“What just happened?” Michael whispered as he glanced again at Jessie's door. “I’ve never felt anything like that before.” He could hear his heart beating fast. He rested his hand on the wall in an attempt to stabilize himself. 

When he heard a door open, he looked up and saw Raguel observing him with folded arms. He straightened up while Raguel a tiny smile before hurrying downstairs. He wasn’t in the mood for Raguel's questions.

“I need space to think.” Michael walked to the front door and flashed his wings. He took a deep breath before he soared.

 
                           ***

Jessie was standing by the window. Her skin still tingled at the place Michael had touched her. 

“This is so messed up. I haven't felt like this in a long time. I need to find my sister and get out of this place. I don't want to be feeling this way towards an Angel who possibly has a soulmate,” Jessie advised herself.  

She sighed and crossed her arms tight. She looked very determined.

“I need to get a grip on myself. I need to focus on the reason behind me being here.” 

She moved to her mattress and laid down. She twisted and turned until she got a comfy position. Soon, she drifted off to sleep.

A few hours later, a knock on her door pulled her out from her sleep. She grumbled a little before she stood up from the mattress to answer the door.

“Hi,” Elena said.

“Hey,” Jessie yawned. 

“Sorry to disturb you. It's dinner time,” Elena said. 

“Already?” Jessie asked as she looked around and saw the time.

“Yes,” Elena said with a smile 

“I slept for a long time. I will be down in a minute,” Jessie said.

“Okay. We will be waiting,” Elena said. 

Jessie watched Elena leave before she shut the door. The thought of seeing Michael again made her heart race. “I’ll just act normal, and as soon as dinner is over, I will come back to my room,” she reassured herself. 

She went to the restroom and washed her face before she walked downstairs. 

When she got downstairs, her eyes searched for Michael. However, he was nowhere to be seen. A small part of her felt relieved, and a larger part of her was disappointed. She sat down and dished her meals on her plate, and began eating 

 ‘Where could he be?’ 

She rapidly shook the thought out of her mind.

‘It's none of my business, and I don't care.’ 

She ate quietly while looking at the family, interacting amongst themselves as they ate. She glanced at Grey. She still couldn’t believe he was a demon. He didn’t look like the heartless demons that took her sister. Seeing him interact lovingly with his family made him so different from the cold-hearted demon that took her sister. She averted her eyes from him as she continued eating. She turned to look at Raguel and found him staring at her.

“Do you want more food, Jessie?” He asked.

Jessie looked at Raguel before she shook her head.

‘So Michael talked to Raguel about me. Great!’ 

She hated the fact that Michael talked about her. She stood up from the dining table and left for her room. She went to the bathroom, took a quick bath, and headed to bed.

She heard a knock on her door, and her heart rate sped up. 

“If it's Michael, I'm going to give him a piece of my mind. How could he talk to Raguel about me?” she muttered to herself.

She overlooked her racing heart and opened the door. She saw Raguel standing outside her door.

“Hey,” Raguel greeted. 

“Hi,” Jessie said as she tried not to sound disappointed. Even though she was angry with Michael, she still wanted him to be the one standing outside her door. 

“I just want to let you know that Michael didn’t say anything about you,” Raguel said. 

“I didn't say he said anything,” Jessie replied.

“I know," Raguel said. "But I can tell you though he did say something to me."

Jessie sighed softly. “I thought he did tell you about me,” she admitted. Even though her mind was telling her that Michael would never do such a thing, she chose to ignore it.

“Michael isn’t like that,” Raguel said. “You can always count on his loyalty,” he added.

“Okay,” Jessie said.

Raguel turned to walk away.  

“Wait!” Jessie stopped him.

Raguel turned and looked at her, waiting for her to speak 

Jessie suddenly felt mute. She shook her head. “It's nothing. Good night,” she said. 

“Good night,” Raguel said, and he left for his room.

Jessie shut her door and rested her back on it. She wanted to ask Raguel about Michael. However, she later decided against it. She made her way back to her mattress and laid down as her thoughts once again drifted to her sister. 

“Please be safe, Sunshine,” she whispered. 

She rolled on her bed for a while before subsequently drifting off to sleep.

 
                            *** 

 
Raguel made his way downstairs alternatively to his bedroom. He noticed Elena's father, Samael, seated on the couch.

“Hi,” Raguel said as he sat next to Samael.

“Hey,” Samael smiled at him. “What's up?” He asked. 

“I'm worried about Michael. He has never stayed out this late.”

“I know. Maybe he was assigned to protect another human,” Samael suggested. 

“ I don’t think so. He would’ve informed me. I’ll wait for him to return. I want to speak to him. I don't want him retreating into his shell.” 

“ I’ll wait up for him,” Samael said. 

“Are you sure, Samael? Don't you have to be with Maria right now?” Raguel asked. 

“Maria will be fine. Go to your soulmate.” Samael entreated him to his feet. 

“Good night, Samael. See you in the morning.” 

“Good night,” Samael said as he rested his back on the couch.

                              ****

 Michael later returned home. He was happy when he didn't see anybody in the living room. He closed the door quietly.

“Sneaking into your own house?” Samael asked, causing Michael to startle. Samael sat there, crossing his arms across his chest. 

“Jesus,” Michael muttered as he positioned his hand over his heart. “You scared me, Samael.” 

“That's what you get when you are sneaking around,” Samael responded.

“I wasn’t sneaking,” Michael argued. 

“You aren’t a good liar, Michael,” Samael pointed out. “Let's sit.” 

Samuel walked to the couch with Michael behind him. 

Michael was so grateful that it was Samael who saw him and not Raguel. Samael was the one who raised him in Heaven, but not since the time he was a baby. Something happened in Heaven, which made Samael take up the responsibility of raising him. Nobody in the family was aware that Samael had raised him in Heaven. It was their little secret, and he intended to keep it that way.

Angels are not supposed to know their biological parents. When they are born, any other elder Angel takes up the duty to look after them until they can care for themselves. Heaven thinks having their biological parents take care of them will cause a notable distraction for them, and it will hold them away from their angelic duties.

Hence, baby Angels were raised by Elder Angels, who aren’t their parents. His friend, Raguel, was raised by Raphael, and Michael admired their relationship. Even though Raphael was not Raguel's biological father, Raguel still referred to him as his father.

Michael sighed softly as he sat next to Samael.

“How are you doing, son?” Samael asked. 

Michael always cherished it when Samael referred to him as his son. His mind drifted to the time he used to hear the word often. He closed his eyes for a brief second. He heard the voices he cherished so much and which called him a son. 

‘Because of my carelessness and stupidity, I can no longer hear them call me son again.’ He took a deep breath before he answered Samael's question. “I'm fine.” 

Samael tilted his head and looked at Michael. “You are not fine. I raised you; I know when something is up with you.” Samael paused for a few seconds. “Were you thinking about...” 

“No.” Michael immediately cut him off. He knew what Samael wanted to say, and he didn't want to hear those words.

“Are you sure?” Samael asked. 

“Yes.” 

“Where have you been? Samael asked. 

“I was in the field,” Michael replied 

 Samael nodded his head and stayed quiet for a while. “Is something bothering you? I hate it when you hide things from me.” 

Michael sighed softly. “Yes, something is bothering me,” he admitted. 

“Do you want to talk about it?” Samael asked.

“No.” 

Samuel frowned at him. “Why?” 

“I don't know what is happening to me. I want to understand it myself before I discuss it with anyone.” 

“Okay.” Samael knew if he persuaded Michael too much, he was going to shut him out. “When you are ready to talk, I will be here.” He patted Michael's back before he stood up from the couch and left. 

 Michael closed his eyes as he rested his back on the couch. “What's happening to me?”