I stared blankly at Emma. "In which way is this 'girl problems?'

She scowled. "Well, a problem a girl may be having is a 'girl problem.'

My expression dropped and I groaned, rubbing my fingers on both sides of my temple. "Emma, if Carlos is acting off, just talk to him. You've known him for how long? Four, maybe –"

"Five years." She interrupted.

"Five years! I'm sure talking it out will smooth things out; maybe he's stressed out about something and needs space."

"Maybe he's going through man menopause." Donna threw in. Our heads turned to her in unison. Really?

"Donna!" Barbara exclaimed. "That's not even possible!"

"I've tried speaking to him." Emma spoke quietly, her head hanging. "Maybe he's just stressed or tired. I don't know – he's being too quiet lately and I don't know what to do about it. Maybe I should just wait it out." Immediately, we all nodded our heads, murmuring words of agreement. Emma met my eye and smiled sadly – I returned the smile and glanced down at my lap where my phone had been vibrating for the past five minutes.

I flipped the phone screen side up in my lap and stared at the caller ID, before taking a deep breath and picking up. "Kayla! What's up?" I kept my voice bright.

"April. I need to meet you – now. This is urgent. Can you meet me today?"

My stomach knotted at how serious she sounded. "I can't today. I have a check-up appointment."

"Look, I need to meet you as soon as possible. Can you come after the appointment?"

"I guess... what's going on, Kay?"

"I want to talk about over the phone. I need to talk to you in person. Please."

"Kayla? What's going on?" I demanded.

"Just meet me after your appointment. Please." She listed the time and place and clicked the phone shut, leaving me listening to a buzzing call line, my mouth open. What the hell is going on?

I shook it off and turned back to the group when I saw Emma staring at me. I smiled and gave her a small wave before turning on my heel and rushing back to my room. I didn't need Emma interrogating me, especially when she was worried about Carlos herself. But she still managed to catch up with me.

"April?"

I turned in surprise. "Emma, geez, you were quiet coming up from behind."

She shrugged, but her eyes remained inquisitive. "Who was on the phone?"

"Kayla."

"I'm not stupid, Ap. I'm a werewolf – I heard your phone conversation." She remarked. "Why did she want to meet with you so badly?"

I turned my hard gaze to her. "I don't know. You're the one with werewolf hearing who can eavesdrop on people's conversations. Why don't you tell me?" I responded, my stomach burning – I was frustrated that now Emma knew. And her being this worried simply made my own worry seem bigger – it made the situation seem scarier. And I sure as heck didn't want Aiden knowing about it as well.

She took a step back as though I'd scalded her. "I didn't mean it like that."

"I know. I'm sorry. I'm just stressed... I don't know, but I shouldn't have taken it out on you."

"I understand. Sorry about interrogating you – I just don't want Kayla or Noah to hurt you again." Emma apologized softly.

"It's fine, you're my friend." We both beamed brightly. "It's understandable. I don't know... Kayla sounded... stressed on the phone and Noah's been acting weirder than before. I guess I'm just nervous." I offered. "Anyway, you don't need to be worrying about this right now!" I pulled a face, swiftly changing the topic back to Carlos.

She hesitated, a shadow of doubt passing her face for a moment. "Are you going to tell Aiden?"

"No."

"And I would appreciate it if you didn't say anything either." I said shortly. She hesitated, her mouth opening as though to protest, but then thought better of it and pressed her lips into a line and nodded.

***

My appointment had gone by in a blur of tests and questions; thankfully, Aiden had left me on my own per my wishes – but he'd waited outside the entire time. I plastered a wide grin on my face and assured him that everything was fine. The doctors gave me that monotonous look, telling me: "We'll get the results of the tests back to you in a couple of days." No emotion, no expression, no giving away what they really knew; I was just another numbered patient.

I swallowed my fear whole and nodded understandingly at them, convincing myself all was well. My heart was still able to support itself, my body was working fine – I was fine.

The sound of voices from behind some trees snapped me back to reality and I folded my arms, staring passively at where the voices would emerge.

As expected, a few branches rustled and Kayla appeared, her expression drawn as Noah followed her. "Hey." I called into the small silence, curiously eyeing Noah. "So... what's up?" I finally asked awkwardly.

"We have something to tell you." Kayla admitted quietly.

"What is it? Is everything okay? Noah?"

"We're fine." Noah interrupted quickly. I started at how his voice sounded so hoarse, as thought he hadn't spoke for days. I examined his face closely; dark bags hollowed his eyes, frown lines scarred his forehead and his lips were in what resembled a permanent scowl.

"Kayla, let me tell her. It's only fair I tell her." Noah spoke softly, one of his hands reaching out to pull Kayla behind him. I visibly saw her flinch, and in one quick movement, she tore his hand free, backing away from him. I was taken aback at this sudden animosity.

Noah threw his head down so he was staring at the ground. "Look, April this isn't easy for me to say. I'm not proud of what I've done, I hate myself for it. But I needed to meet you – to tell you – to explain." He managed to force the words out of his mouth.

"What is it?" Silence. "I've had a long day Noah, I'm tired..." I pointed out, urging him on.

"I – I caused your accident."

Silence.

"What?"

"I caused your accident." He spoke more clearly now, his soft brown-black flecked pupils rising to meet mine. "You weren't forced off the bridge by a fox – it was me. I was in werewolf form. I ran in front of the car. It made you and Nina swerve off the bridge. It was me."

My expression didn't falter, and, instead I turned to Kayla. "Is this a joke? Because it's not funny." I stared at both of them in turn with incredulity. "Of course you didn't cause the accident, Noah. You wouldn't." I said confidently, my voice steady but my stomach trembling.

"April, I was the fox – no fox is that big and quick. No fox runs across the road of a bridge towards a river where there's nowhere else for them to go. No foxes even live near that area. It was me. I'm the reason you were in a coma for 6 months."

I snorted. "Noah – why would you want to hurt me and Nina? You had enmity with Aiden, not us. You'd already sorted things out in that meeting, right?"

"I wanted revenge. I even said so myself that day when we all met in the clearing – I said you take one from us, I take one from you. I was angry and grieving and not thinking straight and I don't know why I did it. I wanted to hurt Aiden and the only way to hurt him was by hurting you. He took someone I loved – my brother – I wanted him to feel my pain – to understand what it feels like to have someone take someone you love.But I never meant to. I regret it every single day – I liked you April, you were kind to me and I hurt you. I'm sorry."

"Your apology came a bit late didn't it, Noah?" Kayla broke in, her voice emotionless. His head swiveled to her, his fists slowly unclenching by his sides. Layers of him fell away at the sheer prospect of Kayla despising him.

"Kay, I'm sorry. You know I'm sorry." His voice cracked.

"What was your brother's name?" I interrupted, not stopping to think.

"And his name was?"

"Brandon." He replied as he crossed his arms across his chest. "Why?"

"I'm sorry about Brandon, Noah. I can't imagine what it would be like losing a sibling, especially not one as close as you two were. Hell... Even thinking about losing my sister would make me come undone."

"How do you know me and Brandon were close?" Noah said, his tone becoming defensive.

"You wouldn't have been so hell-bent on revenge. You would have vented your anger on Aiden and his pack, not me and Nina. You wouldn't have broken down in front of your pack. That's how I know you were close."

He paused, hesitating. "Thanks, I guess." Noah shifted on the spot, his eyes darting up to search my face for any signs of dishonesty. But I was being honest; I felt awful for Noah's loss, I felt awful that he had to go through that despite it having nothing to do with me. What if that was Olivia? How would I react in that situation? You never know until you've been put into that position and I may say now that I would be high and mighty about it, but really? I would want to kill the scum that took my little sister from me – that was the protective side of us everyone forced themselves to believe wasn't existent. But it was, and it came out in time of grief and despair – it couldn't be helped. The only thing stronger than love is hatred.

"April I'm so sorry. I never knew. I always felt something was up since the accident with us, but I didn't find out about it all until –"

I interrupted Kayla - "until today."

"I'm sorry." Kayla repeated again, her hands twitching by her sides as though debating whether or not to throw her arms around me and sob or to remain by her side and feel shame about something that had nothing to do with her.

"It wasn't your fault, Kay." I said, "it wasn't anyone's. Grief has a tendency to do horrible things to people. It doesn't allow them to think. It consumes them. But Noah," I turned to him. "Grief may have a tendency to do those things, but you had no right to do what you did. It was selfish and unfair and completely stupid." He dropped his gaze and swallowed. "I am sorry about Brandon and I know Aiden is too – he explained his side of the situation. It was self-defense. And I'm not defending Aiden by any means - what he did was terrible, so terrible. You may hate Aiden and that's fine, so long as you don't act upon that and start up more rivalry. Haven't you had enough of fighting? Don't you just want to live side by side in peace and accept the losses everyone has had? You said you lost a loved one? Don't you realize – Aiden's experienced loss as well." I finished, breathing heavily as I glared up at him.

I stepped forward until I was a few steps from him and slapped him across his cheek, hard. His hand immediately rose to cradle his reddening cheek and I winced at the sharp sting it caused my own palm. I quickly glanced down and found my palm going bright red from the sheer force behind it. "That was for my coma - and that was for putting Nina's life in danger."

Kayla's open mouth shut and she stepped towards me in three large steps before throwing her arms around me. Surprisingly, despite my dislike of hugs, I hugged her back, half crying. "I'm so sorry I left you guys, I missed you. I was worse than Regina from Mean Girls."

"Its fine. At least we're not in a bitch fight anymore – you give some lethal insults. And correction, you were way worse than Regina from Mean Girls." She stepped back, smiling sadly, but I didn't miss her eyes fleetingly moving to her mate behind me. I didn't blame her; Aiden had done many things that were unforgivable, but he was my mate and I loved him regardless. Kayla would forgive him – I wanted her to. What he did was bad and stupid and I had every right to hate him – but for what? I was still alive wasn't I?

"April?" My eyes widened at that familiar voice. Slowly, I turned on the spot, half-wanting to squeeze my eyes shut, never to open them again. Surely enough, Emma was stood in front of me.

"Emma." I shook. "What are you doing here?" I spoke through clenched teeth, angry at her for following me.

"I heard everything." She stated her eyes narrowing as she stared through me to the boy behind me.

"Then you know the truth." I replied. "And you'll also know that everything is fine."

"He tried to kill you. And he very nearly succeeded." Emma hissed.

"He explained himself to me – I know everything. I'm not holding a grudge or starting a fight; what's the point? This is our business - not yours. And anyway, I'm not dead, am I?" She flinched at this. "If I've forgiven him, then it shouldn't be of any problem to you."

"What is wrong with you, April? Are you going to forgive every maniac who tries to kill you? You were in a coma for 6 months – everyone was worried sick, we weren't sure if you'd make it. And it is my business, April. I was at your bedside everyday those 6 months - I cried with your parents, with Aiden. I stood by your side, and felt as though a piece of my heart was missing for those 6 months." I felt my confidence wither like a dying flower. "Those 6 months were from hell; you missed everything – you nearly died. Aiden would have died with you." I felt my eyes flicker downwards until she said: "Toughen up already!"

"Don't tell me what to do." I defended myself fiercely, the words flying out my mouth before I could think about it, finally sick of being told what to do and how to act. "You had no right to follow me out here Emma!"

"Emma please, Noah's apologized and he means it, he really does. Please don't start up something we can't stop." Kayla broke in, her voice a mournful plead that made my anger die down slightly. My glanced over my shoulder at Noah and Kayla looking utterly broken. I made up my mind.

"Please don't tell Aiden." I said softly, my eyes rising to meet Emma's intense ones.

"April you can't tell me to do this – it's not fair."

"I know."

"But you," here, she addressed Noah. "You bastard – don't think I'll ever forget what you did to my friend - my, my sister. You nearly killed her! And for what? A feud with her mate? You harmed two innocent girls and kept it a secret for 6 months. If anyone's telling Aiden and Diego, it's you." Emma decided firmly, her arms crossing across her chest as her eyes flashed dangerously. "And you deserve every single thing they have coming for you too."

Truthfully, her statement wasn't exactly unfair – they deserved to know and it only seemed right that Noah had a chance to explain himself. But would Aiden and Diego hear him out long enough to know the truth? Or would their werewolf side come out first? The thought made me go cold, a sudden through occurring to me. "Does Nina know?"

Noah looked sheepish as he shook his head, "I was going to confess to her after we told you."

I nodded, mulling the thought over. It would have been hard confessing to both of us together which was probably why he decided to tell us separately and deal with our two, very different reactions individually. Nina would claw his eyes out.

"So... so you're telling Aiden and Diego?" Kayla hesitated, her eyes flashing with fear as she gazed across to Emma. Emma didn't show any sign of remorse.

"No. He is." She shot Noah a look.

"They deserve to know the truth from me. I caused it – it's my fault." He reiterated, his body slumping with fatigue and worry all at once. "It's only fair."