Aries
Chapter 31.1

A/N: Hello there!

THERE’S A LOT OF WARNING. BETTER READ AND THEN DECIDE IF YOU WANT TO PROCEED TO READ THIS PART, OKAY?

This part has mentions of a certain mature theme. JUST MENTIONS. I AM NOT GOING INTO DETAIL.

I want to keep this book 16+. It has mentioned and there is no explicit scenes. (I just feel that I have to stress a point, cause readers usually don’t read Author’s Note)

And seeing that this is a bonus chapter, you can skip it (if you don’t even want to read the ‘mentions’ of a mature theme) and still understand the story.

But if you are okay with reading this piece, I would advise you to read this. For this is a very important Bonus chapter.

I could have updated two days ago, but the first version that I had written was a bit more explicit and I edited the content... to keep it Pg16.

If you are reading this line, then you are interested in reading this chapter. Well, see what’s Liv is going to say about Harper.

***********

Livvia bit her lips as her hands clutched the tablet tighter. Just for a second, she lifted her sight from the computer screen. On the glass walls, she caught a distraught image of herself.

Putting the block over the pack bond she had with Lyra was tiring. And these late-night works Harper was forcing her to do was further draining her energy.

Just a week ago, when everything was perfect, her eyes held a shine and her face was glowing. The simple reason that for all this time her mate was away from her and now, they lived in one house as a family.

As much as the situation was fucked up, she enjoyed those domestic time. Even if they would not survive the upcoming battle, the memories of the past few days would suffice for her.

But all that changed five days ago when Andrew tried to kidnap Lyra using East Tribe’s power. The second he did, Liv wanted to warn Lyra about the betrayal, but this wolf was craftier.

At least Andrew was obsessed with Nira to betray Lyra, what excuse did this wolf have? Liv would have, but that wolf was acting fast and Liv had to block the bond Lyra had with the members of this pack to make sure Ethan could not track Lyra. Ever again.

A hand landed on her shoulder and that was enough for her to get the energy she needed to survive. His face was next to hers in the image as he gave her a smile despite the situation forcing him to lose his rage.

“What is it, my love?” he murmured.

Liv took in a deep breath. “Nothing. Just waiting for the results.”

Cain’s breath hit her neck. “False results?”

Liv chuckled. “Your faith in me is truly amazing!”

“Of course,” he smiled. “If you were going to report the true result, you would have done it days ago. You are waiting for a close call false result, right?”

Liv jabbed his chest. “Stop it. Anyone can hear you.”

“Did you forget who I am, Liv?” he asked. “I checked.”

Liv sighed. “Of course, I remember. You are the brother-in-law to a star. A Warrior!”

Cain’s face soured. “I can not believe that Lyra would choose that star! I cannot believe they even mated!”

Liv cleared her throat. “I thought they Soul-Bounded.”

“They did,” Cain muttered.

“And you told me Soul-Binding was a bigger deal than mating,” Liv said. Irritated Cain was cute. “So?”

Cain slumped on a chair next to her. “Whose team are you on?”

“There’s a team?” Liv almost laughed. “Why was I not informed about this?”

“Either you support me,” Cain snarled lowly. “Or him."

Liv shook her head and punched a few buttons on the keyboard, giving the commands to the computer. “I support neither. I simply support Lyra.”

“Betrayal!” Cain cried. “Betrayed by my own mate!”

“How is this betrayal?” Liv asked, giving her mate a pointed look.

“You are supposed to support me,” Cain said pouting. She could see where her son learnt that pout from.

A while later, Cain took in a deep breath. “Are... are you blocking the bond?”

Liv nodded. “Hm. I have to. I never expected this wolf to betray Lyra as well. I just can’t believe that this scum... handed Harper the control over the computers in West pack.”

“Let me help,” Cain muttered. “Let me lend my energy.”

Liv shook her head. “You need it. You are a Hunter of Luna. If anything happens, I want you to be in your full strength to flee.”

“I am not leaving you-”

“Neither am I willing to see you die before me!”

“Liv!” Cain protested. “You slough in this lab like a slave day in and out, answer that Harper bitch with a smile on your face. Block the bond so that that betrayer would not know what Lyra is doing. And take care of our son too! You need energy, Liv!”

Cain did try his best to take care of Raoul, but since she had been the one to grow him for all these years, the bond he and Cain had was tensed. Raoul... he had to understand and to expect that from a five-year-old boy was too much. Hence even if Raoul felt comfortable in Cain’s presence, he would not sleep or eat until she said so.

As much as Cain was disheartened by this, he knew this was the price he was paying to keep his family alive.

Liv rolled her eyes. “Cain... it’s only for a while.”

“Liv...” he whispered hoarsely. “I will lend tonight. No matter what.”

Liv rolled her eyes and gazed at the computer again. These endless nights were taking a toll on her. The letters danced in front of her and the screen prickled her eyes.

Clenching her fists, she sat down and took deep breaths. These results were not as important as blocking the bond Lyra had with that wolf. Even if it killed her, she would make sure that the girl was safe.

Cain got up and massaged her shoulder. She moaned in relief and sighed.

“Should you really torture yourself like this, Liv?” he whispered.

“This project,” Liv murmured. “Someone from Summer Coven had begun. Due to some unknown reasons, this transformations project was put on hold. This happened twenty years ago. Lyra began it again after reading what it was about. You don’t have any idea how dangerous this project is.”

Cain groaned. “Why did that stupid girl even begin this?”

“Curiosity,” Liv answered. “Transformations was... grotesque. Summer Coven did not try it on adults but on fetuses. They implanted... some kind of cross-breed into the womb of a female and tried to see what that resulted in.”

Cain made a choking sound. “What?”

Liv nodded. When she had first learnt about it, she felt sick. How could a scientist do that to anybody?

“What kind of hybrid?” Cain asked, his voice disgusted.

“Not like us,” Liv whispered. “Not like a shifter too.”

“Liv.”

She took in a deep breath. “You know how we shifters came into place, right?”

Cain nodded. “Luna told me. Amaris designed us. She took the genes of a human and... merged it with an animal that was compatible with that person. When merging was successful, she gave it a soul and... a flesh to go with. When she had created enough of them, she allowed them to reproduce.”

Liv sighed. “That’s the key, Cain. Amaris gave them Soul and Flesh. She created Flesh for them. A skin, a race. Summer Coven thought they were Moon themselves and...”

“And?” Cain pressed. “And what, Liv?”

“And... tried to insert animal... sperms-”

“By Luna, Liv!” Cain swore.

Liv sighed. “Yes. They literally had done terrible things, Cain. They first inserted vampire and Magycs genes into werewolves and the vampires who could control minds made them shift to-”

“That’s beastality,” Cain cut her again. “They could have at least just taken genes from the animals and merged it with the female’s egg and allowed that fetus to grow invitro!”

Liv closed her eyes and the report she had read ages ago flashed in her mind. “Made those werewolves to go into a rut and... and made sure that those females who were raped were heavy with a child."

The numerous results she had got during the day, just ran before her as a small light flickered at the bottom of the screen.

“To use an animal to do that,” Cain whispered. “What were they thinking? Why would they do that? Have they lost their minds?”

Liv gulped. “Summer Coven did this twenty-one-years ago to be exact. A few scientists from other packs decided to put a stopover this.”

Cain closed his eyes and clenched his fists. She knew what was going on in his mind. This was one of the worst projects that Summer Coven had done. Since it was one of the Elite Coven, no one could say anything. Not to mention that the Summer Coven had been getting help from someone from the Royal Family. Rumours were that it was the late Queen’s parents.

“Lyra,” Cain began after he got hold of his composure. “Began it again?”

Liv shook her head. “No. She did not. She began with plants and slowly went towards animals. Not like she wanted to replicate shifters, she just wanted to introduce the animal genes into humans. Just certain genes. Like Axotols can regrow parts of the brain after it is removed. Imagine if a human or any of the three races having that property! Brain lesions can be cured... that’s what Aurelia told us.”

“She...”

“She did want to see what would happen if a human gene was mixed with an animal and she did a few cells. When that cell did not die but showed the potential to multiply, she killed the cells and... saw what genes were being expressed.”

Cain frowned. “Is that possible?”

Liv took a deep breath. “If Lyra had allowed those cells to grow to an individual in invitro, she would replace Amaris as the creator of Shifters.”

Cain gasped as he plopped on a chair next to her. “That’s why... the curse of the Shifters was related to her.”

Dots connected in her mind. “That’s why her shift will be the trigger of all the other Shifters. And after her shift, all the babies born will be shifters.”

“Who knows?” Cain closed his eyes and took in a deep breath. “I don’t write the fate. Luna’s Soul-Bound does that.”

Liv nodded. “I really do wonder if this is all preplanned.”

Cain shook his head. “I hope it is not. Can’t imagine someone writing fate like what Summer Coven did. If... if I had known it earlier, I would have killed the entire Coven and would not mind going to the Dungeon for eternity.”

Liv held his hand. “It’s okay. I bet even Luna’s Soul-Bound is not that cruel.”

Cain opened his eyes and there had never been a more beautiful shade that that green colour he had. “I hope so.”

The red light that was beeping got wilder that Liv was forced to open the screen that shielded the female subject who was strapped on the bed in the other room.

She was shaking violently as her veins became visible under her pale skin. Her hair was dishevelled and her eyes did not have enough tears to cry her pain out. Yet her screams were the only sound that room heard.

“Nira?” Cain whispered as he got up and stood next to her.

The glass that separated them would not allow Nira to see them, but they could very well see her.

Liv nodded. “Nira.”

“What the fuck?” Cain swore. “What is-”

Liv glanced at her huge swollen belly. Her abdomen seemed to rupture at any time.

Pregnancy for werewolves was a blessing. Twins were even rare. Carrying triplet one might say with a guarantee that the mother would die.

But here was Nira, stapped to the bed, forced to carry four fetuses at once. What Harper was thinking, Liv would never know. Seeing the rapid progression of growth of the babies, Liv could say that they did not belong to a race she knew. Werewolves carried their young for a maximum of six months.

But Nira was implanted with these embryos just two weeks ago and they showed the development of a six-month baby. Harper had decided to trust Liv with this just this morning.

Cain’s eyes darted to the monitor that was next to Nira. “She... will she survive?”

“Killing her after the birth of these creatures will be a mercy,” Liv said, her eyes fixed on the dying female.

“Will she be?” Cain asked.

Liv shook her head. “Harper wants her alive after this. She wants... Nira to be alive to... take care like a mother would.”

“Like... feeding them,” Cain said.

Liv could only nod. There were too many ugly things in the world. Never did she think she would see it all. In the form of Harper.

“That’s a parasite!” Cain protested.

Liv nodded. “I don’t even know what Harper is doing with Nira.”

Cain looked away. “I thought Nira was her Beta.”

“So did I,” Liv said softly, unable to take the thrashing female’s cries of plea. “But it turns out, Nira tried to convince Harper to let go of Lyra.”

Cain’s breath was sharp. “Why so?”

“Andrew did not call upon the East Tribe to kidnap Lyra because Nira was in danger and Ethan forced him to do it,” Liv said, tears slipping past her defences. “It is because Ethan promised him that once he was done with Lyra, he would hand her over to Andrew and Nira wanted to stop it. Since Nira stood against Andrew, he gave control of their mate bond to Harper to do as she pleased. She... used that control to pin down Nira to make her in this condition.”

Cain’s face was pale. “I want to vomit.”

Liv brushed her tears away, and this just made way for the fresh ones to come. “It’s so messed up.”

Cain gulped. “What happens with her?”

Liv inched closer towards her mate. “I cannot terminate the pregnancy. It would further complicate and she will die a more painful death.”

Cain pulled her into his embrace. “What are they?”

Liv closed her eyes. “I wish I knew.”

He said, “How is she even alive? She is having four!”

Liv managed a nod. “I don’t know how Harper is sustaining Nira’s life.”

As she sniffled, a familiar set of footsteps echoed through the doorway. But behind that set of footsteps came two other sounds. One was a set of heavy footsteps and other was as if that person was being dragged.

Immediately, Liv shut down the computer and closed the screen. And just a few seconds before they entered, Cain managed to kiss her hard. The door would open and Harper would replace her Beta pair kissing.

Just as they expected, Harper opened the door and she groaned. “Enough, guys.”

Liv and Cain broke off, but only after they were sure that their resentment was locked... at least for a few hours.

Behind Harper stood a vampire smirking. His black hair and his red iris did him no justice. Had she not been mated to Cain, she would have become his mistress without a second thought.

He was handsome, alright. That sharp jawline and those high cheekbones. Her Cain was even more handsome than this vampire, but still, if this vampire could make her have second thoughts, his power must be seduction.

Next to him on the ground was a female crouched. Her hands and her legs were bound by heavy chains and Harper gave her a fleeting glance.

“Dubhe!” Harper commanded. “On your feet.”

Dubhe raised her head, her silver hair obstructing her face, yet Liv could see a fire in this female’s silver eyes.

When this female did not comply, the male next to her glanced down. “Dubhe, darling. Get up for us.”

Her legs tried to raise her up, but she was forcing herself down. Using the advantage of gravity, she did not resist when the chains tugged her down.

“Dubhe,” the vampire called her softly. “Get up.”

“Never!” she spat.

“Tut-tut,” he mocked. “Going to disobey me?”

Dubhe’s lips pulled into a snarl. “Always.”

Liv held on to her mate tightly. Something said her that this female was not a part of this world. Was it her silver hair or her silver eyes? Or was it simply the girl?

The vampire raised his hands and walloped her across her cheeks. As the female fell on the floor, Liv could only watch. Cain stopped her as if he knew she would throw herself between the vampire and Dubhe.

“Dubhe,” the vampire warned.

The female had guts to laugh at the vampire. “If my sisters or my brother got to know what happened to me... trust me, you won’t live to see another day.”

Harper rolled her eyes. “Why aren’t they here, already?” Then the female Alpha of West Pack looked at her beta pair. “She is Dubhe. A star, well... she is the daughter of a first-generation star. I have managed to extract the DNA of her and that makes the genetic makeup of the fetuses Nira is carrying.”

Liv’s eyes widened. Was this Alpha crazy? What part of werewolf pregnancies being difficult did she not understand? Carrying the same species was difficult, carrying a hybrid was even more so. But carrying a race that was not a part of this world?

How Nira lived she would not understand. No matter what strength this Harper gave Nira, that female was living purely on her strength. Liv’s sight wavered to that black screen for a moment.

“You managed?” The vampire asked.

Harper smirked. “Of course. And since then I have been using Dubhe’s energy and life force to keep that damned female alive.”

The vampire glanced at the star. “That’s why you want me to force a false bond on her. You want to keep her grounded to earth... at least until this project is over.”

Cain cleared his throat. “How did you manage to ground a star?”

The vampire smiled and there was nothing warm in that stretch of his lips. “I have enough star blood in me to ground her.”

Harper sighed. “His father’s side, an ancestor is a star. It enhanced his power of seduction. When I caught Dubhe here, I brought her to Devin and he... was able to influence her. A star is usually bound by their own power. When I found her power, it was easy to control her.”

Liv found her voice. “What kind of bond?”

Harper said, “A kind of Mate Bond. We tried to mimic what Luna gives us. It’s unfair that she has so much power over everything.”

Before Cain could roar in anger, she pinched his waist and asked Harper, “So... in a weird, twisted way, the children Nira is carrying are Dubhe’s kids?”

Harper nodded. “Seeing that a star rarely... very rarely gives birth, I could not do it directly to a star. Not to mention, the chances were high with Dubhe. Her mother had four children and among stars, that’s something one might awe about. So, Dubhe if she had got her mother’s genes, she is one of the most fertile stars.”

“That’s how Nira is surviving?” Cain asked. “Dubhe is giving her energy?”

Harper nodded smugly. “I am forcing her to.”

Devin glanced down at the star. “Still hoping for your family to come and rescue you?”

Dubhe raised her head and grinned crazily at him. “Who do you think I am? I am Dubhe, daughter of Ursa and Northern star. Sister to Alioth, Mizar and Megrez. Trust me when I say my family will replace me and when they do, you better know how to run.”

Was Ursa not a part of the Warriors? The star who died along with her Soul-Bound?

Liv shared a glance with her mate. Everything was about to go up in flames.

A/N: Thank you for reading.

At first, I wanted to rate this chapter mature and hide it... but I wanted my story to be accessible to everyone.

If anyone feels that this chapter has to be rated mature, please tell me so. I will do what I should do... like hiding it or deleting this part on Wattpad.

I am aware that what I have written is extremely sensitive and that Wattpad has strict rules against this (if written explicitly)

So, if you decide to report to Wp, please keep in mind that I have only mentioned the term and that a Coven has used this as an experiment. Think it like a case where an officer is reading a report.

Even after all this Author’s Note, you decide to report there is no use of me writing anymore.

Until next update,

~Quill