"Why do I have to go with you?" Alex whined. His face was smushed against his fist as he rested it on the armrest in his car.

"Because I need someone to keep me sane while I wait for him," Jett said. His best friend provided some much needed comedy for the day. Jett had been up to his elbows in work as the pack raised its defense around their territory. So far there was no sign of any of the hunters' friends. So, either they wiped out an entire town of them, like he had thought before, or their friends were just waiting for the right time to strike.

It had been two days since they came. Jett wasn't going to put his guard down that easily. He knew plenty well just what the Noble Pack had to go through. They were actually planning funeral services for their warriors next week. Nir had invited him personally to it.

"I hate driving up here," Alex said. For a big muscly dude, he loved to pout. It looked hilarious on him. Like a giant lap dog upset that he couldn't go outside and play.

"It's a good thing you're not driving then," Jett chuckled.

"You know what I mean."

"What's so wrong with going up to the high school?" he asked. "Are you still worried that we'll bump into that old professor you had a huge crush on?"

"Pfft! No!" Alex laughed. "Ah, I miss being a teenager man. Those were some fun times."

"I practically never saw you," Jett rolled his eyes. "You were too busy fucking every piece of tail you saw."

"That's why coming here is so annoying," he said just as they pulled into the parking lot. "There's nothing but jailbait here!"

"How you've managed to still keep that libido of yours is astonishing," they were both 24, and had been looking for their mates for much longer than anyone else in their pack. While Alex decided to fuck every man he could get ahold of, Jett decided it'd be best to simply focus on leading his pack.

"Look at this!" Alex motioned to the people leaving their classes. "Ass! Everywhere! And all of them are jailbait."

"Why would you want someone that young anyway?" he asked. "Don't you remember how we were at that age? You'd lose your mind with all the drama they'd try and put you through."

"Dating's for mates," he told him. "Anyway, when do you think he's actually going to come out? I swear it's been an hour since that last bell rang."

"I sent him a text saying where we were," Jett rolled his eyes. "And it's only been a few minutes."

"Ugh!" he looked up towards the ceiling of the car. "This school never changed. It even has the same ability to make time go as slow as possible!"

"Don't get your panties in a bunch," he smirked. They sat there a little longer, just looking at the entrance. Everyone and their mother had gone to this school. It was ginormous because of just how many students it had in it. As the packs grew, so did the city. Jett had plenty of good memories from this school, though. They were simpler times.

"So, Mr. Alpha," Alex interrupted the silence. He was apparently already getting bored of his phone. "When are you going to try and get some?"

"When the world ends and I miraculously find my mate," Jett sighed. Him and Alex were the only ones who hadn't been able to really start a family out of all of their friends that they grew up with. He wasn't sure if it would be a good idea for Alex to start a family. He still acted like a kid himself. But he was sure that he'd eventually want to adopt or something.

Jett would be fine without adopting or raising a child. He just wanted to find his mate finally. He swore the Moon Goddess was trying to play games with him. If he found his mate when he was fifty, he was going to be pissed.

"Come on, Jett," Alex elbowed him. "Why don't you try and have some fun while you're waiting? It's not like it's your fault that you haven't found him yet."

"Do you know how many STDs your ass would have if you weren't a werewolf?"

"Do you know how great it is that I can't get them?" Alex smirked at him. "Come on! You've been staying away from this stuff for too long! You don't know what you're missing out on."

"You tell me plenty," he said. He knew why he was truly talking about all of this. Alex probably just wanted a wing man to try and find a man in this city that he hadn't already fucked.

If that was even possible at that point.

Before Alex could bug him about it some more, they finally saw the one they were looking for. Wiatt was such a small kid compared to the rest of his cousins, or the people in his family in general. His frame was definitely from his mother, Jett's aunt. She was a kind omega that could get everyone to love her in an instant. But the rest of the kid's traits were from Jett's uncle. Everyone inherited the eye color, of course. An Alpha's eye color was one of the most dominant traits that passed down to the descendants.

But that wasn't the reason why the two of them were silent.

"Is that Shiro?" Alex asked. They both watched as the man walked with Wiatt out of the entrance. He seemed to have a protective stance around him that immediately put Jett on edge. That usually meant that something was wrong.

Instead of answering his beta, Jett got out of his car to get their attention. Those brown eyes looked a little lighter with the bright sunlight hitting them. He could see a swirl of questions circle around those eyes. He wished he could figure out what the man was so curious about, but he doubted that he would be able to talk to him at the moment.

There were too many people walking out all at the same time. He couldn't hear what the two were saying to each other. All he knew was that Wiatt was red in the face and waving at him as Shiro walked off. He nodded to Jett before heading to his car.

"Someone's got a crush," Alex said. "Wiatts got some good taste."

He didn't know how he felt about that. All he knew was that his mood got ten times worse as soon as his friend said that. It was cute seeing Wiatt blush though. He was an adorable cousin, even as the weakest in the family. Everyone babied him because of his looks. His mother especially. But he looked a little off today. He didn't seem as happy or bubbly as he usually was.

"What happened?" Jett asked as soon as he got over to him.

"Nothing," Wiatt looked down. "Can we go now?"

"Oh damn," Alex ignored what they were saying. He was looking into one of the crowds. "That's a nice ass."

"Yeah," Jett answered his cousin. "Let's go before this buffoon gets thrown in jail for flirting with a minor."

"You can't tell me that he doesn't look good!" he pointed over to a guy with short, spikey hair. He was a shorter build, but he looked strong. He was looking rather bothered as he walked by a girl with a white dress on.

"That's Geo," Wiatt said. "He's one of Shiro's friends."

"Is he eighteen?" Alex asked. They were all getting back into the car at this point. But Jett didn't make a move to leave just yet. He scanned the parking lot for a familiar face. The one that had come and gone so quickly.

"I don't know," Wiatt shrugged. "They're all seniors, so maybe."

"Alex," Jett shot him a glare. "Stop trying to get your dick wet for five seconds, will you?"

Alex mocked him by counting on his fingers.

"Wiatt," he looked in the rearview mirror at him. "Why was he walking you to the entrance?"

"W-well," his face got red again. "H-he kind of, maybe, uh-"

"Spit it out," Jett said. He didn't have time for this.

"He saved me from a fight," Wiatt shrunk.

"What?!" now he was even angrier than before. Sure, Wiatt was an omega, but he was still a Young, and no one should mess with him through name alone. "Who?!"

"I don't know their names," he shook his head. "Shiro said something about our pack and his helping to avenge their warriors to them."

"That would be from the Noble pack," Jett said. He would have to give Nir a call. "What did those guys say to have him say that to him, though?"

"Well," Wiatt's eyes shined when he started telling the story. "They were talking to him about how the Reverence Pack always runs, and basically insulting his pack right in his face. Then he told them to try and fight him - or something along those lines - and you know what happened?"

"What?" Jett asked. It was good to see his cousin go back to his normal self again at least. Wiatt was almost always extremely excited. He could barely stop moving around.

"They tried to punch him," he made a motion with his fist. "And then he caught it!"

"Oh really?" he raised an eyebrow. Shiro didn't exactly strike him as the type to fight in school. It was interesting to learn about this side of the mysterious man.

"Yeah!" Wiatt bounced. "I think he broke a knuckle or something, because the guy looked like he was in a lot of pain. It was so cool though! He got all of them to run off with their tails in between their legs!"

"They should be glad that's all he did," Alex shook his head. "You don't just insult a pack right to the next in line's face."

That was true. Jett would have killed the kid if that happened. He still kind of wanted to. Sure, the Reverence Pack were never the first ones to come and help out, but if there was one thing that everyone learned from a baby on up it was to never insult the allying packs. That stuff started wars.

And Shiro was the first one to come to the Valor pack's aid. He would have torn the kid a knew one just because of that alone.

"Next in line?" Wiatt cocked his head. "What do you mean?"

"He's the next Alpha of the Reverence Pack," Jett looked at him curiously.

"He is?!" Wiatt's eyes went wide.

"How do you not know when you go to school with him?"

"He just, I don't know," Wiatt started to blush a little again. "He just doesn't act like all the other alphas. He's really nice."

"You like him," Alex gave him a devilish smirk. "Don't you?"

"I don't know," Wiatt mumbled, looking down.

This was supposed to be adorable. But, for some reason, it only made Jett grumpier. He couldn't quite understand his own emotions at the moment. All he knew was that trying to find this man in the parking lot was starting to seem like a 'Where's Waldo?' game.

"What do you know about him?" Jett asked. He was surprised that Alex wasn't whining about them staying there longer than they needed to. It seemed like he had something pleasant to look at that was keeping him occupied.

Sometimes he wondered why he was still friends with him.

"Shiro?" Wiatt asked. "Well, he's the top of his class, graduating with honors. He likes cheesecake a lot and his favorite food is sushi."

"Just how long have you been crushing on him?!" Alex laughed. "You sound like a lovesick puppy!"

"I am not!" Wiatt yelled.

"Are too," Alex teased. "You gonna ask him out? He is your knight in shining armor, after all."

Jett didn't like hearing that. It made his anger only grow. But he had to keep that to himself. His uncle would break him into a million pieces if he yelled at his precious boy. Instead, he tried to push the feeling to the back of his mind and scanned the parking lot again. There was no way that he already left. He would have seen him for sure then.

He finally spotted him with the guy that Alex was checking out. Just looking at that calm face seemed to help ease him a little bit. Those eyes really were kind when he was relaxed. This was the first time he had seen him in something other than robes. This time, Shiro wore black slacks and a blue shirt. His long hair was done in a ponytail again as it rested on his back. It was so black, it looked like a shimmering sheet of onyx.

It was simple, yet elegant. Jett liked his style.

What he didn't like was the girl that was hanging on his arm.

"I wish," Wiatt sighed. "His girlfriend has him bending to her every will."

"Girlfriend?" Alex asked. It seemed like he had found the group of three as well. The girl was pretty, he would say that. She was about the same height as him. Her arm was tucked into his as if it belonged there. She was a lot livelier than Shiro, though.

"Yeah," Wiatt said. "From what I've heard, they've been together since they were freshmen. They've been inseparable since."

Someone must have said something, because they were all laughing at that point. There was a moment where Shiro looked at the girl and smiled. It was the most natural smile he had seen on the man.

He hated her.

"Hey Jett?" Alex asked. "You okay?"

He didn't reply. Instead, he continued to watch as the three of them got into the car that they were standing by. Shiro even opened the door for her. She had the biggest smile on her face as she disappeared into it. Then he went over to the driver's side.

"Jett?"

"I'm fine," he told his second. His tone probably sounded angrier than it was supposed to be, but he didn't exactly care at the moment. He took his car out of park and started to follow the one that Shiro was driving in.

"Where are we going?" Wiatt asked.

"Do you know anything about his girlfriend?" Jett asked, completely ignoring his question.

"I mean, a little," he answered sheepishly. "Why?"

"What's her name?"

"Tammy," he said. "She's a human. She's got decent grades, and is much more of a talker than she is anything else. I heard that she wanted to be a cheerleader, but I don't know why she didn't wind up becoming one."

"How did they meet?"

"I don't know."

"What's going on, Jett?" Alex mind linked with him. "Why are we following him?"

"Because."

"Because why?"

"Because I can."

"Jett," Alex's tone was void of all the humor that was in it before. He went from his best friend to his Beta in a second. "If we follow them, it could be seen as a threat. I know you don't want that."

"They won't see it as that." He shot back at him. His eyes were trained to the car that he was following. He felt the need to chase it for as far as it would go. He wanted to see those dark eyes looking at him, not that little twig hanging on his arm. He wanted to know why those eyes had been avoiding him the whole time that he had been watching him.

"Why are you acting like this?" he could hear the frustration in his voice.

That question almost made him slam on the brakes. Jett took his foot off the gas pedal and let it slow down.

Why was he acting like this? Why did he hate that girl? She hadn't done anything wrong to him. Why did he want to see those eyes?

Why did the thought of anyone being with him make him want to punch something?

He pulled over to the side of the road and unlocked the doors.

"Drive him home," he told Alex, getting out of the car. "I need to clear my head."

"What just happened?" Wiatt asked. He looked confused.

"I would advise against going outside of our territory," Alex said. He looked into Jett's eyes with seriousness.

"I'm just heading home," he told him. He just couldn't take being in that car at the moment. He felt like if he stayed in it a moment longer, he was going to wind up trying to follow him again. Every fiber of his being was telling him to, and he didn't know why.

He didn't wait for either of them to reply. The road was surrounded by trees already, and Jett waisted no time running in them and shifting. His wolf form could pick up on scents much better than his human form could. But, for some reason, he couldn't smell Shiro's. He hadn't been able to since that fight, and that was almost unheard of.

Something was off. Jett used his four paws to push himself as fast as he could into his home. The further he got away from that road, the more he longed to go back. He just couldn't shake the feeling off.

All that would flash into his head was that smile. That smile that Shiro had given to that girl. It was just like the one that he shared with him when Jett surprised him the day before by wishing him a happy birthday.

And, for some reason, that made him growl.

Jett got back home and shifted back into his human form. There was only one place that he would go to when he needed to sort out his emotions. And he hadn't been there in ages.

"Jett!" his sister called for him as soon as he got some clothes on. "Where's Wiatt? What's going on?"

She must have known that something happened. As the Luna of the pack, she had a gift for sensing when something was wrong.

"Alex is bringing him home, Bree," he told her. He walked past her just as quickly as she came up to him. "He's fine."

"You know Aunt Judy and Uncle John are going to be pissed if they see you without him," she complained, her long curly hair dancing along with her movements. "And where are you going now?!"

"Roof," he went out the door. That was the only place that he could ever go to when he was like this. It was either that or snap at someone. He climbed up the giant packhouse easily. It was a sunny day, for once. The sun rarely came out to pay them a visit, even with the summer quickly approaching.

"Why are you on the roof?" Bree's voice popped into his head. This time, she sounded softer than before. "What happened, Jett?"

What happened? He wished he knew the answer himself. At the moment he was left pacing on the house, right at the top where the roof met at a peak. He just couldn't figure any of this out.

"Leave it, Bree." He told her. "Please."

She didn't leave it.

Instead, she decided to come up on the roof to meet him, like the madwoman that she was. Maybe it was another family trait that they all had in common.

"Talk," she demanded.

"Bree, you really shouldn't be up here." Her mate would throw him in a lake of fire if he saw her up there.

"I'll get down when you actually tell me what's wrong," she told him. She had a look in her eyes that she wasn't going to back down.

"I don't know!" he pulled at his hair and paced around some more. Everything about this was confusing. He didn't know left from right anymore. He was just sent into a flurry of emotions that was trying to consume him at the moment.

"When did it start?" Bree asked. She looked concerned for him at the moment. He hated whenever she got into this motherly mode. It was great for her role as a Luna, but he would much rather be alone at the moment.

When did it start? He would say that it started with seeing that girl hanging on his arms, or when Wiatt started talking about him. But that didn't feel right. That wasn't when it really started. He didn't start being curious about this man until he fought with him a couple of days ago. But that was just when he wanted to meet him again. That was just so that he could thank him for his help.

"Jett?"

"I'm thinking about it," he told her, still pacing. "Give me a minute."

When did it start? Trying to track this feeling was strange. It was so subtle. It felt like it was clouded in the fog that the forest always had. All he knew was that it was about Shiro.

"What do you know about the Reverence Pack?" Jett asked her. Bree had trained to be Luna while their parents were still leading the pack. While Jett was being taught all the fighting and the politics, Bree met with a lot of their neighbors to help keep relations up.