“Hey man! I’ve been thinking of you a lot!” Eron said, walking out of the house to the porch, too happy to notice the meaning his friend would give to his words.

“I know we've been close, Eron, but you know I have a mate… a FEMALE mate, and I’m not planning on changing her for you. Sorry to disappoint,” the low sonorous voice on the phone said, in his regular monotone. 

People could never tell if this was the man's way of joking or being completely serious. Unknown to many, this was his own way of having fun and Eron knew this. 

“What the hell? I’m not even… Bro, seriously, nothing like that!” Eron said, laughing, while a very clear image of a certain lady stayed in his mind. “I’ve been thinking of you because I’m really happy here. This place is amazing, and people are friendly and willing to help even if they don’t have any idea of who I am…”

“I’m glad that you’re having a good time. You sound very different compared to the guy I used to work with,” the male voice said with a certain reserve that the other one didn’t notice at first.

“Yes, I have to actually thank you, not only for all you did to help me out, but for recommending this place to me. I'm really happy here.”

“You sound happy indeed…” 

The pause that followed made Eron notice that there was more motivation for his friend to call than just checking up on him…

“What is it, H? What happened?” Eron said, now focused and slightly anxious about whatever he was going to hear from his caller.

True, his friend was serious most of the time. Actually, very few people had seen him genuinely smile, especially when he meant business. However, even then, Eron knew when his former co-worker was open to humorous jokes, and was very aware when his guard was up.

“Remember the governor's missus, Chin, and her peculiar ways? Your former boss called his wife and asked her to find out if you really were dead. She performed a ritual here in your room with your old things, and saw you alive,” Hero said, making a small pause to hear Eron’s reactions. 

If he saw anything suspicious or felt anything weird, this was the time in which H would know, in his tone, his pauses or even his breathing... 

After all, Hiromoto analyzed people for a living.

It took a while for The Charmer to answer but when he eventually did, all the humor and mirth had gone from his voice.

“So, they finally know… I remember that he used her ‘consultation’ services only on special occasions. If it wasn’t them that we’re talking about, I would even be flattered at them putting so much effort into finding me,” Eron huffed, as serious as his remaining charming self would allow him, with a tone still partially relaxed. 

The Assassin's reaction allowed The Ogre to relax a bit as well. “Yeah… I see what you mean. Luckily, she still didn’t see where you are, and from what I heard, it’s not that easy for her to get that information. Just warning you, she seems to be very… motivated. Almost as motivated as her husband is to find you, and honestly, I wonder if they have the same intentions with you when they finally get you back into their hands.”

“What! H! What creeps me out the most is that last part… I know she wanted me in her bed, but the other part… ugh… nightmare material bro! I hope to never, EVER find out if the governor wants that kind of shit from me, too.”

“I always had my doubts, because of how he looked at you, like a piece of freshly cut juicy meat. I just got confirmation when you finally ‘died’ and he couldn’t even rest without being absolutely certain that you were…” 

Now Eron could hear the slight mocking tone on his friend’s voice. Very rare, and almost imperceptible, that only people who knew him for a very long time could know about. He felt himself cringing at the possibility of his close pal's suggestion even as the man continued speaking over the phone.

“Whatever the case, be careful, you understand? Don’t do anything that would put you on the cover of a newspaper… dead or alive. Do you understand, Eron?”

And with that voice, he knew how dead serious that part of H's 'advice' was.

“Yes, nanny Hero. I’ll be a good boy and keep myself safe and far from trouble,” he joked, but Hero knew that he really meant it.

“Good. Now, tell me how things are going over there, in your tone I heard something that puzzled me.”

“And what might that be?” Eron said, curious.

“I don’t know, you were just too happy… not just relaxed or comfortable, but happy… Have you met someone new there? Or have you already tried out the whole town’s female population?”

“Bro, are you insinuating that I’m a manwhore? That hurt…”

“You are a manwhore, and that was not an insinuation, I have a good memory, remember? And I know who I’m talking to very well.”

“Well let me tell you this, Mr. Ogre: As a matter of fact, I haven’t slept with anyone since I came here,” he proudly announced.

And then, the realization hit him. 

He really hasn't even been looking for a sexual partner. 

Not for a while, since he saw her…

“Okay. Who are you, and what have you done to my bro?” Hero said after a small pause, between incredulity and amazement.

“No… Really, I… To be honest, I didn’t even realize it until now… I mean…” 

Eron’s mind ran wild at the thought. He knew his interest in this certain lady went way beyond the physical, and that she turned him on incredibly easily. Even his self-control would always attempt to jump out the window when he was with her and it was VERY HARD… 

Well, not only that he really got so hard too easily, or that it was difficult for him to control himself, but even with all the thoughts and fantasies of him taking her, he had never been able to even hold her hand too long except during that ONE single moment at his camp before she led him to her home to choose his rented room. He was even shy with her and around her.

Heck, she was actually the first woman in his life to make him blush!

“What the hell is going on with me?” he thought, allowing the voice of his twinny to remind him in his head…

“When you find your mate, not only does your body react differently but your mind and your heart will react to that special someone so naturally,” she had said back then, in the only conversation that they had had about the topic which he had also kept denying.

“H…?” he said after a long silence that was starting to worry his friend. “You… have your wolf, right?” Eron asked in an awkward tone, trying to start the uncomfortable topic from a known point.

“You know I do, bro. You actually saw Lev once or twice already… but I’m pretty sure that’s not what you want to ask me about…”

“Well… I know that we’ve talked once or twice about how you found out you had your wolf, even when you were not part of a pack and during the time when you were also keeping us away, but… I’ve been wondering… How was it for you to know that your mate really is your mate? I mean…”

“You want to know the signs? I honestly don’t know much about the typical ones since I was never told about them, but I can tell you from personal experience…” Hero replied, pausing midway as he waited for an answer.

But the only reaction he got from Eron was a long attentive silence. This man, who was known for speaking non-stop was now quiet and eager to hear his version of the mates’ story. 

And that's even if it was obvious that The Charmer already heard a similar tale from his twinny and older brother a long time ago.

So, despite truly wondering if he was still talking to his friend or a body snatcher, he continued...

“The moment I saw her; things were different for me… All the cold I was, all the resentment, all the facades and walls that I took years building around me, fell at her feet with not even a look. The first thing I felt was the urge to protect her, and that was the first time she saw me. There’s a lot of unreasonable… unexplainable… so many things that will happen to you, that are completely out of character. It’s like… she could take out the very best in you, the good that you never knew existed and make you believe that that's your true self all along. The courage, understanding… and the care… A warmth that you can’t feel with anybody else…”

It was actually amazing to hear someone like H talking so openly about his feelings, and to Eron, hearing that from him made it more wondrous and incredible.

It sounded like Hero could not even hold himself from talking about his most intimate feelings for his mate as he spoke more about her. Was that even possible? 

And then, word for word, what he was hearing from his long-time ally - all those emotions that were inside of this supposedly unfeeling colleague - were now describing exactly what Eron had been feeling towards Diwana, which he hadn’t been able to explain or understand…

Or even accept.

“Bro… Eron? Are you still there?”

“Oh, yeah, sorry, I... kind of... zoned out…”

“Bro, I’m starting to worry, why are you asking me? I noticed you're not only distracted but… different. What happened, really? Why do you ask?”

“Well, it so happens that… bro… do you think that someone who has no wolf can find his mate?” Eron finally said, while the possibility and hope of another thought found a small crack to filter itself into his mind…

What if she was really his mate?