Tears of Joy.

"I just realized I haven't seen Jihi for a while now." Matilda asked.

"They're casting some protective spell around the house, just in case a very unwanted guest decided to show-up." Socorro replied.

The two women were chatting while walking in the backyard, shortly after Muriel solved the issues between Thorn and Jade.

"Should we go back inside? Yurei and Tacito are coming." Matilda spoke a little bit annoyed, "You don't seem like you're enjoying yourself today."Socorro asked, "If you saw the sight I saw yesterday, those boxes, you would've been in bad mood too...

Ugh, I usually don't get effected so easily by shitty people, but someone like Tacito's mom makes me feel grateful for being an orphan."

"You're an orphan?"

"Yeah...as far as I know."

"Can you explain...well, if you don't mind it."

"Nah it's okay, we're mates after all, you deserve to know a bit coconut."

"Mates haha, still wrapping my head around that one." Socorro nervously laughed.

Smiling at her, "It's okay if you don't like us being mates, I get that some people don't like to be tied by someone else, and as for my parents, I'm just like Garrick I don't know anything about them, for as long as I remember, I was in an orphanage." Matilda replied.

Socorro began to speak, "Sorry, for meddling in, and you're right I'm not really keen on the whole destined mates thing, yet...!"

But Matilda cut her off to reassure her, "It's okay Coconut I understand and sorry for cutting you so suddenly, what where you about to say?

Oh and Btw, you're not one to talk about family, so far you only mentioned a Grandma." Matilda said.

"My family is kind of complicated like I have your normal average family, two parents and a couple of siblings, lotta of siblings actually...All males." Socorro replied.

"DAMN! a girl must have no privacy in a house like that?!"

"Oh you have no idea! everyone in my family is a Beta like myself, but I'm the only magic user in the family."

"I see why you're close with your grandma."

"Exactly, I inherited her abilities, which kinda ruined my relationship with my parents a lot, especially my mother.

In her family, only woman can inherit our magic, the comb decides which one is the next witch in the family."

"Oh snap! let me guess, the comb skipped your mom but chose you?"

"Yeah, my brothers were also mad that the power seems to only choose girls, so I grew up bullied by them...*sight* my Nana started to notice so she decided I was better off with her, and I went to live with her for the past few years until I got this job.

Before being an assistant, I worked as a hairdresser."

"Are you less Happy now as Muriel's assistant?"

"Being his assistant is a demanding job, but It's worth every struggle...I got more money in my bank account at least, and a friend like Muriel."

"And your Nana? Don't you live alone now?"

"Yeah, actually I lied about something, I'm roommating with Muriel."

"Oh I figured that one, you had more belongings there than just for a sleepover."

"There's no fooling you pumpkin!" Socorro said chuckling, "Well...my Nana was skeptical at first about the job offer, Muriel came asking for me personally.

But as soon as Ned showed-up, my Nana immediately greeted him like he was an old friend, she convinced me to take the job and said I shouldn't worry about moving too far away from her."

"Sound like a crazy day! Ned helped a lot of people in his life, including me.

In order to get me out of the orphanage, he actually adopted me!" Matilda said smiling at the memory, "Wow! Thorn is just ungrateful.

If it wasn't for Ned saving Muriel's life when he was kidnapped as a kid, he wouldn't have a mate and I wouldn't have a boss." Socorro replied.

"Thorn does have a long list of reasons to appreciate Ned for." a voice spoke-up from behind them.

"Jihi!"

"Socorro Belmonte, from what I gathered, you're quite important to Ned, he boosted about your determination, your talents and ability in the field of magic." Jihi responded shaking Socorro's hand, "Thank you I suppose, umm... you're done casting spells? I can tell the house is well protected." Socorro replied still shaking their hand.

"Yes! I am, also I wanted to ask you som-"

"I think we should get inside." Matilda cut them off, she retrieved Socorro's hand from Jihi and held on to it tightly, "Let's go Coconut."

"Oh but! Jihi and I... were talking!" Socorro spoke looking back at Jihi as Matilda dragged her away.

"What's with every female Alpha I meet? is it in their settings to be hostile and jealous?" Jihi said while slightly shaking their head in disapproval.

On the other side, the two women went back through the back door, Socorro couldn't understand why Matilda did what she did, "HEY! let go of my hand! I didn't allow you to treat me like this! what am I?! A CHILD?!"

"If you were a child, that would've made me a pedophile."

"I'm not joking Matilda!"

"Sorry Coconut, I just don't like it when other people touch your hand."

"It's MY Hand Matilda, MINE!"

"I Know, and I'm sorry."

"Ugh, whatever! don't do this again! We had an agreement that I will accept you and be with you, as long as you don't treat me like you own me.

I see now, you're not fulfilling your part of the agreement...did you trick me into accepting you just so you'd lie afterwards?" Socorro said taking her hand back.

"NO! I swear!...I'm sorry I'll do my best! I promise, can I still hold your hand?" Matilda said reaching for Socorro's hand, the reddish-brown haired woman backed away immediately, "Later, we need to go back inside to finish helping everyone else." she said walking away from Matilda.

"That didn't turn out well!" Jihi said leaning on the wall behind Matilda, the alpha woman spun around to hear the rest, "I can't blame Coco, if you two already had an agreement on what your relationship is going to be like, you should've been careful." Jihi added with a hint of amusement.

"I'm sorry if I offended you back there Jihi, I got unnecessary possessive." Matilda said apologizing, "Oh darling! I'm not offended at all! but a word of advice, I'm not interested in your girl or anyone here in that matters, I'm just a nonbinary witch who loves tea, challenges and signing contracts...so let's keep it that way." Jihi said with a chuckle at the end.

"I know, I just went a little overprotective mode...our bond is still new and it makes me feel lik-"

"You're going to lose her at any moment?"

"Yes." Matilda's eyes glistened in sadness, "She's not into this as well, I mean Socorro doesn't want this bond, I can tell she only agreed because she pitied me."

"Oh darling...I know that look in your eyes, I had the same look once upon a time, where I thought I wasn't worthy of love, and I still see it that way.

So I decide I should just hide it! maybe that's what you should've done." Jihi replied walking past Matilda.

"Hide it, no wonder you sound exactly like Ned told me...LifeLess." Matilda whispered to herself.

...Few minutes later...

"All the houses... here... look straight out...of a Hollywood...movie." Tacito said admiring the view as they drove through the neighborhood, the evening sky gave the place a film like vibe.

"Ned told me, that most of the super rich families in this city with Alphas and Omegas in them, Live here." Yurei commented, "It's a protected little community for the rich secondary genders." he added.

"That's...nice...i guess."

"Not everyone here is nice though, apparently Ned isn't very much into his neighbors, he just chose the place because it's beneficial to him."

"Which villa is...his?"

"That One! the modern black villa with the iron gates at the end of the road." Yurei pointed ahead of them, "Black villa?... interesting." Tacito replied.

It took them few seconds to get there, but they got confused when no lights in the House seemed 'On' from the outside, Tacito immediately felt something was off, "Maybe Ned...isn't home?

"No way! he said he'll be here!... I'm sure since the gates Are open!" Yurei said unbuckling his seatbelt in a hurry, "What are you...doing?" Tacito asked him worried, "Just drive through the gates."

"Wouldn't it be... better if we... teleported inside?...what if something... happened?"

"Don't panic yet Taci, it could be a misunderstanding, so we should go inside normally.

Don't forget we came here with an unfamiliar car, to a luxurious neighborhood.

We can't bring unwanted attention towards Ned." Yurei said and A reluctant Tacito drove through, and stopped his car right outside the house.

in a second, he was out of the car with Yurei, clutching his keys anxiously.

The two walked to the front door, and were about to ring the bell when they realized the door was left slightly open, "The door's also open!" Yurei said pushing it slowly with his finger.

"Ok...that's it!" a Terrified Tacito said bursting through the open door, but as soon as he stepped foot inside, all the lights came back On, nearly blinding him.

"SURPRISE!" Everyone screamed in joy including Yurei, while Tacito stood there absolutely baffled, "What...is... happening?"

"You really thought I'm going to let you celebrate your birthday in peace?!" Ned said pulling him into a hug.

As He was being hugged, Tacito looked around at all the very familiar faces there.

"In case you have yet to understand what's going on, this is a party for you Tacito." Jihi said approaching the much taller witch, "Happy Birthday again, expensive employee."

"A birthday party?...for me?"

"Yes darling!" Yurei said snatching Tacito from Ned's arms, "Hey! I was hugging him!" Ned protested but Yurei stuck his tongue out at him.

"Ungrateful little shit!" Ned whispered underneath his breath.

"Why?" Tacito still had a hard time understanding what's going on, "Aren't you the one who was just said that the doctor is a nice person and we shouldn't have cut ties with him?" Yurei replied.

"I can tell you are an important person to Neddie." Muriel spoke smiling while nudging Thorn to make him speak as well, "Y-yeah?! Ned thought you're going to appreciate a surprise party." Thorn added, faking A smile.

"I think after all the shit you went through..." Jade said, "...You deserve some love and cake." Jasper finished her words.

"Master saw it fit to hold a party for you, but I have to emphasize on the fact that Master Muriel has done most of the work here!" Aroon spoke next, smiling at a still confused Tacito, "Umm, should I mention that for some reason, this is the first party ever that I don't feel like I'm going to have an anxiety attack in?" Lucius said causing laughter to erupt in the room.

"Haha! I just realized we the extroverts might be a minority in here!" Garrick said earnings few chuckles from everyone.

"I don't know you on a person level, but I have a feeling You're a good person Tacito, so happy birthday." Socorro spoke-up sending a smile towards Tacito, "Can we get to the cake part already? I can hear Garrick's stomach Rumbling!" Matilda said making everyone laugh again, except for Tacito.

"You...guys Are...i-" The Red-eyes boy bursted into tears of Joy.

Thankfully Ned has already explained to everyone, that something like this was going to happen, so no one was too surprised to see Tacito crying blood instead of water.

"There baby." Yurei was ready as well, he pulled a handkerchief and gently wiped his mate's tears away.