Three: Found her

Shane’s POV

“The library also needs some renovation in the form of an expansion,” Principal Barnett suggested as we stepped out of the school’s sports center.

“Besides the new sports facilities we need to install and the library you’ve just mentioned, is there anything else?” I questioned as we crossed the vast property towards the library.

“The other is just a minor issue. The fence at the back is broken,”

“Were students responsible for the damage?”

“Yes, Alpha Shane but I assure you, we’ve dealt with the hoodlums that caused the damage. It’s why I said it was a minor issue as the school has decided to fine them with the expenses of the repair,”

“It's fine, Mr. Barnette. I’ll see to its repair,”

“Thank you, Alpha Shane. We appreciate your continuous support to Westwood High, and the teachers and I will continue to put in effort to produce the best student this town has to offer,”

I nodded curtly to his words as we approached the Library. 

Westwood High was the same high school I’d graduated from two years ago but here I was acting as the school’s major sponsor and taking the place of my father, Alpha Authur. For the past two years, he’s been down with a terrible sickness and no cure has been found to heal him. All of the elders have come together multiple times to seek possible cures and solutions for his ailment but it was all to no avail. The best doctors BlackMane has to offer have been contacted and consulted and even foreigners from other packs in different parts of the world have been consulted and hired to care for him but none of them could find a cure for him.

In the last two years, I’ve been made to suddenly grow up and mature more than my age required just so I could take up his responsibilities as the acting Alpha of BlackMane pack until he would be well enough to take up his responsibilities. It hasn’t been easy, seeing to all affairs of the pack with no prior knowledge of the politics of the pack but with the help and support of all of the pack members and elders, I’ve been able to hold my ground.

Principal Barnett led me into the library, with a few students occupying some of the seats. As soon as they saw me, they rose to their feet and bowed their heads in respect and I motioned to them to take their seat before we continued our stroll, while the principal explained to me the need for the renovations while also mentioning some of the books that were needed and the need for more staffs to be employed as there was currently only one librarian and she was barely handling all of the work.

After we were done, we stepped out, and he decided to take me to see the broken fence but a glance at my wristwatch told me I had another important meeting back at the pack house. The new doctor we’d consulted and hired to treat my sick father was to arrive in a few minutes and I had to be there.

“That wouldn’t be necessary, Mr. Barnett. I’ll have my second in command, Chase Carlton, discuss the budget needed and when you’d like to begin work. You can show him the broken fence when he…”

All of a sudden, the familiar scent of fresh jasmine that has always assaulted my nostrils in my dreams sailed into my nostrils, cutting me off mid-sentence. 

As if my wolf, Axel, had been waiting for this moment, he growled the word, Mate. Before I could tell what was happening, I saw myself walking in the direction the scent was coming from, ignoring the principal’s calls as I got into the main school building where the lectures were ongoing.

“Alpha Shane, is there something you’re searching for?” Principal Barnett asked, running beside me.

“I need to find her,” was all I growled out, my senses sharpening as the scent became stronger, telling me I was closer to the one woman I’ve been searching for since the last two years, the same voice that called me for help in my dreams every night.

After searching for her for so long without seeing any signs of her, I’ve been convinced that she doesn't exist and was only in my dreams but as the scent of fresh jasmine waxed stronger, detonating in my nostrils and gripping my senses, I felt my heart hammer hard against my chest, threatening to burst free. 

“There,” Axel growled and my eyes snapped to one of the classrooms two doors away.

At this point, I was so close to her and I felt it. It was as though I could taste her scent on my tongue as I quickened my pace, eager to finally meet her, the one that has stolen my dreams but a few steps away, the loud ringing of the bell sounded in the hallway and I stilled as the scent suddenly ebbed away.

Where’s she? Was it just my imagination? These thoughts roamed my head as I saw students coming out of their different classrooms and milling around the hallway, some stopping at their lockers in small groups while others hurried to their next classes with their bags slung over their shoulders but then suddenly, my nostrils caught a whiff of the familiar scent again and my eyes darted in it's direction to see her.

A frail and petite figure, limping out of the classroom closest to me. Her fiery red hair fell over her face, successfully hiding her identity and for a moment, I was stunned speechless. Her scent of jasmine intoxicated me and I couldn’t help but to stare at her, my heart palpitating against my chest, warmth flooding my entire being.

“Don’t let her go,” Axel growled, snapping me out of my trance and as though I’d been jerked into motion, I took a step forward to reach for her.

“Hey…” I muttered, the tips of my fingers barely grazing her shoulder blade and she whipped her head in my direction so fast that I was scared she’d break her neck but then, the most beautiful dull-green eyes I’d ever seen landed on mine and her mouth popped open as if she was in shock.

Before I could utter a word, she turned on her heels and began running away from me. I frowned, as I watched her scramble away from me as fast as she could but all she was doing was limping faster.

“Hey… Wait…” I tried going after her but the mass of students in the hallway was too much. One minute I had my eyes on her slender figure escaping from me and the next minute, I couldn’t see her. It was as if she disappeared into thin air.

Why did she run away from us?

“You scared her?” Axel snapped but even after she left, I could still feel the tinge of discomfort that emanated from her when she tried running away from me.

Was she in pain? Was she sick?

“If you’d been gentle enough to get to know her, maybe you’d have the answers to those questions,” Axel snapped again but I decided to ignore him.

He was obviously annoyed by her disappearance, but I was more worried about how unhealthy she seemed.

“I could help you find her, Alpha Shane,” 

It was then I noticed Principal Barnett, who was still standing beside me.

“I need to know everything about her,”