𝐀𝐥𝐩𝐡𝐚 𝐊𝐢𝐧𝐠'𝐬 𝐌𝐚𝐭𝐞

61. The Test

In the kitchen of Nate's apartment, Ariana was pouring cereal into a bowl of milk for herself. Last night, she and Nate had decided to watch "Dusk Till Dawn". Ten minutes into the movie, they had stopped watching and had begun talking amongst themselves about the most loved or the most hated talking point of theirs. Their mates.

Only during Salma Hayek's scene did their eyes shift back to the screen. As soon as her character was killed, they returned to where they had left their conversation.

For months, they hadn't included their mate's names in their recurrent midnight talks but Persephone's arrival had disturbed the equilibrium. 

The more they talked, the more Saoirse and Caius were starting to resent them for bringing up the topic when the wolves were trying so hard to suppress themselves for the sake of their humans.

Eventually, they had stopped and gone to sleep.

Ariana had woken up first and had proceeded to the kitchen to fix herself breakfast.

"Café noir. Strong. Sugar one teaspoon." said Nate as he entered, yawning and rubbing his eyes. "Sean's coming by the way."

"I don't know how to use any of your fancy coffee-making machines." replied Ariana as she started munching.

"As if. Just admit you're lazy -"

"- Yup" answered Ariana before Nate could finish. He smiled and shook his head, which he always did at the end of their repartees.

If there was one thing Nate noticed in people he talked to, it was whether they could match his quips. If they couldn't, he would get bored quickly. Ariana had been surpassing him these days. When he had complimented her on that accomplishment, her reply had been, "It would have flattered me if you were as good with words as you have convinced yourself you are."

"Was it me or someone else who has made you tear up with just their words several times?" He had asked cockily.

"Touché." Ariana had admitted. "Not something to boast about tho."

"Why is Sean coming this early in the morning? He had a pretty late birthday dinner with his parents yesterday. He must be tired."

Ariana had just asked when a subdued voice came from the apartment's intercom system. "Nate, it's me."

"You haven't given him pin code?"

"I didn't want him bringing girls to my place. You don't know Saoirse but he was a player before you." said Nate as he granted access.

The door opened and Sean came in slowly. His head hung low and he looked ashamed of himself.

Nate glanced at Ariana in confusion and Ariana shared the same look. Inspecting him, she called, "Sean."

When Sean heard her voice, he turned into an emotional wreck. Immediately, he rushed to where Ariana was sitting and collapsed in a sobbing heap at her feet, his head buried in her hands.

"I'm so sorry. I'm so so sorry..." He began apologizing over and over again.

Ariana had never seen him like this. What could he have done to make him apologize to her? He had always been more than what she had asked for. Whatever he had done, she was certain that it couldn't entail him begging for her forgiveness.

With her mind full of questions, she gently lifted his head and wiped away his tears. "Sean, what happened?" She asked tenderly.

"Promise me. Promise me you'll hear me out first. Promise me, Ari." He requested while taking her hands in his.