Ares
"I don't trust him," I said out loud. 'He sounded like he really wanted to talk.' Malik said. "I'll be right there. I won't let anything happen to you two." My grandfather said once I stopped the car. I looked over at the old tree our grandfather used to bring us to when we were kids.
I watched as Pablo turned to face us from where he stood under the tree.
I sighed before stepping out of the car. I walked up the small hill standing a few feet away from Pablo. "I said to come alone," Pablo said.
"Did you really expect me to do that?" I asked. He hummed before chuckling. "I guess not." He said. "You asked to speak, so speak," I said. "I don't want to fight you." He said. I huffed rolling my eyes. "Why? Scared I'll actually win?" I said.
Pablo fell silent. "Ares, whether you believe me or not I want you to know I am sorry." He paused. "I'm sorry for how I treated you when we were younger. I'm sorry for trying to—" "Kill me." I finished for him.
"Yes, I'm sorry," Pablo said. I shook my head. Years had gone by and not once did he ever apologize but now he wanted to. I thought. 'Just hear him out.' Malik said. "What happened? Did something happen to Ahsha? Or the baby? Did you hurt—"
"No. No, they're fine." He said. "Then why the random apology? Are you trying to trick me?" I asked. "Ares, let him speak." Our grandfather said. "I hated you growing up. I hated having to share a body with you. Something always felt off about it." Pablo said.
"What does this have to do—" "Grandmother, she always said it was for the best that we made sure you were never in control for too long." He said. "Grandmother? You want to talk about her right now?" I questioned.
I always knew my grandmother was never too fond of me compared to how she was with Malik or Pablo. She rarely spent time with me and when she did, it always felt like she'd rather be anywhere else.
"She said you wouldn't know how to handle that much power and you would hurt people because you had no self-control," Pablo explained.
I looked down, a dry chuckle leaving my lips. Hearing how my grandmother felt about me stung but she never really knew me to begin with so her opinion of me was irrelevant. "Nice to finally hear how she really felt about me," I said. Pablo shook his head taking a step towards me but stopped when I stood looking at him defensively. "I know she was wrong about you now." He said. I stared at him unable to speak. "Ahsha kind of went off on me about how I treated you and she was right." He said looking away from me.
"She kept saying that I didn't know the full story." He paused looking up at me. "What the fuck is this?" I asked. "Why are you telling me all of this?" I questioned. "You were never supposed to share a body with Malik and me." He said.
I rolled my eyes turning to leave. "Ares just stop and listen to what he has to say. If not for him or yourself do it for Ahsha because it's obvious that she's the reason behind this little meeting even happening." Our grandfather said.
I turned and looked at him before turning back to Pablo. "We were never supposed to be three beings in one body. You were supposed to be Malik's twin." He said.
I stared at him wide-eyed. "What?" Our grandfather said taking the word right out of my mouth. "I had help from Olivia and the Pereiras but I also had help from our grandmother." He said. Our grandfather began mumbling angrily in Arabic.
"Tell me everything," I said.
--
"Twins." I said quietly. "She told Ahsha everything and then compelled her from telling me anything. She was only able to tell me because of Oshun." Pablo explained. "So when you died—"
"It was supposed to be you in my place. Fate wanted to give you your body back. Make things right so to say." He said repeating his words a second time for my sake.
"So I would have to die to get my body back?" I asked needing to hear the words spoken again. "We would have to be one being again. Then you will be offered the same deal that I was." He explained.
I wanted to believe him but hearing that I would have to die to correct the mistakes of my grandmother didn't seem like a fair trade. "I never had a fucking chance, did I?" I questioned as I looked between the two of them. Ahsha's words rang in my mind.
"I was literally set up to become a monster by the very people who were supposed to have my back," I said.
I shook my head. "I didn't ask for any of this shit." I snapped as I walked off to my car. "Let me talk to him." I overheard my grandfather say.
"I don't want to talk," I said. "I know you didn't ask for this—" "What could you possibly say to explain this? My own grandmother didn't and doesn't even care about me, so much so that she's willing to kill me, to keep the powers she's stolen. I have been on my fucking own from the very beginning." I snapped turning away from him. "But you haven't." He said. "I was here. I've always here for you." He said. I turned and looked at him.
"I promised you I would always be here for you." My grandfather said. "I don't want to die," I said as my voice broke. "I finally have someone who despite all my faults and fuck ups wants me. I don't want to leave her." I said shaking my head. "Then we'll find another way." He said hugging me.
"I know you don't trust me but I want to make things right. We were lied to. I shouldn't have just blindly listened to our grandmother. You were my brother and I treated you like a stranger." He paused.
"Ares I am so sorry for the part I played in making your life harder. I know asking you to trust me especially given our history is a lot, but trust Ahsha and Oshun." He said. I looked up at Pablo before stepping out of my grandfather's arms. "Did she say anything else?" I asked.
--
I stared at my grandfather and Pablo for a few moments. "I want to speak to Ahsha before I agree to anything," I told them. Pablo looked at me before nodding his head. "I understand." He said before we parted ways.
Ahsha
It was going on almost 2:30 am and Pablo was still out. I was feeling so anxious and antsy and I guess the baby could tell because he was kicking up a storm. "Kid I swear if you don't calm down." I mumbled.
My head rose when I saw the door open and in walked Pablo. "You're still up?" he said. "Duh, I went to sleep you were here. Then I woke up you were gone. I was worried." I said. "I'm sorry about that." He said as he took his jacket off and pulled out his phone.
He typed a bit on it before walking over to me sitting on the side of the bed. I looked at him before he turned the phone to face me.
I looked to see he was facetiming an unknown number. "Who is—" "Ahsha." I looked to see Ares looking at me. "Ares? How—" "I can't talk long, love." He said. I nodded my head. "Were Malik and I supposed to be brothers?" He asked jumping straight to the point.
I opened my mouth to speak but no words came out. I looked at Pablo and he caressed my cheek softly. "Did my grandmother sell my life for a love spell?" He asked. "She—" was all I could say. Ares sighed.
"It's okay, my love. I get it. Pablo told me everything." He said. I nodded my head. I figure Mira's compulsion was only able to affect me, so allowing Oshun to tell Pablo the truth was my only option.
Because Oshun left my body whatever they discussed was between the two of them so I guess she told Pablo to explain things to Ares and Malik. "You told them," I said looking at Pablo. "Yes, they deserved to know," Pablo said. "He did, but that doesn't change the fact that we still need to go through with the fight," Ares said.
My head snapped back to the phone. "What?" I questioned. "Baby—" "No we need to figure out how to deal with your psychotic grandma and get you your body back," I said with an eye roll.
"And we will after the fight. There's too much bad blood between us for me to ever want to work with him." Ares said. "What about me?" I asked. His face softened. "I would give my life for you." He paused.
"I don't want you to give your life for me," I said staring at him only for him to look away. "I don't want any of you to give your life for me," I said looking at Pablo. "Well that's not up to you, beautiful," Ares said.
"Pablo?" Ares called. Pablo took the phone turning it as he looked at the screen. "What?" He asked. "I'll see you Friday," Ares said. "See you Friday," Pablo said with a nod of his head.
--
It was late Friday night early Saturday morning and for the past few days I had refused to speak to Pablo. Mostly because instead of talking Ares out of fighting he had egged it on, but also because my back had been hurting on and off. The baby had been moving around like crazy only amplifying the body aches I had been having.
Currently, we had been sitting in the car driving for15 maybe 20 minutes. The entire ride Pablo kept trying to get my attention and I was growing more and more annoyed. "Ahsha please?" He asked. I just continued to stare out of the window.
"Baby, look at me," Pablo said turning my head so I was looking at him. "I have nothing to say to you. You two made your choice with even considering me or the baby." I said. He sighed as the car came to a stop. I turned to see a huge tree in the distance and Ares and Imam standing under it.
Pablo got of the car before helping me out as well. "What is this place?" I asked. "A place we used to come to when we were kids," Pablo said leading me up the small hill.
Omniscient
Ahsha stood a few feet away from Ares and Imam. "Ahsha how are you?" Imam asked. "I'd be better if you would have talked your grandson out of this stupid, idiotic—" "Ahsha," Ares said warningly. "Well, it is." She said as she walked over to him cupping his face before sighing from the oncoming headache. "What's wrong?" Ares asked. "My fucking mates are trying to kill each other." Ahsha snapped.
"You don't have to do this." She tried once again to talk him out of it. "But I do." He countered kissing her deeply. "I love you, my little monster." He said pressing his forehead against hers before kissing the palm of her hand.
"Ares—Pablo, please don't do this?" she pleaded. "We've made up our mind, little mate," Pablo said pulling her into his arms. He kissed her just as passionately as Ares had before kissing her knuckles.
He let her go before looking at his grandfather sharing a simple nod. Imam returned the nod to Pablo before looking at Ares sharing a look.
Imam turned to Ahsha leading her as well as the Pereira brothers to a safe distance so the small group could watch on. Ahsha watched waiting to see Ares take on his full form or for Pablo to brace himself but to her surprise, neither of those things happened.
Ares dropped to his knees and bowed his head leaving Ahsha confused. She looked over at Imam seeing him look on unphased. "What is he doing?" She asked rubbing her belly absentmindedly trying to quell the kicking.
No one answered her. "No fucking way?" Gino said in disbelief. "Did you know he was going to do this?" Gino asked Franco. "Do what? What is going on?" Ahsha asked as her adrenaline rose with each passing second.
She watched as Pablo touched Ares's shoulder before Mira walked up from the shadows holding her hand out. Ahsha shook her head. "No," Ahsha whispered. "No." She repeated with disbelief in her voice. "He's sacrificing himself?" She questioned. "Yes, he is," Imam said keeping his eyes on the scene below.
A bright light shot up in the sky blinding the group before a loud familiar growl erupted. Once the light was gone only one body stood in front of Mira.
Malik's head turned looking up at the group before locking eyes with Ahsha. She stared on frozen as they held one another's gazes. Malik's form took several steps forward only for Mira to walk up to him pushing on his chest in an attempt to pull his gaze from Ahsha.
"Don't you fucking touch them you bitch!!" Ahsha yelled as she lunged forward only to be held back by Imam. "Relax, they know what they're doing, Imam said. "She's going to kill them!" Ahsha yelled struggling to get out of his grasp. It was in the very moment she realized just how much she cared for Malik, Pablo, and Ares. The thought of losing even one of her mates physically pained her.
Malik pushed his grandmother out of the way and began heading towards Ahsha. He froze in his tracks feeling his head begin to throb. He took a few more steps before dropping to his knees and turning to see his grandmother mouthing some words as ears began to ring.
Malik punched the ground as he growled lowly feeling an unbearable heat race through his body. He continued to claw his way towards Ahsha before redness blinded his vision. Malik's body began to convulse before he threw his head back as a loud guttural growl echoed through the night sky.
Ahsha watched on holding her breath as her mate collapse hitting the ground with a thud. Minutes ticked as he laid unmoving on the ground. "He's not fucking moving." Ahsha snapped still being held in Imam's arms as tears ran down her face. "Give him a minute," Imam said.
She broke free from Imam's arms and quickly went to Malik's still form. She touched his cheek looking at his face. She let out a soft breath once she felt that he was breathing. "Come on, you asshole get up," Ahsha whispered. He remained still.
Ahsha turned to Mira sending a dark look her way. "If he doesn't wake up I swear I will—." Ahsha froze once Malik took in a strangled breath.
Malik's eyes snapped opened to reveal Pablo's or rather Dominic's familiar red ones. He stared up at Ahsha before slowly rising taking a minute to get on his feet. Ahsha stood as well as Imam ran down putting himself between Pablo and Ahsha.
Pablo's eyes stayed on Ahsha never breaking contact. "Shit," Ahsha mumbled as she looked down at her sweats.
Pablo inhaled deeply before a low hum left his lips. "Mine," Pablo growled out. Imam turned and looked at Ahsha when he caught the smell as well. "Now? Really?" Imam said. "It's not like I planned this." Ahsha snapped.
Pablo took a step forward but Imam shifted into his true form pushing him back. "Hey! Hey! Look at me!" Imam said hitting his grandson. "Ahsha can you get to the car?" Imam asked as he continued to hit his grandson trying to hold his attention.
"We got her." Gino said coming up from behind her picking her up bridal style. Pablo let out a loud dark growl seeing his mate being touched by another man. "Go! Go!" Imam yelled. "Mira help me!" He snapped as Ahsha was carried to the car.
Ahsha looked over Gino's shoulder seeing Pablo being held back as she was placed into the car.
His eyes soften for only a second as he stared at the car carrying his. He mood quickly shifted as his mate scent began to fade as she disappeared into the night. Ahsha, Franco, and Gino all tended when they heard a terrifying growl Rio through the forest as they sped away.
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