Aries
Chapter 21.1

Another Bonus chapter... I think you know what to do

Her eyes were like nebula - so mystifying. Though it was a changing shade of gold, it looked silver by the reflection from the River of Souls.

“Why?” Mizar asked, glancing at the souls that were being cleansed of their memories for a new life. “Why did you ask us to suppress the genes?”

Amaris caressed the waters, the liquid shimmering under her touch. “They wronged me.”

Mizar pursed his lips, but he simply could not help himself. His father was right, he did have his mother’s rebellious streak.

“Only one betrayed you,” Mizar whispered. “Why condemn the entire race?”

The female who represented the Light of Moon glowered. “Elijah should not have done it.”

“Who did he betray Luna to?” Mizar asked the question everyone asked but no one got an answer for.

Amaris dropped to her knees. “I can’t say.”

“Can’t or won’t?”

“Can’t,” Amaris said hoarsely. “She has put a lock on her name. Even I can’t say who she is.”

“Do you know?” At least he knew the star at fault was a female now.

“I have a feeling,” she said.

Mizar gritted his teeth. “Anything would help now.”

Amaris closed her eyes. “Go to the Origins. You may replace a few things about her there.”

Mizar nearly lost his wit. “Origins? Is she that powerful?”

Amaris nodded and a strand of her silver hair spilt out of her meticulously twisted bun. “You have no idea.”

Mizar blinked. He knew a star to hide someone as powerful as Luna should be powerful enough, but he never realised how strong that star could be.

“So,” Amaris said. “Suppress it.”

It did not settle well with him. He had created a perfect genetic code for a male. The most perfect one blending the light of Amaris, the shadow of Kamaria and Magic of Chandra.

To that male, he had given shifter genes and from what Amaris said, he had to destroy that specific code. He could cry. No, he would cry if that code was lost or destroyed.

“I know,” Amaris said. “I know about the genes.”

Mizar scowled. “You know about it and yet you ask me to destroy it. How is it anyway fair?”

Amaris shook her head. “The shifters must bear the weight of what Elijah has done. Go and destroy them.”

Mizar pouted. “Luna went missing for more than a thousand years. Yet, Elijah was born only fifty years ago. This does not add up at all.”

Amaris sighed. “The Twelve left to search for her thousand five hundred years ago. They were about to replace her. Aquarius said she picked up Luna’s vibrations. This was forty years ago. Had Elijah not mated with that star, the Twelve would have found Luna all those years ago. Now, because she mated and because Cosmos considers love as the greatest strength, it granted that star more powers to hide Luna. To conceal Luna from the Twelve. If the Warriors were to mate or replace a Soul-Bound, they can rise to power as equal as that star’s and replace Luna.”

Mizar simply gaped at the female who grew him up in lieu of his mother. “That star is powerful than Twelve?”

Amaris gave him a soft smile. “She is as strong as Luna.”

That was a strong blow to his gut. It was no secret that Luna was the most powerful among the four sisters. That was one of the reasons why the Royal family was held in such high regard. They carried a sliver of Luna’s power.

“While the Twelve together have the chances of defeating her,” Amaris said. “I can’t say how many would come out alive. Nor can I talk anything about the damage it would cause. But if anyone of the Warrior fought alone, that star would walk away as the winner.”

Mizar clenched his fists. “Not fair.”

Amaris laughed. “She has a daughter with Elijah. That strengthens the bond between the star and Elijah. Just pray to Cosmos that the daughter should never take after her mother.”

Mizar blinked.

“That girl was born just a few months ago,” Amaris said. “She was hidden well. Only because of who I am, I got the information about her birth. If that girl was to take after her mother... I will have to abandon my thoughts about Luna and worry about the universe itself. That girl can crush anything in her way.”

He had no words to say. He swallowed them.

“But,” Amaris said in a voice that gave him hope. “If a Warrior was to mate or replace a Soul-Bound, that Warrior might be stronger than that star and replace my sister. For the Warriors are the strongest Cosmos has ever created. This star who hid my sister became strong only because of a mating. If a Warrior was to replace a mate... things would be easy.”

Mizar frowned and finally found his voice. “They had sworn to never take a consort after what happened to my mother. You know this.”

Amaris nodded sadly and touched the souls that were rushing to their salvation. At her touch, the agitated souls fell to peace.

“That was the reason why I had sent your sister Alioth down so many years ago,” Amaris sighed and she gently caught one fighting soul. “Alioth was to replace Ursa’s line on Earth. They could provide an answer to why Ursa died. Perhaps it could break them out of their oath.”

Mizar snorted. “They did not swear in Origins. Hence, they can break it anytime they wanted. But they have not just found the right... Lovers.”

Amaris laughed suddenly and nuzzled the soul she had caught. “Lovers? The Twelve taking lovers? It might happen and I am hoping to see that day. If they take a consort, Luna could just be saved.”

Mizar gave her a lazy grin. “Should we play the matchmaker?”

Amaris shook her head. “I will leave that job to Luna. For now, we have to replace a way to break that lock on that star’s name.”

Mizar nodded. “Saying that star is quite confusing with all of us being stars, you know?”

Amaris glared at him and brought the soul she had in her arms closer to her. “As for the genes that you were so worried about-”

“Can I please not abandon it?” he pleaded.

Amaris tried to maintain her glare but it was failing. He knew it. “How many do you exactly have?”

He bit his lips. How could she know? Perhaps it was the reason why she was called the mother of Shifters.

“How many Shifters’ genes do you have?” Amaris asked again.

“That one perfect one and three more,” he mumbled.

Amaris then gave the soul she was holding one last nuzzle and offered it to him. “Take care of this soul and I will allow you to keep the Shifter’s genes.”

He gaped at her. She was allowing him to keep the entire of Shifter’s genes?

Without a word, he took the soul from her hands and gazed at the little bundle of energy. It fit so perfectly in his hands. He could gaze at it his entire life and not worry about another thing. What was happening?

“Yes,” Amaris said, amusement lacing her voice. “You can keep entire Shifter’s genes, Mizar. You convinced me alright. Just for one Shifter’s mistake, I can’t condemn a race.”

He scowled at her, feeling like a little boy. “I can hear a catch in your voice ”

She grinned at him. “Of course there would be a catch.”

He glanced at the soul he had in his hand. “Apart from taking care of this soul, what else?”

Amaris shrugged. “You will release the genes only after a thousand five hundred years from now and that too only if someone breaks the curse.”

Mizar whined. “Not fair! To break the curse, you need a shifter to be born to replace Luna. How can this be possible?”

Amaris remained calm. “If a werewolf can replace Luna within thousand five hundred years, release the Shifter’s genes. If no wolf had found her, release the Shifter’s genes after a thousand five hundred years.”

“Why so long? Sooner you replace your sister, better right?” Mizar asked.

“I want this time so that the Twelve thickheads might replace a Soul-Bound.”

Mizar snorted. “I have no hope for them. Cut the time to just five hundred years.”

“Thousand years,” Amaris said. “Nothing more nothing less.”

“Don’t be so cruel,” Mizar grumbled. “Six hundred years.”

“Eight hundred.”

“Six.”

She frowned. “Seven hundred years. That’s all. After seven hundred years, release the Shifters’ genes.”

He gave her a wide smile. “About the three Shifters, I have now...”

She glared at him. “Mizar...”

“I will release them after five hundred years and their genes will be suppressed until the curse is broken or a Shifter certified by you is born. Until then, they will remain as a werewolf. Please, Amaris?”

She closed her eyes and took deep breaths.

Mizar knew this action had two outcomes. Either she would accept his choice or be angry. The former had a very small chance. So small that he could see a Warrior mated-

“Fine,” she said.

Mizar blinked. Was he hearing things now?

“Fine. But on one condition,” Amaris said. “That perfect gene you had coded, Kamaria, Chandra and myself had decided. Whoever has those genes would be the mate of the Royal family. He would be-”

“-the mate of a princess,” Mizar finished.

Amaris nodded. “Only if you withhold that gene, Mizar. Only if you will incorporate into the male we deem fit. Okay?”

“Seems fair.”

“And,” Amaris said as she got up. “That soul in your hand is a fighter. She was killed by her mate when I cursed. I cursed and her mate lost it. Both are grieving. But this one’s death is my fault.”

He nodded. “I will take care of her.”

Then she gave him a crooked smile that did not settle well. “I hope you know that the Soul-Bounded are stronger than a mate-bond. Usually while Soul-Bound and mate bond are the same, there can be differences.”

He hummed. “So I have heard.”

“And as much as stars can choose their Soul-Bound,” Amaris said. “Sometimes stars can Soul-Bind without their knowledge with another. No one can stop it. It is the will of Cosmos.”

He nodded again, not knowing where she was taking this.

She grinned and he felt a chill run through his body. “This soul, you both have Soul-Bounded. It is none of your faults. You saw each other and just it snapped.”

He glanced at the soul he held as Amaris disappeared. He glanced at his Soul-Bound.

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

She had chosen an electric blue hair and a face the shape of a heart. Her eyes were ochre, like amber that withstood time. No matter how she had changed her features, she was still the female who loved her mate so much that Mizar kept his mouth shut about being her Soul-Bound.

Every time she went to take rest, he would hear her cry and she was a star who did not care about others teasing her for crying. She had said that being in tune with emotions was the best thing ever.

Not to mention she had changed her name from Kenna Fasha to Kendra. As if that would change her heart.

He knew she loved her mate, Miguel but he simply could not help it. Mizar had fallen in love with her the second he saw the strength that could move galaxies in her eyes. She was not perfect for him. She was simply her.

He gazed at her. She was looking at the lists of males who were being held in various prisons. She was relentless in her search. She wanted to replace her mate and that was what she was doing these past six hundred years.

She raised her head up and frowned at him. “What is it, Mizar?”

When she said his name, his body lit in euphoria. Every little thing she did for him, even giving him the slightest attention had his heart burst in warmth.

He shook his head. “Nothing, Kendra.”

“Sure,” she drawled as she flipped the screens on the hologram. “I believe you.”

He switched on the button and the genes he wanted to suppress became dormant. It would awaken only under the condition Amaris had said.

“You done?” Kendra asked.

He nodded. “First is ready to dispatch.”

She cocked her head. “To whom are you going to give these genes?”

“I am going to give this to a female,” Mizar said.

Kendra’s smile widened and nothing, absolutely nothing in the wide universe was as beautiful as her smile was.

“Which pack?” she asked, closing her hologram.

“The first option is North Pack,” he said. “Next three any Great Pack and last two unnamed.”

Kendra stood up and walked towards him. He was a high-ranking official here, someone who worked directly under the Three Sisters. He was unapproachable. Yet, this female could blink and he would be reduced to nothing but dust.

“I will choose the unnamed packs,” she said.

He nodded. Anything to keep her happy. “Fire away.”

She took the list of unnamed packs he had by his desk and skimmed her eyes over it. “Alpha Rita sounds good. She is... great.”

He blocked Alpha Rita for the fifth option. “Last?”

She tapped her finger against one name. “Alpha Henry and Alpha Maria.”

He peeked into that list. “They are fated to have three children. Two females and one male. Which female should I give these suppressed genes to?”

Kendra blinked at him. “You remember their fates?”

He shrugged. “When your father is someone who helps to write Fates, I think I know who has what fate. Though it does not guarantee things will happen the exact same way, it is easier to predict.”

She shuddered. “The first female born to them.”

He nodded and blocked the sixth option.

He pursed his lips and then gave her a suggestive smile. If there were any decision they could not take, they simply rolled the dice.

Since only they both were there in the entire lab, he nodded. And that one action made her eyes lit up and he fell for her again. Kendra was a simple creature to please, but a complex female to understand.

And it had taken him years to understand her.

She took a dice from his table and rolled it. It rolled for a while.

While her eyes were fixed on the dice, he was fixed on her. Would she be happier if she found her mate?

If the answer was yes, no matter how much it crushed his heart, he would replace him.

The dice landed on six. Kendra squealed. “Perfect.”

He shook his head. “If you say so.”

Then she turned. “What of the other two Shifter genes?”

He shrugged. “I don’t know.”

“Mizar,” she said testily.

He gave her a grin. “You shall see.”

She snorted. “That I will.”

Would she?

“Will Shifters be released?” Kendra asked.

“No werewolf has broken the curse,” he sighed. “And if it is not broken in a hundred years, I will send a new Shifter gene through a little boy.”

Then a light blinked on her hologram and she rushed towards it. Amaris had told him to change her heart. To show her that she belonged to him.

But how could he when he loved her heart for the way it was? How could he convince her that he could be the one for her?

A sudden gasp left her mouth. “Oh my!”

He neared her. “What is it?”

Tears shimmered on her eyes. “Miguel... he is in the Dungeon.”

Mizar’s heart clenched. He knew the Dungeons. His father was the one who oversaw its working. Could Polaris know what his future was?

Miguel would not come out any day soon.

As Kendra wept, he wound his arms around her and consoled her, while his heart was cut open with sawdust and was left bleeding.

********

A gasp woke him up. He recharged himself from the energy that was thriving in the Cosmos and rushed to her side.

Kendra was pale as she saw the live footage of what was happening in the West Pack.

He inched closer to see what was wrong. And he did see.

Miguel was fighting the werewolves with a strength not many had seen. Miguel was a Phoenix Shifter and Mizar knew it. Amaris had designed his genes herself.

Fighting next to him was a face he would never forget. Alioth was toying with them. He knew it from the smirk she was withholding.

He tore his eyes from Miguel and glanced at what was happening out.

There was Livvia, the female Amaris had chosen to be the mother of the first Shifter, Shifter without any suppression, after the curse. Her son, Raoul was the one who would break the curse. He remembered how much he had begged Amaris to allow him design this boy’s genes - for it has been seven hundred years since he had last created a Shifter’s genetic code. But Amaris had given him a glare and sat down to design it herself.

Just as he was about to look further about Raoul, Kendra stiffly got up and mumbled, “I will come back after a while.”

With that, she walked out. He wanted to rush to her to comfort her, but he knew if he did, she would ignore him for a few days.

With a heavy heart, he opened the footage of the three other suppressed shifters he had sent in earlier.

The one born to an Alpha of a nameless pack was currently training her pack.

The male born to another pair of mates in far south was on a tour.

While the last was currently in a bar doing something Mizar did not have a wish to see.

While these three whom he had saved from Amaris was living, the one he had perfected, that one person whose fate would be held by Amaris, Kamaria and Chandra was completely out of range. All Mizar knew was that those set of genes was given to a male and he would be seventeen by now. Someone had interfered. Someone had known.

As he could not replace about that male, he peered into the footage Kendra was seeing.

Miguel was a worthy male. He was after all designed by Amaris herself. Alioth was toying with some wolves and a female vampire was cradling a female. A female whom he had felt only once. Livvia was kneeling next to her.

Her soul was not like the usual souls he knew. Her soul was sort of similar to his step-mother Seren. But it was not like hers either. Usually, the souls after death were sent to be born again. But this soul... it was clear, without the scars of any past death. So strong that he nearly passed out from wondering about her.

Livvia called her Lyra. Something struck him hard. He had heard of a Lyra. But where?

Mizar could not remember creating her code or giving approval for a code like hers. Then it struck him. Luna said she was taking care of a few souls and she did mention this one. She was one of the few souls Luna was taking care of. He was sure of it. But the name had another familiarity. Where had he heard it?

The more he thought about it, it became clear who she was. He glanced at the Hall of Fame they had hung on the wall of their office. Along with a few names, the name Lyra was written. Not as a chief officer or something. Her name was along with the name that had founded this scientific research. But was this Lyra and the Lyra he saw on the footage same? Or was this girl someone else?

Luna was out there and Lyra gave Mizar hope.

*******

Not much time had passed since he saw that footage when he felt Alioth summon him.

Kendra was still crying over the hologram even after she returned. He did not have the heart to tell her, but he had never lied to her.

He swallowed. “Kendra?”

She sniffed and raised her head. “Yes?”

“Alioth summoned me,” he began. “I am going down. Want to... Accompany me?”

She looked away. “No.”

Her answer shocked him. “What?”

“No.” This time her voice was firmer. “I am not coming down.”

“Why not?” he blurted.

“I have some work here,” she whispered. “And some questions have to be answered.”

He nodded slowly. Did she not want to meet her mate?

“And, Mizar?” she called as he turned to leave. “Don’t mention to Miguel about me. Under no circumstances reveal anything about me now in this visit of yours. Can you promise me that?”

He nodded. When had he ever said no to her?

“I promise,” he said.

His promise lingered with her as he met his brother in law, Saiph to meet his sister.

*********

“Alioth,” he began as they reached the base he was currently staying on. “Please don’t be mad. But hear me out.”

She frowned but refused to come out of her Soul-Bound’s arms. They had their conversation and it was when he was sure who Lyra was. Lyra was someone who had never died and he was sure that she was not someone even Amaris could control.

He saw Miguel and he had a tough time maintaining the promise he made to Kendra. As much as that male was aloof, Mizar could see why Kendra loved her mate. Miguel was someone who loved entirely with his existence or did not acknowledge at all.

And he very much still loved his mate.

Alioth rose her eyebrows. “What is it?”

Saiph understood what he was about to say and he whispered something in Alioth’s ears before leaving.

Alioth nodded. “Spill.”

He walked inside the lift and after Alioth entered, he closed it and pressed a button that would take them to the two hundredth floor.

“Miguel’s mate...” he trailed off. “Is here.”

“What?” His sister screeched. “Do you have any idea how much he loves her? How much he wants to be with her again? Do you know-”

“She is my Soul-Bound,” he whispered and Alioth ceased her rambling.

She blinked at him. “Say what?”

He sighed and repeated. “She is my Soul-Bound.”

Alioth looked ahead. “Is that... is that why you did not mention it to Miguel?”

He shook his head. “While she may be my Soul-Bound, she does not know this. I have done nothing to initiate the bond. It is dormant as the fringes of welkins. She is in love with Miguel very much and she was the one who made me promise to not say a word about her to Miguel.”

Alioth’s eyes widened comically. “Yo-you did nothing to initiate the bond? You know she is your Soul-Bound and you did nothing? Your bond is dormant? Are you sure she is your Soul-Bound? If she was-”

“I know,” he cut her off. “I love her too much to do anything. She loves him, and... if that’s who she wants, I am not stopping her.”

Alioth clenched her fists. “If she comes to know who you are to her, she would never forgive you. After all, a Soul-Bound is stronger than a mate.”

The elevator opened and he stepped out. “I know.”

With that, he led his sister into his lab where Kendra was typing two keypads at the same time.

She sure was talented.

Upon seeing her, Alioth gasped.

Kendra flinched subtly when she heard the gasp, but did not turn to acknowledge. In fact, she began to type with renewed energy.

“Kenna Fasha,” Alioth called.

Kendra refused to turn.

“Kendra,” he sighed. “My sister wants to-”

She hit a button and then she turned to face them both. The will and determination in her eyes rocked him. What possessed her to be like this? Did she hear the conversation he had with Alioth?

“Ke-” Alioth began.

“I got sanction to go to Origins,” Kendra said, looking straight in his eyes. “We can replace that star.”

Alioth folded her arms. “What is going on?”

Then within seconds, he transferred the information he had about the curse and Luna to Alioth.

His sister’s eyes hardened. “So... in order to replace Luna, we have to replace that star who had put a spell on her. And that star’s name can be found only on Origins. In order to break the lock she has on her name, we have to go there personally and do it.”

Kendra nodded. “Yes. Luna can be found. If others know her name, it would be better to search for her in the history of the Universe.”

Alioth paced around his lab. “When do we leave?”

“Now,” Kendra said.

Mizar frowned. “When did it become us three?”

“Now,” Alioth said. “Make it four. Saiph will accompany us.”

Mizar exasperated. “It is supposed to be a stealth mission. We four can’t go. Especially you, Alioth. You just returned after being in the Dungeons. It would have sucked your energy. You need to recharge-”

Alioth held her hand up. “I am well. If anything, I was able to hoard my powers during my stay in the Dungeons. I have enough to break the lock on that star’s name. We need Saiph. He is military and he had connections you don’t have. Four of us will leave.”

She walked out of the lab. Before she left, she said, “Get ready. We leave in ten seconds.”

Then she vanished.

Mizar gave Kendra a blank look. “Happy?”

She was not impressed. In fact, there was no evidence of her happiness ever since she saw Miguel.

“Very much,” she said acidly.

“Why would you do this?” he shouted.

She walked away without giving him an answer.

******

Kendra led them and the recently reunited pair followed him. As they travelled, they had given up the humanoid form and sped in their true form- energy.

Kendra slowed down as she neared the portal that was ever changing. Unless one’s name was etched on the Stone of Origin, locating this portal was hard, and keeping up with its locus was even harder.

Only if one’s name was engraved on the Stone, one could locate it without any difficulty and if they were strong enough, one could summon it at their will.

How Kendra managed to replace it, he would never know.

This portal would take them to the Origins. A place that exists and did not at the same time. A place between spaces, yet a place with its own dimensions. A place buzzing with energy. A place that existed way before time was even born. A place where the universe was born from. And how Origins came to be, none knew. The research was still going on.

When Saiph and Alioth came closer to them, the portal sucked them in. No matter how many times Mizar visited the Origins, each time was a new experience for him.

It was cold and dark, yet bright and warm at the same time. It was a mix of oxymorons. He was blinded by the clearest vision, his soul being ripped by the softest and the smoothest blade.

Finally, after he regained his sense, he blinked at the Origins. It was a fancy name for a place with a large stone on a floating piece of rock, held by coils of some creature of old. While the land like place was floating on water, the air around them turned warm and it was filled with light, complete contrast to the darkness of the universe. Stars had tried to replace the ends of Origins, but the ones who had done to replace it never returned.

Nodding, the four came to an understanding and continued in their true form. They were nothing but a ball of light and energy. As he passed over the endless water, he could see what was deep to the secretive waters. It had cocoons of various shades and they glowed when Matyas a type of creature that lived in these waters touched the cocoons, giving whatever that was inside nourishment.

If Megrez had been here, he knew she would make an analogy with the glial cells and neuron in the brains of creatures of Earth with these cocoons and Matyas. He knew it because she had made that analogy once when their father had brought them here.

The stone was one among the few things on that island like place.

A black scarf was casually draped on the Stone. The Stone that held the breath of each living individual on this universe.

If this was to break, Three Sisters and Luna would die and so would the life on Earth. So many stars after making their names on this Stone had created races and planets for their pleasure.

He neared the Stone, as close as the Stone would allow him to near.

He knew the first few names by heart. He also knew that one name in the first column was scored out. Ursa was struck out and each time he saw that a sharp pain raced through him.

This was a reminder that his mother had indeed passed away.

As they searched the name on the Stone new energy entered the Origin.

Following that one, many entered but none were as significant as the one that entered first.

Keep searching! His sister commanded as she and Saiph left to stall the newcomers.

Everyone was welcome here. Origins held no partiality.

Kendra, Mizar said. Faster.

He could feel her acceptance as they both wound around the Stone. As much as the Stone was empty for most places, it was indefinite. It when they began searching, he realised it. It stretched up and down. And on either side.

He could spend a millennium trying to replace the end.

When he felt more energies coming in, Kendra said, Go. I will replace that star’s name.

As much as he did not want to leave his Soul-Bound alone, he knew he had to. If he did not, more would be at stake.

He fought the newcomers with all he could muster. As much as he knew how to fight, there was a reason why Alioth and Saiph were in the military.

It was not until his sister warning him that he felt that strong Star behind him. So, she had come to defend her name.

He turned and he could read her very well. Her energy was pure with malicious intent. Her vibrations were strong enough to shake a few planets out of their orbits

While he made it point to fight her, Alioth and Saiph were fighting her minions.

But he could not fight her. She was simply too strong. Even though he was born to Ursa, a star from Origins, he did not have any power equal to the one this one had before him.

She was going to end his existence. He knew it. And he accepted it. Before her energy could tear his soul apart, Kendra shrieked, Rionach!

The star before him stopped as she turned to her new target.

No way in any universe would he allow Rionach to near his Soul-Bound. He pulled her back, preventing her from reaching Kendra.

That was when the Origins was suddenly filled with the core energy of a star. A star usually used their core energy only when they were going to combust to pass on to another life.

Even he was blinded momentarily by the brightness of the energy.

And only when he felt the strain on his soul, he knew who had taken that last defence.

Kendra was dying, but she had removed the lock Rionach had on her name.

Rionach gasped and before he could do something to her, she vanished with her minions.

He could hardly contain himself. While he did want to chase Rionach to kill her, take her core essence and give it to Kendra, he knew his Soul-Bound might need him now.

Mizar rushed to Kendra who was fading, but he could feel her elation via the bond Cosmos gave them.

Lock is gone, she said. Tell the Twelve.

Thankfully, Alioth and Saiph understood enough to give them privacy.

He nodded. I can’t lose you.

I am fading in Origins. Isn’t that the dream of every Star?

No, he said bluntly. It is not my dream to see you fade here.

I know, Mizar, she said. I know who you are to me. Amaris came down to have a chat.

If he had a heart, it would have stopped beating.

Amaris did that? Did she tell you?

Yes. She did.

I am sorry, Kendra. It was not right to-

I know. That’s why I asked you not to say to Miguel about my existence.

He did not know what to reply.

While I do love him, I am not in love with him. Kenna Fasha was his mate, not Kendra. Kendra is Soul-Bound of Mizar.

His soul froze. She had uttered it. Uttering the bond was the first step in initiating the bond. He could already feel it, the tiny threads of the fragile bond between them snapping in place.

I wish I had more time, Mizar. I wish I did. I realised how much I love you and I here I am, losing you already. And you know what is worse? It is you losing me. I would have passed death and you would be here all alone, for you get a Soul-Bound only once.

He neared her and gently nudged her. I am happy to be loved by you, my love.

How could you love me so much, Mizar? How could you? How did you watch me cry over a male I had loved in the past life? How were you able to say that you would let me go if that meant my happiness? Why didn’t you be selfish? Why?

He had no words for her.

I don’t deserve your love, she said in a feeble voice. I don’t deserve to be your Soul-Bound. I am not even worthy of your forgiveness-

Don’t, he said sharply. Whom I love is my choice. And I choose to love you.

He felt her slipping away. As much he hated it, he was thankful to have this moment with her. He could carry on the rest of his cold life now.

“Binding your soul with hers might save her,” said a cool voice.

When he could not locate the source of the voice, he knew who spoke to him.

“After all, she did do a noble thing.”

The voice and the presence vanished, but the Stone now held a new name in brown, the colour of amateurs.

Kendra.

After Surva left, he nudged her again.

Don’t you dare- she began

But before she could finish, he merged their soul as one. After all, it was the Mother of Luna, Moon’s Soul-Bound, the first child of Cosmos who had given him that suggestion. He could give it a shot.

********

He woke up in his humanoid form. At first, he was disoriented, but when he felt her warmth pressed against his side, he knew he was home.

Kendra’s electric blue hair was sprawled on the white sheet as she tried to press closer.

He chuckled softly as he ran his fingers through her hair.

The bond had worked and it was thriving between them.

The door opened and Alioth sneaked in. “How are you now?”

He hummed. “Better. What happened after... I bonded?”

“You fell unconscious as did Kendra,” she said, sitting on a chair near the bed. “Both have been healing for quite a span of time.”

He nodded. “Anything on Rionach?”

“After Kendra broke the lock, she has disappeared for a while. I was searching for her with Megrez while you were healing. And the Three Sisters dropped by to thank you.”

He sighed and closes his eyes. “Miguel-”

“He might get another mate,” Alioth said smirking. “Seems like Kenna and Miguel were meant to be to history.”

He frowned. “What?”

Her grin widened. “He found another. He might not realise it. But soon will.”

He nodded again. “I have to inform them.”

Alioth said, “As much as Twelve have disclosed their location to us, I think approaching Aries is correct.”

“Why so?” he asked.

“When you meet, you shall see.”

“When I meet?” he asked, caressing Kendra’s cheeks.

“Kendra was the one to break the Lock,” Alioth said. “Technically she should go. But I highly doubt, she would want to.”

With that, Alioth left them and closed the door on her way out.

Kendra moved and then opened her eyes slowly. “You did it in spite of you telling me not to bind yourself with me. Will you ever listen to me once in your life?”

He knew why she was angry. There had been a huge possibility for him to fade while she had been fading. Had he not bonded, he could have escaped, but since he bonded, he could have faded with her.

“I would have faded for you,” he whispered.

She sighed and rolled her eyes at him. “You are impossible.”

He grinned. “Anything for you.”

She shook her head. “So... who is going to inform the Twelve?”

He closed his eyes and rested his chin over her head. “Apparently, me.”

“Good,” she said. “Good.”

“Nothing else?” he asked.

She buried her face in his chest. “Tell Miguel about me. Tell him. Tell him that Kenna Fasha had died and Kendra loves Mizar very much. He needs to move on.”

He nodded. “I will tell them. I will go down. But later. I need to be here now. With you.”

Kendra just giggled and there was no music sweeter than that.

**********

He had finally untangled himself from Kendra and he peeked at Earth.

“Should I?” Mizar asked.

Alioth rose her eyebrows. “Yes. You should.”

Mizar sighed and made plunged down. This time it was different. He did not know whether it was because he was Soul-Bounded or not, but he felt stronger.

Just as Alioth had said, he saw Aries offer his shirt to Lyra, who was pulled from her shift.

As he landed, everyone’s eyes there landed on him. As much as they recognised him as someone superior, they held their ground. That was when he saw how this pack functioned as a family rather than just a pack.

And of course, being with Aries, he was not a threat. He was someone who would perish if that Warrior simply coughed.

“Mizar,” Aries called.

And he knew this was going to be a difficult trip.

A/N: What do you think of Mizar and of Kendra?

As the series goes on... I think you will see more of Alioth, Saiph, Mizar, Kendra, Three Sisters and of course Megrez.

Leave your thoughts below!

Until next update,

~Quill