Ezra's Winner

Thirteen

Kenai's POV

"Dude, hit my joint. You need to relax." Koda said as he held it up.

He was laid across my sectional as he always was. Bo was cuddled in his lap on top of the mountain of blankets that covered him. Koda and I looked so much alike that people always assumed we were twins or something. Not so much anymore seeing as I'm turning thirty this year and he is turning twenty-five but we still shared the same face.

The only difference was Koda preferred his hair long and in its natural waves. He also was covered in tattoos and piercings galore. I had my ears pierced and a leg sleeve, but Koda was mainly ink. And he was a pothead.

"I'm fine," I muttered.

Lie.

I wasn't fine.

It'd been a week since Lucien visited my restaurant and since Armand took over to speak with him. I don't know why but he insisted and then blocked me from the conversation. All I knew was that Ezra was fine and he'd be back when he was ready. I wanted- no, I needed the details. I needed to know what happened that made him retreat.

Each day I got more worried for him.

I had only known the guy for a short amount of time and yet I'd gotten used to seeing him every day. It was more than that, I looked forward to it. And though it's only been a week, I felt like something was missing...I sounded like some weird creeper.

"Still no word?" Charlie asked, gouging herself on the cookies Jenn had made for me. I appreciated the gesture and ate one to tell her it was delicious. But I wasn't a sweets guy. And if I did have sweets it was usually a milkshake

Charlie's brown-colored doe eyes looked worriedly over me as crumbs covered her face. Her hair was just as long as Koda's but she kept hers in intricate braids along her head. 

"No. I'm getting worried." I muttered as I checked my phone again.

I was being stupid. For all I know Ezra could be back and just hadn't told me. Why would he? He doesn't owe me anything, I'm sure he would tell other people first before he told me. I'd be the last to know.

But that doesn't stop me from checking my phone again.

"Oh my goddess," Koda groaned, "You check that phone one more time I'm going to lose it." He took a puff of his joint, his eyes were getting heavier by the second.

"Don't be mean, Koda. It's his first boy crush, it's exciting." Charlie smiled widely and started bouncing on her toes. I rolled my eyes at her and checked my phone again.

"Don't call it that," I muttered.

Even though Armand smirked, I felt the back of my neck warm-up at the thought of Ezra. As it always did.

"Then what would you call it?" Koda rested his arm on top of his head. His hair was pulled into a knot.

"I wouldn't call it anything." Lies. Even I knew it was a lie.

"Oh, come on, Kenai." Charlie sat beside me on the sectional, cookies in hand, and looked at me. 

Even though she was technically my cousin she has become like a sister. All three of us are close and inseparable. We were all we had. Plus Charlie looked just like Koda and I.

"It's okay to say you have a crush." She playfully bumped my shoulder.

I bit my lip nervously and my leg started bouncing. "He's the alpha," I stated.

It felt ridiculous to say I had a crush in general. I was twenty nine for goddess's sake. It was even more ridiculous to say that I had a crush on not just any alpha, but my alpha. That was absurd. The only way Koda and Charlie knew about my...interest was only because they pestered me about it continually. They pushed and pushed and I finally gave in. Apparently, they had known I liked someone because I was being 'weird'.