"Oh… you miss her a lot, don't you? CALL HER, CALL HER RIGHT NOW! I WANT TO HEAR HER!" Andrea shouted, his voice possessive, almost suffocating.
He could taste the bile rising on his tongue. He felt hatred, humiliation, and at the same time, a visceral need to claim Lucas as his.
What was Lucas supposed to say under that kind of pressure? He didn't understand what was happening. He knew they weren't official, they didn't know each other well enough—yet still, Andrea made that claim.
Lucas knew Andrea didn't need to say it outright or repeat it—he understood firsthand how alphas acted when possessive, or omegas when out of control. But unlike what was whispered in dark alleys or romantic novels, the ones most blinded were those who, for a bit of affection, tried to cage what was never meant to be tamed.
"I think you're confusing me with someone else, Andrea. And as far as I remember, you hit her over a MISUNDERSTANDING," Lucas said firmly.
He didn't give Andrea time to reply. He grabbed his things and, even though Andrea asked where he was going, Lucas simply closed the door behind him.
At first, Lucas had planned to visit Valentina, but he remembered she had just started her new job—and worse, he hadn't texted her since the accident. Embarrassed, he decided to clear his mind first.
As he drove down the highway, he considered visiting his mothers—he hadn't seen them in a month—but he figured they'd ask what was wrong with him and his bad mood, so he let the idea go. He didn't want to go anywhere in particular, but also wanted to be everywhere. He didn't know how to handle what he was feeling. Furthermore, he'd never been in a situation like this before.
He ended up stopping at a gas station to grab a drink. Maybe if he ate or drank something, he'd think more clearly. Often, when you least expect it, you run into people you thought you'd never see again.
"Oh, a prince! Haha, sorry—I didn't know how to break the ice. I thought I'd never see you again," said someone from inside the store.
"Not today, please. I already have enough problems without you being another one," Lucas said with clear exhaustion.
It was his ex. They hadn't seen each other in three years. There were many reasons they broke up, but the main one was his ex's infidelity. They had been together for four years, and everyone thought they were perfect for each other because of how similarly they viewed life. But life has its twists—and no one expected the betrayal to come from the one who seemed the most in love.
Lucas' ex was quite attractive—about the same height as Andrea—but a beta. Their relationship had started with a lot of love, but toward the end, one of them felt neglected.
"I know you hate me, but I'd like to help—just once. You look disturbed," his ex said compassionately.
Years had passed. Lucas had blocked him everywhere and swore he'd never forgive him. But now, seeing him again, he realized he had forgiven him long ago.
"I don't hate you, but I can't forget what you did. Though I admit, I could use some advice," Lucas said directly.
His ex listened closely as Lucas talked about someone new who made his heart race. There was a bittersweet ache in his chest—he, too, had once been that person.
Lucas wasn't great at opening up. He was used to bottling things up, hoping time would fix them. Whenever he had a problem, he'd distract himself with tasks to avoid overthinking.
They talked for hours. Nothing happened between them—both could feel the spark was gone. They had matured in their own ways. What remained were the memories of better times.
"You should talk to him. Don't dig—just ask directly," his ex advised kindly.
"But…"
"No buts, Lucas. In relationships, it's better to be upfront. You know, I always waited for you. I knew how much you loved me. But what I needed was for you to come home and ask if I was okay. Unfortunately, you were too late—again," he said, heartbroken.
Lucas apologized. Back then, he was a workaholic who always got home past ten. If they had started with an open relationship, things might have turned out differently—but they hadn't. His ex admitted he had acted immaturely, out of sadness, and never really communicated honestly.
They sat on wooden chairs at the edge of a forest, where the gas station met the road and the trees. They looked each other in the eyes—for the first time in years—and hugged briefly.
"I really did love you. But I think we weren't the right people at the right time."
Lucas felt his cheeks flush, warmth rising from his hands to his face. At the same time, a cold winter breeze brushed his face. He remembered how, back home, there used to be a container with a home-cooked meal waiting on the table with a note: "I missed you." And another one in the fridge that read: "It's Friday tomorrow, let's go out to dinner."
"I did love you. Let's not see each other again, haha," his ex said.
"That's what I hope" Lucas replied, much calmer now.
"Talk to him—but don't lay everything out at once. Take your time, stop running away, and use your brain, dumbass!" his ex shouted as he walked toward his car.
Lucas didn't respond. He waved goodbye, as if everything had finally been resolved, and there was no need to remember anymore.
He had forgotten how good it felt to talk to him—how it helped him think clearly again. Likewise, he decided to head back to his apartment but figured it was best to let things settle a bit more, so he took the first exit off the highway and drove toward his workshop.
As he was about to arrive, he wondered if he should write or call Andrea in the morning to talk calmly about what was happening and where they wanted to go.
It was already eleven at night. The streets were empty, cloaked in a sepulchral silence. The last thing he wanted was someone calling the police. He parked in front of the shop to open the garage, but noticed a shadow. He wasn't sure if it was a homeless person or a drunk, so he approached cautiously.
"I'm sorry, forgive me, please… I love you," Andrea said, crying.
Lucas was in shock. He had never given Andrea the shop's address—he always took him there by motorcycle.
"I called Valentina. I asked for the address. I apologized to her. But if you want, we can go right now, and I'll get on my knees to ask her forgiveness," Andrea was inconsolable.
Lucas was surprised by Andrea's actions, but he also felt nervous. That guilt, those tears—it all reminded him of his ex crying and begging for forgiveness after being caught.
Lucas spoke quickly but softly to calm Andrea down. He said they'd talk inside, that it wasn't the time or place. Before Andrea could spiral further, Lucas kissed his forehead, wiped his tears with his own shirt, and asked him to help put the bike away.
They spent the whole night talking. Lucas didn't open the shop the next day because he wanted to fix things with Andrea. He didn't like the idea—every day closed was a day lost—but he genuinely wanted to fix things. Especially because Andrea had come looking for him. No one had ever done that before. Lucas was always the one chasing others—but after his ex, he no longer chased anyone.
Every sentence Andrea said came with an apology and tears. Lucas felt responsible for him, so he kept giving him drinks out of fear he'd dehydrate from crying so much.
They slept the entire morning. They didn't talk about the issue until the afternoon. Even then, they kept changing the subject, unsure how to begin or what to say.
"Lucas, I love you," Andrea said, looking at the floor.
"Andrea, it's only been a month. Do you realize what you're saying?" Lucas asked, skeptical.
He couldn't understand it. Truly. He knew they had a good connection, many things in common, and that Andrea made him feel at home like no one ever had. But he couldn't grasp how Andrea had developed feelings so quickly.
Lucas took getting to know someone seriously. He didn't like meaningless relationships, and if something in his chest told him someone wasn't right, he'd walk away. But with Andrea, it was different. Everything had felt different from day one.
"Tell me something—what do you want from me?" Lucas asked seriously.
"EVERYTHING," Andrea said passionately.
Everything. That word echoed in Lucas's mind. Everything meant everything—and at the same time, nothing.
Everything meant: a forever? Everything now? Wherever destiny takes us?
Too many questions for one word. Too many answers for such a short time.
Lucas took a deep breath for almost two minutes, gathered strength, and said:
"Let's get to know each other better. Let's see how things go. If they flow, great. But if one of us hesitates, it's better we go our separate ways," Lucas said firmly.
"Okay," Andrea replied with a big smile.
They didn't talk about it anymore. They left it there, both exhausted. Furthermore, they agreed to take another nap before tackling the rest. Once at the apartment, they both wanted to be close—but at least one of them didn't feel it was right yet.
Three days passed. Friday arrived. They hadn't been intimate again, and Andrea would be leaving on Sunday. Things had started to improve.
They agreed to talk more calmly later about how Andrea got Valentina's number and how he would apologize properly. Lucas also had to apologize—despite the incident, he hadn't contacted Valentina after Andrea called her. But she hadn't contacted him either. He began to suspect something was going on but chose to think about it later. No need for baseless theories.
The day had started well. He had made several sales since reopening and was in a good mood.
Lunch hour arrived.
"Good afternoon. Do you have a carbon AGB helmet?"
"I'm not selling you shit," Lucas replied without even looking up.