Chapter 28

It was two days later when Ari heard someone knock on the door. He didn't think much of it as he went to answer it.

His days had really been uneventful, and he is already starting on his third book just to distract himself from everything. The instance with Rowan aside, nobody other than his mother had spoken to him since. He spent the majority of his time alone in the forest, and his nights reading at home.

Figuring that it was just a neighbor, he opened the door peering curiously at the person standing there before his eyes widened slightly in surprise when he saw that it was none other than Cassie.

"May I come in?" She tilted her head at him with a smile, and in his daze, he nodded his head stepping away to let her in.

It was the polite thing to do, but he couldn't help but feel his nervousness spike up when he realized what was happening. Cassie was an omega entering his mother's house, and he knows for sure that if his mother knew that it had happened, she'd be livid. Saying that she saw omegas as nothing but filthy creatures wouldn't be going too far.

Actually, it would probably be putting it lightly.

Still, it was too early for his mother to come home at this hour, so he was safe for now. He just hoped that Cassie wasn't planning on staying there for long as he tentatively led her to the living room where she looked around before giving him a smile.

"That's a very cozy place you have here." Without saying a word, Ari nodded his head showing her that he agreed, but if she could read his mind she'd know that he actually found it smothering rather than cozy. Unfortunately, a few picture frames caught her eye as she approached them. "Oh, these are adorable. Is this you?"

Ari saw that she was looking at a picture of a smiling child, barely over three, and he shook his head despite her having her back to him unable to see it.

"That's my mother." He informed her making her turn around with eyebrows raised in surprised before she gave the picture another look.

"You two really do look alike." She told him as if he didn't already know. Cassie couldn't help but think that if the child's eyes weren't blue, she wouldn't have believed that this wasn't Ari who clearly had hazel eyes. "I've seen her at the party. Your mother is just as beautiful as you are."

Knowing she meant it as a compliment, Ari forced a smile and uttered a weak thank you hoping that she would stop reminding him of how similar he was to his mother. Cassie had meant to flatter him, not make him feel worse.

"I didn't know you were here." He told her hoping to divert her attention from the pictures and avoid talking about his mother. There must be a reason why she came here to see him, however, he couldn't think of many. They've only met once, and he felt his anxiety rise as she regarded him with a look he couldn't decipher.

"I came here a few days ago." She told him sitting down and patting the spot right next to her. Ari wondered if she could tell how nervous he was as he made his way over to her. His mind was swirling with unpleasant ideas and he couldn't help but feel a little bit lightheaded, but she only smiled warmly at him as she spoke. "It's not every day that I meet an omega like myself, you know. I just had to come here."

"You're here for Eli." He concluded licking his dry lips.

If Cassie had noticed his discomfort, she didn't show it. "That's right, I came here for Eli. I thought maybe he'd need a little help with his heats and whatnot." She told him before she gave him a concerned look. "I also came here for you."

Ari blinked at her. "For me? Why?"

"I want to apologize again for the situation I put you in. I was too caught up with Eli that I didn't remember him mentioning to me that you were an unmated beta earlier." She told him placing a hand on his knee looking genuinely apologetic. "For that, I am truly sorry."

"There's no need." He told her not knowing what else to say or what to think, so he just opted to look down at his clenched hands. Just what exactly was he supposed to do now?

"What really happened that day?" She suddenly asked looking at him with a serious look that he didn't expect. Not knowing what she was referring to, Ari gave her a puzzled look.

"Alec came in and-"

"No, not that." She cut him off with a shake of her head. "I meant after. Don't think for a second that I believed you were shaking from the cold that day. There was something else, Aurelius."

"Oh." Ari uttered softly in realization and avoided looking anywhere near her. "It doesn't really matter."

Too bad for him, Cassie was determined to know as she pressed him further. "You were affected by pheromones, and by the time I saw you, you seemed a bit shaken. Something happened."

Gritting his teeth, he knew there was no point in lying or avoid giving her an answer. Clearly she already knows what happened that night, she just needs him to confirm it. His whole body felt hot all over as he remembered that day as it was etched in his memory making him feel a myriad of emotions.

"What happened is obvious." He told her still not brave enough to look up as he shakily spoke. "I met someone."

The silence that followed felt eternal before Cassie finally broke it.

"Did they- Were you forced into anything?"

That question came out of a place of concern and worry. He could tell by the way she sounded that she felt guilty. That she thought that he was taken advantage of in a moment of weakness, and it almost made him let out a laugh.

This wasn't at all how things went, but they wouldn't have gone that way if Eli didn't go into heat.

"I asked for it." He told her honestly. It felt good to say it, and it made him feel a little bit better when he saw how she visibly relaxed. There was no doubt in his mind that this weighed on her and it gave him the push he needed to admit something he never even admitted to himself. "I already knew him at that point, he's my mate."

The way Cassie's eyes widened was almost comical. "You have a mate? Since when?"

Ari shifted uncomfortably in his place already regretting his words, yet he knew that the truth would catch up to him sooner or later. There was no point in running away from it anymore, at least not with Cassie. "We aren't really together. It's very complicated I'd rather not talk about it."

Cassie reluctantly let the topic drop as she nodded her head in understanding. There was nothing more to say, and asking anymore would be prying into something that doesn't concern her. So she decided to move on to the real reason of her visit.

"I told you before that I was here to help Eli with, well, whatever I can." She told him making him look at her with interest. It has been a while since he last seen Eli, and he really wanted to know how his friend is doing. "Turns out he really wants to see you, but unfortunately omegas and unmated betas don't mix."

Despite everything, the teasing tone she had used made him smile.

"It doesn't help that every time we're together it always ends in disaster."

"I see." She nodded thoughtfully with a mischievous glint in her eye as she grinned at him. "I was planning on taking Eli to the nearby city. That way he can get a few meds that would help with his heats."

A genuine smile appeared on his face as he already caught on to what she was saying. "I have been there a few times."

"Oh, really? Perfect." She said in mock shock standing up from her seat as he followed suit leading her to the front door. "Imagine if we run into you there."

"Wouldn't that be great?" He humored her before he stopped midway of opening the door for her. His eyebrows knitted in worry as he looked at her. "But what if-"

Before he could voice his concerns, Cassie was quick to reassure him. "My mate will be there, too. And seeing you there would be nothing but a coincidence."

"That works." He nodded opening the door for her with a small smile. "Thank you."

Cassie merely turned around and winked at him before she left.