As I step out of my house, I see Zayn exiting his as well. He has a banana hanging out of his mouth and he gives me a small wave. I blush because I could think of something to replace that banana. I quickly push those thoughts away and wave back. As I head down to my car, I offer the gorgeous omega a ride to school and he accepts! Zayn and I have been neighbors all our lives, so we are also really good friends. Which is why when we are on our way to school and during our conversation, I hear him talk down on himself, I take a stand and let him know all the great things about him. Though I cannot tell him that I wish I would be the one lucky enough to be his mate once he starts trying to find them after graduation. That would be too straightforward and sound too impulsive of me. But oh, how I don’t want to see him in anyone else’s arms but mine! I wonder what his mark is like.

Your mark is basically like a tattoo that appears in the same color as you and your mates’ eyes. It starts as an outline, then when you graduate you start to get the color. It’s dull at first, but when you are intimate it becomes vibrant, letting you know you are actually mates. To seal the vibrant colors in, you have to mark the other during sex and then bam! You are mated for life. I know my mark is on my left shoulder blade from my best friend briefly mentioning it, but I never really paid attention to it. 

 As I park and follow Zayn into the school I run into my best friend and future beta, Liam. I watch Zayn scurry down the hall until he is out of sight before I turn and give Liam my attention.

“Man, you have got it bad for him! Anyone could tell just by the look in your eyes when you see him. How has he not noticed in all these years?!” Liam states as soon as I give him my attention.

“Shut it Liam, or I will personally make your life a living hell, starting at dance line practice tonight”, I tell him.

He rolls his eyes, “yeah, whatever man. I am just saying, maybe you should have told him how you feel before graduation was right around the corner.”

“You know it wouldn’t make a difference. Mates are predestined so it’s not like we could change fate just because I have feelings for him. Besides, what if he doesn’t feel that way about me? Then I would just be making a fool of myself!” I tell him as we start walking down the hall.

“Again, whatever man. I’ll see you in first period. I got some business to take care of first”, he says as he runs the opposite way down the hall.

 I shake my head at Liam and his craziness. On my way to my locker I pass what seems to be an empty hallway, since most students are now already in class. As I got closer to the hallway, I heard small whimpers as if someone was crying. Then I heard a voice say, “That’s right. Although you are an omega, no one will ever want you! Just accept it!” Hearing this gets my blood boiling. I turn the corner to find Azazel, the school bully, standing over Zayn, closer to his face than I care for, while he says those words. Despite my unnatural timid manner for an alpha, when it comes to those whom I care about I tend to be overprotective, and that includes Zayn.

“Get the hell away from him Azazel!” I say as I walk down the hall towards him.

“Or what Xavier? You going to make me or something?” he says to me with a teasing sneer on his face.

As I get close to him, I tear him away from Zayn and shove him to the other wall of the hallway. “Yes, I will make you! That is not how you treat others, even if you are an alpha!” I say to him, my voice starting to raise the more I think about what he just said to Zayn.

“Just because you are an alpha too does not mean you can butt into my business!” he yells at me.

 “Hold your tongue Azazel! We may both be alphas, but your class is a submissive alpha whereas mine is dominant! I am the next alpha of my pack, a pack which you are in might I remind you!” I say in a low growl while getting in his face. 

The whimpering started again behind us and we both turn to look at Zayn. He has his head down and his ears are flat while his tail is wrapped around his waist and he is twisting it in his hands. I go to him and gently pet his head to try and soothe him.

“Hey, hey, it’s okay sweetie. It’s fine. We’re sorry for fighting and Azazel didn’t mean what he said to you. Isn’t that right Azazel?” I say as I look back at the other man, while still patting Zayn’s head.

“Yeah, I didn’t mean it Zayn. I take it back. Just please stop crying. You know I was joking. We joke like this all the time, right?” Azazel says while slowly backing away from us.

“You might think it is a joke…. but words h-hurt Azazel! You may not get physical, but words hurt….and they build on a person’s mind….t-that’s why I can’t help but c-cry!”, Zayn said, his voice mostly steady though I could feel him shaking under my palm. 

            I slowly pull Zayn into a hug and let him cry it out on my chest. While I am doing this, Azazel slips out the hallway to goddess only knows where. I rub Zayn’s back in a soothing manner and whisper in his ear, cooing to him to try to calm him down. When I realize it is not working as well as I hoped, I suggest taking a walk outside. He nods in my chest and I lead him out of school to behind the bleachers of the football field. Once there I sit on the ground and gently tug his hand, pulling him to sit in my lap.

“Xavier! W-what are you d-doing?!” he squeaks out, startled.

I laugh quietly and brush his hair out of his face before saying, “I am just trying to make you comfortable so that you calm down. It will be okay; you just need to breathe.”

“O-okay”, he says as he lays his head on my chest and I hum softly to him.