Mask | ✓

18

I needed to get laid.

It became evident after waking up next to a certain green-eyed man. Seeing him beside me woke up feelings I hadn't felt in ages.

There was no doubt that Tatum was attractive. I'd be lying if I said that the thought hadn't crossed my mind in the past. But fuck, it was dangerous to feel this way toward him. Even if it was just physical attraction, I knew that I had to crush my feelings before they grew.

I was staying with him for one. Starting anything could ultimately put a dent in the temporary housing arrangement we'd come to agree upon. Then there was the other issue — the most important one — he had a mate. Somewhere out there was someone who the Moon Goddess had created specifically for him, and while I didn't like mates, I knew that Tatum did. He would want to and eventually would meet that person. Physically or not, starting anything could potentially cause more problems in the future.

Knowing and understanding this, however, didn't solve the current issue at hand. Being locked away in this house was becoming too much. I knew that it was part of our agreement, but I wasn't made to sit down or to be locked up, and I wasn't too fond of it. I needed to get out of here, even if just for an hour which was what I planned on talking to Tatum about tonight.

The sound of my phone ringing echoed through the room. My eyes dropped to the screen where Nolan's name appeared, and I quickly answered it, pushing my previous thoughts away.

"Nix!" Nolan's cheerful voice called out.

"I'm guessing you have good news?" I asked my older brother. It was evident by the way he spoke that there was a smile on his face.

Nolan hummed in affirmation. "We found a wolf who knows about what happened that night. They aren't talking yet, but it's only a matter of time before they crack. You might finally be able to come home soon!"

Going home. The excitement in Nolan's voice was apparent, and I was also happy with the news, but at the same time, I was a little disappointed by it. Of course, I wanted to go back to my own pack. There was so much that I had missed since being gone, but I also wasn't ready to go just yet. It was strange, seeing as, not long ago, I didn't want to be here in the first place.

"Nixon?" Nolan called out curiously. "Are you alright? I thought you'd be happier about this."

"I am happy," I told him quickly. "Really, I am. I'm just a little tired and worried about Eli. How is he?"

Nolan grew quiet. "He's getting there. His parents have been visiting him often, along with Atlas and some of the warriors, so it's not like he's alone. When Fen returns, he will stay with Eli for a few weeks too. He's going to be okay."

"Did you ever find out who his mate was?" I questioned, feeling my anger grow.

"I did," Nolan said plainly.

"Who is it?"

"I won't be telling you," he quickly shut me down.

"Nol—"

"No, Nixon," he told me sternly. "Eli asked that we stay out of it, so we will. I know that if I do, you won't be able to stop yourself from going to see his mate."

My jaw clenched. As much as I knew that Nolan was right, I still hated it. Hearing the way Eli broke down hurt me. He wasn't just my beta but also my best friend. Knowing that I was sitting around while he was hurting didn't sit right with me. I wanted to be there for him, and if I couldn't do that, then I wanted to meet the bastard who rejected him and knock some sense into his head.

"I'll let you go now," Nolan said, knowing that I didn't want to talk anymore. "If anything else happens, I'll call you."

"Alright."

There was a silence before the phone ended. It wasn't right, but I there was some anger directed at Nolan. Later I would call him back, but right now, I couldn't. It would only cause more problems.

I leaned against the couch and allowed my head to rest against it. I stared up at the ceiling and released a sigh. Many things were running through my mind. Nolan, Eli, and Tatum.

Especially Tatum.

I needed to bury my newfound attraction to the green-eyed alpha. But that was easier said than done. I lived with the man, for goddess' sake. Hell, we were going to eat together tonight. It was hard to ignore a person who you saw every day when you woke up and every day when you went to sleep.

I groaned and closed my eyes. I needed to turn off my brain for a few hours, but seeing as it was just me and my thoughts, I knew that wouldn't happen anytime soon.

The quiet sound of something jiggling caused me to sit up. My eyes examined the room even though I knew that I was the only one there.

What was the noise?

The sound repeated, and I stood up, and began to walk around, trying to pinpoint where it was coming from. It happened again, and my eyes traveled to the doorknob, and my brows furrowed. Tatum specifically told me that he wouldn't be back for a few hours, so who the hell was there? Had he left something?

My body tensed, and my eyes narrowed, ready to pounce if need be. Slowly, the brown door creaked open, revealing two men. One of them had mixed-colored eyes, his arms were crossed against his chest, and the glare on his face was clear as day. Our eyes connected, and the glare morphed into surprise, followed by reluctance.

"Who are you?" He asked me, or more like demanded. "And where the hell is Tatum?"