Aries

A/N: I know many would ask why so many bonus chapters... And I would like to tell them that this is my story and not to mention when Lyra comes into the picture in the next chapter, you need a continuation.

And this chapter is purely for Mipen shippers. I don’t know how you imagined this to go...but this is how it goes in this story.

If you have read the bonus chapter from Aspen’s pov, you might recognise a few characters and if you have dissected that chapter, what happens at the end won’t be a surprise to you!

Anyway, Enjoy:)

P.S. I am enjoying the Chinese drama untamed so much that I have begun to read the English translation of the book. It’s purely amazing!

******

He took in a deep breath. This meeting was not going how he had planned it to. Well… he had not planned it, Rhaze and Kaina had. He merely had a prediction on how it would go. Impatience burned in him along with the embers when things did not go the way he hoped it would.

At least, if Varian had been there, this meeting would have been tolerable. He had been planning what to do for the first two days after which, he gave in to his emotions and left. That Gamma was spending his time in his other form deep in the sea. His mate was yet to return. Both had taken the loss of their son differently.

Miguel simply could not imagine the pain. Even while Nash had not his son, he felt like a part of his soul was being ripped. He loved that boy dearly.

As much as Nash had protested his presence, Miguel knew that he welcomed it. Only if fate had been a bit kind and gave that boy more time. He was newly mated for Amaris’ sake! Nash deserved to live. Mina had even Marked him in hopes of saving him.

Now what had happened to her? She was writhing in pain in her room, allowing no one except Theta Silver in that room. Miguel could still hear her wails of agony.

Since they had not even buried Nash, she was still in her mourning period. They were waiting for Lyra to return to bury him. An Alpha must be present to bury the pack members.

The warlock who came from the Spring Tribe had a look of annoyance on his face. “Are all here at least now?”

Kaina gave him a raised eyebrow and put her head on her mate’s shoulder. “Such impatience.”

The warlock, Corvus gritted his teeth. His blonde hair and that unique eyes that had annoyance and power shimmering in them somehow stampeded that he was an important person without even releasing his aura.

Releasing his aura, damn Amaris, that warlock was a powerful being. That warlock knew it and used it. His arrogance and temper was something many people could not stand, but Miguel knew one thing meeting him. Corvus was a male who would give his life for the people he cared, despite his indifferent demeanour.

“This impatience of mine saved me a lot of times when I am in danger,” he said. “I can be patient, Reish Kaina, but I prefer not to. Lyra is my friend as much as she is yours. And I think we both know that each second Lyra is in that Maze, she will be slowing succumbing to insanity. Patience is not the key here.”

Aspen tilted her head. “I may be younger than you, Zayin Corvus. I may agree with your policy, but we should tread carefully here.”

“Not Zayin,” Corvus muttered. “My mother is. Next in line is my niece born to my mother’s sister. I won’t take the title.”

Reish Jarred, a warlock whose tribe had a treaty with Aspen’s pack spluttered. “W-what? Do you know that you are quite a legend among Magycs? You are not going to take the title?”

Corvus brushed a curl of his golden hair that fell on his face. “If I take the title of Zayin, my father’s pack will protest. I may be a warlock and not a shifter, but I am still the firstborn son of Alpha of Spring Tribe. I won’t take either title.”

“Why so?” Reish Jarred asked.

Miguel cleared his throat. “I believe we have gathered for another reason.”

Aspen nodded. Miguel’s brows rose. There was a first in everything.

“Let’s get to the point then,” Brent said, tapping the table.

The study table Varian had on the second floor was dragged out to the beach and they were having a conference around it. Members from Aspen’s pack, a few Magycs Corvus brought and few from Kaina’s Tribe were there. Not to mention, at least one representative from the pack, coven or tribe Aspen’s pack had a connection with was there.

“The Maze,” Kaina said. “Like Dungeons might have many entry points. Entry is easy, exiting is the difficult part.”

“How so?” Jed asked, his voice rough.

When Jed had come with an unconscious Antlia, Aries had been further furious. After Kaina and Corvus managed to wake her up, Aries took Antlia and sent her to Taurus, saying Taurus was far away and he had enough resources to protect her.

Antlia had indeed protested saying that she needed to meet Lyra before leaving, but Aries had been stubborn. After leaving Ant with Taurus, Aries had gone to the East tribe. He was damaging it. It was then Miguel understood what it was to come between a Soul-Bond. Come especially between the Soul-Bound of a Warrior. That Tribe could not recover for at least another decade.

It was too light. The damage. But even in that anger, Aries never harmed the innocents. Only those who came in their way. But before he could get the Zayin, Corvus had challenged the Zayin and had humiliated him. Seeing that and sensing something else, Aries had left the East Pack. Or that was what Corvus told them. This warlock was Lyra’s good friend and he earned a hug from Rhaze. That trust Rhaza had for Corvus made Miguel trust him. Aries was yet to return and Miguel just hoped that Warrior would return soon.

“If it is anything like the Dungeons, trust me, Jed,” Miguel said when he realised that everyone’s gaze was on him. “It will have many entry points. Only if that prison decides to leave you, you can be released. So… entering is not going to be a problem even if we find a doorway to that damned Maze.”

Corvus’ eyes narrowed. “Well, one entry point is in East Tribe. We know that at least. Let’s enter and find Lyra. And Zayin of East Tribe doesn’t stand a chance against me. I can win him anyway.”

Kaina sighed. “I know you can. But even if we enter the Maze, we have to find a way out. From what I have gathered, only Warriors can navigate them and release the people apart from Moon”

Corvus gritted his teeth. “Asking the help of a Warrior would be no big deal. You should have seen Aries in East Tribe. He would die for her. But finding him is the question.”

Aspen took in a deep breath. “This will definitely demand war.”

“War?” Nadia, Theta Silver’s sister asked. A vampire from a nameless Coven with whom Eric’s pack had a connection with. “Isn’t it too much?”

“No,” Rhaze said, typing something furiously on her computer. “It is expected.”

Reish Jarred blinked. “Expected? How so, Beta?”

Rhaze lifted her gaze from the computer and looked at him. The sharpness that gaze had, by Amaris, it could make a grown male piss his pants. “Ethan wants Lyra to breed. There is not a law that gives Ethan a way to use Lyra like this. Mates are not be used as a source of a baby. Not to mention, he refuses to accept the fact that Lyra is an Alpha and he simply cannot force himself on her. He killed our father and our best friend. Did I get all the facts right to say why this war is expected?”

“Also,” Miguel added. “Lyra was planning on attacking. She knew she was not strong enough to lead an attack. She was growing. When a predator hides, it means, it is conserving its strength to strike back stronger. Lyra told me herself. She did not strike back because she knew she would lose what she had left. At least she did not act on her temper and vengeance like an immature brat. She was waiting for the right time to strike.”

“That’s the Lyra I know,” Corvus said, a faint smile etched on his lips.

Miguel took a deep breath. Lyra did know how to choose her friends. While one may have betrayed her, many others whom he met stayed loyal to her. It was quite rare to find friends who would defend you even after time had tried its best to wedge a space between the two.

Aspen took the tea the witch from Spring tribe served them. “I must admit,” she said, swirling the contents of the tea. “I was worried about how such a young thing would be an Alpha. Lyra did keep proving me wrong. As much as impatience is a trait most Alphas share in common, she was level headed and judged herself where she stood. She is indeed a female worth calling an Alpha.”

Alpha Eric smiled at his sister. “I bet all I have that you are already planning a treaty in your mind.”

Aspen gave her brother a roguish grin. “Don’t you know me too well?”

Nadia took her tea and glanced at it. “If it comes to war, Beta Rhaze, will it be against the entire West Pack or just the Alpha pair?”

Miguel refused tea. Who would drink black tea in the middle of the day in the meeting? He internally scoffed. Aspen would, apparently. For she was the one who ordered the witch to make the black tea. Had she not interfered, the young witch would be serving nice tea with milk and sugar.

He tried to glare at that ex-alpha but found himself unable to. How could he when she was looking like that?

So regal and majestic. Like an Alpha born to lead. Alpha Aspen Ruiz. It did have a nice ring to it. As much as she was in her ripped jeans and a black crop top, just that fierceness to protect Lyra made her look as if she was ready for a battle. She was ready to fight for a friend, for a girl she barely knew, take on his alpha’s enemy as hers, just because Aspen believed females had to stand together. If that was not sexy, he did not know what was.

“I think it would be entire West Pack,” Rhaze said, closing her laptop. “While Ethan and Harper may not command the loyalty of the pack, Cain does and he made sure to let us know that he hates Lyra.”

Nadia bit her lip and looked at her Epsilon. “Sorrel?”

Sorrel glanced at her tablet. “I think we need to talk to Omicron Riley, Nadia. We can’t decide anything.”

Nadia nodded. “Fine.”

Another Coven that had come because of Alpha Eric. Their Zeta, a male named Torentz, looked at Rhaze.

The way he looked at her, Miguel wanted to growl. Rhaze was a capable wolf and he had seen it personally how strong and persistent she was. Torentz had no right to look at her like that. Like she was a bug under his foot.

Aspen growled at him. “What is it, Torentz?”

He snarled. “So… This is a meeting to make treaties for a war against West Pack? Is that what it is? I am sure as Moon’s Lair that this pack will fail to West Pack. Did you forget how advanced they are in terms of science? You think you have a chance to win, Beta Rhaze?”

Kaina growled as she straightened herself. “I am meant to be the Zayin of North Tribe. My daughter is being trained to be the Zayin of Summer Tribe. This pack has two Tribes at its disposal. You think our victory will depend on your support?”

Corvus grinned and there was not a hint of humanity in that. “What of Spring Tribe and Spring Pack? Do you think I will abandon my friend now? That girl should have asked for my help the second West Pack threw her out. I would have helped her and none of this would have happened.”

Jed looked at Brent and cleared his throat. “This fighting between us is not advisable.”

Zeta Torentz shot up from his seat. “This is bullshit! I quit. I want my coven to be safe! I don’t even have any friendly relation with this useless pack. I am not putting my coven at risk. My Omicron will understand.”

Eric gave the Zeta a levelled look. “This pack had a boy, Torentz. He went by the name Nash. He was my sister’s mate. Mina’s mate. The same Mina who saved both your child and mate. I do understand if this is how you are willing to pay back a female who saved your family. Totally acceptable.”

No one could ignore the mockery in his tone. At Alpha Eric’s words, the Zeta flushed and sat down.

“Why are you sitting down?” Eric asked in the same indifferent tone. “You made sure we knew your hatred towards this pack. You aren’t welcome here anymore.”

Torentz’s eyes widened. “You… you are willing to break the treaty because of this?”

Aspen smiled coldly. “It is not a secret that your coven needs my pack’s support to survive, Zeta. So, if we break the treaty, the one at a loss is not us.”

Eric nodded slowly. “My sister had marked Nash. This makes us family. And I choose family over the treaty, Torentz. You can say to your Omicron that this treaty is over.”

Colour filled the vampire’s cheeks as he got up and left. Two vampires who belonged in his coven trailed behind him.

“That… went well,” Corvus commented.

Nadia shook her head. “I have always wondered Aspen, why would you ever had a treaty with that coven.”

Aspen shrugged. “I never did. Arnold did. Since it was not deleterious to us, I guess, it kind of stayed.”

Although she seemed and looked uncaring, the way she said the name Arnold, Miguel knew that he must have been the mate she had killed. He was not the one to judge her for it. From the way she was not punished, Arnold must have been someone who committed a crime.

He had killed his mate, Kenna for being nothing but innocent. He had killed her just because he was not able to control his fire when Amaris released the curse. So who was he to judge? Anyone could judge her, but not him. Never him.

He did not know how many saw it, but he saw a faint crack in that armour her eyes had. It was then he realised.

While she might not love her mate now, she must have when she killed him. And somehow, she had never forgiven a part of herself. Not the part that killed her mate. The part had loved him. She hated fragment of who she was and in the process, hating herself.

She had not forgiven herself.

Miguel clenched his fist under the table. He had time if not to heal the wounds, at least to make peace with himself. With every part of himself.

Nadia sipped her tea and said nothing. Like she knew that name was an itch Aspen would ignore.

Eric looked at his sister. “Then… we will aid Lyra’s pack in this war?”

Aspen nodded. “That we will.”

Miguel sucked his breath. While Eric may not be the Alpha of one of the Eight Great Packs, his alliances and treaties were enough to gather an army to stand against a Great Pack.

As much as Kaina had said she would support them, there was an internal battle going within her mother Tribe. Her two sisters were fighting for power and the chaos the tribe has within itself was enough. Her daughter might support, but Miguel was not sure how much.

And Corvus, as much as he was the son of a Zayin and an Alpha, he was not going to take a title. Just because of that, not many would follow him. Only those loyal to him would. Alpha Eric’s support would mean a lot.

“No!” An Elder from Alpha Eric’s pack said with a conviction. “We are not going to support them, Alpha. We have no ties.”

“Mina’s mate was killed!” Eric snarled. “Nash was from this pack!”

“No!” The female said again. “But he died and the ties we had with this pack died with him!”

Miguel’s eyes narrowed. An ember flamed in his clenched palm. Beautiful flowers with petals of red and orange and every shade of gold took its first breath in his hand. As the fire caught everyone’s attention, the female gasped.

“What kind of sorcery is that?”

Eric’s eyes looked like it was about to pop out. Jed’s jaws were hanging. Nadia dropped her teacup, which shattered on the ground. Reish Jarred tries to form words but said nothing. Many others who did not know that shifters were back had a varying degree of shock etched on their faces.

Only if Lyra was here. She would have reprimanded him like a mother scolding her young. Hit him on his head. Unfortunately, his Alpha did not share a flair for drama as much as he did.

“Th-that is fire!” Jed managed to say.

Aspen gave him a blank stare and then looked at her beta. “He is a shifter, Jed. Not a mere werewolf like us.”

Jed gasped. “Now I get it.”

Corvus who had snapped from his shock asked, “Get what?”

Jed had a crooked smile. “Lyra said to Hazel that even though her pack was small, she had a member who could damage half of East Tribe and the tribe would still face the consequences even after a hundred years. A member who would leave their tribe in nothing but cinders and ashes. I thought she was bluffing. I never realised she was boasting about you.”

Pride flared in his chest as his flames became hotter. The fire gave him more control to wield it. This fire surrendered to him.

Kaina smirked seeing the flames. “This pack is definitely not weak.”

Only if they saw Varian with the electricity crackling around him. It was only after Nash’s death did they all realise that Varian could call lightning if he put all his strength into it.

The Elder of Eric’s pack spluttered. “Impossible.”

“He is a shifter, Bonnie,” Aspen said, an unreadable expression dancing across her eyes. “Did you expect anything else?”

Bonnie looked at the other two Elders. They nodded and Bonnie took in a deep breath. “Still… we won’t give an alliance. We have nothing no relations. We won’t risk our pack for a stupid mistake your Alpha made. We-”

Aspen shot up her seat and Bonnie shut her mouth. For the first time, Miguel saw fury on Aspen’s face. His lips parted and his flames died seeing her.

For some unknown reason, fire crawled beneath his skin, going lower and lower. His breath became shallow and he simply could not see anything else.

After being in that Dungeon for a long time, he had forgotten what it was to be aroused.

Aspen glanced at the Elders of her pack. “So, if our pack had a relation with Lyra’s pack, we will fight with her? All our allies will join this battle?”

Everyone was stunned.

Another Elder slowly nodded his head. “If it is family-”

Aspen cut him again as she looked directly into Miguel’s eyes. “How much are you willing to sacrifice for your Alpha?”

Miguel could not look anywhere. Not when she looked at him like he was a meal she would love to devour.

“I would do anything,” he said with conviction. “Even if it means to sell my soul.”

Aspen took a deep breath and gazed at the Elders of her tribe. “So… if a member of my pack had a familial relationship with this pack, we can support them, right?”

Bonnie gulped and nodded. “Yes.”

Eric had a soft smile as though he knew what his sister was planning.

Aspen looked at him again. “Do you have a mate, Miguel?”

That was when it hit him hard. While non-ranking members had a relation, the alliance would not be as strong as the relation a ranking member would.

And not to mention, while everything was decided by the Alpha, Elders and the ranking members formed the council and even if all the ranking members gave their consent for war if the Elders did not their approval, the pack or coven or tribe could not go to war. It had been the way ever since his time.

Though his current pack worked differently, he was the only unmated ranking member of his pack. Rhaze was marked by Kaina who held hands and stared at them anxiously. Reece, their Gamma was also mated to a male called Mike. Lyra… as if Aries would allow anyone to touch her.

“She passed away,” he said, trying to keep the heaviness out of his voice.

Would Aspen make him mate with an unmated female of her pack?

“Would you take a mate for the sake of this alliance?” Aspen asked.

He never expected to be the one to take a mate for political reasons. Varian had been engaged because of political reason and that bastard was lucky to have his chosen fiance as his mate.

Would he sacrifice his happiness for Lyra?

Even though East Tribe did not pose a threat any longer after their Zayin meeting Corvus, they still had West Pack to think about.

Harper would use any means to win.

Would he grow to love this female Aspen had chosen?

Would he be able to let go of the memory of Kenna? Even though she had moved on?

Do we need this alliance, Beta? he asked.

Rhaze was silent for a minute. We do. From the sources that I have been gathering, even if a great tribe or a pack aides us, we would be at a loss. Not because it is West Pack, but because, Harper is doing something there. With Reece unresponsive, we don’t know what is happening. But from what Kaina had scryed and what I saw through satellites, Harper is creating a genetically advanced race. If she manages to control all of them, then the entire world would bow to her.

So we need the alliance? Brent asked.

I hate to say this, Rhaze said. We do.

Why didn’t you say about this before? Brent asked.

Rhaze sighed. Kaina and I got to know only a day before. With so many people here, I was not sure who will hear this.

Miguel nodded. “Yes. I would take a female for the sake of his alliance.”

“Outrageous!” Bonnie cried. “Unmated females of our pack have to meet their Luna given mate! You can’t arrange a mating, Aspen Ruiz!”

Aspen gave Bonnie a cold smile. “Who said it was going to be an unmated female?”

Confusion rang through him as well. Only Eric had a smirk. Apart from him, no one was better than him.

Aspen pushed her chair back and made her way towards him. Step by step. She walked slowly and with confidence that would have him on his knees if she had just blinked.

When she was just a breath away from him, her cold mask shattered. She was sorry. But for what?

Before he could open his mouth, Aspen asked in a voice that he was sure that none could hear. “Would you take me as your mate?”

His ears were roaring with blood. He could just stare at her. At her hopeful dark eyes that teased him with a thousand secrets. At her flushed cheeks that held a hint of embarrassment if he was to reject her. At her lips that he so wanted to taste.

She blinked at him and he forced himself to look into her eyes.

It was not merely dark. It had black flecks in the background of the deepest shade of brown he had ever seen. There was just a small ring near her iris that had a hint of honey.

He did not know what he replied nor did he care.

She was tall but not tall enough to reach his neck. She clenched the front of his shirt and pulled him down.

People stood up and shouted. Some screamed. Some protested. But how could he listen to them when his mate was so close?

When did he accept her as his mate? Or had she always been his mate?

He did not care again. Could not bother to.

She ripped his shirt over his left shoulder and exposed his shoulder and neck.

He gulped.

A fraction of a second later, sharp fangs pierced his skin over his left shoulder, near his neck.

It was instant. The bond. It snapped to life between them. It did not understand the complexities of politics or alliances. All it knew was to ground his existence to her.

It was made to make him crave her. Not like he craved air. But like he wanted his soul to be intact.

It was made to make him slowly float in the warmth her soul gave him.

The connection weaved around the bond they had now. While it was only a half bond, he could still feel her emotions as if it were his own.

And when he searched to see if she had any regret, he found guilt and misery. As if she had taken his choice. But beneath all that, he felt something.

Her want.

Her desire.

Her possessiveness.

And his beast roared out to hers. Even though she might have claimed him, she was his, just as much he was hers.

*********

A cool breeze fluttered through his hair. As much as seeing the rocking sea calmed him, he was anxious. He was newly marked and his mate was far away from him.

Far away? He scoffed. She was right there, laughing with her friend Nadia with a flute of champagne in her hand.

Yet she was not near him, rubbing her scent over him, marking him in a way primal than the Mark she had given him.

As if she felt his gaze on her, she glanced at him and a faint shade of pink lit her cheeks. Following her line of sight, when Nadia saw who she was seeing, the vampire giggled and left.

They were like magnets. Forced to be together. As he beckoned her to come near him, she did.

He grinned. Even without marking her, she was influenced by this bond. Only if he sunk his teeth in that delicate neck of hers. They would be bound irreversibly.

Aspen came towards him. Seeing that he was very far from the crowd gathered, they could speak with freedom.

“Hey,” she said, her voice soft.

He could not have this cocky mask with her. Not anymore.

“Hey,” he replied.

They were silent. Like teens who did not know what to do with their crush. As much as it was embarrassing for a fully matured shifter like him, he liked these feelings this bond gave them.

“What brings you here?” he asked, looking at the sky.

The sky was so beautiful that starlight. The dying sun pulled the reins of the last light with it as it sunk to its domain for rest. With the powerful light gone, the stars peeked through the canvas that had come with one colour in its mind for the night. The darkest shade of blue.

When the stars were sure that no clouds stood as a hindrance to their shine, they smiled more brightly. The Moon came out slowly like a mother following her unruly children.

The winds not able to decide on whose team it was, took the chillness of the land and traded for the heat with the sea.

She licked her lips as she glanced at her half-empty flute. “I… I felt your anxiety.”

He clenched his left fist so that she would not see it. “I am sorry to trouble you.”

Aspen grinned. “Nah! It is not. Newly Marked, it’s bound to happen. If anything, it got me out of that crowd. I am thankful.”

He hummed. That grin on her face. It made his heart to flip.

“Why didn’t you come?” She asked.

He raised an eyebrow. “To the party?”

She nodded.

He sighed. “You have a lot of friends, Aspen-”

“Exactly,” she exclaimed. “I wanted you to meet them.”

He ignored her words. “-many are males. I bear your mark, Aspen. You don’t have mine. I would be extremely jealous for unreasonable things and even if a friend of yours was to hug you, I would have the urge to kill them. We don’t want that, do we?”

Aspen gulped as her eyes widened. Was she afraid?

No.

The bond was smug. She was aroused by his confession. He could feel her battle; her desire to dominate him and have her way with him. It did not help that she was an Alpha’s daughter.

“Aspen,” he groaned.

As if he snapped her from a trance, she blinked and looked away, her cheeks taking a brighter shade of red.

“I...I am sorry,” she whispered.

Miguel gritted his teeth. “Not your fault.”

Aspen sighed. “It is. I… I did not know what the hell I was thinking when I marked you. It was like… I could not control myself.”

He licked his lips. Never in his life did he think he would be in a situation like this. In a situation where he was marked by a female, he both admired and lusted.

By a female who would not hesitate to hand his ass to him.

Be bound to a female whom he knew he would fall for even if not the bond.

But the question was, would she too?

“I… I don’t regret Marking you, Miguel,” she whispered, taking a gulp of her beverage as if it gave her courage. “You are a worthy male. I don’t regret it. I just hate myself for not giving you a chance. For-”

“My fire killed my mate,” he said, cutting her off. “I don’t know what agenda you had with you past mate, but mine did nothing. She was an innocent soul who was in the wrong place at the wrong time. When Amaris released the curse, I was one of the first to be affected. An entire tribe, whom Kenna and I visited died because of my fire. Now she is happy with her Soul-Bound. Still, I had killed her.”

Aspen placed the glass between them. “I killed mine because-”

“Don’t,” he said. “You are still torturing yourself over it. Make peace with yourself, Aspen. That will be the only medicine. Don’t feel pressured to tell me. I am not going to run anywhere. I will be here, now, tomorrow and the day after that. And for all the years to come. I will be there for you, Aspen, I can promise you that. But I can’t promise you that us marking or mating would miraculously pull you out of the abyss where you have made a home. I will help you build a ladder out of that place, but I assure you that I can’t make you climb if you are not willing to.”

He looked at her to find tears rolling down her face. “Hey-”

“Stop,” she protested weakly as she swatted his hands that he had unconsciously brought it up to caress her cheeks. “It is me. I am not worthy of you.”

With the knuckle of his pointer finger, he hit her forehead gently. “Stupid female.”

She sniffed. “Why am I so emotional?”

Miguel grinned. “Isn’t it amazing?”

She shook her head. “No. It’s. Making me feel.”

Miguel laughed. This female. “Emotions are supposed to do that.”

She shifted closer to him. “Been ages since I last gave into them.”

Winds found a way around them. While it was busy trading temperature between the land and the sea, it had bought the salt of the ocean unknowingly. The waves as though it was trying to win back its salt, crashed against the shore.

“You are right,” she whispered finally. “I never forgave myself.”

Miguel smiled. “It’s about time you do that.”

She mirrored his smile. “How is it that you are so wise?”

He chuckled. “When you are alone for six hundred years with a vampire who rarely spoke and with a star who kept changing her identity and character every day, you grow somewhere between them.”

Aspen took in a deep breath. “Tell me about them someday?”

He nodded. “Definitely.”

Aspen said, “I think if you put that cocky arrogance of yours, you are a decent male.”

Miguel huffed. “You Marked this male, remember.”

As much as she laughed it off, he felt her pride and possessiveness.

Instead of commenting on it and breaking the amiable atmosphere around them, he stayed silent and laughed with her.

Her laughter stopped suddenly as she shot up.

He followed her. “What’s wrong?”

Aspen gasped. “Theta Silver… Theta Silver Marked Mina.”

To those who found about Mina and Silver, congrats! You’re amazing!

Will I be seeing Mina and Silver anymore in Aries? No, this is the last of their appearance. They will appear in the next book... Cause spoiler alert! (Silver happens to be a good friend of the protagonist of the next book ;) )

Will Mina and Silver get a happy ever after? Maybe... After I am done torturing them a little. You’ll see how their story goes in the next book. Hopefully, I will see you there!

And when will Aspen Mark Miguel? I love this scene, I can’t wait to write it.

And... How do you like this chapter?

What are your thoughts on Corvus?

Thoughts on this chapter?

Anyway, until next update,

~Quill