Ghost Finder

Prologue

"Mating with Fellow Werewolves"
A mating bond between two werewolves is the strongest bond two beings can have in the history of magical connections. Mating with a fellow werewolf can intensify the feelings that involve a relationship such as love, lust, jealousy, protectiveness, possessiveness and many more. It can also allow you to tap into the other's special powers making each other stronger than you were before.
When a werewolf is born, they're immediately given a mate even if their mate might not be born yet. When you turn 15, the five senses are more alert than ever, helping you find your mate when you smell a distinctive scent that stands out among a crowd, or hear a particular noise that's not like the others around you and etc. When you're close to your mate, you'll feel an unfamiliar pull in your stomach, leading you in their direction.
Mates are supposed to stay together. The more time they spend away from each other, the higher the risks of falling ill and eventually dying. If a mate is to perish, the other will follow suit shortly afterwards.

I slam the book closed and sigh, pinching the bridge of my nose. This is so damn hard. I'm 18-years-old and have yet to find my mate. My wolf is getting restless. I put the Mating book-a slim volume packed with information-back on the shelf. Standing up from the floor, I leave the pack house library out into the living room.
My parents and my future Beta, Roman are there watching TV. I've never seen the room this empty.
"Where is everyone?" I ask as I take a seat beside Roman.
"Outside," Dad answers. "Lily and Mathew are training the kids."
I nod glumly. Ever since Lily and Mathew became mates three years ago, they've been rubbing it in my face. They should just wait until I find her. Plus I'm going to be their Alpha soon, they'll regret messing with me.
"Thinking about her?" Roman questions. I nod with a sigh. "Me, too."
Roman is the only person over 15, besides me, who hasn't found his mate yet which makes me feel a little better. It makes us a little pathetic, though. The guys that are going to be the top dogs soon are partnerless.
"You guys shouldn't be so down about it," my dad chimes in. "I didn't meet your mother until I was 20."
That doesn't ease my nerves. No one teased him about it. They couldn't: he was already Alpha.
"Just keep being patient," Mom says gently. "You guys have been great. Some people go crazy after even a year."
"And you never know," Dad tells us. "Your mates could've been born today."
€€€€
As the sun slips behind the horizon, I decide to take a walk. I don't know where I'm going or what I'm going to do when I get there, but I know that I need to get out of the house. As I pass the kitchen on the way to the front door, I see Lily and Mathew making out on the island. They break away when I come into view.
"Oh, Dean," Lily says, faking surprise and embarrassment. "Sorry, we didn't know you were there."
"You're a bitch," I state simply, receiving a growl from Mathew. This would be the part where he jumps over the counter and lunges at me-any other werewolf would-but Mathew knows me too well. He knows how I fight and he knows that even on my worst day, I would beat him.
Turning tail, I walk out the front door, slamming it shut behind me. I decide to head into town. Maybe car honks and chatter will distract me. The quietness is suffocating. The community is bustling with life with people just getting off of work. Restaurants and other cafes are in full swing, stores are trying to keep up with keeping the shelves stocked. There's a part of me that's sad the pack and I keep ourselves so isolated from these people. But then I remind myself that it's for the best. If they knew what we were, they'd drive us out of here and we can't afford that. Our pack's spent too many years in this place. It feels like I've covered a lot of sidewalk and passed a lot of people before the common area dwindles and there's nothing but a lone street and trees. I see the turn off for a hospital and my stomach rolls. I press my palm flat against my abdomen, confused as to why it's pulling me toward the building.
"When you're close to your mate, you'll feel an unfamiliar pull in your stomach, leading you in their direction."
My hands start to sweat. Oh. My. God. Despite the need to dash into the hospital with inhuman speed, I try to walk normally in case there are any patients that are looking out of their windows. The feeling in my stomach tells that she's in the ER section of the building.
My inner wolf is jumping around inside of me. I use my power of invisibility to hide myself from the nurse at the front desk. She seems alert-and rather jerky-as she takes a sip of her coffee. It makes me wonder how many cups she's had today.
Don't worry about her. Get to our mate! My inner wolf snaps.
Alright, alright, I'm going!
The elevator stops on the Nursery floor that's impossibly quiet. I don't even hear the shuffle of feet of the doctors and nurses. Not one fussy baby.
My ears twitch as I hear a coo. My nostrils fill with the smell of flowers, like lilies, and a summer breeze. My mind fogs and I seem to float to a room with a huge glass window. My sight is filled with rows and rows of sleeping newborns.
How am I supposed to find her like this? I ask my inner wolf.
Don't worry, we will, he assures. Just go in.
And so I do. I make my way down the first row of infants. I see some big and some small. Almost all of them have light complexions, but some are starting to get their color already. But not one of them is my mate. I move on to the second row.
The roll in my stomach is almost painful and I know I'm close. When I make a few more steps, my body freezes on its own and I turn. There, resting fitfully in her bin, is my mate. She is hands down the smallest baby here. She can't be more than two pounds and seems to be able to fit in your palm. I wouldn't expect her to be here. I thought they'd take her somewhere else and evaluate her more in case there's something wrong, but she seems like any other baby in this room, healthy looking with a nice pink glow in her impossibly tiny, yet seriously chubby cheeks.
"Hi," I whisper.
Once I let my invisible wall down, she opens her eyes and stares at me.
My inner wolf, who had been bouncing all around the place, shudders to a halt. She's not a werewolf, he says, a little disappointed. She's human.
But I can't care less. She's my mate, she's mine and I love her just the way she is. I pick her up easily. Yep, she definitely can't be more than two pounds.
"Hi," I say again, shaking her seemingly dime-sized hand with my pointer finger. "I'm Dean. I'm your mate."
I chuckle at the way she stares at me, mouth agape, eyes-that are the most vivid green I've ever seen-wide.
"I'm going to check on the Gardener baby again," I hear someone call out to another person from down the hall.
"Shit," I mutter grumpily. The last thing I want to do is put this gorgeous baby down, but I know I have to. If anyone spots me in here, there are going to be lots of questions that I don't have the answers to.
I gently lower her into her bin and put her baby blanket back over her. I kiss my finger and touch the tip of her nose before turning invisible again.
A female nurse sporting Minnie Mouse scrubs, opens the door, giving me the opportunity to slip out. I can't help but linger at the window as the nurse peeks over her.
"I don't know how you can be this small and still alive," the nurse tells her quietly. "But you are really lucky."
So am I.
€€€€
As I'm flying down the sidewalk away from the hospital, Dad's words run across my mind.
"And you never know. Your mates could've been born today."
I hope Roman's had the same luck as me. I bust into the main pack house, scaring the hell out of my parents, Roman, Lily, and Mathew. I'm glad they're here. Now I can rub something into their faces.
"Hi, Dean, any luck finding your mate?" Lily simpers making Mathew smirk.
I grin. "Yep," I state confidently which wipes the smug looks right off their faces.
"Really?" my dad asks, both surprised and delighted. "Where?"
"The hospital," I tell them. "Dad, you were right. She was born today. I got to see her and hold her and everything. I love her, Dad."
He lets out a full belly laugh, the one that always seems to be directed towards me whenever I do something good. It makes my chest swell with pride that I'm doing things right for him.
"I'm happy for you, son."
"Me, too, sweetheart," Mom chimes in.
I go to sit by Roman. "Any luck with you?" I question him.
He gives me a sad smile that immediately takes the wind out of my sails. "Not yet."