My heart decided that it was just a one-off thing. For the rest of the week, it remained calm. Just a soft constant beating. Almost inaudible. Too silent.

It made me anxious for it never really stayed calm for long.

So, I trained. I trained hard. Because I needed to prepare myself. I had to stay strong. I couldn't just lose control every time my heart ached.

No. I cannot be that girl that ran crying to their parents every time things became too hard to handle.

I knew I was stronger than that. And I will be just that. Powerful and strong.

I sigh as I think about the past week. I haven't returned to that dreadful place of learning that just seemed to suck the life out of me. Just the thought of it was enough to give me a headache.

But after a week of deep thinking, I have now decided that it was time to go back and be a part of that world. The world which held unimaginable possibilities. A diversed beings and not just Lycans.

It was time that I learned to live amongst them.

So, I dress myself in the simplest set of clothes that I had in my wardrobe, a high waist mom jean with a loose white t-shirt tucked in. And with a set of white trainers, I was as ready as I could be.

"I'm already dreading the days ahead." Egan breaths out loud just as I get off my car. I smile at him, shaking my head at his non-stop bickering which had been going on since the morning. Something was definitely making him anxious.

"Well, you choose this." I start walking towards the building.

"Yeah and it was the biggest mistake of my life." I chuckle along with Alex while he just grumbles, annoyed. A little too sensitive?

I guess he wasn't looking forward to ever returning after that torturous one class we got to witness. He was absolutely livid when I told him that we were coming back here. The look on his face was priceless. I laugh a little harder as I think of it but that only seems to earn more stares our way. So, I seal my lips shut and enter through the glass door for yet another gloomy day ahead.

But as soon as the door opens, Egan comes to a complete stop. Paralysed by whatever it was. I pause to look his way as he inhales lungful of breaths and I do the same, suddenly wary of our surrounding. What was it?

I silently inhale the air and try to pinpoint signs of danger. A trace in the air. Just a hint of threat. But I get nothing.

I turn to Alex as he too stands alert, his eye scanning the moving crowd. But I know that there was no potential threat and judging by the puzzled look of Alex, I knew he thought the same.

So, what was triggering Egan?

"Egan?" I call him out, low and clam, my voice not for the human ears.

But it doesn't bring him back from whatever trance he was in. It was like he was hypnotised completely. Like a metal being pulled by a magnet, he moves towards the opposite direction of where we should be heading.

Those blue eyes of his were turning a shade darker, and his expression a lot harder. As confusion takes its toll on me, I look at Alex for some clarification but shake my head as I see his equally clueless face. So, we had no choice but to follow him.

And whatever it was, we will soon know.

But the further we got, the longer and faster his strides became. If it wasn't for the humans still around, we would have already arrived.

His footsteps halts right in-front of the wooden double door. A classroom. Scrunching my brows, I take another lungful of air for the faintest scent of other Lycans or any other beings. A sign of danger.

The room in-front was filled with humans like the rest of the other classes nearby. Not the slightest sign of threat in the air. At this rate, I could neither think of anymore happenings nor could I think of a possibility for his odd behaviour. So, what could possibly-

I look back at Eagan, at his hard expressions. His face pale, his lips sealed tight, knuckles turned white from clenching too hard and his breathing fast. He was a senseless Lycan in the brink of losing control, coming towards the surface.

Then I turn back to the wooden door, finally realising the cause of his distress and with a small smile on my lips, I look back at Egan.

At least one of us got lucky.

Goddess always blesses us when we least expect it. He probably hadn't even thought about his chances. Or maybe he had. I can't say for sure because we never talked about it.

Nothing ever surfaced outside of the deepest darkest puddle in my heart that overpowered everything else. Even the thoughts of ever getting to meet-

Just then the bell rings, bringing me back to the present. Soon the herds of humans exit the door. One after the another, they slowly empty the room. But Egan remains frozen. The only sign of life he had was his heavy breathing. Almost as if he struggled to breathe. The scent must have grown stronger now that there was nothing in-between them.

As the last group of the human walks out, Egan finally takes long big strides into the room. Probably wanting to know more. Wanting to see more. And unconsciously, I too follow his step but halt by the door.

There she was. At the back of the room.

Her beautiful blond hair shining brightly even in this poorly lit room, and her eyes, they blazed bright than any emerald. The green orbs of her against her pale complexion was like the moon on a dark night. She was petite, lean, but nevertheless mercilessly stunning.

She sat there, those dazzling green eyes fixed on the Lycan who stood equally frozen in-front of the room, mouth hanging open with this glint on his eyes. A look of astonishment. Pure wonder. Wordless, nevertheless. That chatterbox like mouth of his remained silent as he took in the beauty that stood before him.

I exhale faintly, biting my lower lip, before I turn around and tug Alex' arm to follow me, giving them the space. A moment to get their thoughts together. To know one another.

But I have no idea how it all works.

I never really gave it a thought before. What it was like to find the one? The one who holds your heart and your soul captive. How it feels like to lock eyes with one another? I never-

My heart tightens ever so slightly as I think about it. I never truly thought about having someone by my side. To hold on. To love.

Love?

My heart thumps painfully fast, pumping all the blood to my head. I halt my steps and close my eyes as my world starts spinning. Take a deep breath girl, everything is fine. I tell myself. No, you don't want to be that girl. You are so much stronger.

I battle against my heart. Reassure it to remain calm. Stop it from shredding my protective layer. No. Not today. I was stronger than this.

So, heart, until I understand you completely, remain quiet. Stay silent and just hang in there. Wait, a little longer, I will one day hear your calling. But now is not the time. So, heart, please. Please I beg of you, slow down.

My heart unwilling calms a little, and I march my way right through the corridor. "Zoe, is everything alright." I hear Alex right beside me. I have definitely raised an alarm.

"Can we just head back? I don't feel well." I didn't like being here anymore. All my previous thoughts about getting out of my shell and into this world dispersed just like that. One thought was all it took to break my resolve to live amongst them like I belonged. Reality hit me hard and I was reminded once again that my place was not here.

So where was it?

Was it even a place on this land? If- just if I go a little further, would I find it? Would my soul reach out to me and I will finally hear it? Would I finally understand the voice of my heart?

I wonder what it would sound like.

"Mate."

I hear Egan's faint voice right before I exit the building.

Mate...

But right now, it was just another word that held no deeper meaning to me.

I did not understand the significance the word held. Although surrounded with Lycans blessed with their one true mate, one that destiny tied together with her red thread for eternity, I just can't seem to grasp the importance, the intensity, nor the emotion the word held.

Mate?

Just what was it?