Sydney

At the mention of my eyes, I quickly pushed myself from the desk and stumbled through the classroom with my eyes hooded by my hand. I followed the floor but bumped into desks and stumbled over bags. Students chuckled at me but I ignored it making it to the door.

"Ms. Ward?"

"Sydney!"

So much for not creating a scene!

Breaching the doorway, I was greeted with the cooler hallway air filling my nose. Running my eyes back and forth the length of the hall I was pleased to see it was vacant.

My legs felt like iron was tied to them as I struggled down the locker lined hall towards the closest exit. Arms locked outstretched, I barged through the door slowing only to push the thick metal open. My feet carried me away from the school off into the forest.

It was calling me.

Rain pelted down as I made my way across the slushy school grounds. The hem of my jeans were covered in mud by the time I got to the canopy of trees and my hair was nearly drenched to the scalp. My pulse jumped so violently that I could feel it in my wrists with each step.

My whole body had a dull ache radiating throughout. My lungs couldn't catch and hold any breath. I faintly realized I was hyperventilating despite my mental cries to breathe and calm myself.

I broke the forest line beneath a large enough overhang of a towering evergreen.

Crumbling to the ground I tried to brace myself for whatever was supposed to happen.

I called out to my wolf, What's happening?!

She didn't respond.

My arms trembled but it progressively spread. I had no clue what was happening. I was afraid and angry at this unknown.

Suddenly there was a sharp snap in my spine and pain erupted throughout my whole back. A scream ripped from my throat.

The dark waterlogged soil buried beneath my nails as I tore into the earth. My legs twisting and snapping into their new place. Tears were streaming down my cheeks mixing with the rain slicking my face.

It was then that I realized my screams were growing louder with the feeling of sharp pain throughout my whole body.

Please someone help!

Suddenly I felt another pair of hands on me and a familiar voice saying, "You're okay. You're okay Sweetheart. I'm here for you."

Then everything went black.

☽✣☾

Jay

The moment Sydney fled the room I chased after her.

"Mr. Ward!" Ms. Granger outburst, "I will not have a repeat of what happened last time! If you walk out the door, you will be moved to another class!"

A scoff left me and I passed through the doorway, not bothering with anyone else, including the teacher. Nothing was going to get between me and Sydney.

I let my nose guide the way. It led me to an exit door capping off the hall. Pushing open the door her scent disintegrated with the rain that was pouring in buckets.

"No," I whispered to myself when she wasn't in sight.

She couldn't have gotten far though! I tried reasoning with myself.

I took off in the haze of rain, the canvas of my shoes were soaked through and my socks were soggy as I crossed the field of grass feverishly, scouring for just a glimpse of her. Raindrops pelted against my face making everything hard to see. The rain was building and I started to doubt whether or not she was out here.

After over ten minutes of searching my wolf said, Why don't we go inside and see if she went back in?

I was shocked to say at the very least. My wolf hadn't spoken to me since Sydney woke up and she rejected us.

Alright. I agreed.

Jogging back to the school I saw that people had migrated to their fourth period or lunch. My first destination was Sydney's friends Meg, Em, Mat, and Ash. The people she remembered and were comfortable with.

The soft laughter of my sister immediately drew my attention and I was surprised at what I saw for many reasons.

Sydney's friends were gathered conveniently at our table talking to a few of my closer pack members. The sight of my little sister, Jaci, sitting on Terrence's lap still shocked me. It triggered some primal need to put my beta in his place, but Jaci would be annoyed and hurt by that so I refrained. Either way, it appeared that they made up.

I proceeded to march over to Meg and her group.

"Have any of you seen Sydney? Mat has she come back after she stormed out of class?" The words were laced with dread and hopefulness.

I could see him visibly pale. "No. I assumed that you had found her and was calming her down and that where you two have been. I was trying to get Madeline to leave you both alone, so Sydney could pull her wolf back in."

Meg shot up from her seat. She was currently sporting a purple to teal fade hair thing, whatever girls called it nowadays.

Sydney would know and laugh at my obliviousness.

The thought struck my heart.

"Where the hell is my best friend?" She interrogated with a brute threat in between the letters of her words.

But my wolf rose inside of me agitated from everything going on. "Don't you raise your voice at me."

A new voice entered the conversation. "What happened to you?! You're soaking wet! You're going to get sick." My sister sprang off of Terrence's lap to aid me.

"Sorry little Ward," Meg scowled towards my sister, "but I could give a rats ass about him getting sick when Sydney, who might I remind you doesn't remember a fucking thing from the past month or so, along with some random fucking memories, is lost and we have no fucking idea where she is! And it's pouring outside what if she gets sick!?"

Em whipped out her phone and began trying to reach Sydney. Mat had his phone out calling what I presumed to be Sydney's mom or Aaron. Terrence too had his cell phone out and was calling my dad to warn him and get packmates out searching.

Then there was me, who was just standing there looking like an idiot.

My sister lightly tugged my arm, "Come on Jay. There is nothing you can do right now. I'll grab you some of Terrence's clothes for you from his locker. Last thing we need on top of all of this is you getting sick."

I yanked away from her hold and she looked at me confused and hurt. "No Jacinda, I don't matter right now. Sydney does. I have to help find her."

I was quickly met with a stinging slap across my cheek.

"Fuck!" I pressed my cheek trying to lessen the burn.

Looking down at my little sister I saw her fuming, face bright red and fists clenched. I sometimes forget that she too had alpha blood racing through, not just my veins, but hers as well.

"What the hell was that for Jacinda?!" Annoyance leaked in my shout.

"That was for you being an idiot." She growled.

Her attitude and hindrance was fueling my anger and agitating my restless wolf. "You have no right to talk to me like that."

"Well, you shouldn't be running around like a foo-"

"Tell me if it was Terrence that you wouldn't go after him. Tell me you wouldn't hunt him down and go to the ends of the earth to find him! Tell me Jacinda!" I roared.

She now was staring at her feet embarrassed and overwhelmed with the pressure of my alpha.

"I-I," she fumbled.

"That's what I thought. I know you are only trying to help me, but Jacinda, you-I." I stopped with a sigh of frustration at how to put my thoughts into words. "You are my sister and I love you dearly and cherish your thoughts and opinions but you don't always know what's best for me and what I do."

Her cheeks were bloomed with red, but she met my eyes head-on again.

"I-I know Jaycen but you have to think of what Sydney will think when you show up sick?"

"Not that she cares, if we find her that is..." I mumbled angrily.

Her head of kinky black-brown curls shook, "We'll find her Jay. I just know it."

Jaci let out a sigh and pulled me into her arms. I was stiff as she hugged me but slowly I wrapped my arms around my baby sister.

The curses following Terrence wobbling on his crutches to give me the phone eased us apart. "Jay, your dad wants to talk to you," He gestured to the phone.

I went to snag the phone when my own vibrated within my pocket. Tugging it free I was shocked to see Sydney's name flash on.

My heart stuttered as I put it to my ear.

I asked distressed, "Sydney where are you?"

"Help." It came out no more than a whisper with a wash of desperation.

"Sydney where are you?"

"In the woods. Please Jaycen, he needs help. Now." The call ended.