"our houghts rehe irtiest. ver."

"Well," Seneca pauses, looking intensely at a point somewhere behind me.

"I guess you could say that..." She trails off, "That Daemon is my only enemy." She finishes, focusing her gaze on me.

"'Only' enemy? I thought being such an Alpha would've earned you many of them?" I ask, confused.

"Yeah...I do have a lot of them, but I just don't consider them worthy to be my enemy." She shrugs, "To actually be someone's enemy, you have to have some sort of...capacity, you know? Just because someone says that their my enemy, doesn't make them one." She looks at me pointedly, and I slowly nod in understanding.

Gulp. I never knew that my Mate is actually that lethal.

"This is why I didn't want to tell you." She snaps and stands up quickly, turning around.

I grab her wrist quickly to stop her. "'This'? What do you mean by that?" I repeat, looking up to meet her burning gaze with a raised brow.

"That...That fear in your eyes...You don't know what it does to me," She says in a thick voice, blinking rapidly as she does so.

What?!

"Hey, hey, Seneca!" I cajole, pulling her down to sit back on the couch with me. She initially resists, but when I tug hard enough, she gives up, collapsing on it. "Listen," I try to grab her chin and make her look at me, but she's just so stubborn, it's just so frustrating!

'And hot,' My Wolf adds, grinning suggestively.

'Very important to think about 'that' now!' I snap at him, but it is a half-hearted attempt, because I couldn't agree more.

'Who's the pervert here, now?' My Wolf mocks, and I shut him out.

"Seneca, please." I cup both her cheeks in my palms, forcing her eyes to me. "I'm not afraid of you, okay? I'm not. It's just...you can't blame me here, I need some time to adapt!" I exclaim, looking at her with pleading eyes.

Her hard graphite eyes soften at the corners, melting into pools of mercury.

"Okay," She whispers, placing her right hand above mine on her cheeks. "I'll try my best." She assures me, and the heavy weight in my heart lifts.

"Love you," I profess, and I'm surprised by how naturally those words flow out.

She smiles softly, and leans forward, pressing her lips to mine.

♡ ♡ ♡

"You gonna stay in this room tonight?"

I look from my habitual task of making my bed in surprise.

Seneca is standing there in her pajamas, looking sexy as ever in her shorts and tee.

SHUT UP, MICAJAH!

"Yeah..." I trial off, pushing my glasses up my nose.

Yup, I switched over to my comfy glasses.

"Okay," She replies, and walks in, like she owns the place, straight to the bed.

I guess she does anyway.

She lies down on the right side — the side she has occupied the other two times she slept with me, only slept — and sighs, pulling the sheets that I just arranged, over to her chin.

I place my right hand on my hip, narrowing my eyes at her.

"What?" She looks at me with such an innocent expression on her face, one can almost see the halo atop her head.

Key word being, Almost.

Because everyone knows she's a sexy little firecracker with a body that could put a stripper's to shame.

Okay, Micajah. It's official.

YOUR THOUGHTS ARE THE DIRTIEST.

EVER.

I don't reply, and keep on staring at her with narrowed eyes.

"Aw, I missed those glasses. They make you look even cuter." She coos, and just like that, my cheeks erupt like the Etna.

Still didn't get over the blushing I see, Micajah.

"I love it when you blush," Seneca compliments me again, and I forget the reason why I was trying to stare at her with an angry expression in the first place.

I shake my head and walk to the lamp, switching it off. I walk around the cot to the other side, and lie down, mirroring her position by pulling up the sheets as well.

We look at the ceiling in silence.

"Why were you in such a hurry, tonight?" I ask after a few beats, slightly tilting my head in her direction.

"They found an injured girl in the border."

"Injured?"

"Broken neck," Seneca says solemnly, and I can detect a hidden note of deep sorrow and loss in it.

"Oh," I say, swallowing. "Was it him?"

"Yes," She replies, and the mono-syllabic word tells enough.

I've reached today's limit for questions.

"What about the ceremony?" I query, changing the topic. My throat closes up at the thought of having a repeat of today.

"We'll have a private one," She suggests, "You can give the speech during the ALMC." She adds, and I can see her shrug slightly from my peripheral vision.

ALMC?

Oh! The Annual Lunar Mating Ceremony!

"When is it?" I croak, feeling the fear creep up my gut and grip my neck in its vise-like hands.

"This Saturday," She answers. "On the full Moon." She explains.

"Cool," I nod like a maniac, feeling my palms sweat.

In front of all those Alphas, Lunas, Alephs, and Betas?!

NO-fúckin'-WAY!

"I know what you're thinking, Cage." She says softly, "And trust me, it is not as bad as you think," She pauses. "Who knows, maybe you'll even love it," She adds and I turn so fast, I barely escape a whiplash.

I give her an, Are you out of you darned mind?!' look.

She raises her hands in defense. "Okay."

I glower at her and turn my head, going back to the ceiling staring again.

"What happened to you?" She whispers, her voice barely picked up by my senses over the whoosh of the ceiling fan. While the words sound generic, it's clear her question is actually about my past.

It's ironic that she thinks she can ask me that when she's not ready to even give a smidgen of detail regarding anything.

I grin humorlessly, not accusing her out loud like I so badly want to, turning to her instead with a bitter look.

"Some things are best left untold, my 'love'." I quote her endearment and turn my back to her, burying my head in the pillow.

She has to start trusting me if she wants me to do the same.

♡ ♡ ♡

"I'm gonna ask Seneca out," I declare, slamming my food-filled plate on the dining table with extra force than necessary. Beta Ezra, its lone occupant, looks up from his rapid texting with a raised brow.

"Oh, really?"

"Yes," I answer firmly, nodding once.

The previous night's awkwardness had lingered slightly this morning, but before she could untangle herself and leave from the bed, I'd wrapped an arm around her waist, stopping her.

She'd looked at me with slight surprise, but I could see the hidden hurt reflected in her liquid silver eyes.

I'd leaned forward and given her nose a small kiss and instantly, her cheeks painted themselves a pale pink. "I shouldn't have thrown that back you. I'm sorry," I'd trailed off, "Love," I'd added, this time, with nothing but adoration.

She'd leaned forward, and just when I'd come close enough, she nipped at my lips and had escaped the cage of my arms. I'd yelped and pulled back in surprise.

Not that she couldn't pull back from me by force.

She could've if she really wanted to. But, She didn't, and that shows that she respects my thoughts and actions.

She'd stopped by my door and'd thrown me a wink over her shoulder before leaving, and just like that, I know she won't push me further.

Well, I guess I could always push her back.

"What are you planning?" Beta Ezra's question pulls me out of my thoughts and I focus myself to answer the waiting Beta before me, only to find that he had put away his phone and is giving his full, undivided attention to me.

"Ha! As if! I know that you're my friend, but you're her Beta over that. Besides, If she ordered you, you would rat me out in a second," I tease and shake my head, grinning.

"Since when are we friends?" He asks flatly, gesturing to the space between us.

Oops.

"I...Um..." I look at him, stunned into silence.

"Just kidding," He shakes with silent laughter when he sees my 'too-shocked-to-move' expression, "Though we can be better described as 'teacher-student' than 'friends'," He shrugs, and ignores my shocked look, paying his full attention to his food.

I purse my lips.

"What did he do now?" Seneca says by way of greeting as she sits on her chair, taking her plate in her hands.

"Nothing," I say way too quickly, and her eyebrows go up.

"Uh, okay." She shakes her head and sighs, piling up her plate with food in silence.

I look pointedly at Beta Ezra, daring him to open his mouth.

He zips his mouth and throws the imaginary key away.

Good.

Nicole walks in sluggishly that time, wearing her usual baggy attire, yawning sleepily.

"Curse you, mornings," She grumbles to herself, turning all eyes to her.

When she realizes that the dining hall isn't as empty as she thought, she blushes.

"I'm sorry!" She turns around to leave, when Seneca stops her.

"Wait."

Nicole freezes in her tracks, then turns around slowly with a cringe. "Yes, Alpha?"

"Join us," She says, or more likely commands, and Nicole nods, rushing to the table obediently. She pulls back the second chair to my right, sitting with her back straight at the edge of her seat.

Is she really that scared of Seneca?

"Eat," Seneca spells out once again, and immediately Nicole picks up the inverted plate in front of her, flips it and grabs one omelet from the bowl in the middle with the forceps.

A few minutes of comfortable silence stretches between us, with the clinking of our stainless steel spoons and forks against our plates being the only sound made.

"Last night we found a girl injured at the border." Seneca starts, and I look up at her in confusion.

Why is she telling this now?

"Oh." Nicole says in evident surprise at being addressed directly, "Who is it?" She asks after a beat.

"You can take a couple of days off. I'll tell the Principal," Seneca answers instead, and I get a bad feeling.

"Um, why?"

"It's Mikayla Singhania."

Nicole's golden eyes widen like she just heard the news of her mother's death.

Suddenly, they brim with crystal tears.

"Please excuse me, Alpha." She mumbles under her breath, and in a second, she's out of her seat, bolting towards the door.

"Nicole—" I start to stand up, but Seneca cuts me off.

"Leave her be. It's her best friend." She shakes her head, and her eyes meet Beta Ezra's for a moment. In that split second, I understand the silent message passing in-between them.

I would've done the same if it were you.

My heart does a longing thump, as immediately, the smiling face of my ex-best friend comes to my mind.

I force down the lump in my throat, nodding in answer.

♡ ♡ ♡

"Yes, Daniel. Inform me the second you find any evidence that he might've done it. I'll sue his ass." Seneca snaps in a hard tone, and I can here an immediate chain of 'Yes, Alpha.' from the other side of the phone.

She slides her Blackberry Priv with a loud snap and shoves it into her jean pocket.

Lunch is over, and we're currently walking to my class. After a few hours of depression and one worded answers, my mood has slowly come back to normal.

Shall I ask her now?!

My heart jumps at the mere thought of it.

"What's got you so nervous?" Seneca asks, as we continue our path down the deserted hallway.

Yeah, we're taking the long way.

"Pfft, Me? Nervous? Nah," I laugh nervously, trying to cover my thumping heartbeat.

Ask, Micajah! Just do it!

"Um, I..." I start, but lose the courage to do it.

"What?" She asks, looking sideways.

"Nope. Just forget it." I say quickly, shoving my hands into my pockets nervously. I gaze aimlessly around the room, at the plain walls, trying to divert my attention to something else.

"Hey, Cage. I was wondering if—"

"NORA?!" I shout in shock when I recognize the girl in the two figures entwined like a pretzel at the end of the hallway.

The girl pulls back in a hurry, and her big green eyes become the size of saucers as she widens them in shock when she realizes what's happening.

Her hair is ruffled and cheeks are flushed, and to give away clearly what she's been doing, her lips are swollen and red.

Yup, you know what it is.

My jaw drops in shock when I take a look at the black-haired, completely tattooed guy beside her, who looks no better than her in the ruffled up department.

For some stupid reason he smirks sardonically at us, and that confuses me.

"I wasn't expecting to see you here, Alpha Daemon." Seneca says hardly in a tone so flat, it sounds like a robot.

It takes me a second to realize the meaning behind her words.

I turn to her in shock, almost asking for confirmation, when this, 'Daemon' finally speaks up.

"Well, there are a lot of things you didn't expect, Sister."

♡ ♡ ♡

Why do you think Nora is making out with Daemon??

NEWS: I'm visiting Bangalore from 14-17 of January. Soo...Just wondering, is anyone from Bangalore??