Ares
I stared at myself in the mirror feeling out of place in the suit. I turned to see Malik laughing as he looked at me. I made a face.
"Now you see first-hand how annoying this stuff is." He said. "Why can't I wear one of the many suits you have?" I asked once again.
"Because who's to say we're the same size anymore." Malik countered. I rolled my eyes before looking back at myself in the mirror. Although I had been in this body for a little while now I still found it strange. I was my own person.
I answered to no one. I could come and go as I pleased and yet the only thing, I wanted was my mate and I couldn't do anything to bring her back. I reached up touching my face. "Leave us." I heard Malik say. Once we were alone, he spoke.
"What is it?" he asked. "What if she doesn't like my new face? I mean she did fall in love with your face originally and you look more like our father." I said. "I was surprised that you went with features closer to mother's side given how you feel about her." He said.
"I may think she was a neglectful parent at times but that doesn't mean I don't still care for her. Or that she has good features. I think I chose this face because father looks like Mira and I didn't want to see the face of a woman who hates me for the rest of my life." I said. "Plus I always thought our grandfather on mother's side held an intimidating gaze that I admired" I added.
"Well, thanks for that," Malik said. I chuckled. "I didn't mean it like that," I said laughing. He smiled. "I know. I understand." He said with a nod. "As for what Ahsha will think. I'm sure she'll have some Texas saying to give you, and everything will be fine." He said.
I chuckled at that before sighing. "She's been gone for almost a month now," I mumbled. Malik turned away from me at that looking down at Nasir. "She's coming back." Was all he said.
Silence fell between us. "Mira came to visit me." Malik finally spoke as he picked up Nasir. I raised my head snapping towards him in anger. "When?" I questioned. "Several days after we spoke to mother and father." He said.
"What did she want?" I asked. "To give her condolences," Malik said as he stood turning to me. I scoffed at his words. "Her condolences?" I questioned in disbelief. "Her condolences mean nothing. I bet she was ecstatic at the idea of Ahsha being gone." I added.
==
"I was saddened to hear about Ahsha's passing," Mira spoke as she looked at her grandson. Malik rolled his eyes. "I'm sure you were." He said as he leaned forward in his seat. "Of course, I am and for you to suggest otherwise is rude. I loved Ahsha in the short time I knew her." Mira countered. "I know you spoke to her before she ran—,"
"If you're suggesting that the 5-minute conversation we shared caused her to take her life then you're deluded." She said cutting him off. Her words stung he couldn't deny that.
"Truthfully the only person any of us can blame is sadly Ares. However, because Dominic did what he needed to, we no longer have to deal with him." She said.
Malik clenched his jaw at her words to keep from lashing out. He closed his eyes taking a breath and that was when he smelled it. 'Ahsha' Pablo breathed out. Malik opened his eyes feeling his stomach drop.
Standing behind his grandmother was Ahsha. Her face held a calm demeanor as she stared at him. Her golden eyes shined brightly as she brought her index finger up to her lips telling him to be quiet.
He knew it was her way of telling him to calm down. He took another breath before his gaze shifted to Mira. "Even in death you still speak of your grandson as if he were a burden," Malik said.
"No, I speak about him like the monster he was. He was my grandson and for that I loved him, but he was a savage of a man." Mira spoke."So much so that not even his own mate could save him." She added seeing the anger wash over Malik at her words.
"My words may be harsh, but they are true. I can acknowledge my part in all of this but at some point, you have to see who and what your brother truly was—a monster and the world is now a little safer that he's gone." She said as she stood.
"I truly am sorry about Ahsha, she fell into Ares's path, and he destroyed her." She said as she walked to the door. Malik's jaw ticked at that comment. 'He destroyed her.' Pablo scoffed at that. It amazed Malik and Pablo how blind they were at how much their grandmother truly despised Ares. The way she spoke about him showed no care at all for him.
It was as if he was some person she had to put up with. Her words not only angered them but left them feeling disgusted at the role they played in Ares's mistreatment. Although they knew they couldn't change the past they were dead set on making up for it now, so they refused to let Mira speak so illy of their brother now.
"Acknowledging what you did also means acknowledging that you stole who Ares could've been. None of us know who he could've grown to be if you hadn't interfered with his life. One selfish decision—," Malik paused.
"You made one selfish decision that changed everyone's life. My parents lost a child. Ahsha's family lost a daughter and a sister. I lost my brother and mate. Ares lost the life he could have had all because you were scared to be alone." He said.
Mira snapped around staring at her grandson before storming back to his desk. "I'm not scared to be alone. I'm not scared of anything." She barked at him.
Malik scoffed at her words. "Could have fooled me." He said. "Clearly, you must have me mistaken with yourself." She snapped back. Pablo and Malik's anger bubbled just below the surface as they stared at Mira, but they remained seated.
"I had already taken care of Ares all you had to do was keep your mate in line and you couldn't even do that." Mira barked. "How do you expect to be the king when you can't even control your mate?" She said.
"Careful there." Malik and Pablo both spoke. "Without Ahsha here we might just lose our temper and who knows what could happen." They said.
Mira looked at her grandson seeing a different look in his eyes.
It was darkness she had only ever seen Ares hold. She leaned into the desk. "You think you can take me, try it." She said. "You two maybe my favorites but I have no problem getting rid of another grandson." She bit out.
The pair stared at each other until Mira smiled. "So I suggest you be a good boy and mind your elders." She said before she turned heading to the door. "Well, then I suggest you watch your words, with Ahsha gone we have nothing to lose," Malik called causing her to pause in her step. She glanced over her shoulder before continuing out.
==
Malik
I decided against telling Ares everything that Mira said. He didn't need to hear what she had to say about him. I was going to try my best now to protect him as much as I could. I found myself sitting in my office staring off thinking back to that glimpse I caught of Ahsha.
That moment played in my mind constantly. I knew something big was happening. That familiar static feeling was in the air, the same one that had been present just before Ahsha's 18th birthday. I wiped my hand over my face before shutting everything down. I headed to go check on Nasir seeing him lay in his crib. I walked over to him smiling as I looked down at him.
I held my hand out for him and he grabbed my index finger with his whole fist. I smiled as I wiggled my hand making him smile. As I was looking at him his eyes began to glow and Ahsha's familiar scent wrapped around us.
I kept my eyes on Nasir when I felt pressure on my shoulder. "Ahsha," I whispered as I watched Nasir's eyes shift away from me. "I'm not sure if you're really here or if I'm just hallucinating," I said. "But it's time for you to come back. We need you. I need you, please." I whispered.
Nothing happened as I sighed until I felt a soft almost feather-like touch on my cheek before her scent began to fade. I looked down at Nasir seeing his eye were returning to their warm brown color. Nasir looked up at me his eyelids drooping as he tried his best to fight his sleep. "It's okay," I said softly. "She'll be back," I added.
Once he had been asleep for a few moments I turned quietly heading for the door. I stopped glancing at the pictures of Ahsha, Nasir, and myself that sat on the wall. "Just a little while longer," I mumbled before cutting the light off and leaving.
Ares
I stared at the surveillance camera of Mira's place seeing the same figure who made it a point to avoid every camera, as they came and went. They had visited Mira once or twice a week for the past month and it was as if they knew about every camera we had placed.
I sighed rubbing my eyes from the strain of staring at the computer screen for so long. I was growing impatient at the lack of results, but I was also aware that Mira had been doing this for a while. The person or people who had been helping her had been doing this for a while.
They had both been sneaking about in the dark and I had to accept that we've all mishandled and underestimated Mira. However, before I died something happened—my thinking shifted. I wanted better.
But I was finding it harder and harder not to revert to my old ways. Doing things Malik's way was taking too long for my liking. I closed my laptop pushing it away when my gaze shifted to the tv.
There has been a lot of talk about what this huge announcement from the Ahmad Family is going to be about. Many are speculating it is the official release of the suspected wedding date of Prince Malik and his Princess Ahsha Saleem. However, some people are skeptical of this due to the rumors of the couple having a tumultuous relationship. In any case, tune in to Channel XYS tomorrow at 11 am for the live coverage of the announcement.
The news anchor said as I stared at the screen.
Tomorrow I was going to be presented to my people on national television. Although this is what I wanted, I was worried about how my people would receive the news—how they would receive me.
They could hate me and given my history I'm sure many of them due. "Fuck." I whispered dropping my head in my hand before sighing loudly. I stood heading to the bathroom to get ready for bed before coming out 20 minutes later and crawling into bed and laying on my side.
I lay like that for a while until I realized almost 2 hours had passed of me staring at the wall that sat across from me. I sighed turning onto my back squeezing my eyes shut when I smelled it, smelled her.
==
"Ahsha," I whispered as my eyes opened. I gasped seeing I was outside in a field of these weirdly colored flowers and the bright night stars so close I could reach out and touch them. "You actually can." I heard. I turned to see Ahsha laying next to me. My eyes widened as I looked at her.
I froze as I stared at her seeing her golden eyes shine back at me with a soft look on her face. I wanted to touch her but hesitated. I had this dream before and every time I went to touch her I woke up. She smiled. "Try," she said. I stared at her reluctant before reaching up touching her cheek. "You're real," I whispered.
"Sort of," She said. We lay in the grass staring at each other in silence when she reached out touching my face. "Hmm," She hummed. Shit, she hated my new face. I thought. Her lips curled into a smirk before she spoke. "I never said that—," She paused. I felt my chest clench at the sound of her words. "You can hear my thoughts?" I questioned. "Yes," She said with a smile.
Her eyes drifted down to my chest before her fingers traced over my mark. "I'm so sorry for everything," I said. "Please—I promise I'll do whatever I can to make it up to you," I said as I pressed my face further into her hand. "I know." She said softly. "I've missed you." She said. My eyes widened at her words. She had missed me. "That is what I said." She spoke with laughter in her words. "And Malik, and my baby." She said. "So much." She added.
She cupped my face before she leaned in kissing my forehead. I sighed feeling heat race through my body. She broke the kiss with a smile. "It's time for you to come back, little monster," I said. I watched as her smile grew at the name. "And I will, soon, but I need you to do something for me." She spoke. I looked at her confused. "Do you trust me?" "Yes," I whispered.
"Then tomorrow at your public conference I want you to have your grandfather speak." She explained. "Why?" I questioned. "Because it has to be him." She told me. "Now when Imam speaks to the public I want him to tell them we're throwing a party." She added. "A party?" I questioned. "Yes, everything will make sense soon, but I need you to do this for me. Can you?" She asked as her voice began to drift. I nodded my head. "I can," I said feeling light twitches spread throughout my body.
"And one more thing. Do not tell anyone else about who you are or what's going on. This stays between you, Malik, and Imam." She said as her voice continued to waver. I quickly realized what she said and the implication of what her words meant. "You mean I can't tell my brothers or parents," I said. "Are you saying one of them the moles?" I asked.
She stared at me silently. I closed my eyes feeling tired. "Look at me," she called drawing me back. "I know how much you're trying to change but I need to know that when the time comes the Ares I know will show up." She said.
I stared at her seeing a powerful look on her face. I knew she was asking me if I was still capable of being as vicious as I once was and for her, I could be. "I will," I said. She smiled. "Good." She whispered. "Because as much as that side of you annoyed me. When the time comes I'll need you." She whispered as she caressed my cheek.
"And when you talk to Malik tell him I miss him and give Nasir a kiss for me." She added. She leaned in kissing me before pressing her forehead against mine. "I will. See you soon little monster," I whispered.
==
I opened my eyes, to see I was sitting alone in my room. I looked at my hands seeing them shake. I grabbed my phone seeing that I had been asleep for no more than 3 hours. "What the fuck?" I whispered before I stood rushing out of my room and down the hall to Nasir's room.
I walked in seeing him sleeping peacefully. I caressed his soft skin before kissing his forehead and leaving him to sleep. I headed further down to Malik's room knocking on it impatiently waiting for him to open the door. It took what felt like forever before the door swung open. "What is it?" Malik asked as he rubbed his eyes before finally looking at me.
"Your eyes." He whispered. "I saw Ahsha," I said before he could continue. "What?" He questioned.
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