The Alpha and the Outcast (BoyxBoy/LGBT)

Chapter 5

Hello! I'd like to thank everyone who voted/commented on the last chapter- at last count, it was 38 votes and 18 comments! That's actually unbelievable, thank you so much, you guys!

I'd like to dedicate this chapter to koalak, because I absolutely love her books 'The Alpha's Instinct' and 'Yes, Mr Demon Boy?'

Please vote/comment if you like the chapter (hope you do) ;)

[Malcolm's POV]

Deciding to give Nicholas some time to calm down, Eimear stayed at the table until the warning bell for the end of lunch rang, although I could tell that it went against every protective instinct in her body not to immediately sprint after her cousin and make sure that he was okay. I couldn't blame her, I felt exactly the same.

It was only when Nicholas wasn't waiting outside his next class, which he had with me and Nate, that I began to get really worried. Eimear had mentioned at some point that Nicholas hated to draw attention to himself, and he had to know that he'd be the centre of attention if he arrived to class late. Something was wrong.

Nate seemed to come to the same realisation. Glancing up and down the corridor, I saw no sign of our teacher arriving, so I gave Nate a nod and we both discreetly headed for the nearest boys' room. Checking all of the bathrooms, we came up with nothing. Next, the janitors' closets, numerous empty classrooms, even the nurse's office- nothing, again. It was then that I caught sight of a side door that led out onto the quad.

"Hey, Nate, do you think he could have gone outside, maybe?," I asked, hating that I didn't already know everything there was to know about my mate, that he wasn't with me right now.

Nate nodded and gave a grunt that sounded like it could have been affirmation. We slipped out the side door and began to comb the school grounds. We checked the maintenance shed, picnic tables, car park, and sports pitches and stands before I caught sight of the willow tree on the far side of the quad. There, that had to be it.

I breathed in deeply, sniffing carefully. I sighed in relief as I caught my mate's sweet scent of vanilla and strawberries, but almost let out an inhuman growl when I also smelt the faint scent of burnt human flesh, fresh. Not Nicholas, please don't let my Nicky be hurt! Don't let me have failed as his mate already!

Nate was giving me an odd look, so with a great deal of effort I gave him a dazzlingly bright smile, prompting another weird look, but one that was more of the variety I was well used to. It was only then that we caught sight of the teacher standing in the main entrance to the school, far enough away that he couldn't make us out but close enough that we could see him waving his arms in what was obviously not a pleased manner.

"I think I know where Nicholas is, Nate, or at least where he might have been a while ago. I can find him," I said quickly, watching as the male teacher gave up on waving and began to advance across the quad towards us, "But one of us has to distract Mr Murphy- he loves catching ditching students."

"Then you go get him, bring him to the nurse but make sure you get Eimear first. Don't let anyone touch him or get too close, he really hates being touched. I'll give the teacher a good chase. Anyway, it's only my first day so it's not like I'll get suspended."

"Yeah, but how do you feel about detentions?," I asked.

Nate turned to me with a mischievous smirk, the most emotion I'd seen him display all day.

"I've already got two," was his reply.

I smiled at that, but quickly got to briefing him. If the teacher got too close he'd be able to see who we were, and I wouldn't be allowed to search for my mate myself. I had to be there to see it when he was found, had to find the source of the burning smell before it was diluted by the scents of others. Nicholas was my mate, my responsibility, and it was my job to keep him safe and help him if he got hurt.