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ESMERALDA

Age: 79

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“Sodium?” Micah asked uncertainly.

I nodded and offered him a sticker. He was getting the hang of this. Micah smiled back happily as we wrapped up the tutoring session. I stretched. We had been at this for a while, but now he understood, so the effort paid off.

After school, I'd offered to drive him home. I was tutoring him in Chemistry. Since he was still in freshman year, he was stuck doing all the subjects until it was time to choose. Armani had gone to get him some food almost an hour ago.

“You could be a teacher,” he grinned. “I wonder where Armani is. He’s been gone for a while.”

As if on cue, an elderly lady burst into the room with wide, panicked eyes. She didn’t even seem to notice me as her attention was solely placed on Micah.

“Your brother’s done it now!” she shrieked.

“What did he do?” Micah asked, jumping up quickly. He shot me a worried glance as I stood up beside him.

The woman finally seemed to notice me and shook her head in confusion. She pointed a shaky finger at me.

“Is this human your soulmate?” she asked hotly.

“No, but-”

“Then why are you cooped up with her in here? One brother is out trying to get himself killed and the other is fraternizing with a human girl!” she yelled.

“He’s doing what?” Micah paled.

We followed the lady out of the house to where a crowd was gathering.

“No!” Micah gasped beside me.

I stared in horror as three guys attacked another guy who wasn’t doing so well against them.

“A-Armani,” Micah stuttered, scrambling towards the fight, but luckily I caught him before he could get too close.

“Don’t, Micah. It’s too dangerous,” I said, pulling him back.

I glanced back at the fight. They were moving too fast and I couldn’t tell which one was Armani for sure, but my guess was that he was the one on the right being ganged up on. One of the guys swiped at his shoulder with long, extended nails.

“Stay here,” I whispered to him as tears glistened in his eyes.

I couldn’t bear to see this and it didn’t look like anyone was going to help. Maybe Armani would recognize me if I went closer... I started to weave through the people when a brown blur whizzed past me. Then, I felt myself being pulled back.

“Liz, stop.” I recognized Kevin’s voice.

I looked back and Kevin placed his arm around my shoulder, holding me in place. He watched intently as Jackson broke up the fight with his presence. I hugged Micah to my chest as Armani struggled to his feet.

Jackson glared at them with a stern intensity and I could almost feel the authority radiating off him. The four guys trailed behind him, following unspoken orders and the crowd began to disperse.

Kevin was silent as he took me and Micah to a large building. This was apparently where disputes regarding Omegas were settled in the Royal Realm.

“Liz, what you did was very dangerous,” he lectured me and I sighed.

“But-”

“No buts,” he said firmly and sat beside me. “Do you know what would have happened to you if you had run in there? You would be in the hospital right now and that’s if you’re lucky,” he said slowly.

“I’m sorry. I just couldn’t stand there and do nothing while he was getting hurt like that.”

“I know you wanted to help, but remember that you’re a human. It’s so easy for you to get hurt. I don’t know what I’d do if you’d gotten hurt today and I’m sure Ashton would just lose it too.”

I frowned as I ran my hand along my jeans. “Sorry. I guess I didn’t think about that.”

He ruffled my hair and then growled lightly as he doors opened and the king strode in. He gave a succint nod in my direction and motioned for Kevin to join him.

“I’ll wait here with Micah,” I told Kevin.

He nodded and got up to go with the king. Some more men and women came in. They looked a lot older than us. After a few minutes, Raúl and Beau came in together and then Kristof strolled in with Jun behind him. Jun waved at me with a grin that vanished as soon as he saw Micah. He glared at him with a venomous passion and stalked off after Kristof. Ashton still wasn’t back yet from his business trip.

I sent Callie a message telling her where I was. She texted back immediately saying she was at Daniel’s house and how crazy I was to try and run into an Origen fight. I sighed. At least Ashton wasn’t here to see that. I would have never heard the end of it. I played with the rose pendant on my necklace as Micah fidgeted beside me.

“What are they doing in there?” I wondered out loud after an hour had passed. We couldn’t hear anything through of the soundproof doors.

“They’re taking a report of what happened today,” he sighed. “I know because Armani’s been in here a lot.”

I nodded understandingly. Armani did say he was always getting into fights, so that wasn’t strange.

I chatted with Micah to distract his mind from what was going on when Ashton strode into the room. He looked over at me and his mouth was set in a thin line. He observed me silently for a minute and then continued into the room.

Whatever meeting they were having in there was over in the next hour and the guys walked out quietly. Jackson looked lost in thought and Kevin and Ashton were fuming.

The three guys emerged from the room with wide grins and sadistic laughs. Jun skipped out behind them nonchalantly. Armani exited the room with an angry but despondent expression.

Micah ran to meet him as he came over to us.

“Micah…” Armani trailed off.

Ashton’s dad motioned for a burly man to move over to Armani. He came up to stand behind him. “You have one minute,” he informed in a deep, steely voice.

Micah stared at the man in confusion and then at his brother.

“Micah, I have to go somewhere,” Armani said slowly. “I won’t be back for a while.”

“Why? Where are you going?” Micah asked, on edge as he glanced back at the man.

“He will be taken to a detention facility in another kingdom,” the man boomed.

“Why? He didn’t start the fight!”

“Were you there?” the man sneered.

“I heard everyone who was there say that those guys started it,” Micah protested, pointing at the three guys who had smug smiles on their faces.

“That’s beside the point, Micah,” Armani sighed. “They’re Betas.”

Micah looked taken aback. “No, but that’s not fair.”

“Hey, I’ll be back okay. I promise. So just wait for me,” Armani said roughly as Micah looked bewildered.

He looked over to me. “Please take care of him, will you? I’m going to trust you.”

I nodded, too upset to speak. Micah looked on helplessly as his brother gave him a small smile and stared ahead boldly as he was escorted away.

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❤

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