Psychopathic (BoyxBoy)

Chapter 24

It was a pleasant afternoon for Eli who finally found himself alone and able to head out without anyone watching over him.

Alec barely left his side those past few days, and honestly, it was a bit confining how he always had someone with him wherever he went. The moment he found himself all alone was the moment he decided to go outside and just have a few moments by his own before searching for the company of the person he wanted to see the most.

It was stupid, extremely so, but he found his legs leading him to the one place he should be avoiding.

Eli found himself standing on the tip of his toes and peeking into someone's backyard hoping to find someone there, and he was surprised to catch a glimpse of a group of kittens huddled under the shade of a tree.

Just as he was about to leave to the front door, someone entered the backyard and placed a bowl filled with food in it and placed it gently in front of the cautious kittens.

The fact that a werewolf was feeding a group of kittens was somewhat funny, but the fact that this particular werewolf was Ari somehow made sense.

"Hey," Eli knocked on the fence to catch Ari's attention. "Over here."

The appearance of Eli resulted in a surprised, but there was also a conflicted look, on Ari's face before he approached the gate opening it. Eli walked inside and Ari quickly closed the gate behind him fearing that someone would see them together. "What are you doing here?"

"I'm here to see you. I have missed you." Eli told him biting his lip at how unwanted his presence seemed. Not like he meant to cause discomfort for Ari, but there are things he couldn't help. "I am also here to apologize."

"Apologize? For what?" Ari looked genuinely confused.

"The way everyone had been treating you. I heard about everything." He told him sounding almost remorseful as if everything happening was his own fault. Everyone told him to stay away from Ari, especially Alec, and yet here he was alone once again with him unable to stay away. "You helped me, and it isn't fair how people keep blaming you for things that are my fault. I can't stand it."

"They have a very good reason for that, Eli." Ari sighed not knowing what to do or say to convince the boy that none of what was happening was actually his fault. It was all Ari's, and Ari's alone. "Do you remember what happened that day?"

Honestly, Eli barely remembered anything.

Everything that happened at the Dietrich's party was still a vivid memory up until he got his heat all of the sudden. There were bits and pieces that were confusing him, but he does remember Ari being there and Alec, too. Something happened, but the details weren't clear.

All he knows is that everything became a lot worse after he woke up, and he was forbidden from interacting with anyone unmated. It didn't take a genius to figure out they meant Ari.

"I was told that you were about to bite me." Eli told him making Ari look away. "Were you really?"

"Pheromones affect me, too." Ari muttered not exactly lying. As much as he tried not to think about it, he couldn't help but wince every time he remembered the state he was in when everyone walked into the room. "They all saw it. Rowan wouldn't even speak to me, and if Alec saw us right now, he'd probably kill me."

"But..." Eli sounded strained, disbelieving. "I don't understand, I really don't."

"What is there not to understand?" Ari said approaching him with a tired look on his face. Everything just keeps going wrong whenever they're together. "We just can't be friends."

Eli's lip trembled as he shook his head. "No. What are you saying?"

"I am saying that I can't do it anymore." It wasn't exactly a lie, things have been hard, but those words came out of Ari because he was scared. Everything went downhill so fast, and if they continue someone was going to get hurt. There were many regrets plaguing Ari already. "You're a friend I have always wanted, but I can't have."

"Why can't you?" Eli argued refusing to hear anymore. In his mind, there was a way and Ari was someone he wanted in his life. It wasn't easy to let go of a friend, and to Eli he's the only real friend he ever had. The one person he could talk to in a way he couldn't with anyone else. "Give me a reason we can't still be friends. There aren't many."

However, Ari still didn't look too convinced by his words and brutal honesty wasn't something Eli had expected. "Because you're an omega."

At that moment Eli knew he lost. "S-so what?"

"Do you know how invitingly sweet you smell?" Ari went on unable to keep looking at Eli's hurt face. Those words were harsh and hard to say, but they both knew they were very much true. "We've been lucky so far, but that won't last. I want to be friends, too, but-"

"I can talk to Alec." Eli cut him off feebly, but it was clear that this won't work this time. Nothing would convince Alec to let them continue this friendship after what happened at the party. "Surely he'll see reason... I can't stay friendless forever."

Glancing at Eli, he wondered if he knew what he was saying as bitter words escaped his mouth. "I am pretty sure he's being reasonable right now. Omegas are just different."

Eli looked at him with a conflicted look, and he couldn't help but show how betrayed he was that Ari wasn't supporting him. Still, when he opened his mouth to argue he knew there wasn't anything he could really say. It was the harsh truth. Being an omega came with a lot of struggles, he knew very well in his late teens when heats became a possibility.

The friendship he wanted was unattainable, and it was best to leave it at that.

And yes, Alec was being reasonable. He didn't want his mate to be snatched away by someone else. It was a justified fear.

"I hate this so much." He told Ari feeling totally defeated. There was nothing else to say anymore, it was his biggest fear coming true. "I didn't ask for this. All I wanted was to have a friend. Why is that so impossible?"

"You have Alec." Ari told him leading him to the gate, eager for him to just leave.

Knowing he didn't have a choice, Eli let himself be led as his bottom lip quivered still unhappy about all that's been happening. That's why when he was at the gate, he stopped suddenly and blurted out something recklessly out of desperation.

"That day at the forest when you asked why I was worried," He started gulping down his nervousness when Ari stopped allowing him to continue with a lower tone this time to not be heard as he made his admittance. "It was Alec. I don't want to be alone with him."

Stunned, Ari looked behind him at his house knowing that it was empty, but his mother could come in at any second. No, this wasn't a risk he was willing to take.

But also, he didn't want to risk anyone eavesdropping on this conversation.

"Are you okay?" He asked unable to ignore his worry. After all, he still cared for Eli deeply and he never wanted to stop being friends. It was a tough situation and he's not sure what choice to make.

Ari relaxed a little bit when Eli nodded in response.

"I think so. I mean nothing really happened, but still..." He trailed off catching on that they both needed to be cautious lest someone overheard them. "I don't want to be alone anymore. I need somebody to talk to."

"Rowan is a good listener."

Eli bit his lip and shook his head. "No, I can't. Not with her."

"I get it, but still. You need to leave." Ari told him pushing him towards the gate once more. Nervousness sneaked up on him because this is around the time that his mother would come home. "We'll figure something out, ok? Just leave, please."

"Yes, alright." Eli said surprised at the urgency in Ari's tone, and this time he didn't resist being led out because something told him that he had to. It confused him. Still, he turned around and smiled sadly at Ari who was about to close the gate. "I hope to see you soon."

Pausing, Ari gave him a reluctant nod and sounded pained as he spoke.

"Me, too."