I stared down at the phone screen before dropping it into my lap. "Was that Olivia?" Nina asked gently. I looked up in surprise, my eyes guarded against her sudden willingness to engage in conversation.

"April, I said I was sorry. Can you stop looking at me like I'm about to eat you now?" I remained silent but forced myself to chuckle. "Look, I'm sorry about blaming you – not trusting you. I feel bad about it, honestly. But... I was just shocked when I found out? I-" She paused. "My first reaction is never my best reaction. I'm sorry."

I smiled tiredly. "I know. I'm sorry too; I was never angry at you – I'm just... tired." I finished unconvincingly. She didn't look convinced so I pulled a face at her and ruffled her hair.

Nina blew me a kiss and sat back on the deck chair, stretching out her tanned legs ahead of her.

"What's a four letter word for a vessel?" Donna announces suddenly, her hand shooting up in the air to point the pen to the sky as though she was pleading for Athena's help herself. We were sitting around the pool area in the sun and it was warm out, the sun beating down on my neck mercilessly.

"Ship? Boat? Duct?" I suggested, as I leaned over to peer at the monochromatic blur of the daily crossword puzzle. "What are you doing, Donna? I thought you were too cool for crosswords? Aren't they so yesterday?"

"Shut up, April."

Nina snorted and Barbara shot a grin in our direction too. "She's acting old because she found a wrinkle on her forehead – how many times do I need to tell you that it's only a frown line?"

"Donna, it's because you frown upon people too much," Barbara chirped in, the insult rolling off her tongue smoothly.

"I am getting so old – look, do my pores look big today? And, look! Is this a grey hair!" She moaned, her fingers groping her face and hair. I bit back a laugh at her hapless expression.

"I think it's the universe telling you to take less pride in your appearance." I beamed at her, making Donna flip me the bird in response.

"Hey!" Barbara snapped her fingers in front of us, breaking apart me and Nina in peals of laughter. I sobered at her expression. "Where's Emma?"

Donna brightened and sat forward, the answer sitting on her lips. Unwittingly, we all leaned forward too. "Don't you know? Her and Carlos have gone to... well; you know hustle about in the woods and shimmy about in their Calvin's."

"You are disgusting Donna."

Nina grinned and then stared at me as though silently asking if I had caught on yet. I nodded, though the joke was still lost on me. "Are they going to be long?" I asked.

"Well, that depends on whether or not they use protection – who knows, they could be gone for days if they're that frisky." In the end, Beau came to whisk Barbara away and Diego arrive a few moments later. We simply stared at each other awkwardly, remembering our tense encounter from a few days ago.

"April – um, can we talk?"

"Sure," I said brightly, swallowing my apprehension. I'm pretty sure Diego wanted to kill me when I jumped in front of Noah that day, but I'm glad he didn't.

He led me aside nervously, his expression the polar opposite of his wolf form filled with rage a few days ago. "I'm so sorry for how I treated you the other day with Noah. I feel terrible about it, I would never have hurt you –"

I cut him off with a wave of the hand and paused for dramatic effect. "I am so fricking pissed," I quoted White Chicks, narrowing my eyes at him. "I'm gonna have a bitch fit."

Diego stared at my serious expression before daring to crack a smile. I couldn't pretend to be angry any longer so I began spluttering with laughter, and he joined in nervously a few moments later. "Don't be stupid, Diego. I should have known never to have gotten in the way of two angry werewolves. And... I'm sorry if I caused anything between you and Aiden." I admitted, recalling how coldly Aiden had spoken to Diego.

Diego shook his head at me, swallowing. "He had every right to. So... are we cool."

I raised my hand to a high five. "Ice cool, baby."

Then, him and Nina left next, but not before emotionally scarring us by kissing on the lips in front of us. I turn away, just because I've always turned away from the TV screen when people kiss. Well, it's either that or me and Olivia throw the remote at each other until one of us has the guts to change the channel.

Now, it's just me and Donna left. "Let me guess, Aiden will come next."

I stare at her. "I doubt it."

He's probably out with Noah. I gulp. I don't know what he's going to do. When he'll be back and what state he'll be in. He specifically asked me to not ring his phone for the next day or so, but the urge nearly overwhelmed me when I saw Nina tending to Diego's bruise. What was he going to do to Noah? How was he going to be when he comes back?

"Ah, if only someone did that for me." She mumbles. I prick my ear, unsure if I had misheard her. Unsure if I heard the confident, independent Donna wrong.

"What?"

Her expression twists. "Yeah. Everyone has someone; a mate, a friend, a sibling who cares for them. All but moi. But it's as though I care – it's like they say: you're at your best when you're alone."

"Who the hell says that?" I shake my head, staring at her hard, replaying her words in my head. "You're not alone. You have a... older brother? Your pack?"

"Yeah, because I get on so well with them. My older brother's ashamed of me – the slut who takes what she can get. I don't get on very well with the pack either. Maybe I should go rouge." She says thoughtfully, her hand rubbing her jaw tiredly. "And before you say anything, don't give me any of that philosophical bullshit about companions and friends."

I pause, thinking. "If you turned rouge, you'd probably be captured by Kaden or Cole. They hunt rouges, right?" She nodded suspiciously. "And anyway Donna, if you want to cry, cry me a river of self-pity." She gaped at me, ready to shoot me an insult but I beat her to it. "You do have friends."

She scoffs. "Really? Who?"

"Me."

She stares at me dumbfounded as though expecting me to jump up and say joke!

"Nina. Barbara. Emma. And those are just to name a few." I add on. Then, I admit: "I didn't like you at first. You were rude and obnoxious and way too into your animal-skin clothing, but hey, each to their own. I like you now. I'm jealous of your forwardness. Not to mention your confidence. I would kill for confidence." I confess. "You're still rude though."

"Ha! Everyone loves to hear their own praises sung."

I nod, agreeing with her. "What about your mate? Have you found one?"

She swallows and turns away from me. "I – well, I don't particularly put myself out there to find one. I flirt and play around – what else can a 'bad' girl do?"

I smile. "Trust me, you are no bad girl. A tease, sure. But you're kind of sweet, in a demented way. And everyone ends with a mate – you'll be no default in the system, trust me." I confirm with a firm nod. "I don't make a lot of friends naturally. I like to think I don't need people – but I'm beginning to think it's not all that true. If I wanted to, I could survive on my own, but having those few people can make a difference - it just makes life a little... nicer. Make you feel slightly important in this world."

She grins and puts her back to me. "Well, the rumours are true. You really are sickeningly cheesy." Despite the insult, she cannot hide the smile that colours her voice.

I had received my test results later that evening, and they had come back positive. I opened them with Nina by my side, too scared to face them alone. Then, we just sat in stillness; silently thanking whoever there was up in those dark stars for the news I had been so scared to discover.

And I thought to myself: how lucky am I to be alive in a time like this? How damn well lucky am I?