31

Scarlett stood under the cold shower lost in her thoughts. The tip of her black hair was slowly turning red and as she stared in the mirror that hung a few feet away from her, she noticed her grey eyes that had blue embers in them now had a touch of red and it made her eyes look like flames. She turned off the shower, dried up her body and put on a pair of black shorts that had blue strips and a white vest. Her eyes landed on a figure as she walked out of her walk-in-closet while drying her hair.

"Nicole?" she called. Nicole turned to her with a bright smile on her face but it was obvious that smile was a feeble attempt to hide the true emotions that was plastered over her face. If Scarlett remembered her best friend well enough, she'd remember that she'd promised to break Michael if for any reason Nicole was broken and seeing that look in her eyes, she realized when she'd first seen Nicole after six whole months, that same look was in her eyes but she could only mask it from strangers and people who didn't know better. "Where's Michael?" she asked.

"You remember," Nicole whispered, her heartbeat picking up. "I'm fine Scar," she said.

"Don't fucking lie to me! I may not remember myself but I remember everyone else and that includes you and everything I said before I left…now where the hell is Michael?"

"He went to find Chris to apologize," Nicole answered, her voice wavering.

"Apologize…what for?"

"They fought…Michael and I had a fight, he went to a brothel and I found him there, Chris tried to make me feel better…I don't know why but he got mad and punched him and they fought then Chris left, he only came for the meeting, he's gone now,"

"What did Michael do in the brothel?"

"Really Scar I'm fine, I'm just trying to get myself back together,"

"I made him a promise Nicole, if he broke you, I would break him and I will break him for putting that look in your eyes and for hurting Chris," Scarlett said. "So tell me what the hell Michael did in the bloody brothel?!" Nicole shuddered as tears started falling from her eyes, it hurt so much and seeing that her friends would fight each other because of that hurt even more and she just couldn't keep it in

"I found him…with a blonde," Nicole said. She felt a rush of wind by her immediately the words left her mouth and Scarlett was gone. Nicole panicked, she wished for Scarlett to be here but not for her to go after Michael, somehow she was the only one who didn't have slightest idea of finding either of them, Scarlett seemed to know where they were and…ugh!!! Why was she always being treated as the youngest when it was obviously the tribrid?

Nicole tried to call Michael and Chris but none of them were answering their freaking phones which hopefully meant that they were together and making up…right? She wasn't sure where exactly to look for all three of them but if she found one then that was it, hopefully no one would be a bloody mess. She hurried to her room and grabbed running clothes then put them in a bag and ran out to the forest, as she ran through the forest, the sound of bones breaking and groans echoed in the forest as she panted hard after falling and still getting up to continue running even with dislocated bones. Soon her form grew and she leaped over a tree that had fallen. Her eyes glowed magenta and then she had a vision of all of them; they were at their hideout when they were little. She just hoped that Scarlett wouldn't be Scarlett until she got there.

***

"Michael Chen! Where in bloody hell are you?" Scarlett's voice rang out in the clearing. She'd arrived here thirty whole minutes ago, she could sense Michael and Chris' presence but somehow she couldn't find them. "We're not children anymore and I'm not interested in playing this game with you Michael, I never was and never will be, come out and be the Alpha you so much claim to be,"

"Quinn everything's fine, Nicole's fine, we can all go home," Chris' voice echoed as he materialized a few feet from her.

"Don't say it like you've lost all senses Chris, I've been wondering when you'd finally come out of your hiding place but it seems…Michael didn't hide with you?"

"Michael isn't here,"

"Another hiding position I suppose, do you happen to know where he's hiding because I want to find him…stop lying to me and tell me where the fuck Michael Chen is Chris,"

"Nikki's fine you don't have to act rash,"

"Nicole is not fine Christian…don't you fucking say that! I was gone for just six months, six fucking months and when I return, instead of seeing a bright and cheery look in her eyes because I'm back and she has Michael and you, I see pain and torment, a look that can never belong to the eyes of Nicole O'Connor…a look that wasn't there when I left,"

"You can't blame it all on Michael Quinn, your leaving broke her as well,"

"That's where you're wrong Chris, I know Nicole better than anyone. My leaving hurt her, it did not break her. Nicole knew I would come back…she just couldn't bear to see me leave like that, stop trying to protect him, we both know that look in her eyes is his fault,"

"Quinn…Michael is older and he's an Alpha, I'm not sure Nikki would want you beating her mate and Alpha to a pulp,"

"I agree but even Alpha's need to learn little lessons sometimes and I will always respect Michael but I will not let him hurt Nicole at the expense of that respect," she said and closed her eyes, she searched the clearing using her dark magic and there he was standing right beside Chris. "Cloaking magic…you'll have to teach me that some time Chris," she said as she opened her eyes, her hand was around Michael's throat within seconds and he became visible in an instant.

"Hey Scar," Michael tried to grin but choked.

"Hey Michael, did you forget our little agreement?"

"That's impossible Scar, I'm sorry I was jealous and blinded by it. I thought you were the only person she was thinking about at the time," Michael paused. "As an Alpha, I can read other lycans or werewolves' minds but Nicole is different, my mind showed me a mental picture of what I thought was her mind, I missed her, wanted her and I…I guess I feared you would take her from me even when not around,"

"I'm her best friend Michael,"

"And I'm her freaking mate Scarlett! I'm the man she's in love with," Scarlett's eyes turned red with rage as those words fell from his lips then she flung him away.

"Her freaking mate…the man she's in love with?! I gave you one task Michael…to not let her break, my best friend, your Luna, our friend, to not let her break and in just six fucking months…you've broken her," Scarlett raged. She punched him, tore his flesh with her nails and flung him about like he was ragdoll. Chris caught her arm and pulled her away from Michael whose face was barely recognizable.

"That's enough Quinn…he's learnt his lesson," Chris turned Scarlett to face him, her eyes were bright red and black, it almost looked like hell itself

"N…Nicole?" Michael whispered. Scarlett and Chris turned behind them and Nicole stood with tear-stained cheeks and a smile ironic to the emotion her eyes betrayed. Michael stood in front of her instantly and held her face as lovingly as he could despite his wounds. "Look at me," he choked. Scarlett raged even more as his hands made contact with Nicole's skin, she struggled to get out Chris' grasp.

"Get your fucking hands off her Chen!"

"Stay still Quinn, he loves her genuinely and he's sorry for hurting her," Chris said. "Listen," Scarlett's black and red eyes slowly returned to its grey color and she watched the duo intently.

"You…you're still hurt, Scarlett's right I did break you," Michael choked.

"Don't say that I'm fine,"

"Those are words Nicole; the look in your eyes says otherwise…" Nicole wanted to scream, why did all of them know the look in her eyes so much?! "I am so sorry for hurting you Nicole, I swear if I could do it all over again I would and I'd never do what I did. I love you with my whole heart, body and soul and I promise I will never hurt you ever again. Everything I have is yours, my life, it's all yours," Michael said and kissed her. The tears ran down her cheeks with Michael's last words of apology and confession. She kissed him back, the intensity low, slow and tender yet reassuringly passionate.

Scarlett finally let her blazing inferno quench as she stared at the duo in their world. Michael was sorry and Nicole loved him more than anything. She got advantage of Chris' focus on them and escaped his hold, grabbing Michael by his neck; she shoved him to the ground and pinned him down with her dagger already buried deep in his chest.

"Scarlett! Please!" Nicole screamed.

"If you ever in your lycan life hurt her again, Michael Chen I swear to you this day you will die by my hands," Scarlett threatened as her eyes flashed silver and then turned grey like nothing ever happened.

"That's enough Quinn,"

"Last time wasn't clear enough…I won't just break you, I'll kill you and I mean it and I'll hate you for making me kill you because I'll hurt her too," she said and appeared in front of Nicole. "I'm sorry…I'm so…so sorry Nicole, this is my fault. If I hadn't gone like that, he wouldn't have been jealous…forgive me," everything about her aura that felt suffocating had completely vanished; it was like she wasn't the same person who had attacked Michael.

"I forgive you Scar, you're my best friend," Nicole said as she embraced her.

"I'm also sorry for hurting him; I just needed to make a point,"

"I think you made it very clear," Chris joked as he helped Michael from the ground. Michael scowled at him but smiled shortly.

"Sometimes I wonder who's older, us or her?"

"She has a mind of her own Michael and let's not forget; she's Nicholas Quinn 2.0," Chris said. "Where did you learn to tackle like that Quinn? You escaped my hold so easily and pinned Michael even easier,"

"I have a personal trainer,"

"He's very personal in his training, I think you broke a bone," Michael groaned as he adjusted his arm, the wound in his chest was already healed.

"There should be a first aid kit in the hideout," Scarlett said looking at his bruised face, she turned to the building. She was gone and back within seconds with a first aid box in her hands. She handed it to Nicole with a sly smile. "You treat him…I may be a bit harsh," Nicole smiled and took the box. Scarlett turned to Chris and signaled to the hideout. Chris looked at the old building and they both appeared in the basement of the building.

"I felt a surge from that door when I came to find the box,"

"Did you go in?"

"I hesitated,"

"You were scared?"

"I hesitated, I wasn't scared," Chris raised his arms in retreat. He smiled and turned to the door and suddenly paused when he felt weakened.

"I see why you hesitated," he ignored his weakening state and pushed further until he got to the door. He pushed the door open and an invisible force pushed both he and Scarlett back.

***

 "I'm sorry about Scarlett," Nicole said as she placed a cotton wool soaked in antiseptic on Michael's bruised nose.

"It's okay…she's an amazing friend to you…and me, I'm sorry Nicole, I don't know how to make you forget what you saw but I'm sorry, I will never, ever hurt you again,"

"Michael Chen, that's enough apologizing…" Nicole said but Michael cut her short with a kiss, he sucked on her lips and tongue passionately while he pressed his body against hers. Their kiss was interrupted when they heard a loud bang. They rushed inside the hideout and found Scarlett and Chris on the ground.

"Are you guys okay?" Nicole asked as she and Michael helped Chris and Scarlett up.

"What the hell is that?" Michael asked when his eyes locked on whatever it was that was behind the basement door. Behind it was a crystal-like door.

"Has this always been here?" Scarlett asked.

"I have no idea," Chris replied. Scarlett's body glowed silver and she staggered.

"Hey are you alright?" Michael caught her before she collapsed. He noticed what had happened to her before she fell, could there be something about the door that related to Scarlett?

"Shut…shut the door," Scarlett breathed as she coughed up blood. Chris shut the door and they left the hideout. After making sure Scarlett was alright, they sat down to glasses of alcohol and wine.

"What the hell happened?" Nicole asked.

"There's something about the door…I don't know,"

"I'll dig up whatever I can find,"

"Thanks Chris. In the mean time Scar…are you going to see Eliza tonight?" Nicole asked and Scarlett nodded. "Can I come with? I want to meet her," Scarlett smiled.

"She'll love you…but I need a shower first, I have Michael's blood all over me,"

"I'm so sorry about that Scarlett, my bad," Michael said and rolled his eyes. They talked about when they were younger; it was always an adventure and how now their lives were actually an adventure. They were always playing around; Chris was the skilled fighter, Scarlett was always eager to learn while Michael and Nicole were always at each other's tails playing lycan tag.

"We never worried about a thing when we were younger; I kind of miss playing around all day,"

"We can always go down memory lane,"

"I think I like where you're headed with this Michael," Chris said. They hung out just like old times and when it was twilight, the girls had to go. Scarlett and Nicole arrived in Ensco an hour and thirty minutes later. A car was waiting for them a few meters away from the private jet. The driver drove them to her mansion in Ensco and they both took showers, after which they took a car from the garage and drove to the city hospital.

"According to Kieran, Mark and Lionel haven't come to see Eliza ever since the night of her accident,"

"I thought Eliza's their daughter,"

"That's what I thought but she's only Mark's daughter not Lionel's and it seems Lionel doesn't want Mark to have anything to do with his lover's child. Mark had an affair with his secretary and had Eliza, she died after childbirth though and he brought her home,"

"And you know all this how exactly?"

"I lived with them for six whole moths Nicole and I'm back as Scarlett Quinn, full force this time, I have my sources," Scarlett said. Nicole scoffed at her but smiled. A while later, Scarlett pulled up in front of the hospital building and they made their way to Eliza's hospital room, as Scarlett pushed the doors to Eliza's hospital ward, her eyes landed on Eliza's steady breathing form on the bed. "I compelled her to go inside without understanding what I was, I wasn't with my memories and I had just drunk a glass of blood which I'd given her to stop the Black's bane in her system…I was practically a newborn, my compulsion wasn't strong enough…"

 "You get too fond of people Scar,"

"I know but sometimes it's for a good cause and it's good to make allies at a time like this, my gut will never fail me when it comes to those people,"

"S…Scarlett," a weak voice called. Scarlett and Nicole turned to the bed and they both stared into Eliza's innocent hazel eyes.