Aries
Chapter 32

A/N: Forgive me. My flu did not allow me to write yesterday.

Enjoy :)

********

I blinked as I saw the vampire fidget before me. She wore brown leather pants and had it paired with a neon green shirt. With that black eyeliner that brought the fierceness in brown eyes out and that nude pink lipstick, anyone could tell that this female was a confident girl. She had to be. After all, she was the sister of the Theta of the coven under Omicron Riley.

Yet she was wringing her fingers and was slipping her feet in and out of her wedges. Next to her, the female who chose my Delta as her mate stood calmly. Aspen had a serenity on her face. And I had no doubt that it had something to do with the fact that she spent her nights with Miguel. They had not mated, for if they had, I would be the first person in my pack to know about it.

Still, that never stopped us from betting on them. Varian surprisingly did bet that Miguel would Mark Aspen in the most unlikely scenario, like in the middle of the battle. I said they would Mark within a week and Kaina said after two weeks. Brent went as far as to say that once this war was over, they would split.

Aries and Rhaze had rolled their eyes when the bets were placed. As if they were any better than us.

“Nadia,” I said. “What do you want?”

It had been just yesterday that she had misunderstood me. I thought that she would take time to come around, but surprisingly the second I came down for my morning coffee, she was already there, asking me if I had free time to talk to her.

She cleared her throat. “I... I want to apologise.”

I blinked again. “For yesterday?”

She nodded. “I know... I should not have questioned an Alpha. Especially when I knew what you had gone through. It was stupid of me.”

I shrugged. “But you did have a point. I did leave you guys out of the loop. You had that right to question me when you are going to fight for me. It does not seem fair. I will tell everyone present here what you want to know. There are some things that are personal and I hope you can give me the right to have my privacy on those things.”

Nadia’s eyes widened. “You will tell us?”

I nodded. “Yes. Keeping you in the dark will not help at all. I believe that you all have brains to come with ideas of your own too.”

Aspen chuckled. “Lyra, I hope you know that Alphas don’t do that. They just order their pack members to get things done. No explanation. At all.”

I frowned. “Can we break the Alpha’s stereotypes? Please? If the Alphas don’t believe their pack members. How do they expect the members to believe in them too? A leader is not supposed to take a decision by themselves and then tell everyone else. They are supposed to discuss the situation with everyone in the pack... at least with everyone to whom that decision will affect. And then take the result that will benefit many. Not just a few.”

Aspen shook her head and sighed as she took a seat next to Nadia. “You know... that’s definitely not how an Alpha works.”

Nadia nodded. “True. I think the Omicrons should teach their young about what it is to be a leader than about dominance and authority. I wonder how you are so open-minded when it comes to this.”

I glanced at the swirling coffee in my hand. I wanted tea this morning, but apparently, all the tea was over and this was the secret stash Rhaze had stored. I did miss my tea.

I took a sip. “I think it has something to do with the fact that I was human. Like I never had that wild side in me to make me so aggressive. I was assertive and dominant, yes. But if I had made a mistake, I knew to admit it and learn from it. I lead the science sector in West Pack and it was like a hidden rank in my pack, almost as equal as a Delta. I just was not given a proper title. I was a human when I lead all those wolves and I was confident but did not have head-weight. I was the youngest in my class and if I had to rise to that position in my pack when I was just seventeen, I had to know what humility was. I guess that’s why I am a very different Alpha.”

Nadia looked at me with her jaws dropping.

“That’s why I want to keep everyone within the loop,” I continued. “I have seen what happened if a few scientists were not kept in the loop. I saw chaos reign. I know what can possibly happen if important information is withheld. That’s why I want everyone to know.”

Nadia chuckled. “I really hope that Omicrons learns this.”

Aspen said, “I hope Eric learns this.”

“Is that why you switched your pack?” Nadia asked.

“Will you change your pack?” I asked when Aspen remained silent.

If Aspen did not want to change her pack, who was I to force her? Not to mention, she was the Alpha’s sister. But if she was to take Miguel from my pack, then we had to have a long conversation.

Aspen looked out the window. “Yes.”

Nadia blinked at her friend. “Say what?”

Aspen shrugged. “I am changing my pack.”

The vampire was still in shock. “Okay. Okay.”

Aspen hugged herself. “Miguel... I think he is exactly who I need now. He... he is willing to do so many things. Help me out. If I try to take him from his pack, I am not being fair to him.”

I frowned at her confession. “You are willing to change your pack because it will affect Miguel?”

It did sound like I would win the damned bet.

Aspen nodded. “Yes. Look, I killed my mate and... even though I had perfect reasons to do so, he had been my mate when I killed him. He was still my other half when I lacerated his throat. It was like cutting a part of me and ripping it apart. It affected me so much. I never gave myself the help I needed. Miguel... he is the only one who understands me now and wants to help me. How can I turn away?”

I looked directly into my female Delta’s eyes. And for the first time, I saw fear in them. Insecurity in them. “If... you plan to leave Miguel after-”

“I would never!” Aspen protested.

“-This war,” I continued. “Don’t join this pack. If you leave him after joining this pack, it will hurt him more and I think you don’t want to see an angry Alpha because you hurt her pack member.”

“Bullshit!” Aspen snarled, balling her fists. “I marked him first. He is mine! Even if he wants to leave me for another female, I will challenge her. He is my mate for this lifetime. Even if you are against this, I will challenge you. I will challenge anybody who dares to separate us. I really don’t know why that lump head did not Mark me yet.”

She closed her eyes and took a deep breath before she opened them. “Don’t ever say that I would leave him alone.”

I could not help but smirk in amusement. Was this the half bond she had with Miguel that made her speak like this or did she really want him? As sure as the bright day out, I knew Miguel and Aspen did not get along the last time I checked- before I was taken by the East Tribe.

Nadia tried to contain her chuckle but she ended up grinning like a fool. We saw each other and began to laugh. Aspen growled at us, but we both could not stop it.

“Enough!” she growled.

I tried my best to reign my laugh. “Since when did you get so possessive over my Delta?”

Aspen looked away. “Does it matter?”

“As an Alpha,” I began. “I don’t want to see my Delta be hurt. I heard from Rhaze how you marked Miguel. It seemed like political reasons to me.”

Aspen muttered, “That was the only way to mark him as mine.”

Nadia frowned. “What did you mutter?”

It was then I realised that my hearing was much enhanced that this vampire. Perhaps that pulsar in me was waking up.

“Nothing,” she said.

“That was the only way to mark him as yours?” I asked, glad that my cerebellum was working perfectly fine to catch the mug with my left hand that my right hand was about to drop.

For the first time, I saw this female blush. “Lyra!”

“Explain me,” I said, placing the mug on the table next to me.

The red tint intensified on her face. “I... used to have these dreams about him. Ever since I saw him, I was drawn to him. He was oh so handsome and... hot. Even with my ex-mate I never had these strong feelings. Yes, he infuriated me, but guess what? I wanted more. I did not know when the lines blurred, but now I don’t see him as someone who was sent to annoy me.”

With that... she rubbed her face furiously. As much as she was embarrassed, her answer put my mind at ease. At least now I knew that my Delta would be in good hands.

Nadia whistled. “I know that Miguel is hot and handsome and super sexy when he trains-”

Aspen snarled and her hands morphed to her wolf as she held Nadia by her neck. “What did you just say?”

Nadia tried to pry her friend’s hand from her throat. “I told you the truth in your face. Want me to say this behind your back and try to catch his attention?”

Aspen released Nadia. “Try that see. The second you decide to try will be your last day.”

I bit my lips. I never saw Miguel as handsome or even hot. Was he attractive? Yes, I will give that shifter that. Was something wrong with me?

“Let me finish,” Nadia grinned. “So... you had dreams of him doing you?”

Aspen crossed her arms and turned away. Even though she did not answer verbally, her body did. The scent of arousal was indeed heavy in the kitchen.

“Naughty, naughty,” Nadia teased. “Did you even try to... perhaps make those dreams real?”

Aspen snorted and exasperated. “Why did you think I suddenly went on a shopping spree yesterday with Zahra? That male is a damned fool! He can’t take a hint! He shares his room with me, but you know what? He does not even sleep in the bed with me. He takes the mattress to the floor or sleeps on the couch. Not even a cuddle! I wonder who marked whom. It’s like he marked me. I am like a wanton.”

I definitely could not laugh. I knew how I was when Aries left me after he kissed me for the first time. Frustrated. Hot-mess.

But apparently, Nadia did not know how it was to be in that situation. She began to laugh. So much that she clutched her stomach as she hit the table with her fists.

The kitchen housed no one apart from us this morning, but Nadia with this laugh would invite everyone.

I could patiently sip my coffee to see what was happening.

Something amusing? Aries asked in a lazy tone.

The males in my pack were out with Varian.

Just... Aspen, I replied. She is...

No better than Miguel here, Aries commented. And that guy said I was whiny when we separated.

What do you mean? I asked. Aspen was glaring at her friend.

Aspen drives him crazy, Aries said. I said Miguel to change the subject to make Varian talk, that idiot began to whine how he is... let’s not go there.

I shook my head. These two needs to figure out what they want.

That they should. He agreed. After a brief pause, he said, We are coming over.

“Enough!” Aspen glared at Nadia. “You don’t know what it is like!”

With that, Aspen shot up. Just then, four of them entered. Aries stood by the door and crossed his arms across his chest while Varian stood behind him with confusion written over his face.

Just when Miguel was about to enter, Aspen strode past him and left the house.

“What happened?” Miguel asked, his gaze focused on Aspen’s retreating figure.

I shrugged. It was a pity that my coffee was over. “You should ask her.”

He frowned. “I felt intense possessiveness. That’s why I came as soon as possible.”

Nadia coughed and left the room without saying another word. Seeing her, I washed my mug as fast as I could and trailed after her, giving Aries a peck on his lips.

“Who would have thought?” Silas commented as he came to the living room. “That Aries would be a romantic at heart?”

I paused. “What do you mean?”

Silas rolled his eyes as he opened his tablet to check the news update. “I used to think that he did not have a heart. He was too much into war.”

Miguel then brushed past me as he chased his mate. For some weird reason, I felt Aspen being my female Delta would be the best thing.

Before I could reply to Silas’ comment, he held me, neither too tight nor too loose, spun me around and kissed me hard. If I did not know any better, I would say even after the entire night of passionate lovemaking, he was still unsatisfied.

My body began to react. The heat I thought the shower quelled, roared back to life. One kiss was apparently enough to undo me.

Silas coughed loudly. “Don’t need to prove anything, Aries.”

When our kiss stopped, he did not let me go out of his embrace. He gently rested his forehead against mine and took a deep breath in. “I am not proving anything. I am merely kissing my Soul-Bound. Is there something wrong in that?”

The silver eyes that shone so full of mischievousness and mirth would definitely get me in trouble. I rarely saw this playful side of him. While his eyes lit up, there was a change in his entire face. It was the tiny lift of the corner of his lips. That little pull of his cheek muscle. I was falling all over again.

“They are lost to us,” Varian’s voice brought me back to earth.

Silas sighed. “I agree. Is there any coffee left?”

“No,” Varian replied.

Aries smiled and released me from his embrace. He then cleared his throat. “What would you say about meeting another Warrior?”

At this, Silas placed his tablet carefully next to him and got up. Slowly he came up next to Aries. “Who is it, now?”

Aries sighed. “We cannot keep being here. We have to move to the West Pack. Taurus got some information regarding what was happening there. He is coming to tell us.”

I opened my mouth to protest. “But... Ant is with him. If he is to come here, who will protect her?”

Aries shrugged. “Taurus is confident about a male called Draco. Taurus gave me reassurance that Draco will protect Ant.”

My eyes widened. “Will he?”

“I trusted Antlia with you and no one questioned me,” Aries said quietly. “Even though you were kidnapped, you made a deal to get Ant out safe. Ant is safe because of you. I cannot question Taurus. He trusts this male just like I trust you. I cannot question his integrity.”

I nodded. “If you say so.”

“He will come here with a male named Zyon,” Aries said. “Apparently, Zyon brings information from Livvia.”

I nodded again. “Hopefully I can fill what happened to these people here before they both arrive.”

Aries cocked his head towards Silas. “I want you both to come with me.”

“Who both?” Silas asked.

“You and Varian,” Aries said, as he walked out.

“Why?” Silas asked, but nonetheless followed him out.

Varian just walked out quietly.

“I need to replace someone,” my Soul-Bound replied.

Who? I asked.

Someone who goes by the name Aislynn, Aries replied.

Why? I breathed in. Why not let her come in her own pace?

She will regret it if she does not come, Aries said. And she is a good friend of Pieces.

I hummed and the link went black again. Sighing, I took a seat.

There was a slow bustling from various parts of the house. Many were rising up. Then the commotion became louder until Rye shouted something over the noise.

Nadia came to the living room again. “Have they all left?”

“No,” I deadpanned. “I am hiding them in a closet.”

Nadia gave me a blank look before she sat on a seat. “I wonder what it is to be someone with a rank in a pack or coven or a tribe.”

“Don’t wonder,” I said closing my eyes.

Nadia laughed lightly. “You will be the first Alpha to say that.”

I opened my eyes. “Call whoever wants to listen. I will answer all the questions with utmost transparency as I can.”

“Okay.” With a nod of her head, Nadia went to each room to enquire.

Although we both started off in a misunderstanding, I could see why she was Aspen’s friend. And it would have been a huge mistake on my part to ignore her. She was a female I would happily call a friend.

********

People slowly began to fill in. First, it was Rye who came down tumbling with a female in her arms. This female was quite different. From the way Rye was hugging her, I knew this must be her mate. The Delta of Eric’s pack.

I must admit, I had been narrow-minded. I had been under the illusion that since the Delta trained the entire pack, she would be much taller and skinny or at least muscular. But the female before me was of average height and she was curvy.

I could never tell that I was curvy or skinny, I was somewhere in between. But seeing this female, I hoped I was not gaping. I dug my feelings deeper to see if I was envious, but thankfully I was not. She was beautiful in her own right.

“My name is Sheila,” she said, smiling warmly. “I am the Delta of my pack. The mate of Ryanne Drury.”

I nodded. “Alpha Lyra Throne.”

After them, my sister and her mate came to the living room, but they were discussing something serious. Shiela smiled at me before pulling Rye towards me. She then sat on the sear next to me and pulled her mate on top of her.

“I am... we are sorry,” Shiela said, with a small smile.

I could not help but frown. “For what?”

“If yesterday my mate seemed to have offended your mate,” the Delta of Eric’s pack said. “Offending an Alpha’s mate is a crime.”

Rye looked down, like a child who was caught stealing cookies.

I took in a deep breath. “She just called him by his name. Next time, please make sure that she does not repeat it.”

Rye then mumbled. “How should I address him then?”

“He represents the light of Amaris,” Kaina said, suddenly. “His primary element is fire. And he was the first to land on earth when Luna summoned the warriors. You can call him either as ‘Light of Amaris’ if he is the only shifter present in a warrior’s gathering. Or you can call him as First Warrior.”

As we five plunged into a conversation about names and their origin, people slowly trickled in.

When people no longer came, a vampire shouted above the loud murmurs. “Silence!”

A second later, Nadia slipped in.

“Hello, everyone,” I said keeping my voice blank of emotion. “As you all know, I am Alpha Lyra Throne. I bet you all have many questions and you can ask me.”

A vampire raised her hand. “Why were you kidnapped?”

“Because I,” I sighed. “Found that Alpha Ethan Verir was my mate. He rejected me and his chosen mate banished me out of the West Pack. Later he found that the children born to mates would be strong. Hence, he wanted me to bear him children.”

Various degrees of shock was etched on different people’s face. As murmurs broke out, a female scoffed. “What’s wrong with Alpha Verir?”

At that, my sister calmly raised her eyebrows. “What the hell do you mean?”

“Alpha Verir is Lyra’s mate!” she exclaimed. “He has all rights over her.”

Kaina blinked slowly. “What part of being rejected and being banished do you not understand?”

The werewolf snorted. “Alpha Ethan is her mate. He is an Alpha. He has all the rights. She belongs to him.”

Fire raced in my veins. Belonged to Ethan? Ethan had all rights over me? In what world did we live in? Since when did the Alphas see their mates as an object?

The audacity of this werewolf. “I belong to him?”

I saw fear in the werewolf’s eyes, but she held her ground. “Yes. You should listen to him. Your body was made to please him. You are meant to love him unconditionally. No matter what, you cannot abandon your mate. Even if he takes another female to bed, he is your mate at the end of the day. You should learn to forgive him. You-”

“What the fuck are you spewing, female?” Eric snarled. “Learn to forgive him? What world are you living in?”

“Be glad Aries is not here,” Rhaze said, her lips pulling up in a snarl. “If he heard this, let’s say you won’t live to another second.”

That was when the flames that danced erotically with my blood snapped to my skin. Unlike Miguel’s fire that was of various shades, mine was pure white. It licked my hands and tried to reach out to the female who indirectly called the bond I had with Aries faux.

I heard gasps around me, but I could not hear it past the fury that ran in my body. How could she ever talk like that? What right did she have to say like that about me?

The female slowly bared her neck seeing me. “It is not the way? The rank holder has absolute authority.”

At her words, even though my fire urged me to torch her down, I held back. As much as her words were stupid, I saw where she came from. How could she believe otherwise when this was what she was taught from the beginning?

“What is your name?” I asked, reeling back my fire.

I still had to know if this fire was from me or from Aries.

“E-Epione,” she mumbled. “Epione Akel.”

I took in a deep breath. While at first glance she might be just a pliant werewolf, there was something more dangerous lurking beneath her skin. Something older. Something darker. Something chaotic.

“Which pack are you from?” I asked her.

She gulped. “I come from Alpha Cedric’s pack.”

I glanced around. “Is there anyone from Alpha Cedric’s pack here?”

A hand shot up. “I am Gamma Alex Wright.”

“Who is Epione?” I asked him.

The female lowered her head but did not utter another word.

“She-” Gamma Alex began. “Five years ago, once when we were on a patrol, we found an unconscious female in our pack borders. We took her in and saved her. She said she remembered only her name. After one year of closely watching her, we decided she was not harmful. She became a part of our pack. Is there anything wrong?”

I shook my head. “Nothing. There’s nothing wrong with her.”

With that, I began to answer the questions others asked me. While I could not reveal about Luna, I could answer other questions.

The meeting stopped when Aspen came in announcing that it was a lunch break.

**********

“Who cooked?” Eric asked, rubbing his stomach. “It was damn delicious.”

“I know right!” Brent agreed, burping loud.

I snorted as I drank my soda. They were right. The food was amazing. I leant into Aries’ arms. It was rare for all of us to eat together without any commotion.

Kaina and Zahra beamed. They wore matching smirks as Zahra said, “We did it.”

Corvus gaped. “You cooked? Who knew?”

Rhaze shook her head. “At least, I won’t starve anymore.”

At that, we began to laugh. Everyone knew how Rhaze cooked.

Only when a series of knocks were heard, we stopped our laughter. Jed got up to open the door. Aries stiffened next to me. Just as I was about to ask what was wrong, the main door opened and two males entered.

One had silver eyes, just like Aries and Gemini while the other had heterochromia. One eye was a cool tint of hard sapphire and the other a brilliant shade of vermillion. His hair was black as the darkest night. Although he looked like a teenaged boy, I could feel how much powerful he was.

“Taurus!” Silas welcomed the silver-eyed male.

The Warrior grunted at him and then nodded at Aries. “This is your Soul-Bound, eh?”

Aries shrugged. “Why ask a question to which you know the answer to?”

Taurus’ eyes sized me up. When his gaze met mine, I refused to back down. So what if he was a Warrior? What if he was a star? I was a pulsar too. I was Soul-Bound to Aries.

Satisfaction gleamed in his eyes. “You choose well.”

Aries smiled. “As if she would have allowed me to choose another.”

I blinked at him. “What did you say?”

Taurus smirked. “Soul-bounds. They are called so because they call your soul, bind their soul with yours. You would never know what your soul is doing. Unless you are a star, you cannot control your soul. If your soul called out to him, he has no other choice but to respond.”

Before Aries could say anything, I said, “I am pulsar.”

Shock flashed in his eyes. “What?”

Aries nodded. “A registered Pulsar. First-generation Pulsar. I know.”

Why not tell them? I asked.

About you being assigned to me and the memory wipe?

Yes.

They have to figure that on their own, Aries said. He has to replace out the pulsar who was assigned to him first and only then can he replace out who they were to each other. I can slowly remember everything and I know that even you do. They have to replace their path, Lyra.

Taurus’ eyes widened as he shook his head in disbelief. “We do see a few new things.”

Then he hit the boy’s shoulder. “This is Zyon.”

Rhaze stood up. “And he is?”

Taurus shrugged. “He says he was grown up by his sister. Don’t know anything about himself.”

“How do you know him?” Silas asked.

“He happened to be Draco’s friend,” Taurus said. “And Cain from West pack contacted him to say something to a Warrior. Since Draco knew me, Zyon reached out to me.”

“What is it?” I asked.

Taurus nodded. “It is okay, you can proceed.”

Zyon sighed. “West Pack, they are experimenting on a female named Nira. They had impregnated her with hybrids that Harper can control. While these hybrids may be the best, Harper has an army of hybrids that she can control. She can mind-control them.”

An ugly silence fell over us. The food I had eaten threated to come out. The last time I checked, Nira was Harper’s beta and Andrew’s mate. It was for Nira Andrew betrayed me. And now, they were experimenting on Nira? Something was not adding up.

“What kind of hybrids?” Aries asked.

Zyon looked directly into Aries’ eyes without flinching. “A cross of a werewolf and a star. Seventy per cent star and rest werewolf or a vampire or a Magyc.”

My eyes widened. “That’s... that’s a kind of project Summer Coven did twenty years ago!”

Zyon nodded. “Yes. They played with genetics. Very bad.”

Aries’s eyes hardened. “How is Harper sustaining Nira’s life?”

Zyon met my Soul-Bound’s gaze with equal hardness. “She has a star named Dubhe under her control. She took Dubhe’s genes and her energy to do this project. Literally, Dubhe is dying there.”

Rhaze inhaled sharply. “Why does the name sound familiar?”

Aries snarled. “Dubhe is Alioth’s sister. Daughter of Ursa and Northern Star. She... in a sense has her mother’s powers.”

“What do you mean?” I asked.

“Ursa,” Aries began. “She did not belong to the four elements we represented. She had an element of her own. She represented space itself. Not many knew that. Dubhe... she can manipulate space, just like her mother. I don’t think Dubhe knows the extent of her powers. If she did, no matter what, she could not be contained. Space cannot be contained.”

A/N: What do you think?

Anything about Epione? Anything about Zyon and Taurus?

And please, Draco is NOT FROM HARRY POTTER. Draco is the name of a constellation. Please note that.

I hope you will like Taurus for the next book is about him.

Until next update,

~Quill