-Charles-

After Athena slams the door shut, I rush into my apartment and dial the first number on my phone. He picks up after 2 rings, ''did you see her?''

''See her? No man, I met her. And she is in trouble.''

''What do you mean trouble?'' Theo asks from the other side of the line. Worry laced in his voice.

''She just came home and she is bleeding man. The worst part is that it wasn't just her blood I smelled,'' I try to speak as lowly as possible in case Athena hears me. One can never know with wolf hearing.

''what has she gotten herself into,'' Theo says. ''I really don't know brother but I'm going to find out. I have to go now; I hear someone getting off the elevator,'' I tell him.

''Okay man, just keep me updated. I'll try to come as soon as possible.''

-Athena-

''Who the hell does that neighbor-wolf think he is. Just because we are of the same kind doesn't mean he can just ask me personal questions,'' I grumble in anger.

I hop into the shower and clean off the now dried blood and grime. This is the second time the vampire bitch attacked me, albeit the first one was not personal.

I tend to my wounds and bandage my arm. I need to do something before there is a third attack. Although my gift to Amunet might count as my first move. I think.

I pick my phone up and call the one person who I trust in this city. He immediately picks it up. ''Athena I knew you'd call, though today's class is over already.''

''Leo, I need to tell you something. Amunet attacked me tonight,'' I say and his breath hitches.

''She what? Are you okay, did she hurt you?''

''It was not her in the flesh but she did send two of her vampire minions to kill me.''

''and you're sure it was her who sent them? Did they happen to mention this to you?''

''Of course it was her Leo, why would vampires suddenly corner me in the middle of the road?'' I yell in exasperation. ''Besides I didn't have time for chit chat because they were busy trying to rip my head off!''

''Okay, okay, calm down. I'm coming to your place right now,'' he says.

''I didn't call you to ask you to come, I'm fine. Scratched up, but fine, I'll survive.''

''then why exactly did you call me Athena?''

''I called because I wanted to let you know what a conniving bitch that Amunet is and why you should not be sucking up to her.''

''With all due respect to you Athena, I do not suck up to vampires and you should not be telling me who to do business with and not. In case you forgot, you're not the only alpha around here.''

Well that hurt my pride but he is right. I shouldn't be telling him what to do. ''Yeah, yeah you're right. I'm sorry, I crossed a line here,'' I tell him and disconnect the call.

Great. Just great. I single-handedly managed to push away the one friend I had made.

I walk to the kitchen and grab my dinner. I make myself comfortable on the couch and am about to take my first bite when I hear the elevator ding and after a few seconds my doorbell rings.

''ugghh what now?'' I grumble and make my way to the door, ready to give a piece of my mind to whoever it is.

''Seriously, can a girl get...'' I start to yell but I'm engulfed in a bone crushing hug.

''Ohh thank the goddess you're safe,'' he says, his scent hitting me hard.

''Uhhhh.... Leo.... can't...breathe...'' I struggle to speak in between breathes.

''Oh shit.... sorry, sorry. Are you okay?'' he asks me worriedly.

''Yeah, I'm good. I thought I told you not to come,'' I tell him. ''You seriously thought I was going to listen to you. I changed my route the moment you told me you got attacked.''

''Oh well umm...thanks, I guess.''

''You're very welcome. Now tell me everything,'' he says and we walk in the apartment.

Unbeknownst to the both of them, a certain hazel eyed beta saw everything through the peephole. ''Leo Grey! Ohh you've got to be kidding me!''

''He had a knife! Like seriously which vampire carries a knife with him. Unless of course if he has performance issues, '' I state and Leo quirks his eyebrow at me.

''I mean...not in that way. Like in a professional way. I'm sure he is.... well was good in bed, not that I would want to know. Like...Argghhh, you get what I'm saying right?''

He laughs and nods his head, ''I get you Athena, I do. So how deep is that cut?'' he points to the bandage on my right arm.

''It's not that bad, it will be healed in a few hours. Hey, so umm, I'm really sorry about the way I behaved earlier on the phone. It was rude of me to speak to you like that. I'm sorry,'' I apologize to him.

He inches closer to me and whispers slowly, ''apology accepted,'' which makes me shiver and I pull back. ''Egg-roll?'' I offer.

The skin around his blue eyes crinkles as he laughs, ''I'm trying to kiss you Athena and you're offering me an egg-roll, seriously?''

''wh.. why...? why do you want to kiss me?'' I ask him and mentally face palm myself for even asking him that.

''because I like you and that's what you do when you like someone.''

''Right ummm...but doesn't this bother you?'' I pull the collar of my t-shirt and reveal the mark.

''Way to kill a mood Athena,'' he pulls back and leans on the couch, ''I like you. A lot and I know you are marked and technically belong to someone else but he is not here right now is he? You've been here for over a month now and yet there is no sign of him. Where is he huh? Shouldn't he be here trying to get your memories back or something?''

''I'm not some property Leo. I do not belong to anyone okay. I'm my own person and I make my own decisions,'' I say.

''Yeah well what decision are you going to make now?'' he asks. 

''This,'' I reply and grab him by the collar, pulling him into a kiss. He responds immediately and our lips battle for dominance.

We finally pull away, gasping for breath. ''Wow...that was...that was amazing. damn Athena, that's some skill you got there.''

''Thanks,'' I wink at him and this time he grabs me by the waist, pulling me closer to him and kisses me when suddenly my stomach rumbles.

My eyes widen and I pull away from him in embarrassment. ''Shit. I'm so sorry. It's just I'm really hungry and well, you can see I haven't had the chance to eat my dinner properly,'' I point to my food.

''Very well then, we should get some food in there before the rumbling gets loud,'' he jokes.

''Haha...very funny,'' I reply and walk to my kitchen to get the remaining food and an extra plate. ''in the mood for some Chinese?''

''Always,'' he smirks and helps himself.

''So I've been meaning to ask you, '' he says taking a bite out of his chicken,'' what gift did you send Amunet?''

''Nothing much, just the heart of one of my attackers, to be delivered to her by hand of the second attacker,'' I reply making him choke on his chicken.

I hand him a glass of water and he gladly takes it, ''Are you serious? You ripped out his heart?''

''Yup...with my bare hands, or claws to be exact,'' I show off and wave my left hand in front of his face.

''remind me never to piss you off in the future.''

''Will do,'' I smirk. ''So ...ummm about that class you go to for human training? Is there space for one?''

''Changed your mind about it already?''

''Well yeah, you can say that. I'm a bit rusty. Those vamps almost had me tonight. So yeah I'd like to join.''

''That's great, just be there at 06:00 am tomorrow morning, or is that too early for you?'' he jokingly winks at me.

''Oh please, I wake up before 05:00 am every day,'' I tell him.

''Oh wow, so early. Why?'' he questions and I shrug, ''I really don't know, it kind of just happens.''

''That's great. Anyway, I should be leaving now. It's late,'' he announces and gets up from the couch.'' Thank you for dinner.''

''you're welcome,'' I reply and open the front door for him. He walks out then turns to look at me, ''I'll see you on Friday.''

''Excuse me but what's on Friday?'' a voice says from behind Leo. I lean to my left to see Charles standing there. ''What's on Friday?'' he asks again.

''Charles?'' Leo says.

''Leo Grey. It's been a long time, hasn't it?''

''I'm sorry, you two are friends?''

''Well I wouldn't say friends, acquaintances maybe,'' Charles shrugs and takes a step closer to us, his shoulders tense and I notice frown lines appear on his forehead.

''Fancy running into you here man, weren't you in Vancouver?'' Leo asks as he stiffens.

''I have things to do here which require my utmost attention and boy am I glad I moved here,'' he replies. I eye the exchange between the two men and sense tension. A lot of tension.

''Welcome to Toronto then, hope you get whatever it is you're here for,'' Leo says as he wraps his arm around my waist. I notice Charles' gaze follow his actions and zero in on his hand.

''Oh trust me, I'm not leaving until I have it.''

''oookkkayyy, I think we should head home now, right Leo?'' I say, noticing the tension between these two thicken.

''Yeah...yeah...we should, goodnight,'' he says and kisses my forehead. ''Goodnight.''

I see Charles stiffen from the corner of my eye. ''I'll see you on Friday,'' I tell Leo who is now by the elevator.

''it's a date,'' he replies and winks at me.

''Heyy, you okay?'' I ask Charles who looks visibly angry. But he doesn't reply and walks in his apartment slamming the door shut.

I raise my eyebrows at this, ''Okkaayyy then...I guess tit for tat is indeed a fair game,'' and with that I walk in my apartment.

***

So Athena and Leo kissed!!!

Thoughts on the chapter?

-Jessica.S