SETH (Book Four)

FORTY-FIVE

"Pete..." I reached the end of the hoodie and removed it, revealing my feminine body to him.

"No...no..." he shakes his head, feeling disgusted. "How could you...how are you a girl? I-I mean the way you dressed and act is like a man. How could you-No! This can't be happening."

"Pete, I'm sorry," I took a step forward, but he avoided my approach. "I didn't intentionally hide my gender. I only did it because of personal reasons."

"To break a women's heart?" he spats. Pete identifies himself as a woman because he has been born wrong.

I rub my face. "Pete, please sit, and I'll tell you."

When he relaxed his shoulders and finally sat back down on the couch, pouting. I did the same and let out a breath as I prepared to tell him the story of my childhood from the beginning to the end. I told him about my birth parents and how I ended up in the orphanage. I told him about being adopted by a psycho who thinks she is a saint and how Odin rescued me from that hellhole and trained me to be an assassin. I explained why I had to hide my gender because the Order still haunts the old me, and the male counterpart protects her. Then I brought up rescuing a child who looked like me and ended up being my daughter, who I thought had left her for dead. The emotional pain and guilt still linger inside what I did to her. I know she had forgiven me, but I couldn't let the responsibility go deep down. When I told Pete how I was forced by a man to have sex at thirteen and was ordered by my mother, I saw the tears in his eyes, all pouring out, feeling the distraught and sad emotions.

Pete sobs and pulls out his handkerchief blowing his nose. His eyes were puffy and red. "I can't believe you went through all that and still look badass." He sniffles.

I chuckle softly.

"So, where is your little mini-me?"

"At home, with friends and..." I pull on a smile.

"Oh!" he grins, still with moisture in his eyes but can still be humorous as he can read my expression. "You have a man!"

It wasn't even a question. It's more shocking that I have someone in my life.

I pinch my lips and feel the heat rash on my face. After removing the hoodie, I still feel hot. I can practically smell Seth's scent on me, making it more tempting.

Pete covers his mouth from hiding the gasp, but he is smiling behind it. He wipes his eyes and stares at me.

"Are you okay?" I ask, curious about how he genuinely felt since I told him the truth. "I mean, a moment ago, you were pissed at me for ghosting you, and now you are crying after hearing the story. I want to know how are you coping with this?"

Pete sniffles and inhale before releasing all the emotions out of his system. I gave him a minute or two to collect himself.

"I'm..." placing his hand over his heart, and a tear fell from his eye. "After hearing all of that, I can fully understand your pain, anger, and suffering. As I said, you are badass. You've been through a lot. How come you never told me?"

I shrug. "I don't disclose my past to everyone."

"Does Kendall and Gunnar know?"

I nodded.

"Myles?"

"He was the first one I told."

"By the way, where is Myles? Usually, he would be with you."

It struck a nerve once Pete asked for Myles. I feel the guilt and shame stabbed me in the heart that I couldn't look into his eyes.

"What's wrong?" he asks, unaware of the situation. "Is he on another mission? Avoiding me again? I'm already over him. I've moved on."