The Midnight Pard

Anton Anton had followed his panthers (Lev's) instructions, being led by the smell of his fated mate, the future Kekal of his pard. As the future Alpha, it was required that his mate would be the Kekal. He was just as happy as Lev, to finally learn who it would be. He didn't care if his mate would be a male or female, an Alpha and Kekal could always adopt orphans if needed. He was, however, not prepared as he turned the last corner. Hearing the hurried steps back, he winced as the acrid smell of fear tinged his mate's scent, and stared at the shy man in front of him, his eyes wide, it was impossible. The night goddess couldn't possibly be so cruel. Bellamy Green stood his back against the wall, the beginnings of tears in his eyes. Lev growled in his mind at the idea that something was making his mate afraid, "I, it can't be, Bells?" Anton was astonished. He hadn't seen Jingle Bells Bellamy since they had graduated, but this had to be wrong. Their panthers should have sensed it once they were both 18, and they had both graduated the same year. They should both have been over the age of 18, so why was the bond only noticeable now? "Just reject me and get it over with." The words were barely whispered from Bellamy's shaky lips, he flinched as Anton stepped closer. "Bells?" Anton softened his voice. Bellamy hadn't deserved the endless taunting he and his friends had put the young man through, and he knew it. He had already planned to formally apologize to those he had been a bully to when he should have been a leader. He took a deep breath trying to keep his panther back, "Bellamy, I know I was a bully, I was an absolute a**, and there isn't anything I can do to change or fix that. But please, give me a chance to show you that I am not who I was anymore. Please give me a chance to prove myself worthy of being not only this Pards Alpha, but also your mate." He spoke softly, hoping to be soothing. Inside his mind Lev was afraid, and so was he. Bellamy could reject them, and he would only have himself to blame. A voice rang from behind them and Anton turned. Almost immediately he heard the sound of Bellamy's retreating footsteps. It took everything in him not to give chase, and were the speaker anyone other than his father he wouldnt have bothered fighting that instinct. "I'm glad you made it back in one piece, we really must talk, catch up, explain this idea you seem to have of taking over the Pard with no mate, you know the Pard needs a Kekal." The last was said with a bit of a bite, and Anton looked away on instinct, "we should talk, but I have found my mate." He paused, "I need help, I've really screwed all of this up."