Mated in the Island

CHAPTER 5: Finding the Mysterious Scent

LEONARDO

    "How was your sleep, bro?" J asked as I took a seat at a table where he was waiting for me.

    "I slept like a baby." I lied. I couldn't sleep at all. My mind kept on working last night, trying to get a sense of what happened at the beach.

    "Good! Because I planned some water activities for us!" J said, looking like a kid who's been promised by his parents that they will go to Hawaii for the summer.

"Can't wait to see what you prepared for me." I grinned. Then I looked around to scan the restaurant. The restaurant is located at the beachfront. Imagine the view in front of me right now, such a perfect way to enjoy breakfast.

    "You are so lucky to have all of these, J. Everything's fresh, and it's far from the shitty noise of the city," I said after taking a sip of my coffee.

    "I know. I will never trade this for any place in the world, not even to the land of my ancestors." J said.

    "Since the Spanish colonization, your family never left the Philippines, right?" I asked.

    "Yes, never. But some of our relatives went back to Spain but not grandpa. He fell in love with the country as soon as he set foot on it and decided to stay here for good along with the pack." He explained.

    "Now, I can understand why," I affirmed.

    "By the way, Natalia will be joining us on our little adventure. Don't worry; she's fun. I never had dull moments with her, and I believe this is the best way for you to meet her so you can tell me if we really compliment each other." He said with a grin while wiggling an eyebrow.

    "Does my opinion really matter?" I snorted.

    "Of course not! I just want you to feel important." He joked, and we both burst out laughing."

    "Sorry to interrupt your meal, Alpha, but there's an important phone call for you. It's Alpha Luis." J's staff told him, and he nodded to acknowledge.

    "I need to take this call. I will be back." He said with a serious look on his face and left.

    I continued to enjoy my breakfast while waiting for J to come back. Then after ten minutes, J returned.

    "Sorry, Leo, but I need to attend some pack business. I am not sure how long it will take, but I will assign Miguel to accompany and assist you." He sincerely apologized.

    "Is everything okay?" I asked, feeling a bit worried because J's mood abruptly changed.

"Don't worry about it. It's not really a big deal, but Luis is one of my closest friends, and he needs my help." He explained.

    "I see, okay, go ahead. Let me know if there's something I can do to help too. And no need to disturb Miguel, I prefer to explore the island by myself, and I am not planning to go far so that I will manage alone." I said.

    "You sure?" He asked to confirm.

    "I am sure. I'm not a kid, J, and I am an Alpha." I reminded him.

    "Right." He smiled.

    "See you later." He added and hurriedly left. J is such a great host, and I will return the favor once he pays me a visit to Humboldt.

_______

    After eating my breakfast, I felt an urgent need to breathe in some fresh air-- even my wolf is itching to do the same. So, I decided to go for a walk on the beach. 

    The weather is perfect, as always. Since I came here, I did not experience a single drop of rain. Miguel told me that it rains on this island occasionally, even in summer. The Moon Goddess really blessed this trip, for she made everything perfect. From the host, the location, and the weather, everything is perfect. Maybe this is her way of rewarding me for being a hardworking Alpha and being a good son.

    I removed my sandals to enjoy the feeling of the powdery sand against the sole of my feet. I walked close to the sea, close enough to cover my feet with water-- coming from the small waves. The sea is mainly calm; it's perfect for swimming and snorkeling but not for surfing.

    Jorge's pack is perfectly blending with the human on this island. This island is a tourist destination, so it is impossible to avoid running into a human. They need to learn to co-exist without giving away their identity. I remember J told me that his grandfather made a strict rule about getting involved with any humans that no human must be touched even if he or she is your mate. And based on what I see, they are doing well in abiding by that rule, for there's nothing but peace and calmness on this island.

    As I continue to walk on the long stretch of the white beach, I can see many fascinating things. Few sailboats are docking at the shore, a speedboat also pulls a banana boat, and then, on the other part of the sea, some people are parasailing. I guess these are the activities that J prepared for me.

    I was so caught up with the beauty of my surroundings when a scent of jasmine wafted towards me, filling my nostrils. I froze as I smelled that same intoxicating scent from last night. I closed my eyes as I took a deep breath to find the direction of the source of the smell before it disappeared like last time. I followed the scent, which keeps on getting stronger as I continue the path of the shore. My heart started to beat fast as I got closer to the source. This is the most intoxicating fragrance I've ever smelled in my entire life. Maybe the species of-- jasmine in this country is the best-- that's why it smells so f*****g good!

    As I took another stride, a woman standing by the shore staring at the horizon caught my attention. I can only see the side of her face, but I can say that she is stunningly beautiful even with that limited view of her face. She has a pointed nose, and her beautiful brown hair is dancing gracefully with the tropical breeze. I continued to stare at her for a while before I decided to approach her. I slowly walk towards her, trying my best not to startle, but I stop when I am a few feet away from her and watch as tears stream down on her lovely cheeks. 

    Suddenly, I feel this urge to comfort and protect her. This woman in front of me deserves nothing but care and protection. 

    My heart skips a beat when I see her head moving in my direction. As soon as our gaze met, my heart swells with joy, but that feeling did not last long. My heart tightens from pain as I see the look on her face. Her eyes were filled with fear, and her lips were trembling. Without thinking, I moved closer to her and wrapped my arms around her, hugging her dearly and protectively like she's the most valuable thing in the world. She did not pull herself away from me, and she did not move either. Being close to her feels so much right-- like she is meant to be in my arms. Then finally, she was able to say something, which made me realize how stupid I was.

    "What are you doing?!"