Dark Twin Moon - The Awakening

Chapter 52:

The hallways were filled with laughter, and the autumn breeze, which slowly grew colder, swept through the wide corridors of Caldor North High, heralding the approach of winter. The wolves among the school's fifteen thousand students were thrilled, while the humans groaned in annoyance as they had to dress in multiple layers of clothing again.

Kayleb didn't really care. If all goes well, he won't be in Caldor when the first snow falls. By then, he will hopefully be back home in Chartred, in the warmth of the pack he would take over at the end of the year. He never minded the cold. Secretly, he enjoyed it because on Nelmer - the first continent - it rarely snows, except high in the mountains. So he only experienced it a couple of times.

As Kayleb thought about it and looked out the window as he walked, he wished he could see the snow again, to roll in it, half-naked, feeling only the coldness on his skin.

Soon, he reached the cafeteria. Alone this time, which was a rare sight. But unfortunately, that day was the only lesson he had alone.

As he entered the open space, he immediately sensed something strange. Before he could get his food, he saw his friends sitting at their regular table. Except now they were surrounded by most of James' pack, everyone giggling or, at least, smiling.

He was slightly irritated because he had obviously missed something. Slowly, he closed into the group carefully so as not to disturb what was happening. Some of them began murmuring as they saw their Zaphal. But didn't make a big fuss, though, which Kayleb was grateful for. With some difficulty, he reached the table where two young wolves with bright red faces were sitting.

"What happened?"

Kayleb's voice silenced the entire room within seconds. All eyes turned to him.

But his worried gaze turned to Luke and Neil. They sat side by side, not daring to look at each other. Even though they were sitting so close, they seemed far apart.

"The little bean seems to have found his soulmate!" Tarik told everyone loudly, only to laugh even louder.

Almost everyone else followed his example except for Clara, who rolled her eyes, and James, who slapped Tarik over the back of his head.

Kayleb was still confused. He looked from Tarik to Neil. His face was pale, only glancing at Luke once. The lycan switched his attention between the two boys a few times.

It's far too late for his liking when he realizes that they believe they are soulmates. It took even longer for it to dawn on him.

In the end, he could only shake his head. Quickly, he walked around the table - everyone standing in his way stepped back to give him room to walk comfortably - and stopped behind them. He placed an adoring hand on each of their heads and ruffled their hair gently.

"Foolish children," he murmured quietly, smiling brightly as he ruffled their hair.

Only to walk away from them again, leaving the group behind to get his food. Without going any further into detail about his words.

The entire group, consisting of about a hundred people, just stood there stunned. Everyone waited patiently for Kayleb to return. He managed to do so in record time, as no one else was queuing for food. This was strange because many people were standing there, but no one really seemed interested in not letting him pass.

But to her surprise, he didn't say anything after he sat down, dug in his food, and chewed on it happily.

"What the fuck?"

"Neil, watch your language!" Kayleb told him as he chewed. He held a napkin to his mouth to avoid spitting food on anyone.

As soon as the words spilled out, Neil sank into his chair, wishing the world would swallow him whole.

Kayleb obviously didn't want to elucidate any further. Unwilling to even mention the stupidity of the two younger boys. That was until he looked over at Luke, close to tears.

"You two aren't soulmates," he grumbled, annoyed. Kayleb sighed heavily, put down his cutlery, and pushed his tray away. "How did you two idiots even come to such a stupid idea?"

"I've been feeling weird since I smelled Luke this morning!" Neil said, even more annoyed than before.

Kayleb shook his head, wanting nothing more than to get up and dunk the younger boys into a pool of cold water to get their heads out of their asses.

"If Luke is your soulmate, you would have known it the first time you looked into his eyes because that's the only way to find one's soulmate."

He motioned for the boys to turn around and look each other in the eyes. Reluctantly, they did just that a few moments later. And nothing happened. No feeling of immense happiness or change in the world around them.

Both were stunned because Neil insisted that they were soulmates. Even though he never thought he would ever be with someone who looked similar to him.

However, Kayleb was already on what the young wolf had mentioned. His eyes narrowed, staring directly at Neil. Soon, he saw him squirming under his heated gaze.

"You said you smelled it?"

Neil nodded, still confused by this, even a little sad as he thought he had finally found his someone.

No one else addressed Kayleb's thoughts, as most had already scurried away in embarrassment. Since they know full well that their Zaphal would be angry if he found out the extent of their teasing, especially towards his favorite.

Meanwhile, Kayleb sank into his thoughts. A wolf or a lycan cannot recognize their soulmate by smell alone. After they find each other, they can use it to find them, but before that, their scent is useless.

But no matter how much he thought about it, he couldn't think of anything that would use scent to find its destined mate: not vampires, valakyls, or drakors.

Suddenly, he was pulled out of his thoughts as darkness got hold of his sight. A warmth spread over his eyes, unmistakably the touch of hands. It made him want to kill that person who dared touch him. From the roughness and size of the hands, it was definitely a guy.

"I see. Someone chose death when they got up today."

A deep laugh froze his veins, a voice he hadn't heard in a long time, one he had missed deeply. He turned his head excitedly and quickly removed the hands from his eyes. Before the other could react, Kayleb had already embraced his body with both arms.

Kayleb didn't have to look up to know it was Chad, walking the fine line between life and death with thoughtlessly touching him. He should have known from the start because his touch didn't feel as disgusting as other people's.

With his head close to Chad's chest, he could feel his quick heartbeat and his chest rapidly moving. He felt at peace, if only for a moment.

"I'm glad to see you too."

The lycan could hear in Chad's fading voice that he wanted to say more, but he didn't. Instead, only a few moments into their warm embrace, he lightly pushed Kayleb away.

"I brought someone with me who really wants to see you."

Confused, Kayleb tilted his head, unsure what his friend could mean. With a smile that didn't seem entirely genuine, Chad stepped aside. The lycan's eyes were still on the other's imposing statue. With a slight waggle of his eyebrows, Chad encouraged him to see who he had brought with him.

But Kayleb's heart fluttered as reality hit him. There was only one person Chad could have brought with him. Although it was way too early for that, right?

He couldn't turn his head as fear took hold of his racing mind.

The people around him had already started whispering. Until, somehow, his animal side took the initiative. Painfully, slowly, Kayleb's body turned on its own until he could see the reason for the relentless whispering.

There, at the entrance to the cafeteria, someone stood nervously. He fidgeted with his fingers and leaned from one leg to the other.

Sensing a particularly intense look on him, he dared to lift his gaze from the ground. As soon as he looked at Kayleb, he only wanted to look away again, but his body wouldn't allow it.

"Dal?" Kayleb asked out of breath.