Aries

I blinked at the last Royal as a swirl of emotions washed through me. Confusion about her cross-dressing, honour on meeting her, and obviously a dash of laughter on seeing her cake-smeared face.

Snapping out of my daze, I took her clean hand, which she had extended. “Pleasure is mine, Princess.”

“Call me Antlia,” she smiled.

Taking her hand from mine, she went over the sink and washed her hands and face.

Cleaning herself with a towel, she grinned at a scowling Aries and gave the same grin with an additional hint of warmth to the people next to me.

“You all are?” she asked.

I did not know whether it was her blood or it was herself, but she did have that authority.

“Beta Rhaze, your highness,” my sister said, taking a step forward. “I belong to Alpha Lyra’s pack.”

She gave my sister a look of horror. “Your Highness? I am just sixteen years old! Just call me Antlia. Perhaps in presence of the council, address me with titles shit.”

“I knew I should have never sent you to Gemini.” Aries pinched the bridge between his nose. “Look at you swearing.”

“You swear too, Aries!” Antlia snapped. “I don’t see anyone saying anything else.”

“You are a kid,” he exasperated. “You said that you are just sixteen!”

She snorted and shook her head. “Unbelievable.”

I suppressed my smile.

“I am Reish Kaina,” the witch said smiling. “Of the Northern Tribe.”

Dropping her sour expression, she beamed at Kaina. “Nice to meet you.” Then she turned to Rhaze. “Beta to your sister. From what I see, I sense a great deal of strength and sacrifice from you.”

Rhaze held her breath. “Sacrifice?”

Antlia smiled sadly. “Last year, all I did was to travel. I met a few people who carried the burden of guilt and those who carried the weight of sacrifice. I have seen that look in the eyes.”

Miguel stepped forward and gave his infamous smile. “I am Miguel, used to be the Delta of Winter Pack. I am from the Dungeon.”

Antlia blinked in surprise. “The Dungeon? It let you go?”

“It did let me go with Lyra here,” he said, glancing at me. “It did.”

“Lyra too?” she asked, frowning. “Why was she there?”

“Later,” I said. I did not want to reveal that sad story of mine now. “Later, I shall tell.”

She nodded, then looked at the red-haired shifter. “You must be Varian.”

He smiled. “Yes.”

She sighed. “That’s great. Can you show me a room? I just want to crash.”

Aries stepped forward and started climbing the stairs after he motioned Antlia to follow him. She rolled her eyes at his back and mouthed to me, “So bossy.”

“I can literally feel you mouthing words, Ant,” he called. “Better come up.”

She blinked and grimaced. Before she left, she hugged me. “Aries is just sceptical. Past that, he is just a male who protects the ones he loves. I am sorry if his behaviour offended you.”

I returned the hug. “You don’t need to apologize for anyone.”

She laughed and shook her head. “Those Twelve will listen only to Moon. And in his absence, to Luna’s descendants. If I am responsible for anyone, it would be those Twelve.”

Releasing me, she climbed the stairs, muttering colourful words under her breath.

Varian shrugged. “This is a surprise to me too.”

“A surprise?” Miguel asked. “When you said Royal, I thought it would be a male! Not a female!”

Kaina’s eyes darkened. “Can’t the royal be a female?”

Miguel groaned. “I did not mean it that way. They kept saying Ant and I thought it was short for Antony.”

Rhaze snorted. “Happens that Ant is short for Antlia too.”

“You do learn a new thing every day,” Miguel said.

Varian made his way to the kitchen and sighed at the sight of the completely eaten cake. I sniggered. Antlia had a huge appetite.

Clearing the mess, he took out some ingredients and started to make soup.

Kaina rolled her eyes and went ahead to help him. Rhaze glared at the sight and impulsively went and joined the two.

Had no one heard the phrase ‘too many cooks spoil a broth?’

Shaking my head, I sat on the couch in the living room and switched the screen on the wall on. Miguel took a seat next to me.

Arguments flew from the kitchen and I heard the rumbling of utensils. They were just making soup, right?

Miguel grimaced. “If I die because of dinner, inform Silas that I have his secret diary hidden in his house by the southern sea.”

I gulped. “I fervently hope it will not come down to that.”

“Precautions first,” he said.

Aimlessly, I changed the channels. I paused at one channel, the channel that featured the Alpha pair and the Beta of Western Pack.

“... Traitors will not be left,” Ethan said. “My beta will find her and bring justice for killing numerous lives.”

My breathing became ragged. Why this propaganda? But to my surprise, neither mine or Rhaze picture flashed on the screen. Harper held his hand like a submissive mate.

Cain looked directly into the camera, as though he knew I would be watching this. “Traitors of Moon will be punished. She will be punished. I will make sure of that.”

“What is that asshole talking about?” Rhaze snarled from behind me.

I switched the television off and took a deep breath. “At least we know they are still hunting us.”

Kaina followed. “Is he truly your brother?”

Rhaze nodded. “Unfortunately, we share blood.”

Varian came out and said in a vexed tone. “Soup is ready. Come and have it.”

Looking at the two sheepish females, I went to the kitchen to see a pot of soup in the sink and another pot on the stove.

“Let me guess,” I said. “Kaina and Rhaze fought and the result is in the sink while the one on the stove is what you made.”

Varian gave me a surprised look. “You said it perfectly.”

I chuckled. “Rhaze in the kitchen is a disaster. I guessed this earlier.”

“Do not allow Rhaze in,” he said, taking out five bowls. “Got it.”

I shook my head and filled my bowl with the sweet corn soup. As much as I don’t prefer this, I need this pepper and warmth.

Varian closed his eyes, chuckled and then took four bowls out in a tray.

I followed him out, holding my bowl. “What was funny?”

“I almost forgot an Alpha’s actions. When you took that bowl, I mistook that you would take it to your sister.” He handed out their share of soup. “Alphas don’t do that. They take the first kill.”

I paused. “I never… realised it.”

Varian waved his hand. “Don’t worry. If you had not done that, I would have been worried.”

As we finished the soup in silence, Aries walked down. From the steady heartbeat above, I could tell Antlia was sleeping.

He looked at Kaina. “Antlia suffers from nightmares. If she screams because of it, I would ask you to give her a mild concoction. Can you do that?”

Kaina smiled. “You don’t even need to ask that of me. I will try my best.”

Miguel frowned. “Didn’t Scorpio or Virgo give anything?”

Aries shook his head. “We tried to remain as disconnected as possible. After me, she would go to the Warrior nearby. When the time is right, I will call whoever it is and they will take Ant away.”

Then he looked at me. “Get up. I will show you your room.”

Blinking, I placed the bowl on the tray and followed him. This room was on the ground floor, next to the drawing-room. As Aries had said, this room was large. To add a brownie point, it had its own back exit. Not to mention it bore his mark. His scent was saturated in the air. I took in a deep breath and immediately regretted it. Trying to suppress a shiver and sighing in content was a hard job to do.

“Use this,” he grunted. “When you feel trapped, get out. Fresh air helps.”

I nodded.

He pointed to the small pots out. “Look after my plants, would you?”

Without a second thought, I blurted, “Why should you leave?”

He sighed. “Safety. I have to keep Ant safe.”

I bit my lips. “It does not make any sense.”

Aries sighed. “The ones who killed the Royal family are rogues. But they are under a star who is quite strong. While that star knows about us, we know next to nothing about them. When I came to the Dungeon, I left early, remember?”

I nodded at his words. That time, there had been a torment in his eyes that said he did not want to leave, but something made him do so.

“I left because Sagittarius was going to leave me Antlia in my care,” he said, gazing at the stars out. “But she also told me how they were tracking Antlia. That star knows who we were and that’s how they were tracking Ant. Through us. I left Ant with Sage until I tracked Varian. I located this shifter yesterday through Silas and spoke to him about this. I never expected Silas to give you the location to Varian’s place as well.”

Just how strong was that star? If they could track even the Warriors, just how powerful should they be?

“I have asked Varian, and he agreed to train you along with Miguel,” Aries said. “Learn well.”

I pursed my lips knowing they would say some words that I did not want him to hear.

He turned to leave and I almost sighed. But he stopped and said in a soft voice. “If time permits, I can teach you as well.”

After he left, without bothering to have a shower, I fell on the bed, inhaling that scent. I sighed blissfully. At least, sleep was not going to be a problem anymore.

********

“Breakfast is toast and eggs. It had actually been bacon,” Varian told me sadly when I sat down to eat.

After complaining, he proceeded to glare at Rhaze who returned the action.

Antlia stumbled down, rubbing her eyes. She was not yet out of her sleep. After she slumped on a free chair, she closed her eyes and continued her sleep.

“No young lady!” Miguel said, climbing down the stairs. “No sleeping in the dinner table.”

“Breakfast table,” Antlia mumbled. “Not dinner.”

Rhaze hid her laugh. “Point.”

Kaina placed a mug of hot steaming coffee before Antlia. “Here.”

Antlia sniffed and gave Kaina a look filled with gratefulness. Smiling lazily, she drank her coffee and straightened her spine.

“How?” Varian asked looking at Kaina with suspicion.

“Zarola before she became the next heir to Northern Tribe, was not a morning person. I knew how to deal with her,” Kaina said, taking her seat between Rhaze and Varian.

“Sister?” Rhaze asked, taking a bite of her toast.

Kaina smiled. “My younger sister. By Chandra! She was one of the best things in my life.”

Antlia finished her coffee and reached for Miguel’s. Before he could protest, she finished his share and the lively glint in her eyes that was dormant all this while roared back to life.

“Younger sister is the heir?” Antlia asked. “Should you not be the Zayin, Reish?”

Kaina looked away. “Life happens.”

Shrugging, Antlia picked her toast and began to eat. Rhaze was checking the news in the tab, while Varian and Miguel were deeply in a conversation. Kaina was eating her breakfast lost in her thoughts. I shook my head and finished my breakfast.

When I got up to clean my plate, Varian looked up. “We shall go out to see what your strengths are.”

I blinked. “I haven’t shifted.”

“Neither have I,” Antlia chimed. “You can never tell when a Shifter will shift. It depends on their alignment of body, mind and soul. But we must be prepared.”

I clenched the plates harder.

You can do it, Rhaze said, smiling at me. You can.

I hope so, I replied and went inside the kitchen to wash the plates.

*********

After finishing our breakfast, and taking half an hour rest in front of the television, we came out.

It was a beautiful day. The sky was unblemished with just the sun lazily grinning. The waters glittered silver in a rich blue background. The scent of the ocean tugged my soul.

Varian came next to me. “I will shift first for you to see.”

I turned my head when familiar scents invaded my nose. “Why not Miguel?”

Varian’s face tightened. “He is little scared.”

“Me? Scared?” Miguel huffed. “What are you bluffing about?”

“Then shift after I do,” Varian challenged as he removed his shirt.

His muscles were chorded and toned. I could literally feel the power in each movement he made. The tan skin had marks, that said he many wars he survived. He was a male worth calling the Gamma of Winter Pack.

He walked towards the waters and removed his pants. Then he further snuck in the waters until it engulfed him.

Antlia gasped behind me. “Is he-”

“Yeah,” Miguel said proudly. “Sea is his forte.”

I frowned. “What?”

Miguel sighed. “We Shifters can’t shift into all possible animals. As Alioth said, it depends on what genes are activated. Varian, he first shifted to a sea creature. A rare one at that. Winter Pack used to win all our wars in the sea because of him.”

“What did he shift into?” Rhaze breathed.

“Wait,” Miguel smirked. “Your face expression will be worth it.”

Just as he said, a huge red electric eel of more than thirty feet, sending bolts of electricity, flipped over the sea and fell in it again.

All I did was gasp at the slight jump of my heart.

It would not take a genius to know what… who that eel was. My legs froze. I had seen only people shifting into wolves. This one took my breath away.

“Electric eel?” Antlia smirked. “It is quite rare.”

“What the f-” Rhaze began only to be silenced by Kaina’s glare. “-udge.

The witch blinked. “That was… phenomenal.”

Miguel grinned. “That. That is a shifter. I quite forgot how you witches, vampires and werewolves have never seen a shifter. I was right. Your faces were worth seeing.”

Then from the waves, a red-haired head rose. He took his floating jeans and wore it as he came out.

“Understood, Lyra?” he asked, a playful smile on his face. As though he loved shifting.

“That was magnificent,” I said.

His smile dropped. “I did not want a compliment. I want to know whether it did something to you.”

“Well, I felt a spark in me when you jumped,” I said. “Was it supposed to do something in me?”

“That’s good, right?” Kaina asked.

Varian shared a look with Miguel. Then he sighed, “We can’t force something when you are not ready. We will concentrate on your physical strength now. As an Alpha, you need to win fights even without shifting. We have to concentrate on that.”

“Why did you shift?” my sister pressed. “Was it to prove a point?”

Varian took in a deep breath. “Magycs and Vampires mature easily, in sense during the right time because they are surrounded by Magycs and Vampires. Even you, I bet, Rhaze did shift into your wolf skin when you felt a slight shift in your mind in you. That is because you were surrounded by wolfs entire of your life and you saw them shift regularly. But Lyra... had never seen anyone shift. She might have seen werewolves shift, but she being a shifter, had not seen any shifter shift. Where would be the push?”

“Okay,” I said, frowning. “I guess, if you and Miguel keep shifting on a regular basis, I can shift soon enough.”

“You forgot Aries,” Antlia said. “He does shift too, you know.”

“But he is not going to be here on a regular basis, is he?” I asked.

“Point,” Varian said.

Nevertheless, it did not deter the princess. “I have a feeling that he might be.”

Miguel smirked. “Apart from that, we have to train now!” Turning to Antlia, he said, “Even you, missy. I am going to give you some warm up.”

Antlia shrugged. “Done.”

He pointed to a distant point on a mountain. “Base of that mountain and back. Must be around five hundred meters. Three times.”

I had been trained by Rhaze, the former Delta of Western pack. I had survived her training sessions. I had even survived against Alpha Violet’s ruthless attacks. I could do this.

I began to run.

*******

I wished I could tell that I ran thrice as Miguel said and won every attack against the two shifters. Even when my pride was on the line, all I wanted to do was to groan and possibly die on the beach.

I had been wrong when I thought I could hold against them. So wrong.

We had trained right from morning until evening with a two-hour lunch break in the middle where we had raged the kitchen.

Why hadn’t anyone told me that Amaris hid the genes to shift to other creatures she took away the ability of speed and strength too? Alpha Violet and Rhaze were easy than these people.

Antlia and Kaina were able to hold against them. Antlia won a couple of matches while Kaina won each battle against Varian. Perhaps it must have something to do with the fact that her genes were not suppressed by Chandra. Or that, she was a strong witch.

Rhaze groaned next to me. We both laid on the beach, the sand sticking to our sweaty skin. But by what I saw, my sister was way better than me.

“I never,” Rhaze began. “Thought it would be anything like that.”

I exasperated. “Then what should I say?”

“Perhaps, let’s hit the bar?” Antlia suggested as she sat next to me.

“Bar, young lady?” Miguel asked, giving her a pointed glare. “Aries will have my head. Is that what you want?”

Antlia rolled her eyes. “He is acting like my dad! He should know that he isn’t.”

Varian rose his eyebrows. “You are sixteen.”

“Age approved for Shifters, Vampires and Magycs alike to go for the bar,” Antlia rebutted.

Kaina laughed. “She sure knows our laws.”

The grin the princess gave sent shivers down my spine. “I need to know the rules so that I can know all the possible ways to break them.”

Rhaze laughed. “My kind of people.”

Kaina shook her head. “Let’s hit the club tonight.”

“No!” Varian said. “We have to train. Not go clubbing.”

“Varian,” Miguel began. “They have just begun today. You can’t expect them to not relax. Let’s leave them for today.”

At this, Antlia shot up. “Perfect.”

“I never said you will be going,” Miguel said.

She threw her hands up. “You are not serious, are you?”

The setting sun cast a glow on her face, highlighting how young this royal actually was. Her black hair was still choppy, but it gave her a charm.

The waters tried to bargain for orange shade, but it was stuck with a hue between blue and orange.

“I am,” Miguel said. “I don’t want Aries taking my head off.”

Antlia pouted. “Please?”

“No,” Miguel shook his head. “Not happening.”

*******

But by nine pm, it was happening. We all were ready to hit the club. Much to Miguel’s displeasure, Antlia was coming with us. We girls dressed in jeans and tops while Varian supported ripped jeans and red shirt and Miguel took black leather pants and a white shirt.

Varian had suggested walking to which Rhaze had glared at him.

Sighing, the eel-shifter went to his garage and brought his SUV out.

“Will we fit in?” Miguel asked.

Sitting on the driver’s seat, Varian scowled. “Get the fuck in.”

“Someone is moody,” Miguel said as he took the front seat leaving the back seats for us.

Cramping, we finally made to a bar. But tonight, Varian rook us to another club, that looked far better than ’Darkmoon’.

The name ‘Crystals’ flickered at the entrance. At least the smell of cheap booze and drugs was absent.

My dark brown top and Antlia’s black blended with the night while Kaina’s green brought her eyes out. But it was Rhaze’s blood-red crop top that demanded attention.

I was quite surprised when the bouncer let Antlia in. What magic did that royal possess?

Shaking my head, I pulled Rhaze and Miguel into the club from where loud music blasted. Varian left to park the car in a good spot while the witch followed us with a small chuckle.

Low lights and the music created a charm. While Antlia confidently danced in the centre, I moved to the side to watch her.

Coming? Rhaze asked me.

I shook my head. No.

Shrugged, she pulled a surprised Kaina to the dance floor and began swaying with the music. Getting over her surprise, Kaina let herself lose.

As much as I was astounded, I felt I was invading their privacy. The touches though appeared to be innocent touch between friends, there was an intimacy in that contact.

I turned my head to see something else. Miguel and Varian had hit the bar and was already down their third shot. It was a good thing that we had a higher tolerance for alcohol.

It was then the scent that had my soul purring invaded my nose. His scent was stronger than all the smells here. I glanced just in time to see Aries making his way towards me.

His black shirt hugged his physique and the black jeans and leather jacket he had did no justice to him. Even though he was silent and saw no one but me, heads turned when he walked past them and a way was parted for him. He knew he was the highest in the food chain here and he owned it.

“What is it, Arien?” I asked.

He cocked his head towards a dancing princess. “Explain?”

“We tried.” I managed to say.

He pinched the bridge between his nose. “I almost forgot how persuasive she can be.”

I smiled. “She is amazing.”

“She is doing amazing for someone who lived through what she has,” he replied as he inched closer to me.

At his action, another scent caught my attention. The floral smell with clover had a tinge that said whoever this female was, she was a Shifter too.

Another Shifter? Or was it a Warrior of Moon?

Seeing my alert stance, Aries smiled. “You are doing good.”

“Huh?” I blinked at him.

His face had muscles that whispered how badly he wanted to laugh. Even his eyes shone, not by the lights above, but with amusement.

“For an Alpha, you sure can detect that I had been with someone,” he said.

I frowned. What did he mean by that?

He grimaced. “Not be with someone like, be with them. I was engaged in a conversation with them.”

“I could detect that much, Arien,” I said biting my lips, preventing that smile that threatened to slip past me seeing the so feared warrior choosing words before me.

“What I meant to say is,” he sighed. “Is that for an Alpha who has yet shifted, your senses are up to point. I can only imagine what would happen if you shifted.”

“Thank you?”

He shrugged. “Someone wants to meet you.”

I gave him a pointed look. “Really?”

“You sensed a Shifter, right?” He asked. “She wanted to meet you.”

“Where is she?” But before I could complete my question, the same scent of floral and clover intensified.

That instance, Rhaze and Kaina were next to me. Weren’t they dancing?

“Hello,” a deep female voice said from behind me.

I turned to see a blonde with blue eyes. Her heart-shaped face was smiling. For what, I did not know.

Behind her, a male stood, assessing me. I growled at the way he saw me. Like he was trying to challenge me. He dropped his gaze down and mumbled a sorry. The werewolf had accepted my dominance. It was more than enough for me now.

I could feel Rhaze’s pride through our link.

“When Pisca told me about you, I almost did not believe her,” the new shifter said. “Now I am glad that I am wrong.”

I rose an eyebrow. “I am Alpha Lyra Throne. I heard you were searching for me.”

Aries gave me a small smirk. He shrugged and folded his arms.

“Where are my manners?” the Shifter said. “I am Aislynn Fall. I was the second daughter of Gamma of Southern pack nine hundred years ago. I am planning on joining your pack with this young male. What do you say?”

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