shakes his head immediately ''Your father will kill me''

I furrow my brows ''I'll go alone. We will go together. Don't worry, I won't tell him but I need you to hunt. I need you to survive. Okay?''

He nods his head softly and I let him continue eating. I know the fact that I am choosing to do this with him will somehow make everyone think I am weak but I need to save him. He needs to survive.

                        ************

After my shower, I dress up and head out to my car with Rex trailing behind me. Rex follows me everywhere and until he finds his alpha, he has no choice. I have gotten so use to him beside me that sometimes I wish he never does but I also know he needs to.

''I turned all your assignments in,'' he tells me with a proud expression on his face.

I slap his shoulder gently but he still trips. Sometimes I forget how strong I am and how frail he is. We walk into my truck—it is a black 2019 ford ranger. I watch as Rex struggles to get in and I get a laugh from it. It happens every time and it hilarious to watch.

''Where are we going tonight?" he asks me curiously.

Being a high school student makes me behave like a high school student sometimes. I act stupid, reckless, and immature. So, it is also normal for me to want to go to a high school party.

It doesn't help that I am the most popular guy in school. The wolves and the vamps are split. They have their crowd and we have our—although ours is bigger.

''Venny's house. But first, we need to pick up Bella,'' Bella lives on the other side of the community. She is part of our pack so I see her every day. Justin started staying with her after the ceremony. It has been a couple of months. It is a weird situation but somehow they made it work. It is always better to mate with a wolf. Humans are complicated and things aren't ever easy.

I drive to the front of her house and she is already waiting for me by the door. She is looking through her phone and there is a smile on her face. Dressed in the same jeans as earlier but her top is a different color ''Get in'' I wind the window down and shout over the windy breeze.

She rolls her eyes but obliges and gets into the truck. ''You're late'' she mutters.

''What if you're actually early?'' I try to play smart but she ignores my banter and hops into the back of my truck. I start the car and hit the radio on full blast. Rex groans as a rock song plays out through the speakers ''Where are we up to tonight?'' Bella asks a little too loudly because of the music.

We go out every night. Somehow the excitement of drinking with my best friends and picking up some random girl is all I look forward to. Everything else in my life is pretty bland and it is a good thing I've got Bella on my side. Justin isn't really into the whole partying, so he rarely comes with us. He trusts Bella so there is never any misunderstanding.

''A party''

Duh.

I reduce the volume of the radio and look at Bella through the rearview mirror. She rolls her eyes at my comment ''I know, but whose party?"

I shrug "Who the hell cares" it is some random person party but I heard it's going to be swarming with girls and that Is all I am looking for tonight. I need to unwind after all the stress from earlier today. We get to the express and it takes us a couple of minutes to get to the location. The house is massive and made of glass. The music coming from the house is so loud that it drowns the one coming from my car.

Rex sighs loudly, this is not his scene but he has no choice but to come with. That is the relationship between us. I cannot go anywhere alone and even though he can't really protect me, he has to always know where I am at all times.

I park the car in the driveway and hop out immediately. They all follow me and Bella places her arm over my shoulder ''There are too many people here,'' she grumbles. I can already sense the reluctance in her voice. Bella is getting tired of this lifestyle. Most days she says she just wants to be in bed with Justin watching some old movie; I hate that she is becoming boring but I totally understand why.

She isn't looking for anything.

She has everything she wants at home.

Unlike me.

Maybe that's why I do what I do.

I go around town in search of her.

I meet random girls hoping a spark would fly with one eventually but it never happens. Everyone is waiting for the next alpha, the next leader to find his mate and maybe the pressure is just too much on me.

We walk into the house and everyone already seems drunk. We aren't even that late so I don't get it.

''I'm going to look for the drinks,'' I shout into Bella's ear. She nods and I walk away from them in search of beer. I get to the kitchen and there are a couple of people in here. I notice a girl close to the cooler that probably has the beer. She is blonde with the best rack I have ever seen. She seems to be lost in her phone.

Not really paying attention to anyone.

A smile creeps up to my face because this just seems like the best luck; now I don't have to wait till the end of the night to get prey. A girl alone at a party is the most vulnerable.

As I walk closer to her a hint of familiarity hits me; I feel like I know her but right now it is not ringing a bell. I stop in front of her and she doesn't seem to notice me. Coughing to get her attention, she finally looks up from her phone.

''Hi there,'' I say with a boyish smile plastered on my face. This is the look that gets all the girl's panties wet. This is what makes them crawl into my bed but right now all I get from this girl is a confused raised brow ''Can I help you?" she asks.

I nod ''You seem bored. Can I be of service?''

She shakes her head immediately feigning disinterest ''I'm fine. You can just run along"

This has me shocked. Everyone wants me, so why is she playing hard to get. This is the first time a girl isn't interested and I don't think I can stand the loss. No way.

''I feel like I know you" I continue because there is no way I'd just give up. She wants me but she doesn't know it yet. She will be mine tonight.

''You feel? That's very rich of you beau,'' she addresses me by my name which makes me even more confused. She knows me; why don't I remember her?

''Shit, do you go to...." she cuts me off before I can finish my sentence ''I have a boyfriend; so why don't you run along and look for some other girl to prey" it's like she read my mind.

''Your boyfriend doesn't have to know" I try again. Maybe she'd be into a fling. It could be our little secret. I know I should've taken the hint but when I set my eyes on someone, I have to have her. I hate losing.

''Oh her boyfriend will know'' I recognize the voice before I turn around.

Alanis.

He gets on my nerves. Just the fact that he is next to me is making my skin crawl with disgust.

Fucking vampires. No matter how hard I try to stay as far away from them as possible they are always around.

I turn around and he looks angry.

Shit.

I realize that she is his girl. I can't remember her name right now but I see them at school. They are always together. Fuck, I don't want to be involved with vampires.

"You should run along now before you hurt yourself," he warns me. That's a threat and the animal in me won't take Threats likely.

"I think you'd be the one getting hurt".

He raises a brow, almost like he is challenging me. I notice the color of his eyes darkens. He has the nerves to out himself right now. Maybe It is the fact that I am aware of who he really is--I can't be too sure though, he probably just can't control himself.

''Get the fuck away from here before I hurt you.''

I frown because we have a truce. We stay away from each other. After the contention; we came to an agreement but right now it seems like he is looking for a fight. I know I hit on his girl but every human is fair game.

''You can't hurt me.''

He raises a brow ''You make a move on my girl. I will kill you,'' he is warning me but he looks like a joke. All through our encounter; his supposed girl stays back. I think she likes his reaction—which is fucking weird.

''I didn't offer her anything she doesn't want," I smile. This all seems like fun to me. They get on my nerves for existing, so why not have fun with it.

''Fuck you" he jumps up with so much force that I don't see his fist as it hits me square in the jaw.

Shit.

I fall to the floor not expecting him to have that much strength but he doesn't stop at that. This is bad. This is very bad. I shouldn't encourage this but the animal in me has no self-control.

I suddenly feel the urge to kill him. The adrenaline is the first thing that kicks in. I grab his hands roughly but he doesn't budge. There is no expression of pain on his face. He seems to want this fight; he wants to start a war that we shouldn't.

I push him off me and he hits the closest wall. The force is extreme which makes a dent on the wall.

Fuck.

His girl screams and suddenly a crowd appears. At this point, I am too deep in this. I don't notice Bella or Rex. I want his blood and I want it now. I more like run over to him and he welcomes me. Ready for this brawl.

I punch him and the crack of his jaw is very loud. Damn, I must be very angry to actually break his jaw. I know he will heal; I don't intend to kill him. I just want to hurt him badly.

He moves his mouth and the same crackle sound erupts but this time it's like he is putting it back into place. "Stop it.'' I look at the voice and its rex; he is trembling probably terrified.

''Get out of the way" I warn him with heavy breaths.

He shakes his head and he is suddenly in the middle of us ''Your father will kill me'' he cries.

I suddenly regret this because he is right.

He will be blamed for my actions.

I don't want him in the middle of this.

''He started it.''

Alanis chuckles ''What are you, a child?''

For the first time tonight, I notice that he is drunk. He probably won't remember any of this tomorrow. I am the only sober one and I instigated this fight. All in the name of a meaningless screw.

Regret floods in instantly and my hands that were once held in fists unfolds. I look over to his girlfriend and she is crying. Suddenly it's not fun and games anymore.

''Stay away from me," I warn him.

He laughs again "Stay away from my girlfriend," he counter-warns

I sigh and take a couple of steps back. "You better run" he points to the door and I do exactly that. I walk away from him and the crowd. Rex is behind me "I'm sorry" I apologize because I just made a fool of myself—in front of a fucking bloodsucker.

"Why did you do that?" he asks nervously.

We get to my truck "I don't know. I'm just tired"

He furrows his brows "Of what?"

"Of looking for her"

And there it is. The answer I have been keeping to myself. I am tired of looking for her. I am tired of being alone. That fight didn't have anything to do with Alanis. That fight was a cry for help.

"She will come" he tries to assure me.

"It was supposed to happen last year. It's been a whole year and you know how long a year is to us"

He nods "Alby said it happens. You just have to be patient"

Alby is the wise one. He has all the answers to our kind. He said I am just a late bloomer but I know something is wrong. I can feel it in my bones; my mating is going to be different.