You are a Kid?!?

Zhane packed the things he liked to call ‘weapons’ and put them in the tiny space below his oversized shirt. Despite his tremendous practice and exercises, his overall size could be considered skinny. He was ripped, for sure… but he was still a bit skinny. Therefore a bit oversized shirts looked quite charming on him.

He exited the bar after his shift ended and kept a lookout. If his mate were locate him here, it would be hard to murder him, given the exponentially increasing crowd at the moment. Finally, he walked up to his pick up truck and drove closer to a nearby ally, which was relatively emptier. 

Zhane didn’t take suppressants this time on purpose and hoped that the lingering scent would draw his mate, but after waiting for hours no one came for him. Is it possible that his mate didn’t want to interact with him as well? Or perhaps his mate caught onto his idea? Or perhaps simply lost his trail? He wondered.

In any case, if his mate wished to avoid him, he would be more than happy to comply. In fact, all Zhane would need from that anonymous alpha was a rejection. After which he was good to go. 

That night turned out to be uneventful, and pretty much he ran into no one again. Zhane however got the similar scent once more he went back to the school. To prevent his scent from spreading further, or to attract his mate, he had taken an extra dose of suppressants before coming here.

Sure enough, he could feel the scent all around in the hallways. But the scent was pretty spread out to pinpoint a singular location. Not willing to run into his mate at the school hour with all the kids around, he went back to the bar. He later came around to pick up the night shift (Which he had gotten after convincing Mr. Benitez to give him the shift). Seeing how skilled Zhane was. Mr. Benitez let him exchange with the bartender of the night shift.

“Hey man, can you cover for me for a while. I think I ate something wrong, and I gotta take a dump.” Zhane asked Ryan, his co-bartender.

“Yeah, you got it.” Ryan nodded and decided to cover for his fellow bartender for the time being.

Taking the opportunity he slipped out of the pub from the backdoor and headed straight for the school. He knew that his mate was not here at the moment, but he would still like to sniff around a bit, get an idea of this place and all.

Imagine his surprise upon discovering that the scent was stronger than ever in the given spot? Was his mate pulling an all-nighter? Wait… how serious was his mate? Zhane wondered. Nevertheless, no matter what, no matter who his mate is, he will kill them. And with that attitude, he chugged down a few more suppressants down his throat,

He headed in the school, and very carefully followed the scent. Luckily this time, unlike the last time the scent was strong enough, and had a trail to it instead of being all around the school. 

Following the scent, he reached the stairs and reached the 2nd floor. Zhane was surprised that the scent was coming from the terrace. Was his mate trying to play tricks on him? Luring him to the terrace in order to… have his way with him. He wondered.

Nevertheless, putting on his cold expression he walked and slammed open the door causing a terrible noise. “Ahhh”! Zhane heard a scream coming from the railings. Zhane was confused as the intensity of the screen was almost childlike. Did his mate hold a child hostage? Zhane wondered. 

That seemed unlikely. Why would anyone go to such disastrous lengths to meet with their mates… unless of course they knew who exactly their mate was.

Zhane walked towards the railing carefully, as he heard soft whimpers. “Please… help me.” a cry of a young boy. Zhane rushed towards the railing and froze as soon as he saw a little boy hanging off the railing by simply using his hand as a hook. “Help me.” the boy cried as soon as he noticed Zhane.

Zhane on the other hand was still frozen. He wasn’t sure what shocked him more. A kid staying in the school late at night, or the fact that there was a strong scent of forest dew coming off of this kid. His mate was…. This boy?! Zhane couldn’t believe himself. Was fate mocking him? Or where his senses were being fooled.

Before he could question any further, there was a reddish glow in the kid's face which ended up triggering something, as Zhane saw the child give away the power and slip below. Like a reflex, Zhane grabbed onto the kid, and pulled him up and helped him get settled safely. 

It took a while before the little boy could gain his sense from whatever his mind dozed off to. “You are a kid.” Zhane whispered out loud. “You are a kid?!?” he shouted, startling the little boy.

“So”?! He questioned back with equal anger. “I am the kid you almost killed you… old man.”! The kid tried to snap.

Zhane couldn’t help but laugh at the irony of that. Here he was fully prepared to kill his mate, and here he ended up saving him, “I pulled you up. I saved you.” Zhane remarked.

“I fell because you scared me!” The boy argued. 

“What were you doing up here? And why are you still here? Kid don’t you have a home”? Zhane snapped at the kid.

“Mark.” The boy shrugged. Zhane raised an eyebrow at him so the boy clarified, “My name is Mark. What’s yours”?

Zhane was appalled by the bluntless of this kid. “Listen, I am not here to make friends or anything with you. Do not misunderstand this. I don’t-”

“Why are you here… old man?” Mark asked Zhane. “Yeah, I’ll call you old man.”

“I was here to…” kill you. That was what Zhane was gonna say. But he couldn’t bring himself to say that because he needed Mark not to be alarmed by his presence if he was gonna make it alive. Not to mention the strong scent of Forest Dew was starting to cloud his judgment.

Usually, with mates you feel an unending desire and lust towards them. But in rare scenarios when you have a mate at a young age, or mated to someone this young, all your instincts scream at you to protect and care for them. And it was really hard to fight his instincts right now… for Zhane.

“Old man.. Why do you wear this cinnamon cologne? You are starting to make me hungry.” Mark pouted at Zhane. So that’s what he smelled like to his mate. Great, the little kid sure loved food. 

“Look, you shouldn’t be here. Just tell me where you live and I’ll drop you off.” Zhane offered.

“Nuh-uh! I am not going anywhere with a stranger.” Mark rebelled.

“Then call your parents.” Zhane suggested.

“I don’t have their number.” Mark mumbled, looking down.

“ID”? Zhane reminded him.

“I lost it… when few of my bullies tried to attack me.” Mark mumbled. Zhane felt a surge of rage wash over him at the though of anyone hurting the little fella in front of him. Man, this mate stuff was quite confusing. 

Calming himself down, Zhane asked Mark, “Aren’t you supposed to have super strength or something”? 

“What am I? A comic book character? Superman? No, I am not even a man. I am just a boy… who is a nerd.” Mark sighed.

“You… think you are a regular human being?” Zhane asked, baffled by his words.

“Think? Of course I am a human being! What else would I be?” Mark whined. Taking a few sniffs he mumbled, “Mr. Old man, have you been drinking? You smell like the yucky stuff my mom hides in her cabinet.” Mark mumbled. Zhane wasn’t drunk till now, but after everything he did wanted to get drunk.

Not only was his mate a prepubescent boy, who had never shifted into a wolf before, but he wasn’t even aware of his werewolf status. God… this was like the worst possible mate he could have ever had. No wonder Mark almost passed out when his eyes glowed. This boy has never transitioned. 

Sighing, Zhane sat down on the terrace and groaned. “Oh God… Kill me.”