"I wasn't expecting this sort of place from you," Kieran pondered, staring at the empty tray that once held an extra-large New York-styled pizza. The restaurant was located in the middle of downtown, between the skyscrapers and taxi-jammed streets.

Blaise shrugged. "Sometimes I want to roleplay and be a middle-class vampire who can't afford steak and wine every day. I haven't had pizza in decades. When was the last time for you?"

"Before the first trumpet, I believe."

Blaise turned to Teru, who barely uttered a word since the awkward exchange on the pier. "Don't like mushrooms, eh?"

Several fleshy fungus bodies were discarded to the side of his plate. "No. They sort of...remind me of someone. Can I have more without them, though?" Teru loved trying pizza for the first time because he hadn't tried anything like it! The two vampires told him New York pizza was famously known for its huge, thin slices that required you to fold it in your hand. If you wanted to go sacrilegious and be made fun of by the locals, you could use a knife and fork. Many couldn't finish ‌three in one sitting.

Kieran frowned. "More? You've already had four pieces. The grease will upset your stomach later."

After seeing Teru's dejected look, Kieran told the server, "Two cheese pies to go."

She was flustered when Pride put the order in himself, knowing what he did to Envy months ago thanks to the online video taken by his sister. The shame of being publically stoned was long forgotten, replaced with fear and respect for him.

"Y-yes, Prince," and scurried away to the kitchen.

Blaise snapped his fingers. "I almost forgot!" He rummaged through one of the shopping bags and pulled out a small box. It had a red bow wrapped around the middle. After placing it on the table in front of the birthday boy, Kieran nudged it away like it was contaminated. Apparently, he already knew the contents. Teru's interest piqued, wishing he could open the white cube instead.

"Tsk," his tongue clicked. "Besides human packs, you are the only one I know who lives like the Stone Age. Aquarius people are supposed to be progressive and innovative in technology. At least you show it through your coldness, random bursts of anger, and deluded conviction that you're always right."

"Since when were you into zodiacs like Gluttony?" Kieran's eyes glared at his sarcasm.

"Today, in fact. I was reading about them while you were knuckle-deep in your mate's juicy-"

"Don't," Kieran warned. These two were bickering like petty brothers!

Teru, wanting this to stop, was lost. "What's a zodiac?"

Blaise gave up trying to get Kieran to open the birthday gift. As the old saying goes, you can guide a horse to a watering hole, but you can't make it drink. He took back the box and focused on undoing the ribbon himself, since his headstrong brother would not do it. "You know, your astrological sign. Whatever constellation the sun was passing through when you were born." His burnt orange fingernails couldn't loosen the bow's knot. "Lovely. I made it too tight," he mumbled.

"Constellations are shapes the stars make, like animals and people," Kieran whispered to him, knowing Teru wouldn't know what that term was, either. Humans who lived wildly had their own imagined objects and creatures in the sky to help them navigate the terrain at night. It was nice to have a word for those now. "Some believe your zodiac can foretell your personality, the good and the bad."

"Then what's mine?"

"What's your birthday?" Blaise asked, finally getting the bow off. He grumbled at his chipped nail color.

Teru looked through the window to think. Kieran was currently teaching him the months of the year. He knew the general window of his birth. "Um, maybe that one month that begins with the letter O?"

"Maybe October?" He glanced at Kieran with furrowed eyebrows. The alpha returned the look, saying, He doesn't know.

The youngest sin scratched his temple. "Hmm, well, your OCD to have things organized the way you want them, introversion, and needing a purpose in life tells me...Taurus."

Kieran slapped him on the back of the head. "He just said he was born in the fall. Taurus is a spring sign."

"Ya'll need to stop hitting and biting me! Like, damn, I was joking! This omega maiden obviously screams Virgo. How ironic, because the Latin name for its brightest star is Alpha Virginis. I'd say late summer, such as August. Does that sound right to you?" The question was for Teru.

"I guess. My parents didn't know exactly because we go by the moon and stars' alignment to determine which season is it. They assumed it was autumn." For their next reading session, he wanted to scour the library for any books about stars. There were new shapes, names, and myths he didn't know about!

Blaise passed the box to Teru. Excited, he took the cover off. Two phones were inside in the colors black and mint green. The black one was familiar.

The chic vamp grabbed the green model and touched the screen. It lit up to show a picture of Kieran gripping onto Teru's coat when he peered over the railing. While the alpha was worried, Teru's face was full of wonder and innocence. He now remembered the black phone-it was used to capture this moment.

"Two smartphones?" Kieran disapproved, watching Teru take the phone eagerly.

"Yes, two smartphones. Don't worry about his. I've set up a child lock until you can teach him the dangers of the internet. For now, it's mainly for calling, texting, GPS, and a tracker app if he gets lost. The only contacts are you, me, and Charles. As for yours-," Blaise handed Kieran the dark cellphone to explain the latest features. His dislike for Wi-Fi was unparalleled, yet the reasoning for bestowing one to Teru made sense. It would come in handy for emergencies. His mate frustratingly attempted to learn the ways of modern communication in the palm of his hand, determined to ace it because his Pride demanded him to.

In the meantime, Teru stared happily at the picture. He experimented with the buttons until coming across more photographs. They were all from today: searching through the racks of clothes, walking beside each other on the pier, browsing through a bookstore, and more. All had something similar to them. Kieran was always watching him, whether with affection or attentiveness. Teru hadn't noticed. To see an unbending prince become so devoted to his partner was a miracle in itself.

He hugged the phone to his chest. Despite what Kieran said about not needing physical memories, Teru was so happy to have these. When anyone doubted their connection, he would show them to prove everyone wrong.

The two alphas were staring at him, as well as the customers eating at the table next to theirs. His cheeks blushed. He was purring so loudly that it could be heard over the music playing in the restaurant.

"At least someone appreciates my present, unlike an ungrateful person I know," Blaise awed with anime eyes, putting his face between his hands from hearing the cute sound.

Kieran put his phone in his pocket next to the watch and asked Teru, "Are you ready to go?"

"Yeah." It's been a long morning. A yawn tightened in his throat. His eyes slowly closed with each blink, feeling more tired than usual. It was likely from not sleeping last night.

Blaise gathered his few bags and gave the rest to Kieran. "I won't be returning with you. I have business to attend to elsewhere. When you're home, I highly recommend opening those envelopes. Don't say I didn't warn you."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Teru sat at the kitchen table, eating a bowl of raspberries after taking a quick nap in the car. He held the next bite in mid-air when he saw Kieran's shaking hands. His alpha was finally reading the letters, something he couldn't do before because they received them during their mating. What sort of omega and alpha drowning in their breeding hormones had the capability of doing such a task? None. By the time it was over, the official messages were forgotten.

He put down the fork. "What's wrong?"

Kieran was engrossed in whatever he read. The information must be seriously bad when he paced around the living room.

Teru got up and went over to him, touching his arm. "Kieran?"

He stopped and grabbed the back of Teru's nape, pulling him to his chest. "Do you remember Abaddon mentioning a spring equinox event?"

Lucas was the one who told him about it first, but he didn't want to say that. "Yes."

"The date has changed. It was supposed to be late March."

"When's the new date?"

"...In two weeks."

Does that mean I can see Lucas sooner?

"Er, okay," not getting why he was stressed about the altered day.

"Little one, you don't understand. That was supposed to be our night to leave New York. I make my appearance to avoid suspicion, leave during the king's speech, return here to get you, and we go when security and guests are distracted by his announcements. The chances of having someone follow us and report our whereabouts would be low. It was difficult to make the arrangements I've made for next month, but in two weeks? Damn it!" Kieran ripped the letter.

Return here? My pack mate told me to go no matter what.

"Am I not going?"

"No. Naming the party after the spring equinox may sound fun, but it's not that kind of fun. I won't subject you to that. Trust me. It's better for you to remain here."

Teru was borderline panicking. "I want to attend. Please?"

The urgency confused Kieran. "Why are you adamant about this? There's nothing for you there but shocking kinks and disgusting perversion. It won't be good for you-"

"I have to. You can still leave according to plan, but we go together. Wouldn't that save time?" He stood his ground, grasping at straws.

"And my answer is still no. You're staying in the penthouse, where I know you're safe. Okay?" Kieran caressed his cheek gently, but Teru smacked it away, about to cry.

"Not okay."

"Not okay? That's too bad," the vampire's old self spat, as if he was the bloodsucker that was rough with the recently captured human in the beginning again. His crimson eyes were cold. "You will stay. I am not budging on my decision. I've let you push the boundaries countless times without repercussions. Owners would punish their blood slaves for just the snarky tone you carry on your tongue."

A flurry of emotions swept through Teru. He was angry, upset, irate, and more. A throbbing pain started in his abdomen. Why the hell was he cramping, too?!

"Except," he snapped, "you're not my owner. You're my destined mate. I want to stay close to you. I don't want to be apart." Gosh, his words sounded clingy, but he didn't have a choice. It was the half-truth. Yes, he wanted to stick with Kieran, but it wasn't his only reason for wanting to go, either.

Kieran turned his back on him, equally frustrated with their first argument as a bonded pair. What they each felt had increased twofold because now they were feeling double the emotions. "It's times like this when I remember how young you truly are."

"Oh?" Teru scoffed. Back to the age thing again, just like his pack. Everyone only cared about his gender, age, and the inconvenience of possessing a uterus. What was the phrase his sister used when they had sibling fights? "I'm a naïve little shit, right?"

"No, and you know I care about you way more than-," Kieran stopped. He sniffed the air, nostrils flared and red eyes widened. "Where are you hurt?"

"Huh? I'm not hurt." Was this a ploy to maneuver away from the topic? Teru was nowhere near finished with this ridiculous alpha!

Kieran went back to him and patted his body for injuries. When he lifted Teru's shirt up to check his torso, the omega forced it down. "I said I'm fine!"

"I smell blood on you. Did you cut yourself on the pier?" He continued smelling his skin for the source.

"Bleeding?"

"Here," Kieran gestured at his lower half. "Pull down your pants."

"Do I have to? Am I really bleeding-"

"You are," he interrupted. "Sit down and show me."

Teru unzipped his jeans and slinked his legs out before sitting on the sofa. Kieran grabbed his knees and spread them open, intending to start with his feet. He didn't have to. His eyes immediately zoned in between Teru's legs.

"What is it?" The omega looked there, too. Dark red spotted his underwear in the crotch area.