Lucy pulled her phone from her pocket the moment that they were outside of the building. She turned to the boys. 'I'm going to call my mate. I'm sure I can find my room on my own, I'll meet you guys at lunch?'
'Yeah sure,' Kayden responded and Nate nodded, giving her a smile as she dialled the number and headed off towards one of the many park benches that were placed in the garden that they were now near.
Nate and Kayden walked together through the garden, following the footpath that they knew would lead them to the four story building where they would be staying. The garden around them was lavish, full of patches of flowers and large trees were randomly placed in the grass, people already using them for shade from the warm sun which shone brightly above them. One of the bigger trees was already being used as a play thing by some of the first years, the fifteen year olds were high up in the tree, just sitting and talking. Nate smiled at them and gave them a wave, he supposed that Alpha powers must be fun for them.
An Alpha's extra powers; strength and senses were improved at around the age of fifteen, and Nate remembered climbing every tree around his pack house and running for hours on end, finding constant amusement at the fact that he had to run for so long before getting actually becoming exhausted. He would always win in the races against his little brother, but since his brother was fifteen now, the two would soon be evenly matched.
All of the Alpha's children were Alpha's themselves, but any second children usually never had a chance to actually lead the packs. They were usually second in command. Nate felt a little sorry for his brother, who would have loved to lead the pack one day, but he wouldn't get the chance.
Well, he will if I never find my mate, Nate thought, but pushed it back.
An Alpha could be instated as the ruler of the pack as soon as they were eighteen and had a mate, otherwise they had to wait until they found their mate, and Nate truly hoped that he would be instated on his birthday like his father before him, and his father before him.
'What's it like, having a mate?' Nate asked Kayden as they slowly walked along the concrete path.
Kayden looked at him for a second like he had just asked him how much the sun weighed or something, but then he seemed to remember something and looked at Nate with concerned eyes.
'Haven't you found her yet?'
Nate shook his head, looking down slightly. 'Not yet.'
Kayden nodded understandably, patting Nate on the arm comfortingly before withdrawing it and speaking, 'It's the most amazing thing in the world, my mate is everything to me and every second that we are apart is like the worst type of torture,' Kayden admitted and Nate was quite surprised to hear such emotion in the voice of someone who looked like they were the hulks older, more serious brother on the outside.
'Is it really that hard? How do so many people do it when they come to camp?' Nate asked, the cool wind blowing through his brown hair and pushing some onto his face.
'I thought the same thing last year, but since I found my mate, It's like a piece of you is missing, and it's your job to protect them, you know,' Kayden told him, 'and I would be inconsolable right now if I didn't know that all of my brothers and my father are looking after her until I get back. The idea of being so far away from her, leaving her without protection even though my father's there, it's like physical pain.'
Kayden looked so sincere when he spoke and it just furthered Nate's wonder for how he would meet his mate. Would he feel that kind of love and connection in that first moment? From that first look?
'How did it feel when you first saw her?' Nate asked but Kayden just shrugged. He had hoped that he would explain in great detail his moment, he wanted to know what to expect, what to look for.
'I don't know,' he said in slight annoyance, 'what's with the sudden heart to heart?' Nate figured that he had reached the amount of sappy that Kayden would handle and decided to back down a little.
'Don't worry about it, I was just curious.'
'Okay,' Kayden said just as they reached the entrance to the building.
The lobby of the building was a large room which was decorated with cream coloured chairs with wooden backing and elegant tables with large flowers displayed on the top. White desks were placed along the side with camp staff sitting at them. The place looked more like the lobby of a resort than a camp.
One of the first desks was manned by a petite blonde woman who smiled at the boys. Nate stepped up to the desk and Kayden followed close behind.
'Can I grab your names?' the woman asked kindly.
'Nate King.' Nate then gestured towards the guy next to him. 'Kayden Parker.'
The woman typed something into the computer and then the printer next to her started humming. Two sheets of paper slid out of the top of the printer and the woman reached over and grabbed the top sheet.
'Here you go Nate.' She handed the sheet of paper to Nate as well as a black, shiny room key. He looked down at it. 'Your room assignment is on the top corner and your schedule is in the middle. You will also have a buddy this year as you are seventeen, their name in at the bottom and you will meet them tomorrow morning.'
Nate nodded and folded the piece of paper in half, slipping it into his back pocket.
'Here's yours Kayden,' the woman said, extending her hand which held the piece of paper and a similar room key.
Kayden reached out and took the piece of paper, but as he pulled it away the side of the paper slid against her hand. She pulled away her hand with a slight hiss, a drop of blood falling onto the desk under it.
'Are you alright?' Kayden asked, concerned.
'Oh, I'm fine, just a paper cut,' she replied, looking at the small cut on her hand.
Nate could smell her much clearer now, omega. Her scent was strong in the air, and just as Nate was about to turn away he heard a loud noise from the side of the room.
'Laura!' Suddenly a man was running over from the side of the room, a file that he must have been holding was now abandoned on the floor. He was suddenly standing next to the woman. 'Laura! Are you okay? What happened?' he asked, his tone full of love and concern.
She smiled at him, pure love in her eyes. 'I'm fine,' she stood up from her desk and pressed a gentle kiss to his lips. 'Don't worry, it will heal itself in a moment.'
Nate watched on with fascination. He had seen the same situation happen many times back home, with his friends and his parents, but it never ceased to amaze him just how much love and concern was shared between two mates. These two were obviously both omega's, but their love was so strong, and it gave him hope.
'I always worry,' the man said, pressing a kiss to his mates forehead and wrapping his arms around her in a tight hug for a few moments, as if he was assuring himself that she was alright.
She laughed under her breath and hugged back. Then she pulled away and basically pushed him away, fondly that is, and he conceded, walking back towards where he had left the file on the floor.
'Is he your mate?' Nate asked, already aware of the answer, and the woman nodded.
'Best mate in the world,' she told them, looking fondly at the man who was walking away. Nate nodded and the woman smiled. 'Head along to your rooms,' she told them.
Kayden and Nate followed her suggestion and crossed to the other side of the lobby where the elevators were located. Nate pulled out his sheet of paper just as they pressed the up button on the elevator panel.
'What room are you in?' Nate asked Kayden.
'305,' Kayden told him.
'Awesome, I'm 303, I must be next to you.' He had been hoping that he would be near Kayden, it would make the next five weeks much easier.
Kayden nodded and they both looked at the elevator as the doors opened. The silver metal doors opened slowly, and it revealed the mirror covered inside and the single person who stood in the centre of it.
Nate had to stop himself from letting out a small gasp as he saw that the person who stood at the threshold of the elevator was in fact green eyes from before. He could see the guy more clearly now, standing head on to him. He was right about him being shorter and smaller than him, but from this angle he could more clearly see his tattooed left arm and the top of a tattoo sticking out from the top of the collar of his white t-shirt. The guy had a gym bag hanging over his shoulder and was looking down at it.
Suddenly green eyes looked up and those emerald orbs seemed to double in size. Nate stood motionless as the guy swallowed and then stepped past them, walking back through the lobby.
Nate turned and watched him walk away, curiosity for the guy overcoming him. Green eyes didn't turn back, he just seemed to walk casually towards the buildings entrance, that gym bag still hanging nonchalantly over his shoulder, swaying slightly with every step. Nate wondered who this guy was.
'You coming?'
Nate turned to see that Kayden was already in the elevator, one arm outstretched to keep the doors from sliding shut.
'Yeah.' Nate rushed forwards, entering the elevator.
Kayden retracted his arm and the solid doors shut slowly. Nate pressed the button for the third floor and within a few moments the doors were opening again.
The hallway which they stepped out into was crowded with people. Nate recognised most of them from other camps, and he got a few smiles and hello's as the two of them walked the short distance to their rooms.
Room 303 was first and next to it was Kayden's room.
'Want to come to my room first?' Nate asked just as they reached his door.
'Yeah, just let me just check my bags are in my room.'
Nate nodded and Kayden took out his door key and opened his door, disappearing behind the slab of wood.
Nate opened his own room door and stepped inside. It was a simple design, a queen bed was pushed against the wall on one side, a large window on the adjacent wall. The bed was dressed in black sheets, white and green pillows propped up on the bed. A small desk was on the other wall, sharing the wall with a small door which he assumed was the bathroom.
Two suitcases were pushed up next to the desk.
Nate sat down on the edge of his bed, and his thoughts turned back to the boy from the elevator. The one with the inhumanly green eyes. The one who just seemed to have captivated Nate's attention.
Who was he? Why didn't he remember him from other camps?
His door opened and Kayden walked in, pulling out the chair from the desk and sitting down casually, pulling his phone from his pocket and typing into it.
'Messaging your mate?' Nate asked from the bed.
'Yep.' Kayden nodded as he typed. 'Do you want to see a photo of her?'
'Yeah.'
Kayden held out the phone, showing Nate a photo of him and a petite brunette. Kayden looked so happy in the photo, like a giant, happy teddy bear, instead of the intimidating presence that he usually was.
'Cutiesss,' Nate cooed teasingly.
Kayden scowled. 'Shut up.'
Nate laughed, poking his tongue out at his friend.
His phone vibrated in his pocket and he pulled it out, reading the text.
Meet me in the cafeteria now? – Lucy
'Let's go meet Lucy,' Nate told Kayden who nodded. The two of them left the room and made their way down to the main building that they were in just before. The cafeteria was situated on the far side of the main building with the main hall on the other side, and the administraton in the middle.
The entered the building, making their way through the large hallway to the double doors which opened into the cafeteria. He saw that Lucy and a few of their friends from last years camp were sitting at one of the larger tables. Nate and Kayden got some food and walked over to meet them.
Lucy was the only girl at the table, two other guys sitting on the other side, facing her. One had fiery red hair and Nate instantly recognised him as Tye, and the guy sitting next to Tye was Jace, a brunette guy who was just a little taller than Tye. The two Alpha's were from packs only a few cities from each other so they had been friends since childhood.
'Hey!' Tye and Jace greeted the two other Alpha's as they joined the table.
'How have you guys been?' Nate asked, biting into an apple.
'Pretty good,' Tye replied.
'We were just talking about Hunter Lewis,' Jace told them and there was an undertone to his voice that was slightly sad.
Nate was confused as to why Hunter was a sad topic. Hunter was one of his friends, they had been to the camp together since they were fifteen. Nate was always one of the top students when it came to combat, and so was Hunter, making them the prefect practice partners. They were both about the same size and build, strong and bulky men.
Hunter was as strong on the outside as he was on the inside, having to deal with a lot of problems at the camp. His pack was one of the smallest in the whole country, and because of that, other teenagers from the camps liked to bully him. Hunter was large and intimidating, so it never lasted long, but Nate always wondered what sort of toll the comments took on him. Your pack was your family, your blood, the people you were sworn to protect and to have your pack criticized must have been hard on him. Hunter had never gotten along with Tye or Jace, both of them teasing him endlessly, and so Nate wouldn't have blamed Hunter for not wanting to come to lunch with the two of them there.
Now that Nate thought of it, he hadn't seen Hunter all morning.
'What about him? Is he here?' Nate asked. His eyes scanned the people around them, looking to see if he saw Hunter.
'You don't know?' Lucy looked at Nate with a surprised expression.
'Know what?' Nate asked, looking at Kayden for some back up, but he looked like a kicked puppy.
'Uh,' Tye bit at his lip. 'He died seven months ago, a rouge attack.'
'What?' Nate's jaw hung open, and he felt like he had just been punched in the face. 'How? What?'
'His pack is really small and vulnerable,' Lucy explained carefully, her words slow, 'and last year rouges attacked the pack, killing over ten people, including Hunter.'
'That's just awful,' Nate muttered, flashes of memory coming to the forefront of his mind. He had spent three summers with Hunter, and now he was just gone?
'Yeah it is,' Kayden agreed. 'I'm surprised that your father didn't tell you.'
'Yeah me too,' Nate said, and yet it wasn't that surprising. His father was only concerned about the larger packs, not the small ones. 'What's going to happen to his pack? His father must be looking to step down soon?'
'He had a twin brother,' Tye explained, 'born only seconds after Hunter, but because the first born is always the Alpha of the pack, this kid has never even been to an Alpha camp.'
'I've got to tell you,' Jace was saying, 'I think that pack is going to be gone soon. The new Alpha looks like a screw up, all scrawny and tattoo's everywhere,' Jace criticized harshly, his words holding a malicious undertone.
Green eyes, Nate thought, Green eyes must be Hunter's brother.
'Yeah I saw him coming out of the elevator today,' Kayden said. 'You saw him Nate, the guy with the gym bag and all those tattoo's.'
'Yeah, I saw him.'
Definitely green eyes, he thought.
Tye shook his head. 'They should have skipped over him and gone to someone else, that kid is nothing like his brother. His brother would have at least had chance to protect his pack, but this kid looks like he would be knocked out with one punch. It's going to be a disaster.'
Lucy shrugged. 'I don't know, he is Hunter's brother, he can't be that bad.'
Kayden looked at Lucy. 'Believe me, the kid isn't going to make it through combat training let along a fight with some real rouges.'
Nate felt a sudden urge to defend the guy, but he knew that this opinion would just be knocked down, especially by Tye and Jace who weren't ones to back down from what they thought. Arguing with them was like talking to a brick wall, and it wasn't exactly surprising, they were all Alpha's.
'Come on, are you guys done?' Tye asked. 'I want to go to the gym, do you all want to come?'
'I do not, but I will see you all at dinner,' Lucy told them.
Kayden looked at Nate. 'We are in, aren't we Nate?'
'Yeah,' Nate nodded. 'Let me get changed and I will meet you guys there.'
'Okay,' Jace said and all of them split their different ways.
Nate walked alone back outside of the building and down the paths which lead him into the heart of the garden. His thoughts were clouded by images of Hunter and Green eyes, and it was then that he realised that he didn't even know what his real name was.
Nate knew how hard it was going to be for this guy to get the hang of things and knew that the other Alpha's probably weren't going to be much help to him, so he decided that he was going to help him. Nate was going to one day be on the council and that meant helping people, so helping the soon-to-be leader of a pack was in his best interests, right?
His traitorous thoughts interjected, Or maybe it was just an excuse to see green eyes again?
No, it wasn't that. Was it?