Liam

Liam hadn't experienced a lot of fear in his lifetime but if there was one thing that never ceased to frighten him, it was an angry Thomas. His friend was usually so quiet and reserved, rarely ever raising his voice. Lately it seems that he's had a shorter temper but Liam's not going to act like he didn't deserve it. At the end of the day Thomas is an Alpha, and the only reason people forget is because he lets them forget.

This is one of the reasons that Liam now stood outside Nia's door, ready and very willing to apologize. He was already going to apologize to her but Thomas practically tearing him a new one put some pep in his step. As he knocked on the door he saw Nia open it, shocked to see him on her doorstep. Her eyes widened even more as she looked around the neighborhood. It was a Saturday afternoon, many of her neighbors were outside, gardening, or just playing around. Too many people could see them, and that's the last thing Nia needs.

"What do you want?" She asked, more angry at him than hurt, Nia genuinely couldn't believe they used to be friends. His presence at this point was unbearable. Had he always been like this and she just wasn't aware before? Liam shuffled from foot to foot when her glare sharpened, he didn't expect her to still be so upset but what he said to her was terrible and he did feel bad about it.

"I wanted to apologize for what I said, it was out of line and... I'm sorry." Nia laughed at Liam's awkward expression, not believing or caring for his apology in the slightest.

"Did Thomas put you up to this? I don't want your fucking apology Liam. I want you and the rest of your friends to leave me alone." Liam knew that Nia wouldn't be receptive to his apology but that doesn't mean that he couldn't try. Especially since being on good terms with Nia would definitely improve his relationship with Kane.

"No! He didn't put me up to this. In fact, he told me to stay away from you." He rubbed the back of his neck, trying not to burst into flames at the amount of hate in her expression. Nia on the other hand couldn't help but be impressed that Thomas actually talked to his friend like he promised. It doesn't mean anything for their relationship but it's still kind of impressive. At least Thomas could keep one of his promises lately.

"Then why are you here? If you want to apologize there's a hell of a lot of shit you need to apologize for. Why don't you try and right all of your wrongs in one go?" She goaded him with a sardonic smile, intent on antagonizing him. Even if she wanted to forgive him for this, which she doesn't, why would she forgive him knowing everything he's said and done to Kane? Him coming to her house was just flat-out delusion on his part.

"I don't think I have anything else to apologize for." Nia let out a laugh that was so harsh it almost hurt his feelings. She continued laughing for a few seconds before giving him a lasting deadpan look, stepping away from the door.

"Get the fuck off my porch, Liam." Then she slammed the door and locked it, hoping that would be the last time she ever interacted with him. Liam stood there, slightly confused for a few seconds before he walked back to his car.

At least he tried.

~~~~<>~~~~

"Have you heard the rumors?" Sam burst through the door of the private lounge where his friends were hanging out, out of breath with a smile on his face.

"Who cares?" Thomas asked, his mood sour ever since his altercation with his father.

"You sure you don't care that Liam is apparently soulmates with Nia?" Enesta spit out her drink as Hyejin did a double take, "What?"

Liam sat from the teacher's desk he was laying on, completely confused. "Huh?"

"The whole school is talking about it. Apparently you visited her house a few days ago begging her for forgiveness. Some say you showed up with flowers and others are saying you brought her chocolates as an apology." Sam laughed and sat in between Hyejin and Enesta who glared at Sam and Liam interchangeably.

"I told you to stay away from her." Thomas said, finally speaking, "I told she wouldn't accept your apology and she wouldn't feel comfortable with you approaching her after what happened. And you decided to bother her anyway?" Liam looked away from his friends, fiddling with the rings on his hands to avoid eye contact.

"I know that, I just thought I should at least try. I would've apologized sooner if you let me go after her. Before I could even say anything you ran out of the classroom to chase after her." Liam crossed his arms, grumbling to himself as Thomas rolled his eyes, not bothering to take the bait. At this point Thomas couldn't even be angry, he'd tapped into all of the anger he had and now he's just upset with himself.

Self-loathing is one hell of a drug.

"And besides, you guys I know I'm soulmates with... Kane." He lowered the last part into a whisper, as if to prevent people from hearing even though the room was soundproof.

"You do realize that she won't get a moment of peace now right? That rumor is going to follow her till we graduate." Hyejin bit back a grimace as she thought about Nia, who already had so much on her plate having to deal with more nonsensical rumors being spread about her at school. It's not fair to her.

"Like Thomas said, you should've just left her alone. Don't you think you've done enough damage to your relationships at this point? She was more willing to talk to Thomas than she was to you!" Enesta openly glared at Liam to wince under his friends' criticism. He hated it, he was trying to apologize and somehow it was the wrong thing to do?

"I was just trying to apologize! What's the problem here?" Sam laughed at Liam's offended expression, knowing that he was being disingenuous.

"We all know you did not have pure intentions when you went to apologize to her. Be serious dude, you apologized because Thomas practically bit your head off and because she's Kane's best friend. If you get back into Nia's good graces you have a much better chance of Kane accepting you. And if Kane accepts you then you'll become Delta. We're not stupid." The vampire leaned back in his seat, more interested in the drama than concerned, unlike his other friends.

Everything was like a puzzle, and they were missing key pieces. What's the point of all this discussion if it doesn't amount to progress, Sam questioned silently. There's more to Kane and Nia then they're letting on.

"Those aren't the only reasons I apologized."

"You're not denying it though are you? Should I compel you and see if what you're saying is the truth?" Sam flashed his fangs, his eyes slightly glowing red before Hyejin lightly pinched his thigh, telling him to knock it off.

"Fuck off." Liam said, looking at Sam but addressing all of the group. "You guys have been up my ass about everything lately."

"Because you're making all the wrong decisions. Maybe if you stop being an idiot and we'll stop calling you out on it." Enesta shut down his complaining, unable to tolerate more of Liam's whining.

"Fuck off." He groaned, laying back down on the desk as his thoughts wandered to Kane. He wondered what his disappearing soulmate could possibly be doing.

Kane

He stood in front of the door, carefully opening it to see Niesha and Salma smiling at him, they most likely had just woken up from a nap. It had only been two days but they looked happier and healthier.

"Your father told me you wanted to see me?" Niesha nodded while Salma jumped up from her bed. "I'm gonna go convince Daddy and Mommy to get me a milkshake!" Kane stopped the girl in her tracks, not sure if she's healed enough to be running around.

"I could get it for you instead. You should rest." He bent down to her eye level, trying to urge the girl back into her bed. Salma giggled, shaking her head. "Daddy's close by, I can sense him! I promise I won't get in trouble!" Then she ran off in a blur, her vampire speed taking her down the hallway as the door shut behind her.

Kane shook his head in amusement and partial worry as he sat down in the seat next to Niesha's bed.

"She's a handful isn't she?" Niesha smiled at him, softly smiling as Kane laughed.

"She's very energetic... I'm glad you both are steadily recovering." Niesha nodded, her eyes darkening with fear as she thought about being kidnapped.

"I wanted to thank you, Kane. You saved my life. I didn't tell Salma this but... I could feel my life force slipping away. I thought I was going to die and she'd be alone. But then I woke up and saw you and I knew everything would be okay." When her voice broke at the end Kane put a hand on her shoulder, comforting her.

"You were very brave, what you did for Salma. You can't give me all the credit, you're the one who kept you and your sister alive so that we could find you." Niesha wiped her face, smiling through tears.

"God, I feel so embarrassed. I didn't even cry in front of my parents." She let out a watery laugh that made Kane send a smile comforting smile her way. After a short lull in the conversation she turned towards him again, giving him an appreciative nod.

"So you're the famous Kane Zaveri huh? I've heard a lot about you."

"All good things I hope." She snorted at his quip, as if the very idea of hearing bad things about him was impossible.

"You're a living legend here, even my parents sing your praises. And they don't praise anyone." Kane rubbed the back of his neck, not used to people admiring him. He'd grown used to being reviled and disrespected in the Unitas pack.

"I'm not that special, really. I don't know what the big deal is."

Niesha scoffed, ready to argue with Kane on his own behalf. "Salma told me what you did. All the magic and everything, you should've seen her talk about you. She was starstruck!"

Kane opened his mouth to reply but the door opened, Niesha's father stood in the doorway as Salma jumped up and down next to him, holding a vanilla milkshake.

"See Kane, I told you I wouldn't get into trouble." She smiled and took a sip, wobbling a bit as her father steadied her, admonishing her for pushing her limits.

"Kane, the other members on the council want to meet with you before you return to Unitas. Do you think you can spare time right now? There are many things we need to discuss." Kane stood up from chair, looking at both of the girls, asking for their permission.

"Does that mean you're leaving today?" Salma frowned, her big brown eyes dimming a little in disappointment.

"I'm not leaving today. Don't worry." He smiled at the girls, walking over to stand next to the door. "I'll come back here after the meeting, we still need to finish our conversation." He smiled as the Councilman urged Salma back into her bed. Suddenly their mother appeared out of thin air, sitting on the chair next to Niesha's bed.

"Mom! You scared me!" Niesha smiled, fighting the urge to giggle as Kane laughed.

"Make sure you don't stay too long dear, we also have much to discuss." She smiled at Kane and her husband, urging them to go.

"Well, you're right, we don't want to be late." The man clapped his hands and walked out of the room, waving to his daughters one last time.

"You have a lovely family sir." Kane said with a small smile as they walked down the quiet luminescent corridors.

"It is thanks to you that I still have them. I know I've thanked you already but it's still not enough. I'll have to raise your salary again for your hard work." Kane choked on his spit, shaking his head as the Councilman smiled at him, pleasantly surprised by his humility.

"If anything I think you should focus more on the other people involved, they helped a lot too. My friends captured the man in charge of the operation. Reward them instead." The man laughed as Kane fought to get a hold of his propriety.

"I'll reward everyone obviously, but especially you Kane. You already have your hands full helping the Unitas pack, and you still made time to help find my daughters. I greatly appreciate it."

Kane cleared his throat, not wanting to show just how pleased he was with the praise but he could tell it was written all over his face. "You're welcome, sir. Thank you."

"How are things going in the Unitas pack by the way? I haven't heard anything too bad since the attacks on the leader's families that originally brought you there, is everything alright?"

Kane bit back a bitter laugh, not even knowing where to start. "It's not too bad but the leadership is definitely lacking and if I'm being serious I don't see much hope for the newer generation of leaders either." Kane shuddered as he thought about Liam taking up the Delta mantle, the pack would burn to the ground within a week.

The man nodded, folding his hands together as he thought of the Alpha, Beta, and Delta of that pack. They were average at best, complete and utter fools at worst.

"The only person who is genuinely capable of leading that pack in the future is Enesta Brown. Thomas Navarro seems to have potential but his parents are stifling it." The councilman listed those names off the top of his head, shaking his head in disappointment. Liam wasn't even mentioned, which wasn't surprising at all.

"That pack is a mess, I'm surprised you took on the mission to help capture the assassin that tried to murder the leader's families. If I had any idea they would request for you to stay I would've told Zera to send someone else. Your presence here is very valuable." As Kane shoved his hands in his pockets he couldn't help but think about how different his life would be if he stayed in Kalopsia instead of going to Unitas.

He probably wouldn't be mates with Liam, and his life would definitely be easier. But he couldn't help thinking about Nia, and how she'd most likely be alone with nobody in her corner if he hadn't come to Unitas. There were many cons to staying in that lousy excuse for a pack but the one pro seemed to make everything else worth it.

"I'm guessing by the look on your face you don't regret being forced to relocate?" The councilman gave him a small smile before they stopped in front of a grandiose door that led to a meeting hall.

"No, actually. It's a lot to deal with but I've decided to make the best of it." The Councilman nodded as Kane opened the double doors for him, gesturing for him to go first.

"I'm glad you've found a reason to keep going. Everyone needs something or someone." The man smiled at him and Kane shook his head, trying to hide the grin on his face.

Soon he would be going back to the Unitas pack, hopefully nothing too eventful had happened since he was gone.