Aries

Varian and Miguel were next to me within seconds. While Miguel snarled lowly, Varian stared at her with wide eyes. His breaths increased and a smile spread across his face as a smirk lighted Aislynn’s.

The eel-shifter extruded a warmth I never thought he was capable of. He then walked past me and hugged her.

Did he know her from before?

Before I could question, Varian’s hands wound possessively around her waist and he buried his nose in her neck.

“Mate,” he mumbled.

Hearing that, a huge smile found its way to me. Something in me was proud.

Kaina sighed and looked up as if she was thanking someone while Rhaze’s lips curled to a smile. The boy next to Aislynn gave her a look of disbelief.

Miguel stared at Varian and muttered, “Traitor.”

Aries chuckled softly. “I never expected that.”

“What did you expect?” I asked.

Varian whispered something in her ears to which Aislynn blushed. The next second, he kissed her like tonight was the last time he could ever be with her.

“I just expected her to join your pack,” Aries admitted. “Not that meeting her mate was a bad thing.”

I laughed. “This is one the best thing that I have witnessed ever since I left West Pack. I am so glad she met her mate”

Aries shrugged. “I want to see what happens when Aislynn hears his name.”

I frowned. “Why so?”

He smirked. “See it yourself. I bet it will be worth it.”

As the mates broke from each other, Kaina and Rhaze cheered for them, while that boy stared at Aislynn with a sad look.

Miguel pouted. “You are a traitor, brother. You swore you will be with me for the rest of your life.”

Varian rolled his eyes and gave his mate a soft smile. “Ignore him, my love. We shall head home.”

Antlia weaved her way through the crowd and stood next to me, panting. When she saw Varian and Aislynn, she grinned and refrained herself from squealing. I could see the strain in her body.

Leaving the ‘Crystals’ behind, we exited, with the werewolf whose name we learnt was Nash. Varian threw the keys to Miguel and whispered sweet nothings to Aislynn.

Miguel gave his friends a look of horror. “Is it going to be like this from here on?”

Varian paid no heed to his friend.

“It has already begun!” Miguel groaned as he dragged himself towards our parked car. Nash left with him. “My doomsday!”

We laughed while Aislynn frowned. “I think I have seen him.”

Varian asked. “Him? Miguel?”

Aislynn nodded. “Yes. The one who went to pick our car.”

I rose my eyebrows when she said ‘our car’. Nonetheless, I knew Varian would not be parted with his mate any day. He respected the bond of mates and by the way, he saw her, I knew he was thanking Luna for giving him a gift of a mate.

For someone who claimed to hate cars and lived in a dungeon, Miguel sure knew how to drive an SUV. Nash had taken the shotgun when those two came to pick us up.

We got in, with Rhaze on my left and Aries on my right. The back four seats were occupied by the cuddling mates and Kaina and Antlia.

When the car started, Miguel played a sad breakup song.

Antlia burst into laughter. “Damn it! I never knew you loved your friend so much!”

Miguel sniffed as he shifted gears. “We swore to be together forever.”

Varian groaned and buried his face in Aislynn’s neck. “I was drunk that night!”

Aislynn faked a look of horror and moved a bunch from him. “Did something happen that you are hiding from me?”

Varian shook his head and pulled her closer. “Not you too!”

Miguel nodded fervently as he offed the music. Then he touched his heart with one hand. “We then-”

“Shut up!” Varian growled. “We just got matching tattoos and left the bar.”

“You guys did this eight hundred years ago?” Kaina asked, blinking. “You both are canon.”

Miguel’s face held a smile. “See? That witch is brilliant. She can tell.”

Antlia sniggered. “Anyone who supports you is brilliant.”

“Because I am brilliant!” Miguel boasted.

I could feel Aries laugh next to me. How I managed to not bury my face in his neck and smell that delicious scent, I would never know. Now that I could feel his body shaking softly, shivers ran up my spine. Amaris save me! What was happening to me?

Right when I thought I got my heartbeat under my control, Miguel took a sharp right and I was pushed against Aries by Rhaze who fell on me.

For a second my pulse rate rose to a point where it would not be physiologically possible to live. Only when the car jerked back did Rhaze sat upright again.

I sat upright too, but my right side quite literally plastered to his left. My cheeks burned and I was thankful that no one was watching me. We could see in the dark and the blush on my cheeks would be prominent now.

“Drive properly!” Aries said irritatedly, but he made no movement to inch away. Perhaps there wasn’t much space.

Miguel snorted. “Those two mates in the back are very happy and I can literally hear then thanking me.”

Aislynn gave a high pitched laugh. “Thank you!”

Miguel’s scowl deepened.

Kaina pursed her lips. “You want them mated or not? I thought you loved that guy!”

Miguel pouted. “I have an ally! Nash is amazing.”

“Anyone but you,” Nash snorted.

Miguel gasped. “How can you say this?”

Antlia sighed. “Is it going to be like this from now on?”

Rhaze said, “I pity us.”

“Very much,” Antlia agreed. Then she asked, “Not that I don’t want you to come, why are you accompanying us, Aries?”

“Do I do everything with a meaning behind it, Ant?” he asked.

Antlia started at him blankly. “Have you met yourself?”

“Is that possible?” He asked, a smile playing on his lips.

While cool winds caressed me from either window, his body heat warned by back. How I wished I could shift my position. Seeing Rhaze take the extra space, I sighed.

Miguel glared at the warrior of Moon through the mirror. “Tell us the reason.”

Aries smirked. “I just want to see your faces when you all reveal yourselves.”

“Huh?” Kaina frowned. “We all know each other, right?”

“Not that,” he said. “Wait.”

The car passed through the cave and stopped before the house. Opening the door, Rhaze got down first.

I pulled myself and turned to see Aries looking at me with guarded eyes.

“Sorry,” I mumbled. “Rhaze was pressed on me.”

He shrugged and off through the door on his side. Just as I got off, others were stretching their limbs and arching their backs as though it was a long journey. I knew it was a cramped journey, but had it been that tiring?

Miguel parked the car and threw the keys back to Varian. He then glared at Aries. “Tell us the fucking reason why you are so smug.”

“You swore!” Antlia gasped. “Where are your manners?”

“Answer her,” Kaina chimed.

“Answer me,” Miguel said, training his sight on Aries.

Aries sighed and looked at Varian. “Did you tell her who you are?”

At this Aislynn gasped and covered her mouth. “I never bothered to ask your name! What is wrong with me?”

Varian chuckled. “Nothing, love.”

“What is your name?” Aislynn asked biting her lower lip.

“Varian Rykar,” he replied proudly. “I was the Gamma of Winter Pack about eight hundred years ago.”

I expected her to smile in pride or squeal in happiness or at least gasp in shock. But her actions swept me off my feet.

She immediately moved three feet away from him and growled at him. “Say what?”

Confused at her behaviour, Varian tried to take a step forward. “What did I do?”

Aislynn took a few more steps back and said, “You are Gamma Varian Rykar of Winter Pack?”

“Was,” Varian defended. “Did I do something wrong?”

Instead of answering him, she turned to Miguel. “I take it, you had been the Delta of Winter Pack. I should have known when I thought I saw your face somewhere.”

I blinked at what was happening. While others shared my confused, Aries seemed to have a hard time keeping his laughter in check. What did he know that we did not?

“Why am I being pulled?” Miguel complained.

She then snarled at her mate. “Weren’t you engaged to a female eight hundred years ago?”

Varian froze. “How did you know?”

He was royally screwed. No wonder Aries said he wanted to see their face reaction. But how did he know?

“The Gamma’s daughter of Southern Pack, right?” She asked.

“Shit,” Antlia whispered. “This is bad. Very bad. How could be engaged to someone who is not his mate? That too, eight hundred years ago when Luna was worshipped more than now?”

“Moon’s Realm!” Miguel swore.

Varian’s heart raced at the possibility if his mate leaving him. “How could you possibly know?”

“You are from Southern Pack,” Rhaze said. “That’s how you introduced yourself.”

Aislynn nodded. “Yes.”

Varian ran his fingers through his hair. “I never met her! I didn’t even go to our engagement. That was an arrangement done by mine and her parents. We both would have agreed to part when we met our true mates! I wasn’t even planning on marking her. Hell! She insulted me! Why would I-”

“Wait for a second,” I intervened. I turned to Varian. “Your fiance was the Gamma’s daughter.” I looked at Aislynn. “You said you were the Gamma’s daughter. Were you both engaged?”

At this, Aislynn tried to pull a ring from her finger. When it refused to come, she growled and picked a stone.

“Not coming to our engagement was your mistake, idiot,” she seethed. “I promised myself to throw this ring at my dear fiance’s face when I see him. I thought I lost that opportunity. But now I have the chance, the stupid ring won’t come out.”

With that, she threw the rock on a stunned Varian and turned and walked into the house. She shut the door behind her.

Aries chuckled and I could feel his laughter and that was when I realised how close we were standing.

“Bloody hell!” Miguel grinned. “Kenna was so right.”

Varian kept staring at the house.

“Is he alright?” Antlia asked.

Miguel shook his head. “He is in shock. It’s not every day that you find out that your forced chosen is your true mate.”

Kaina said, “If only you had gone to your engagement. You both would have been mated for centuries.”

Rhaze supported herself on the witch. “Do you think he regrets it?”

Kaina stared at my sister with an odd look like she could not believe Rhaze would stand so close to her. “Very much. He did not merely lose a century with her. He lost seven.”

Antlia grinned cheekily. “Does that mean, seven centuries to make up?”

Aries shook his head and moved towards her. “I will never allow you close to Aqua. She is spoiling you.”

“I don’t even know what to answer,” Nash commented.

Varian snapped out of his trance. “Shit! I said I would never mark my fiance! I basically said I would never mark her! Damn me!”

“Sucks to be you,” Kaina snickered.

Muttering curses, Varian made his way to the house. When he tried to open the door, it refused to yield under him.

He groaned and hit his head against the door.

I did not know whether to laugh or cry. While on one hand, I found it extremely amusing seeing the way Luna had played this, the other, I could not see him breakdown.

Nash cleared his throat. “She will come around. She can’t hold grudges for long.”

Varian frowned. “How the hell would you know? Who the hell are you to her?”

Nash gave him a blank stare. “I occasionally call her ‘mother’ just to piss her off.”

“What?” Varian asked, shock evident on his face.

Nash shrugged. “She is literally my godmother, you see…”

Varian groaned again and slumped his shoulders. “I screwed up, right?”

“Nope,” Kaina laughed. “If anything, she is pissed at herself for not seeing you that day. She will come around.”

“How sure are you?” Varian asked.

This male before me was a complete contrast to the male who trained me earlier that morning. The one in the morning was a confident, one who was in complete control of himself.

Hearing the uncertainty in his voice made me want to go up to that new shifter and demand some answers. As much as Varian had said he would not join my pack, I could not help but feel protective over him, like he belonged to my small family. It was ridiculous to feel protective over a male who could have seen your entire family line, but I was past that now.

Aislynn had hurt him and I needed some answers.

Before Kaina could reply, the door opened as though she wanted to give him an answer herself.

Seeing her, Varian’s face lit up.

All she did was to throw that ring on him. “Make it right.”

With that, she went inside but thankfully she did not close the door behind her.

Varian cradled that ring as though it was a precious thing.

Miguel walked over to him and gasped when he saw that ring.

“Is that-” Miguel began.

Varian nodded. “My mother must have taken it from my drawer when I was away.”

Rhaze frowned and shared a look with Antlia. “What is that?”

“Varian forged it himself.” Miguel smiled as he patted his brother’s shoulder. “He swore to give it to his mate when he met her. He thought he had lost it during the wars following the curse.”

Antlia’s eyes widened. “Forged it, you say?”

“My mother had been a goldsmith before she met my father,” Varian smiled. “She and a vampire began a shop for gold back in those days. When I was born, she taught me her trade, hoping it would not die out.”

“But with the machines…” Rhaze began.

“Handmade stuff has a charm on their own,” Nash added. “My father was a weaver, Asilynn used to say. I have seen a few examples of his and let me tell you they were one of the best tapestries I have seen and I am not telling this because he was my father.” He then looked at Varian. “At least you had the chance to learn your mother’s trade. The only parent I have known my entire life is Asilynn. She was my mother and my father, filling their void just because my mom had asked her to take care of me.”

Varian gazed at Nash with a new light. Picking himself, he asked, “She grew you like her son?”

Nash nodded. “I have called her my mother more than the one who bore me.”

Antlia frowned and whispered when Varian went inside. “What was wrong with Varian? Why was he looking at Nash like that?”

It was Rhaze who answered. “He is not seeing Nash as an outsider. He is seeing Nash as his own son.”

While Kaina started at my sister with an odd expression, Aries simply chuckled.

********

It was late at midnight and we still were out in the living room. Varian had made his way into his bedroom after hours of grovelling and was yet to make his way out with his calm downed mate.

Kaina was leaning on the sofa, with Antlia laying her head on the witch’s lap. Nash concentrated on the card he had on his hand while Miguel tried to peek into my sister’s. Aries refused to play this game, claiming he was too good at this and our pride would be hurt by his victory.

Just for saying that, I had been tempted to challenge him to play, but seeing Miguel’s wide eyes, I realised with sadness that the Warrior of Moon was not lying. So, he was sitting next to me, listening to some melodious music that his headphones were playing.

Rhaze played her hand, drawing a reverse card. Next to me, Nash had been smug when he had only three cards in his hand. Seeing my sister change the sequence, I could not help but smirk.

Smiling sweetly at the werewolf who gave me a long look, I drew my card. “Plus four. Draw four cards, Nash.”

He groaned. “First it was Miguel, then you! What is with you people? Aislynn played better.”

“Awwww,” Antlia cooed. “Is someone missing their mommy?”

Nash nearly growled. “So what if I miss her?”

Kaina laughed as she glanced at the cards in her hand and sighed. “You remind me so much of my son.”

Hearing this, Antlia shot up. “You have a son?”

Kaina smirked. “Can’t believe it?”

Antlia shook her head. “Hell no.”

I chanced a glance at Rhaze who concentrated on her cards more than ever. Her mind shields were up and her fingers clutched the cards tighter. As much as she acted nonchalant out, I could literally feel a hint of hostility from her. What was wrong with my sister?

Kaina skimmed her eyes over my beta and then smirked at Antlia. “ I have a daughter, who might be the named heir of a tribe and a son who would serve his sister.”

Nash blinked. “I can’t tell that you are a mother of two!”

Miguel seemed to be more interested in her life than the game he was sorely losing. In the game of UNO, he had more than twelve cards while all of us had less than four, save for Nash who had been forced to take an extra four cards because of me.

Antlia’s eyes sparkled. “Tell me about them.”

Rhaze coolly raised her head. “Tell us.”

Aries calmly paused his music, took off his headphones and folded his arms.

Kaina shrugged. “My daughter, Neiya was born forty years ago, she is yet to be mated. Since my sister-in-law never had a child, she named my daughter as her successor. When she was born, I was one of the happiest witches alive.” She smiled sadly. “My mate was Roland, Zayin Priscilla’s brother of Summer Tribe brother. Seeing my rank in my tribe, I could not have a single worry.”

Antlia asked, “If you are the mother of Summer Tribe’s Zayin, what are you doing here? You have enough right to claim the Zayin title of Summer Tribe yourself.”

Kaina closed her eyes. “Ten years after Neiya was born, I had another child,” she said, ignoring Antlia’s question. “Seth was a breath of fresh air in my life. When he was twenty years old, he met his mate, Esme. She is a sweet thing.”

“Mother to the Zayin of one of the Great four Tribe?” Nash asked, his eyes wide. “You are in front of us, playing a dumb game.”

Kaina shrugged, but I could see the pain she so tied to conceal in her green eyes. “Who said UNO was a dumb game?”

Miguel nodded his head fervently. “Too true, Kai. I agree with you one hundred per cent.”

“Kai?” Rhaze asked, raising her eyebrows.

“Kaina is too long,” Miguel defended.

Aries snorted. “Then I dare you to call Sagittarius by her short name, Miguel.”

Phoenix shifter’s face paled. “Why her?”

“Because her name is long too,” Aries said simply.

Miguel shook his head. “No! Not her!”

Before Aries could comment anything, a faint moan came from the room in which the two mates were in.

While a blush lit my face, Rhaze and Nash simply coughed. It was Antlia and Miguel’s reaction that was unbearable. Their smirk made it so much worse.

“I bet they are going to complete the bond by morning,” Antlia said, grinning at Rhaze and my reaction.

“Morning?” Miguel said. “You give them too much time, princess. I bet within an hour.”

“Have faith guys,” Kaina snorted. “They are completing the bond as we speak.”

“Already finished,” Antlia commented.

Rhaze then gasped. “Have a little filter!”

“I am definitely having regrets sending you to Aqua,” Aries said. “Definitely.”

As they continued to tease the two mates, Miguel suddenly rose up and messed up all the cards.

Antlia had been about to win. When he messed it up, she shot up. As a fight broke between Ant and Miguel, Rhaze and Kaina simply sat on the sidelines and watched it as though they were seeing a football match. It was Nash who was sadly pulled between their fight.

Sighing, I got up and left the house.

Alright? Rhaze asked.

Just felt a little claustrophobic, I replied.

Rhaze hummed and cut our connection.

The beach at night was a vision worth seeing. The waves that were dressed in dark ink, dressed itself in silver when it touched the land. The moon shone and the stars winked at the earth through time. I tried to locate where Alioth might be, but from here, all appeared same.

A pressure settled in my mind. Like someone was prying it open.

L-Lyra? A familiar voice resonated in my mind.

I froze and it was not because of the cool winds that caressed me.

Ly? Can you hear me? she asked again.

I reached out hesitantly. Reece?

I could literally feel her sigh despite the distance. Thank the Moon, Lyra! I have been trying to connect and it is only now that I could reach you.

Did something happen? I asked.

Ethan has not yet found that ten of us are in your pack, she said. He is so focused on finding you.

But why do I sense a but?

Sands shifted and tides found their pace for the night. Laughter came from within the house as the scent I so tried to resist became stronger.

He found Brent, Reece said. Brent and Andrew fled. Those two are using the pack bond to locate you. I am informing this in prior.

Thank you, Reece, I said. It is so amazing to hear from you. How is my mom?

There was a brief pause before she replied. Evelyn Throne is barely alive. Livvia is doing everything she can.

Liv? I asked.

Liv wants to join our pack, but something prevents her. I can feel it.

Can you check on Raoul? I asked.

Will do, she promised. But why so?

Just do, I urged.

She hummed and then said, Bye. Harper is on her way.

With that, she cut her connection.

I relaxed a little. They were safe. For now.

“Surprising,” he commented.

“What is?” I asked.

“You linking your pack on the other side of the continent.”

I shrugged. “I never knew it was a great deal.”

Aries came closer and his scent overpowered the smell of the ocean. My soul had been coaxed to rest by the sea breeze, but he had to come to make it chaotic again.

Aries gave me a sideways glance. “You are not prepared to be an Alpha.”

“Tell me about it,” I retorted.

“You have no goal,” Aries said, keeping his hands in his pockets. “So unlike many rejected, you aren’t out for Ethan and Harper’s blood. You don’t seek revenge. As much as your father and friend’s death affected you, you want to protect what is left. You are lost. You don’t want to take a path chosen by many.”

“Screw me for that,” I muttered. “I want Ethan and Harper’s blood, don’t get me wrong. But if in my quest for revenge, I am going to lose another, I would rather nurture what I have left. But I want to grow strong, become confident that I can take an Alpha down. Then I will kill Ethan and Harper myself.”

Aries smiled and it was brighter than that Moon. “That’s what sets you apart. You want a goal? Take one. Forge one.”

“It’s not easy.”

“Never said it was,” Aries said. “There are shifters still out there in the world, into hiding, holding onto the fragile link, that sliver of hope they have with the Royals during the war. They need an Alpha to stabilise them. If you want to make a better world, break the curse Amaris gave, you can start by providing them with a pack. With a home. With an Alpha.”

I am having spontaneous bursts of writing. So I am unable to give you all a schedule.

Until next update,

~Quill