James' POV

James, you have gym with him next, don't you? Axel demanded through the pack link.

Yeah, I can smell him, he's here, I replied as I sniffed the air, following Oliver's scent out of the locker room. 

This shitty mate! Axel growled to himself, the open link letting me hear it. I snickered. 

Even through the mind link, I could see him growling and spitting the words in disgust, like a big vicious teddy bear. The kind that bit you. And maybe had rabies.

Why the hell was he running around the entire school? His scent was everywhere! I couldn't find him because it was all over the place! Who runs around the school during lunch time?! Was he hiding from me?! How dare he hide from me!

Calm down, Axel, Van interrupted Axel's rant, feeling Axel getting himself worked up. He was in my head too, but I didn't even bother trying to block him out. Van could always get in our heads. 

He's a human. He just doesn't know, Van soothed. James, Oliver's on the track team, right? Maybe he was just... getting some practice or something.

That doesn't make any sense! The frustration remained in Axel's voice, still agitated. No surprise there, I thought sympathetically. It was his mate we were talking about. 

If he wanted to run, he would run outside on the goddamn track! I swear, it's like he knew I was hunting him and— Axel broke himself off with a ragged sigh. James, corner him. I have to talk to him.

I hesitated, feeling a bit bad about the idea of cornering Oliver. I didn't want to scare the poor guy by dragging him out of class to deal with our frustrated Alpha. 

Axel, you two are partners in Chemistry, right? Can't you just talk to him there? That way he can't run away, and you can woo him, I suggested instead.

Axel was our future Alpha, and if he was anybody else, I wouldn't be able to talk back or refuse an order. But Axel was always chill—with me and a few others, at least. Most of the time.

Luckily, Van seemed to agree with me, and took over on convincing Axel that waiting until chemistry to confront Oliver was the best option. I never liked disagreeing with Axel, especially when he wasn't in a good mood.

...Fine, Axel reluctantly yielded. But I swear that piece of shit better not run away again. I'll hunt him down to his fucking house if I have to. I swear if he's a single minute late to class— he sneered, his threatening growl making me wince a bit.

Poor Oliver, getting stuck with that guy, I thought, making sure that thought didn't come across to Axel. 

Oliver was super down-to-earth, the kind of guy who didn't raise his voice and never minded giving physic homework answers—if he even had them done, otherwise he'd scramble and laugh with you as you both did it last minute.

I totally wasn't talking from experience, or anything.

Frankly, I thought Axel was incredibly lucky, getting someone so gentle and friendly. Anybody would be proud to have a well-known, well-loved guy like Oliver as a mate. 

Following Oliver's scent, I made my way out onto the field, searching for him. I frowned when I didn't see him anywhere—until his scent took me to the shivering body lying on the grass near the edge of the field.

My brows creased with concern. Curled up, Oliver looked tiny. He'd almost look kinda cute, if he wasn't sweating and trembling.

Axel? I raised my scent, feeling for his bearing through the pack bond. He was easy to find, as was Van, but it was overwhelming having him linked if he wasn't in a good mood. Van's presence joined mine, always easy on the mind.

What? Axel snarled, still pissy.

Your mate is currently curled up in a ball sleeping in the middle of the field, I informed him. I leaned down to touch Oliver's forehead. And he probably has a fever. 

Axel was quiet for a moment. A fever? That stupid shit! Axel cursed. Isn't he over the goddamn sickness? I'm so tired of being sweaty and nausous, this has been going on all damn week! Why are humans so fucking weak?! 

Van interrupted, not seeing Axel stopping anytime soon. James, call a teacher. Christ, why did the kid come to school if he was sick? Anyways, just watch over him, okay?

Got it, I confirmed before disconnecting myself from them. My head already felt lighter and more balanced. 

Poor Oliver, it's gonna be rough for him, having to deal with Axel so much, I thought, wincing with pity as I thought of how much Oliver would have to deal with Axel's presence.

Most of the guys had come out by now, and the coach soon followed. "Coach Watson! Oliver is out cold here and I think he has a fever!" I hollered, before realizing that I may have woken him up with that. 

A guilty look over confirmed I hadn't. Which was also kind of worrying, because I was yelling in his ear. 

How sick was he? I wondered, curious and alarmed. Humans really were weak. It must be rough on Axel too, dealing with something like illness for the first time, just because his mate bond was still new and sensitive.

Coach Watson walked over, followed by a loose curious bunch. I looked them over tightly, standing in front of Oliver, only relaxing when I saw they were all friendly guys. 

Oliver was to be our Alpha's mate, the Luna. Er, Second Alpha? Whatever title he took, he was a spouse of a future leader, and I couldn't resist the instinct to protect him.

"Let me see," Coach Watson leaned down to check. 

Also a werewolf, and therefore sensitive to human body temperature, Coach Watson nodded in confirmation. "He definitely has a mild fever."

"That's Oliver?" Jack peered over Kai's shoulder. "Oh, I have math with him."

"Aww, he's tiny," Luca chuckled, crouching beside him. Axel's gonna break him, Luca linked me, snickering.

I sure hope not, I replied, huffing a laugh.

"There's construction going on in the infirmary, so he can sleep on the bleachers." Coach Watson took his jacket off and placed it over Oliver. 

I did the same, and Luca and the other wolves were quick to add theirs, creating a makeshift blanket. I couldn't help but smile in second-hand pride. He really was well-liked. No wonder.

Is he okay? Van was suddenly in my head. If I wasn't as used to that as I was, I might have dropped Oliver as I carried him over to lay him on the bleachers. 

His presence crept up on you like fog, unless you were looking for it, you wouldn't really notice it until it was heavy.

He has a fever, that's for sure, I confirmed. He's out cold. Didn't wake up when I yelled in his ear.

I could see the frown on Van's face. That's worrying, even for a human.

Yeah, I agreed, frowning. Not wanting to be a bummer, I continued with some good news. But Oliver's really well-liked! Everyone's offering him their jackets, and most of the guys already know him from before. I'm sure he's gonna get along with everyone just fine!

Van was curious about Oliver—we all were. It was only natural to want to know more about the esteemed Axel's mate.

Oliver's quite the popular one, isn't he? Van sounded amused. I didn't get what was funny about it, but Van was just like that sometimes.

Coach Watson blew his whistle, starting a game of football. I hesitated, lingering by Oliver's side for a moment.

I hope Axel doesn't break Oliver, I thought to myself, joining the game, not noticing that Van was still connected. Oliver's much too innocent and sweet to go through something like that.