Micajah"s PoV:

- "I Was In Love With You."

"Hey, you're not one of those people who are weirded out if someone talks while chewing, are you?"

Seneca looks taken aback by the random question that just popped out of my mouth, her brows flying up in surprise.

My brother cracks up laughing.

"Um—" She starts, but Ezra laughs even harder, slapping his thigh and throwing his head back, his eyes almost tearing up.

Okay, I admit that has now got me curious. Because this situation isn't that funny.

"She was the one that weirds everyone else by doing it, Micajah. Not the other way around." Ezra says after a few moments of laughing at a slightly flushed Seneca, sticking his tongue out at her.

"It's not you're the most well-mannered one out there. Hell, you can scoff down a Big Mac in 2 minutes flat." Seneca throws back, glaring at him with her arms crossed under her breasts in a self-justifying manner.

Annnnd, you oughta stop staring, Micajah. Nope, don't look down, don't look down, don't look dow—

"Ahem, ahem, ahem." Ezra coughs loudly, averting his eyes as he smirks implicatively.

Only I realize then that I had been staring, despite my efforts not to.

My cheeks burn red as I'd been caught red-handed in the act, and I clear my throat self-consciously, avoiding looking at the best-friends sitting in front of me, their tall frames tucked into the tiny foldable hospital metal chairs positioned close to my bed.

Think of something to say, Micajah. Quick!

"Hey, you're my elder brother, right? How in the hell are you still in High School?" Ezra demands just then, looking at me with unmasked curiosity as he, yet again, steers the conversation in another direction and saves us all the embarrassment.

My shoulders sag in silent relief.

"Ugh." I stammer, flushing, "That . . . that's because I was late to join school by 2 years." I would find the identical way their brows furrow almost comical, were I not assaulted by the bitter memories I'd struggled so hard to push away, feeling that familiar anxiety and nerves as I remember those days, "My mother—Victoria, she uh, she wasn't really in the best condition after my birth." I hesitantly meet their eyes, before looking down at the pristine white sheets laying across my thighs, fiddling with the hem, "She didn't really take care of new born me properly, and uh, when the neighbors—Mr. and Mrs. Bradford tried to, you know, come and check in, she lashed out and almost killed Mrs. Bradford. So they kinda stopped trying to help, though they've helped me time and time again when I'd been in need of a meal or a quite place to recover at times—both physically and emotionally, I mean. So when I was old enough to join school, they realized that I was um," I cough, unable to meet the twin pairs of agog eyes as I reveal something even Nora doesn't know, "Malnourished. Not like, a little deficiency or anything. Severely malnourished, with a bloated belly and everything." I fidget with my hands, chewing my upper lip. "That's when the anonymous cheques started coming. Only later I found out that it was Alpha Parker who'd sent them. And in time, I was medicated and nourished back to normal health, and sent to school. They refused to allow me to take part in training, though. Said I might fall sick again. But, I think it was all an excuse though." I shrug apathetically, trying hard to remain indifferent.

I hear rough exhale, and I know that my Mate is struggling to prevent herself from killing someone right now.

I give her a few seconds, before I finally look up and meet their eyes.

But much to my stupefying surprise, Beta Ezra is the one who still hasn't recovered.

Actually, he looks to be on the verge of lashing out.

Crap.

Seneca senses my panic and quickly realizes the source of my concern.

"Ezra, calm yourself." She says quietly, with an undercurrent of hidden command buried in that small sentence. Ezra tears his now fully golden eyes from me unwillingly, his jaw clamped tight as he locks gazes with Seneca, giving her a stiff nod.

Seneca nods in a reassuring manner, and he takes deep breaths, his chest heaving up and down with the effort.

I exhale silently, relieved.

There's a knock on the door, and a head full of familiar, raven black curls, peeks in tentatively, as the door opens with a silent whine.

Ah, my nerdy friend. there's a lot I need to you.

"Good afternoon, Alpha and Beta?" Nicole Machiavelli calls—making the simple phrase sound like a question, much to my humor—as she stands by the door hesitantly, fiddling with a long brown envelope in hand. "This came for the Aleph, Alpha." She gestures to the letter shyly, "And Gamma David asked me to inform you that you have visitors." She presses her lips together, pointing to the door with her thumb finger as she rocks on her heels slightly.

I can't help the smile at her skittishness around my Mate.

"Oh, okay." Seneca nods, standing up as she cracks the kinks on her limbs with a little stretch, "I'll be back soon, Cage." She whispers as she leans forward and places a small kiss on my stubble covered cheek. I hum in agreement as she spins on her heel, leaving me alone with my brother and Nicole.

The nervous girl steps away from the door as Seneca steps out of the room, locking it. She dawdles her way to me in small steps, finally reaching my side as she extends the envelope held in two fingers.

I grab the envelope and seize her wrist in my grip, tugging her close before she tries to scramble away. "Oomf!" She huffs in surprise as I squeeze her side in a one-armed hug, letting her scoot away after giving her a firm pat on her back.

"Whoa," She sways for a second with the force of the pat, and I chuckle, watching her scowl at me as she rubs her back and pulls the stool that Seneca just abandoned, planting her butt with another glare aimed at me.

I ignore her stare and place the envelope on my lap, smirking knowingly, "Forgot about my presence once you met your Mate, huh?" I rib, struggling to keep the waggle of my brows from looking too bawdy.

She flushes, "It's—It's not like that, and you know it! Karen and I hardly have any time to meet. With her Alpha meeting her human Mate, and their wedding coming up, their Pack is full of chaos and she's too busy." She says, frowning as she twiddles her thumbs.

I nod, getting her frustration. "How are you, though?" I query, looking into her eyes.

Ezra chooses that moment to stand up, walking outside with a nod in a direction to give us our privacy.

"I'm fine, Micajah. Are you alright?" She asks, concern lacing her words as her brows lower and lips tilt down in worry.

"Fit as a fiddle. Will be out of the hospital in 4 days tops." I answer with a beam, and a small grin stretches her lips at the information.

"Thank Goddess, I was so scared."

We lapse into comfortable silence.

"Hey, Sky said that it was an important mail. I think you should read it now." She says after a few beats of silence, gesturing to the envelope.

"Oh," I pick up the brown cover, having forgotten about it already, "Wait, why did your sister say that?"

"I don't know, since it was important, Dakota—the guy who operates the mail—gave it to my sis—who's a Warrior, which you already know—so that it'll reach you quickly. That's all she said." She shrugs, shaking her head.

"Fine." I nod, examining the blank cover with no address, ripping off the corner neatly. A heavy yellowish document and a white piece of folded paper fall on my lap as I empty the contents. I snatch the white paper first and unfold it, my eyes flying over the neat handwriting for over half the page.

Nicole remains silent the entire time, her eyes wandering around the room as she takes in the surroundings, her legs bouncing slightly as usual, refusing to stay still.

My breath catches with surprise the more and more I read the letter, and I shake my head, reading it once again to see if I actually read it right. I then pick up the accompanying document, checking through the details and making sure that it's not a prank that bastard is pulling.

Oh.

It is real.

"What is it?" Nicole asks when I finally look up at her, my mouth gaping open.

Then a slow grin pulls up my lips, and her confused frown deepens further, "Micajah?"

"Feel like going shopping with me next week?"

* * *

Seneca comes in half an hour later, pushing open the door with extra force than necessary and letting it bang loudly as she closes it behind it.

The doorframe rattles with the impact.

Thankfully, Nicole left a few minutes back, otherwise she would've been scared out of her wits at her Alpha's sudden rashness.

"Whoa, easy there, Tiger." I comment, watching her stomp—yes, she actually stomped like a kid—to the small chair, pulling it around as she straddles its back, resting her elbows on the tiny metal backrest.

She then scowls at me. "Your best friend is here."

"Best friend—Oh, Nora!?" I ask, shocked.

"Yes. She's here to apologize."

"What—how—I don't understand!"

"You know already that Daemon and I apologized and signed a treaty between our Packs. Apparently, whatever happened between the two of you was Dae's doing. So they want to apologize and make peace with you."

"Oh."

"Yeah."

"Okay. I'm ready to meet them, I guess."

Seneca looks skeptical, her dubious gaze roaming over me, searching for something. She seems to find whatever it is, because she nods after a second standing up.

A few beats pass by, and finally, there's a quiet knock on the door, which opens slowly, revealing the best friend—and her Mate—I hadn't seen in so long.

It takes me a minute to realize I didn't call her my 'ex' best friend.

I don't linger too much on that thought.

Lenora Andrews looks better than the last time I saw her properly. She fills her clothes now, her wrists no longer looking like two twigs. There's some color on her cheeks, and she somehow looks healthy and well-pampered.

My heart expands with joy and an involuntary smile stretches my lips even if she hasn't given me a reason to be smiling with her recent behavior.

"M-Mike . . . " Nora sighs as she drops into the chair, her hand held tightly in Daemon's. She steals a quick glance at Seneca, who's leaning against the table in the far of the room, almost as if she wants to distance herself so she doesn't pounce on someone.

That thought makes me want to chuckle.

Daemon nods at Nora and slowly pries her hand off his, giving me a small smile as he turns around, making his way to my Mate.

I choose to ignore that unnecessary growl that's threatening to erupt from my chest.

"So . . . how're you doing, Lenora?" I ask in lieu of a greeting, crossing my arms.

She winces, "Yeah, I deserve that." She nods, swallowing, "I'm so sorry, Micajah." She says, her eyes reflecting her deep regret.

I look up and catch Seneca's eyes, and she nods. She whispers something to Daemon, and then the two of them take their leave, leaving me alone with Nora.

"I'm sorry, Micajah, really—"

I hold up my hand, stopping her from spewing a thousand more 'sorrys'.

"I get it, Nora. You're sorry. It's okay. What's done is done. Please, just tell me what exactly happened."

"Y-You really want to know?" She hesitates, nibbling on her upper lip.

I nod.

"Fine. I was in love with you, Mike."

And I think my heart monitor just blew up.

* * *

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