"Have you found anything?"
Aria questioned the guard who sat across her in the throne room.
"It is safe to say he was killed but we have no clue how or who killed him"
The council was in a meeting and everyone looked pensive. Aria was tensed but she wasn't going to let anyone see that. Nothing of the sort had ever happened since she could remember. A member of the Queendom being killed without any clue who.
"What did you get out of his family?" She asked
"His beloved is still in shock. His daughter is just as clueless as we all are. Well, maybe a tad bit clueless than we are"
"Was there any recent disagreement, Kon?" Aria turned to the leader of Vampires in question.
"None that I heard of. The ones reported were resolved"
' Then what would cause such a thing?'
Aria wondered.
The rest of the meeting went by and she had zoned out almost half of the time. Her mind was buzzing with questions mainly who and why?
She just couldn't understand and she hated not having answers.
"Vasílissa". A voice called making her focus on the meeting once again.
" Kyría Dalcia".
"I was wondering when you're going to announce that you've found your mate". Dalcia asked with a smug grin.
Aria couldn't be more shocked at her mother's antics. She was a stubborn woman, yes but the way she acted since she found her mate was just surprising. A part of her would have found it hilarious if it wasn't affecting her so much.
"I believe there are other things to be discussed" Aria snapped.
"Actually, it's very important that we discuss that too. I'm sure everyone will agree with me"
There was a chorus of mumbled 'yes' from almost everyone in the throne room. Lina wasn't with her and that made her more tense than she'd usually be.
"There's nothing to discuss about it. I already have a chosen mate. He'll be crowned Vasiliás (king) of Ourà Fengàri in a few months." She announced in a voice that left no room for discussion.
Wordlessly,she rose gracefully, gathering her dress and headed outside the throne room. Murmurings were going on behind her as she left but she refused to let that bother her. She headed straight to Lina's room when she was out of the throne room.
Lina sat on her bed,her feet tucked beneath her and a book opened on her laps.
"Ismena". Lina closed shut the book and looked up at her sister.
Aria sat on the bed with a huff.
"Who pissed you off?" Lina asked when Aria laid back on the bed on her back, staring at the ceiling.
"Mother wants me to announce that I've found my mate"
"There must be some reason why she's hellbent on you ending up with the Àlfa of the Crescent Moon Pack. You know she only wants what's best for us. She just has a rather harsh way of showing it"
"I believe she wants the best for us but this is different. Disrespecting me infront of the council because of a mate I thought I wasn't supposed to have is a bit too much". Aria muttered.
"But if you keep denying the bond, it may land you in big trouble. You know that the bond is scared.". Lina advised.
" I keep wishing this is all a nightmare I'm meant to wake up from. Demitri is a werewolf; a traitor to Ourà Fengàri. Him and his kind were banished from the queendom centuries ago and accepting the bond could bring division amongst the people"
"We weren't even conceived when the wolves were banished. We only know our side of the story and they know theirs. Maybe all we know is not the truth. The moon never makes mistakes, Aria"
"You could at least try to talk to him. He may not be as bad as we think him and his kind are"
"That would be a lost cause, Lina. He doesn't even believe we're true mates like I do. He thinks I'm manipulating him with witchcraft and my vampire abilities"
"Don't worry. Just try talking to him. Your next heat could kill you, Aria" Lina stated sadly.
"Shit!". Aria gasped. She had lost track of time. I'd been over a week since she experienced her last heat. It only meant she'd go into heat any moment. That would be her last heat and her last chance. She vowed to deny the bond to death and now that her death could be closer,she regretted it.
Lina noticed her sister's breathing has turned rapid and she kept wringing both hands so she pulled her into an embrace.
" Don't worry, Aria. I'll get that asshole here even if it means a whipping on their pack lands"
"I don't want him, Lina. I love Doukai. I can't lose him". Aria mumbled
" You can't fool oi moires (the fates), Aria "
"I know"
It had dawned on Aria that she couldn't have what she wanted but then again, she wasn't ready to die. She thought she was. Initially. Well, not anymore. Though she'd lived for decades,thinking she'd tire of the life as an immortal but she was in her sister's arms, fearing for her life. She didn't want Demitri and she loved Doukai. She'd only started loving him recently. She wasn't one to trust easily that is why it took so long for her to fall in love with him but now she may have to reject him as her chosen mate in order to live.
'How am I ever going to live with myself?'
She thought. She doubted she'd be able to live with herself if she rejected him. And if she accepted Demitri as her mate and even if he believed her, they'd be in a loveless relationship without the mate bond.
"Stop worrying. As your bodyguard and advisor,I promise to make sure nothing happens to you. "
"Don't get into trouble for me. I can't do it again. Please". Aria croaked.
"I won't" Lina assured.
Aria stayed with her sister in her embrace till she was forced to take a sleeping potion to free her mind that was buzzing with numerous unanswered questions.
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"Something is bothering you" Meena said sitting across her brother in his office
He had been in his office since he spoke to Lacia. Adonis wasn't letting him have peace and it made him unproductive.
"Shouldn't you be cuddling with Viera?" He snapped instead of answering her. He hadn't meant to snap at her.
"I don't know why you're so upset but I do know Viera and I haven't offended you so don't snap at me". Meena snapped back with a hand on her waist.
" I'm sorry, I didn't mean to". He mumbled an apology,running his fingers through his dark hair.
"You know you can tell me anything, Demi."
"I know, it's just... I'm not sure what to do" Demitri admitted. He put his head in both hands, his elbows resting on the office desk. Meena got up and moved to stand behind him, resting her hands on his shoulders to massage them in an attempt to get him relieved of stress.
He flinched immediately her fingers begun to work on his shoulders making her stop. Usually, her fingers massaging his shoulders would bring him calm but not any longer. His wolf wasn't having it. He growled at his sister.
"Oh boy, if Adonis is growling, then I know it's bad. Just tell me" Meena told him after moving to her initial seat. Her eyebrows were furrowed her eyes held deep concern.
"I found my mate". Demitri mumbled.
" Another one apart from the manipulator?" Meena asked in a bored tone but his growl made her sit upright.
"She's my mate. My true mate!" He yelled at her making her eyes go as wide as saucers. She badly wished it was a joke but it was Demitri's wolf speaking through his human side. Adonis would not lie about his mate.
"H-How?" There were so many things she had wanted to say, so many questions she wanted to ask but her throat turned dry and her lips failed her.
"The fuck do I know. Oi moíres picked me as a pawn in one of their many chess games"
"So you... Your- shit!" Meena fumbled.
Her lips were failing her.
"Yeah shit is right. I'm fucked" Demitri sighed.
"So what will you do?"
"I wish I knew"
Demitri leaned back in his seat.
"If you don't don't act fast, things will get messier than they already are"
"Thanks for the reminder I definitely didn't need"
"I'm sorry. I'm just surprised right now"
"I was surprised when I found out too."
"Wait-" Meena whispered after a pause.
"If she's your mate, then your next heat could be anytime soon" She said with a gasp
"I know"
"No, Demi. This would be the second heat since you met and you're still in denial if the bond. If you anger Thea Seléni and oi moíres, you could experience worse than losing your wolf, Demi. You die" Meena explained.
"Maybe death would be better"
"No Demi. You die and you die a lost wolf" She whispered the last part.
Demitri's eyes went wide as he realized what his sister meant. A lost wolf. No. He couldn't have that. That was worse than losing his wolf. Way worse.
"I'm fucked". He whispered to himself. He tugged on his hair angrily. He realized he had no way out. Absolutely no fucking way.
"Well, witches might be good for one thing"
"What did you suggest?"
"Break the bond"
There was silence after she said it. It was true but Demitri hadn't considered it. They could try to break the bond but that had consequences as well. Consequences like never being balanced with his wolf, losing his wolf or even worse,a dying a lost wolf.
But it would be worth trying. If his mate agreed. If. If .
"I'm considering it now that you mentioned it"
"I'm sure you agree on one thing. Sworn enemies. So I'm sure it'll be easy"
"That's true. Definitely"
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Aria ripped the sheets off her harshly. Her body burned. She was drenched in sweat. She tore off her night dress off her.
Not again
Not again
She kept chanting as she practically wobbled to her bathroom, crawling into the tub. Good thing her cold bath had been prepared early at dawn.
She felt horrible. She wanted to rip her burning skin off her too but that would be suicide so she endured the burn and laid in the tub, weak.
She let out moans of pain as she sat in the bath.
Pain
Pain
Pain
Her body wasn't just burning. It burned with need for her mate. She would have laughed if she wasn't in so much pain that laughter would be a painful grimace. Her body craved a mate that didn't want anything to do with her. A mate she hated and the same one who hated her with equal passion or more.
The cold water that was giving her some relief from pain had turned hot in the few minutes she was in. She bit the inside of her cheeks to prevent the scream from escaping her lips. She had planned to go through her heat alone. Without bothering Lina.
She could only do so for a few minutes then the pain increased a tenfold.
Her senses were heightened than they normally were so she heard her door being opened. She smelled Lina first and then Demitri? Only he smelled like fresh rain mixed with cinnamon.
She thought she was being delusional as a result of the pain.
"Ismena"
Demitri shouted bursting into the bathroom, Lina trailing behind him. She hated him. The moon knows she didn't like his kind but she swore her name had never sounded that sweet till he pronounced it.
"I tried stopping him but I guess it's even good he's here". Lina told her sister who only nodded.
Demitri grabbed a towel and helped her out of the tub. His presence alone made her calm. She said nothing as he led her to her bed laid her on it, moving to spoon her body from behind. Sparks erupted everywhere they touched but she wasn't going to complain. It felt nice.
Demitri had lost control of Adonis for the first time as he was too weak to be in control. Adonis had ran all the way from Crescent Moon Pack because of the heat. This one was intense as compared to the previous ones. He had no way of controlling his wolf.
Aria was drifting into consciousness as she was in her mate's arms but as soon as she felt tingles on her neck, her eyes shot open. She had little time to react. She didn't see it coming. She didn't think it would happen.
She cried as fangs sunk into her neck.
Demitri marked her as his, claiming her.
It was supposed to be a nice feeling, a beautiful experience. With her consent but he had marked her without her consent. They didn't even want each other yet he marked her. The mark on her neck burned. It hurt.
It hurt because she still hadn't accepted him as her mate.
Her eyes glowed a deep shade of purple as she shot out of her bed to stand. Naked,teary and fuming.
Demitri had no time to react as her fingers turned into claws and she jumped onto him, scratching his torso and causing him to bleed.
"How dare you?!" She seethed.
She lunged for him again but he caused her hands, keeping them away from him.
Her face was tearstained as she struggled to free herself from him. Adonis had given Demitri some control so he could see why she was furious but he could do nothing about it. Adonis had taken her calmness as he helped her out of the tub as acceptance and marked her against her will.
Now breaking the bond was not going to happen. He wasn't ready to lose his wolf though he was disappointed and angry.
At least he didn't die from heat but he surely could die from her sending Adonis to sleep again, with her hateful glare.
That was how strong the mate bond was. It could cost you a wolf if your mate refused to accept it.
He was able to wake him up the other time but he doubted Adonis would ever wake up again.