Lilies and Rain

Leon’s POV

I chug the red bull as I begin making my way through the crowded hallway, standing a few inches above the crowd with my tall athletic figure.

’You're already late, what's the rush? why don’t you slow down before someone gets hurt?’ Jasper says sarcastically, laughing like a maniac in my head.

’I guess you’re right. But if I dont get there before the 20 minute mark, I’ll automatically fail my final.’ I think back to my wolf, crushing the can I just emptied and tossing it into a bin as I sharply turn the corner of the hall.

’Wouldn't want that to happen right before our Alpha ceremony. Dad would have a shit fit.’ I chuckle, picturing my dad chewing me out for failing one stupid test.

Jasper subconsciously sighs, ’He's too hard to handle when he’s angry.’

’No kidding Jas, remember my first semester of college? I failed a final by two points and he smashed my guitar. I don’t want that to happen again.’ I roll my eyes at the sore memory, basically huffing smoke from my already irritated and widely flared nostrils. Anger brewed in the pit of my stomach.

All of a sudden the most delicious scent enters my senses, flooding my mind with hunger and washing away my previously angry thoughts.

It's like a mix of lilies and rain… relaxing yet enticing at the same time. My heart speeds up, my hands grow clammy and begin to shake. I'm not sure if these feelings are the effect of the red bull or from this excitement. I can’t wait to find the source of this smell!

I look around, curious as to which direction it's coming from. My feet stop moving forward as I turn in circles, like I'm following my tail.

I sniff lightly at the air, trying not to look crazy in human territory. ’Where is that smell coming from?’ I ask my wolf, drooling and curiously growing impatient. ’I'm not sure,’ he replies,’But its heavenly.’

Suddenly a short, frail body shoves itself into my side brutally. Before I can identify the person's face, I realize by their frame that this is a small woman.

My nose tingles, and goosebumps form on my skin where her body has pressed against mine.

’This scent… is coming from her?’ I freeze, utterly shocked by my body's reactions. ’She smells so-‘

Before I can finish that sentence the young woman looks up at me, cutting off my train of thought completely.

“I'm so sor-“ She stops before she can finish her sentence, her eyes go wide and her mouth stays slightly open.

When my eyes meet hers, My wolf goes absolutely insane. ’IT’S MATE!! MATE MATE MATE!!’ He howls a million times, making sure that I am imagining him bouncing around like a delighted puppy. Wagging his tail, and huffing after finding a new bone.

The excitement boils in my stomach, but I can’t move. I stood like an ice statue for what seemed like an infinite loop, but was realistically only a few seconds, staring into her gorgeous multicolored eyes.

Her irises seemed like they were glowing as they met mine. Each of her eyes a different shade, her left eye a shimmering gold, and her right eye a bright sapphire blue.

’My.. Mate?’ I thought silently, as Jasper fought to come leaping forward to this beautiful stranger standing in front of me. He continued to become moonstruck in my subconscious, drooling over this girl.

My mouth gaped open, empty and no words escaping. I wasn't sure how to react, or what to say to her. I hadn’t ever thought of this moment. I was unprepared, matter of fact I thought it would never happen in the first place.

Before I can ask for her name, or even completely register what was happening, I get limply shoved down the hallway by another stranger, in the opposite direction from her.

I try to keep eye contact, to say something, but nothing comes out. I helplessly try to gather my thoughts again, breathing heavily. My heart pounding and fluttering away in my chest, while all my thoughts have turned to mush.

At this point the hallway is so crowded, I can’t fight the current of the people around me. I give up trying to get to her, and just continue my journey to my biology III class following the flow of the crowd.

’What are you doing!! Go after her!’ My wolf explodes in my head, distraught and angry that I let her get away. ’Thats OUR mate!’

’I KNOW!’ I roared back internally to him, fed up with all the snapping. ’Don’t you think I have realized that?? Besides! I have finals to take!’

He growls deeply, and I feel my eyes grow dark and wolfish for a second. ’I will find her then.’ He threatens to leap forward into my conscious state, but I manage to fight him back down.

Sometimes my wolf can be primitive, obsessive and a bit harsh. It takes a big reality check to get him under control.

My anger grows, making me furrow my face. ’STAY DOWN JASPER. We are in human territory!’ I roar, facing the door of my classroom. ’Let me do my tests and then we will look for her, okay?’

I grab the handle and whip myself into the classroom. “Ah, Mr. Ansel. You’re late. I was just explaining the rules, have a seat.” My professor tilts his glasses down his nose at me, his chair creaking with his weight as he puts his feet up on his desk.

I take a deep breath, and sit in the nearest spot. My wolf growls one more time as I pull a pencil out of my bag, grumbling with an irritated tone. ’Fine. But we search Immediately after your tests.’ Then he finally retreats into the back of my mind again, leaving me alone to complete my tasks.

After the Professor has passed everyone's tests out, the class sits in silence. I attempt to concentrate, only to fail because of my wandering thoughts.

’Her eyes were.. so beautiful…’ I think to myself, feeling ridiculous and not realizing that I was burning away the time allotted for the final.

’She smelled so good… and she was so small.’ I blush, covering my face and thinking back to the way her frail figure brushed against mine. The thought sent tingles up my back, making the hair on my neck stand.

’My Mate…’ My thoughts trail away as I readjust in my seat, forcing myself to focus on my test.

I spent the next few hours hopelessly attempting to complete my finals, while trying not to think of her beautiful scent and her rare eyes, but with no luck… I end up barely passing both of my finals.

’Well… at least I passed. I can handle the ass chewing I will get from Dad later… right?’ I ask Jasper silently, feeling lightweight.

’Well maybe not, if we tell him about mate!’ He belches happily, making me feel stupid for my sarcastic comment. ’I'm not sure we will tell either of my parents about that just yet.’ I sigh, leaving the math hall and heading outside to get some fresh air.

’Why's that?’ He asks curiously as I take in gentle sniffs of air, attempting to trace her scent. Hoping it will pop up somewhere but… I smell nothing.

’Because,’ I answer him, walking between the Math building and the computer Lab. ’What if they tell us to reject her? We have to protect her, and protect our mate-bond. You and I both know my parents aren’t the kindest or most compassionate.’

Jasper whimpers in my head, I can feel his stress. ’I don’t want to reject mate…’ My heart grows heavy, like lead in my chest.

’We won’t reject her, she was chosen for us by the moon-goddess for a reason.’ I think to him, with a determined and light feeling in my heart.

I take a good whiff of the air as I continue to walk towards the edge of campus, and the same sweet smell from earlier is lightly spread through the air.

’Now we just need to find her, again.’ I feel Jas’s excitement growing, as I follow the scent through the air.

When I reach the end of the sidewalk, behind the two buildings, a large green clearing stretches on for a few hundred feet and gradually becomes a shaded forest. I continue into the greenery, hearing many birds chirp and a gentle trickle from a river nearby.

“Her scent is getting stronger..” I mutter following it further into the small forest, a giddy feeling blooming in my chest.