The corridors were crowded with rowdy, loud, teenagers excited for lunch time, voices overlapping as everyone struggled to be heard over the din. Some people gathered in groups in the hallway, waiting for their friends to come out of class, and others pushed past on their way to the cafeteria, library or outside to enjoy their lunch time in the sunshine. Daniels stomach growled and he mentally urged Kennie to hurry up so they could go get some lunch before all the good stuff went.
A flash of curly brown hair and a very familiar scent passed through the crowd. It was like a slap in his face. Daniel straightened up, eyes widened. He cursed quietly, and after a quick glance at the classroom door he ran through the crowd calling out Hannah’s name. Kennie probably wouldn’t be out for some time, and he really needed time alone with Hannah. They needed to talk.
Daniel dashed through the crowds until he caught up with her. Hannah looked up at him in surprise, her eyes wide and mouth slightly agape. Her eyes sparkled and her cheeks were slightly flushed. He couldn’t help noticing how pretty she looked in her green dress, her dark chocolate curls framing her face and falling over her shoulders.
“We need to talk.” He said, looking at Hannah with an intense expression on his face. Reality came back to her and she closed her mouth and nodded, eyes still wide and hopeful, and he felt a stab of guilt.
Daniel turned on his heel and started down the hallway, knowing she was keeping pace. He looked in classrooms as they went and eventually they found one that was unoccupied, so he ushered Hannah in and pushed the door to behind them. He took her hand and led her to the back of the classroom, then when she stepped up next to him he turned to face her.
A frown bunched up his eyebrows and downturned his mouth as he looked at Hannah and tried to think of how to tell her what he needed to. He had no idea where to begin. For a couple minutes they stood like that, until Hannah placed one hand on his arm, then after a pause she places her other hand on his other shoulder. She went to take a step forwards but Daniel placed his hands on her waist and kept her a short distance away.
Daniel looks into Hannahs eyes - eyes like melted chocolate, eyes that he once thought held everything he could wish for - and struggled to find the words he needed. They were nothing like Mackenzie's - Mackenzie, whose eyes were sapphires, emeralds and citrine, or spitting gold and blue fire when she was feeling emotional. Oh how he craved their warmth. Chocolate was sweet and lovely, but he needed the dazzling shine and fire to keep his soul alive. He couldn't imagine ever feeling warm again without it.
He pulled out of his thoughts and refocused on the present. Kennie would be getting out of the classroom soon and he wanted to be there when she did. He'd already hurt her too many times and he didn't want her to know about his meeting with Hannah. He knew it would more than likely give her the wrong impression and he'd have to fight again to make Kennie forgive him. 'I don't care', he thought to himself. 'I don't care how long I have to fight for her. I will not give up on her, not ever, and I need to let her and Hannah know that.'
"We can't see each other any more Hannah." Daniel says. Hannah looks up at him in confusion and he feels a spasm of pity for her but he hardens his features. "I mean, we can't see each other as we did before. Before I found out Kennie was my Mate I mean. I don't know how she found out about us, but she did, and I can't ever hurt her like that again. This can't continue. We can't."
Hannah frowns up at him and gently shakes her head. He feels her hands tighten and a flicker of hurt crosses her features. His heart squeezes in sympathy and his features soften in pity. Hannah's frown deepens.
"Why?" She asks. Her eyes burnt up into his and he saw liquid start to pool in them. "Why can't we see each other any more? You said you loved me and I love you! What more do you need?"
"Hannah, please, it's not you. If I hadn't have met my Mate we would still be together as we were, but I have and I have to give it a shot. I'm going to be the Alpha of this pack and I need a strong Luna by my side. Kennie was picked by the moon goddess as my Mate so she must be the best shot I have of that."
"You weren't bothered with that beforehand." Hannah says, not unkindly, her eyebrows furrowing in confusion and hurt. At least she hadn't started crying.
"That's because I didn't understand back then." Daniel shook his head as tears started to sting his eyes, and he rapidly blinked them away. Alpha's didn't cry.
"It's not just that. I may have only known her for a little while, but everything I'm learning about her is just making me love her more." Hannah gasped and hurt flashed across her face, but he gripped her waist tighter. He had to make her understand! "Yes, I love her. I love her! I wouldn't have thought I ever could but I do and I can't lose her! I don't want to lose her again either, and I'm going to do everything I can to make sure I don't!" The tears he'd been fighting back started to fall and he frowned.
Hannah reached up and brushed back a lock of his hair, but when she tried to rest her hand on his cheek Daniel shook his head and pulled back slightly, but otherwise he didn't move. He just stared down at her with a fierce expression and let himself think over every memory he had of Kennie.
Daniels hands tightened on Hannahs waist and his eyes burnt into hers as his heart swelled with emotion and memories of Kennie. He'd noticed her before she'd been his Mate, before he'd started hooking up with Hannah, but she'd never been interested in anything but schoolwork and her two best friends so he'd left her be. Now he wished he'd made more of an effort. Maybe she would have grown more attached to him and less to Matthew. Daniel wished he'd never met up with Hannah and that they hadn't let it lead to the secret relationship they'd had. He wished Kennie loved him as he was growing to love her.
As Daniel experienced his emotional turmoil and stream of memories, Hannah looked between his eyes and surveyed his face, her own falling slightly as she did, and yet her eyes and lips smiled. Torn, Hannah removed her hands from him and looked away.
"I see." she quietly says.
"Do you?" he asks, looking back at her again.
Hannah looks at him again for a few seconds then nods, a small smile lifting one side of her mouth.
"Yes, I think I do. I just hope my Mate will love me like you love yours." Hannah smiles gently at him and pulls her hands back, letting them fall at her sides.
It takes a second for him to register what her words mean, but then Daniels face breaks into a large smile and he wraps his arms around Hannah and spins her around, laughing. When he puts her down she lightly slaps him and asks what he's still doing there.
"Go get your Mate!" She grins.
With a grin and an extravagent bow, Daniel grabbed his bag and ran out of the room, ignoring the slightly ajar door and the lingering smell of his Mate in the air.
'I'm coming for you Kennie.' He thought with elation as he took off in the direction of the Maths classroom. 'We can finally be together properly!'
He was so caught up in his elation that when he rushed in to the Maths classroom it took him a few moments to realise Kennie wasn't there. Slowly a frown formed on his face, but it was quickly taken up by agitation when he asked the teacher where Kennie was and she responded that she had left about quarter of an hour ago. He quickly thanked her and ran out of the room to the cafeteria.
Daniel knew Mackenzie would never stay in there unless she had to as she hated large groups of people, but he couldn't stop hope from rising in him as he glanced around the large room, only for it to be squashed down and trampled on when he couldn't spot her.
Ignoring the people calling out his name, Daniel turned around and darted back out of there, but he came to a grinding halt just outside the doors. He had no idea where she could be.
He raided his mind trying to remember whether Kennie had ever said there was any particular place she liked to go at school but he couldn't think of anything, so he started to think of all the places he'd seen her. Class of course, the cafeteria rarely, the library, the - that was it! .
He broke out in a grin and started running in the direction of the library. Of course! How could he forget how much Mackenzie loved books? It was the only place he could imagine her going within school grounds, and he mentally crossed his fingers. The bell rang just as he was darting down another corridor, and a few seconds later his speed was impeeded as he had to avoid bumbping in to the other students on their way to class.
Daniel was forced to come to a halt and he gritted his teeth to keep from growling at everyone in his way and demanding they move, fast. He scowled heavily and he tried to push his way upstream through the crowds but he made little progress. After a few minutes the crowds finally thinned out and he rushed through, but he didn't get very far.
"Just where do you think you're going mr Walters?" Out of a door to his left, Daniels history teacher stepped out, a stern expression on his face.
"I'm sorry sir, there's just something I have to do real quick, but I swear I'll be right back!" Daniel started to dart off again.
"Not so fast mr Walters!" With a groan Daniel came to a halt and turned around to face his teacher. "I don't care what apparent emergency you have - unless you or your family are going to die if you don't do this thing, I want you in my class right now."
"But sir - " Daniel cried, his annoyance ringing out, but he was quickly cut off again.
"No buts! You may be important, but whilst you're in school you're under the teachers authority, and I say you need to get into class. Whatever it is can wait." Daniel growled and scowled at the teacher.
"No growling young man, and mind your attitude. I don't care what's going on, I won't tolerate it. Now, in."
With a stroppy face, Daniel trudged into the classroom and slumped down in his seat, eyes focused on the clock and counting down the minutes.