Aries

A/N: Sorry for the late update. I was caught in a thing called life and I had to pull myself to write this.

Anyway, hope this is worth the wait.

***********

I inhaled the scent that had my body at ease. Letting out a slow lazy breath, I willed my eyes to open. Strong arms were wrapped around my body as our legs were entangled.

I was literally lying over him. Aries. This male was mine. When that possessiveness resonated within me, I could not help but rub more of my scent purposefully on his skin.

The newborn rays of the sun did him no justice. His sharp features were accentuated yet his face held a softness that the older rays often failed to unveil.

I drank in his features like an obsessed female. A few strands of his hair shyly touched his forehead. I knew how his eyes would have looked if he had opened them. That molten silver through which one could travel in time.

His nose was a slight bit crooked as if someone had punched his nose hard. Why did he not allow this body to heal would be a wonder.

My fingertips followed my gaze. Was it possible to be aroused by just seeing someone? Especially when that person was sleeping?

I moved to a more comfortable position when I felt it. His hardness. Although the part of my mind that said this was a normal thing in REM sleep, my newly mated crazed limbic system whispered something else in my mind.

Just as I was about to kiss him, he woke up and gave me an unruly smile. A smile that promised me of hidden intent. And I found myself returning that smile.

*********

Finally, we came out of the shower. While we did not want to let go of each other, real-world was calling to us.

I rubbed my hair with a clean cream coloured towel he had on the shelf. I wore a brown button-up shirt of his that reached my thighs. Sighing, I sat on a chair near the kitchen and yawned.

Aries kept a cup of coffee before me, before filling a mug for himself.

“Better?” he asked.

I smiled. “Yep. Coffee’s good.”

He shook his head. “I meant how you are.”

I inhaled the tantalising scent. “I am as good as I can be. But... I am a bit worried about my pack.”

He nodded and sat on the kitchen table opposite me. “It is normal to be.”

I sipped the brown liquid. Surprisingly, it had the ingredients in the proportion I loved. “What... what happened to Antlia?”

He closed his eyes. “Jed brought her. She was in a coma. Jed himself in a worse condition. Kaina and Corvus managed to wake Ant up. She threw a huge tantrum to find you and she insisted to be the one to find you.”

I chuckled. “And she did not succeed?”

Aries snorted. “I managed to give her to Taurus. He will take care of her. After leaving her there, I could not go back to the pack. I left to find you. Look at how things turned out to be. You found me instead.”

Another Warrior. Had I met him in the past? If I meet him now, would I recognise him?

Aries tapped my forehead with the knuckle of his forefinger. “You are a pulsar yourself, Lyra. You are strong enough.”

I nodded and finished my coffee. “I still have to find myself. I can’t believe that I have not yet ‘matured’ in the eyes of Luna.”

Aries caressed my hair. “You simply can’t force yourself. Especially you. From what I gather, Luna had suppressed your Pulsar powers to make you appear as a normal human. Coming to power might take more time for you than the other eleven.”

I sniffed. “If you say so.”

“Trust me on this one.”

I laid my head on his lap. “I will trust you in everything.”

He shook his head. “As I do. But... have you contacted your pack?”

I frowned. “No... the last I felt was Rhaze Marking Kaina. The bond I had with my pack sort of closed when I met Luna and I did not dare to open it when I saw you.”

Aries sighed. “Feel them. Perhaps, it will put your mind at ease.”

I shook my head. “No. I... I can’t bear to feel Aislynn’s pain.”

Aries kept caressing my cheeks. “She left, Lyra. She flew and she is yet to return. Varian tried to take up the meeting but found himself to do so. He too took his other skin and left.”

I gasped. “How is he?”

Aries’ face was grim. “I will never claim to understand him. He lost his son. His mate flew away. His Alpha is missing. If I were in his place, I have no idea what I would be doing. I would have given into that anger and vengeance even if it had ripped my soul apart.”

I closed my eyes and took in a deep breath. “Okay... I will open the bond now.”

Slowly, I found that link between me and my pack. Though the Soul-Bound between Aries and I was the first thing I could feel, the bond I had with my pack lingered in my heart.

There was a mask over it, like a fog that misted in the early hours of the day. I could see what was happening on the other side with a haze, but I could never get a clear picture of what was actually going on there without this veil.

For what reason, I never knew, but there was a lingering fear in me as I tried to open the link. I tried to move it aside and then recoiled back. I tried again.

This went on until I felt a warm hand squeeze mine.

I took in a deep breath and shoved the veil. Everything came to me at once.

Kaina had Marked Rhaze too. While I thought that would be the most surprising thing, I was proved it was not.

The last time I checked in, Mina was a part of my pack, but now, I could no longer feel her. It was like something had pried her from my pack. And right now, I could not tell if it had been forceful or willingly.

As for Miguel... that shifter was Marked by Aspen. What the fuck was he thinking? I nearly choked. Those two were at each other’s throat and now they are Mates? Though chosen, mates?

Before I could pass out from that shock, I felt another imprinting. Not marking, just imprinting.

While a Mark was permanent, imprints were rather temporary. If Mates had imprinted, it would last for six months, but if they are not mates, it would last depending on the level of love they had for each other. Ranging from a week to even as far six months.

Cheryl had imprinted on someone. That much I could gather. From the way the bond was blank with the members in the West Pack, I knew something was wrong there.

But I could only hope Cain would take care of it. That Hunter of Luna knew what to do. He had held Ethan off for so long and managed to get me away from Melantha. He was one clever male. Not to mention, Liv. As long as she was there, I knew that whatever project we had done would be safe.

I clenched my fists. How could I even suspect them of betraying me in the first place? Just how?

Those two had grown me up besides Carter Black and Evelyn Throne. They were the second set of parents. And I thought they gave up on me?

I should have known how much they had loved me. I should have.

“Hush,” Aries cooed.

I lifted my head from his lap and touched my cheeks to find streaks of wetness there. Why was I crying now? What was wrong with me?

“Nothing,” he said softly. “Nothing is wrong with you. You are just more open to your emotions more than ever. It will take a little while to control this.”

I sniffed. “Mating does that?”

He nodded. “Yes. Since Soul-Bounds do not keep things from each other, it is how it would be for a while. At least for you to feel like this with me. While the bond will never allow us to lie to each other or keep secrets for a long time, it will not make us feel so vulnerable as it does in the initial stages.”

I nodded. “As long as it is only you.”

Aries smiled. “It will be always you.”

I sighed and glanced at the clock. It had been five days and six nights since I had been kidnapped. The longer I stay away from my pack, the more agitated they would become. I had to go to them soon.

“Lyra?” Aries began. “Do you realise that... once you are recognised as a Pulsar, you can never be an Alpha?”

I froze. My heart literally skidded to a stop. It was not that I wanted this power. No, I just wanted my family- the family I was born with and the family I made to stay with me. Was that too much to ask?

I blinked. “Really?”

Aries nodded. “Our powers cannot be contained in Earth, Lyra, no matter how much you love this planet. Once you wake that pulsar in you, you will crave freedom. While you can still maintain the relationships you have with your family here, you will find that this has too little space for you. You will feel contained. Especially when you just come to power. I do not exactly know how a pulsar works, Lyra, but when a star is born, we leave them to themselves for ages. Only when the loneliness begins to creep in them, they come back to our society. Otherwise, we are content being alone. We need space. And stars do not like the existence of authority.”

I gulped. “So Creation and Destruction go hand in hand?”

Aries said, “Precisely.”

“So,” I said. “I need space? Even from you?”

Aries shook his head. “Separating you from me will be more deleterious to you than me. You are a first-generation Pulsar, like me. As much as you are as old as me, your identity was taken and so were your memories. Until you mature and get your memories back, you will be viewed as a young pulsar. If your powers awaken and they separate you from me, you would definitely go berserk. Separating us won’t work.”

I leaned on my chair. “So... I can never function without you ever in my life?”

Aries had the audacity to smirk. “Look at you. Already thinking of independency. That is a trait all the stars and pulsars have. Rarely you will see one of our kind dependent. There is nothing wrong in feeling either way.”

I glared at him.

He chuckled and took our mugs to the sink and washed it. “I will help you throughout. I am just saying that you can find this independent streak of yours after we free Luna. I am not saying you would be incapable in this period, but it will be me who would be in turmoil. So, please have a little bit of mercy and save me.”

My glare gave way for my eyebrows to meet. “What do you mean?”

“Now that we know where Luna is,” he said, hanging the mugs in their stand. “And how to release her, Melantha and her mother, Rionach will try every possible way to stop us. Stop Antlia. And in that mess, I cannot afford to let you go and worry if you would be safe or not.”

I slouched. “So the sooner we find a way to save Luna, the better. That’s what you are trying to say?”

Aries nodded. “Yes. Though Surva may know where her daughter is, though Qamar may allow his daughter to escape the Maze, that chain created by Surva is a very strong one. Only if we find all the twelve links, can we save her. Seeing that we know where one is, we have to focus on finding where the other eleven would be.”

I nearly groaned. “Melantha will not make it easier for us to take that link.”

He nodded grimly. “Yes. That’s why this war over West Pack is necessary. Not to mention, she has been toying with some research and the results, though he does not know the full extent, it terrifies Taurus. We have to be prepared for everything.”

I closed my eyes and absent-mindedly nodded. “Is the matter of space that prevents me from being the Alpha?”

Aries rose his eyebrows. “Nope. It is a matter of power. Even half-stars or ones who have a star as their ancestor, they simply have too much power.”

“Antlia-”

“There’s a reason why they are called the Royal.”

I sighed. “I cannot be-”

“No, Lyra,” Aries said. “Even if you had been a half-pulsar or someone of the second generation, Amaris would have allowed you to be. But you, like me, are from first-generation. We... even if you do become the Alpha, Lyra. You won’t be able to give your best.”

I simply could not leave my pack behind. But as Aries said, I could visit them. But deep down I knew that when a certain time came, even the Shifters and Magycs and Vampires could die. I would outlive them. By staying here and watching my pack die before me, is not something I could do. I was not that strong.

I licked my lips. “So... we have to leave now?”

“As much as I hate to,” he said.

I got up and changed to the worn-out jeans and tops I had when I came out of the Maze.

Aries was waiting for me, wearing a fresh white shirt and dark blue jeans. His hair was tousled and his silver eyes lit up seeing me. Was that how it would be from now on?

If so, I loved it.

He held my hands. “Ready?”

I stepped closer. “Will I be okay?”

“As long as I am here, Lyra,” Aries said.

“Ready.”

Then it all went out.

************

The familiar road hit me hard when I opened my eyes. Just how fast had we travelled?

I put my hands over my knees and braced myself while my Soul-Bound stood there calmly. How could he stand there as though nothing was wrong?

Damn it! Just how many times had he done this? It would take a while for me to get used to this speed.

It took nearly five minutes to get my bearing again. Coughs gripped me and when it looked like it was about to severe Aries came and gently patted my back. The last time he ran this fast, I was not affected by it this much.

When the coughs subsided, I glared at him.

“I am sorry,” he said. “I never expected you to react like that.”

“Then how did you think I would react?” I gasped.

He cleared his throat. “Better.”

I rolled my eyes. “That was the fastest I had ever travelled in my life. This was even faster than the last time you ran with me.”

Aries smirked. “Get used to it.”

I snapped. “When I begin to go that fast myself, I will get used to it.”

Aries simply smiled.

Far ahead of the road, a familiar house stood. But that was the only thing familiar in this region.

The rows of cars that were parked along the road, a huge table on the beach and the evidence of a banquet was not lost to me.

Did we come to the wrong place? What had happened here?

As my eyes absorbed my surroundings, a female wearing a light grey pencil skirt with a similar coat walked towards me with confidence in that four-inch heels. In one hand she held a tab and the other swung lazily by her side. Her brown eyes held smugness and her hair was styled perfectly in a bun.

For a second I just wondered how it would have been if my birth mother, Likira Vade was alive. If the family I had lost was alive. I would have spent my Summer or my Winters at this female’s place with my twin.

Chris could have been spoilt to death by this godmother of hers. She would have made sure Chris had received that acquired gene for fashion Likira had to be expressed.

Zahra Lein stood before me. “Lyra.”

I could not hold it back anymore. I simply hugged her tightly.

There was a split second hesitation before Zahra hugged me back. “Lyra,” she said softly.

Aries stood next to me, high on alert despite knowing who Zahra Lein was. I could hardly blame him.

When I released her, she smiled at me. “What’s wrong?”

I shook my head. “Nothing.”

She playfully frowned at me. “This hug can’t be because you missed me so much.”

“It could be,” I said.

“Hardly,” she fired. Then she moved her eyes over to Aries. She bit back a gasp. “And this is?”

“This is Aries,” I said, looking at him. “My Soul-Bound.”

Zahra stared at him for a few minutes before snapped from her revive. “Huh? Soul-Bound?”

Aries gave her a light smile. “Mate.”

Zahra’s eyes widened. “A star? A Warrior?”

Aries nodded. “Yes, ma’am.”

She frowned. “Ma’am? Me?”

I held her free hand. “Can we go inside? I have loads to tell you and Rhaze.”

Zahra nodded and led us.

“What happened?” I asked her, eyeing the sleek black sedans.

“Meeting,” Zahra chuckled. “For a war.”

“I gathered that much,” I said. “But who are here?”

“Your friend Corvus came with a few members of Spring Pack and Spring Tribe. Alpha Eric’s pack members and his allies are here.” Zahra unlocked her tab and then locked it again. “A few Magycs from North Tribe and Summer Tribe are here. And the vampires I brought with me.”

“How many?” I choked.

“Enough to storm West pack.”

I withheld my breath and glanced at a smirking Aries. That one male was more than enough.

Zahra followed my line of sight and sighed. “Yes. he is more than enough. But I think you should listen to what Rhaze and Kaina have to say.”

I nodded and then frowned. “What are you doing out, alone?”

Zahra huffed. “I am hardly alone. Silas will never leave me alone. Some Vampires are always watching me. I came out to take a call. It was so noisy inside the house.”

“Why noi-” I stopped myself as I tuned in my ears.

The noise was so painful to my ears. It was a mix of voices fighting over things that were unclear. Among them, I could only distinguish Miguel who was shouting something about experience and Brent who was screaming at others to be silent.

Aries placed a hand over my shoulder. “Ignore it.”

“How?” I managed to whisper.

Aries looked me right in my eyes. “Take deep breaths and focus on the sound you want to hear. Ignore the others.”

Zahra began, “Tell me if I am wrong, but Lyra has not shifted yet, right?”

Aries shook his head. “No. But she has been just mated to me. A little of my powers are being shared with her. A part of my soul will take literally anything as a threat and try to protect her.”

Say what?

I gave him a blank stare. Why the hell did he not tell me about this?

I did not want to tell you until that dormant part of you wakes up, Aries said. This is a least protection I could give you.

Protection? I asked.

Yes, Aries said. Then after a second or two, he added. A part of your soul is with me.

What?

Yes, he said. It comes with Soul-Binding. I do not know if this would fade away or stay. This is the first time I have Soul-Bonded.

I blinked. We can talk about this later.

Sounds good.

Zahra gave us a long look before she went ahead and opened the door.

I nodded at Aries and sped behind her.

The house was the same as I remember, except it seemed to hold more people. Some sat on chairs, some on the floor, a few on the table and a few sat on some people.

Kaina dropped the glass bowl she had when she saw me standing at the door. Rhaze just stood up from her chair, her loose top fell to her right side, exposed her Mark. Miguel just blinked at me while Aspen gave me a smirk.

Corvus who was sitting on the table gasped and began coughing. While Brent looked like he was about to pass out, Jed looked up as though to thank someone.

I have never seen anyone else’s face. From what I saw, Eric, Mina and Silas were missing. Other than that, these were all the people I knew.

“Lyra!” Miguel cried as he ran towards me, breaking the silence. “My Alpha!”

Just before he was about to hug me, he glanced behind me and gulped. “Aries.”

“Miguel,” he replied.

Ignoring him, I pulled Miguel in for a hug. As he returned the hug just as fiercely, I heard two growls. One from Aries behind me and the other from Aspen who traded her smirk for a snarl.

I laughed as I released him. While one could talk sense to Aries, one would loose to Aspen. It was simply because the bond between me and Aries was complete and what Aspen had with Miguel was half of a half bond.

I smiled at her. “Don’t worry, Aspen. Miguel’s all yours.”

Worry had been gnawing me ever since I felt Aspen mark Miguel. Wondering if these two would ever find love. But seeing this jealousy on Aspen, a part of my worry faded away. Though these two would not have that cliche love at first sight, these two might hurdle into it, if these two pulled the best versions of themselves for each other.

A vampire laughed. She gave Aspen a wink. “Told ya.”

Rhaze came up to me and hugged me. Surprisingly, Aries understood that she was family. And Miguel was not?

He is, Aries assured me. But I bet, even if a mated female was to come close to me, you would fight her.

I bit my lips. He was right. I would have clawed that female’s face with the nails I had and worry about the consequences later.

Following Rhaze was Kaina whose hug was warm just had her smile had been. Brent and Jed gave me a nod and Corvus raised his glass to me.

The glass that had red liquid in it. Was this warlock drinking in the middle of the day? Forget that. Was this warlock even drinking?

Corvus seemed to have caught what I was thinking. “Raspberry juice. No alcohol.”

Releasing me, Kaina face-palmed. “This would be your first concern.”

Rhaze laughed. “It would. Especially when Pyxis tried his best to get this warlock drunk.”

“Did he succeed?” a voice asked from the crowd.

“No,” Rhaze replied. “Corvus was stubborn.”

Corvus gave us all a self-satisfied smile. This male was a friend of mine. I shook my head. I had to check my choice of friends.

Then the cheering began. Zahra leaned closer. “What was it that you wanted to talk to me and Rhaze?”

Just as I was about to open my mouth, a thud echoed from out, as if someone had jumped on the road from a great height.

“Let me down, now!” a female shrilled. “Down now, Gem!”

“Okay!” a male replied. “See? You’re not hurt!”

“But who the hell jumps from an aeroplane?” the female shouted.

“An aeroplane that was about to burst,” the male argued in a lethargic tone. “You wanted to burn?”

“What of the pilots?” the female asked.

The two voices were getting louder. Those two were approaching us.

I turned and stood beside an amused Aries who saw the two people who had landed.

The male was handsome, almost as handsome as Aries, still, he could not make my heart flutter like Aries did. His black hair was frazzled and his eyes, it so resembled Aries. That silver colour gave away who he was, or at least what race he belonged to.

The female had a dark brown complexion, with her long hair in a thick braid. Her brown eyes held fury towards this star and yet, this male was not disturbed. Which star would allow a human to scold him?

“They had a parachute,” the male reasoned.

“You don’t?” she asked and then scoffed, “Of course, you don’t. Cause you are not a normal human.”

“Riga...” the male drawled. “Come on, it’s not my fault. I did not know that when I boarded the aeroplane that we would be blasted in the sky.”

Riga gave him a look of disbelief. “Gem! I swear-”

“Don’t be like that, Auriga,” Gem said. “If I can fly myself out of such a situation, why bother with a parachute?”

“I can’t believe I worked for you for all this while!” she snapped and then she saw where she was heading, she looked up at us.

A gasp left her when she saw Aries and without my control, a low growl slipped past my defence. Hearing it, both the intruders stopped. But Gem had a full-blown, shit-eating grin.

“Soul-Bound, Aries?” he asked. “Never informed any of us.”

As if that guy’s voice brought her from her shock, Riga sighed. “Of course you know him! How many things have you been hiding from me, Gem?”

Gem pouted at her. “Not much! Just a few unimportant things.”

The girl’s jaw dropped. “It is not important that you can fly and can freaking move at the speed of light?”

“No,” he said. “What’s important in life is, the amount of spice you add to the biryani and the time taken to make kheer.”

Riga shook her head and muttered. “Impossible.”

Aries said, Sorry for this. This guy literally came unannounced.

“Can you for once in your life,” Aries said, looking at the star. “Stop being a pain in my back, Gemini?”

A/N: Anybody has any guesses?

What do you think of Aries and Lyra?

Of Riga and Gem? (Any guess about them? Don’t worry, they will disappear in the next chapter)

Anyway, I am sleepy af. I don’t even know what I am typing anymore. If you find any mistakes, please let me know. I was basically half-sleeping when I typed this chapter. Leave your thoughts on this chapter.

Goodnight. (Good Day, if it is a day for you)

Until next update,

~Quill