A/N: I know. After a long time.
But I still have many things coming at me. I will try my best to finish it by the end of this month, but no promises guys. And it would be helpful if you could read the next part that I will upload in the following two days to give me a suggestion on what story I should write for NaNoWriMo.
And... four more chapters for Aries to end.
*******
The sun woke from its deep slumber the next morning. Slowly peeking behind the grey clouds, it gave them a silver lining before torching the entire naked sky with various shades of gold and orange. Then slowly it sent its army to touch the earth in various shades of copper. It was a sight to behold.
The amber sky gave way to the morning birds that called out to their companions in their loudest voices. The leaves that blazed under that orange sunshine. The puddles of water and the dew lit up like scattered diamonds. As much there was a harshness to the sharp glare of the morning, there was a hidden softness behind the sunlight.
I sighed as I glanced at my hot black tea. Just yesterday Taurus and Zyon told us what was happening in West pack. Just yesterday we decided it was enough. Just yesterday we planned to strike first. Just yesterday I was the Alpha of a tiny unknown pack.
But that felt like it was a year ago. When in fact, it had been just a day. Ethan rejecting me was just merely three months ago but it felt like it was a lifetime ago.
The serenity the world had around me was lost to the swirling storm of my soul. I tried to find that calmness, that centre of the confusion, but I was pulled by the strong winds again.
A warm hand touched my shoulder before he sat next to me. "Rhaze is getting everyone up and ready."
I nodded as I sipped my tea. There was absolutely no one I would trust more than Rhaze. While Aries maybe my Soul-Bound, while we may have an eternity before us, I knew Rhaze the best. It would take a little more time for me to have this confidence in Aries.
"As much as it hurts," he said, feigning as though he was hurt. "I understand."
I rolled my eyes. "It's not that I don't trust you-"
"I know how much you trust me," he said softly. "And after your entire pack betraying you, I am surprised you could even trust me."
"I trust you!" I exclaimed. "I trust Kaina, Varian, Aislynn and Aspen!"
He gave me a long look. "You thought twice about saying anything to Andrew. And he was your good friend."
I shrugged. "It was instinctive."
Aries shook his head. "I wish you would allow me to track him."
"So you can kill him the way you wish to?" I asked, smiling sweetly.
"Perhaps shake him a little," he shrugged. "I mean, I do want to kill him using the torture methods I have seen the history-making, but I can sense your bloodlust too. You want your share too. And recently I found out that I can be generous."
I scoffed. "Recently?"
"Ever since I met you," Aries nodded seriously.
I gave him a sideways glance. "Seriously?"
"Yep," he said. "Of all the people I have met in my life, it is you."
I blinked at that word and set my mug next to me. "Tell me. Tell me why you chose me. Why of all the people you have met in your life, why me? Why did you want me?"
"Why not?" he asked.
"Aries!" I whined.
He brushed a single strand of my hair behind my ear. "It is true. I have met many souls. Many souls who had indeed made my heart race. Made my body quiver in excitement. Made me realise that there was a softness in me. A few had even made me smile in the darkest of times. But none had ever made me question my existence. None made me feel that though I had kin of twelve, I was alone. None made my blood to sing their name. Literally next to one shook me say what purpose I had. I was... am a Warrior of Moon and that was all I was until I met you.
"But meeting you," he continued. "It was not like I saw the light in my life for the first time. I saw the beauty the darkness could offer. The softness of snow hid. The hopeless hope the heat had. Though life is a journey that never stops, I found that it would be better if you walked with me. You did not just make my heart race, my body blaze. You did not just make me smile when I was down, nor did you make me realise that I had a softness in me. No, you reminded me of what strength is. You made me question my purpose. Was I just a Warrior? Would I fade one day like that?"
His face blurred and I realised that tears had welled in my eyes. My lips quivered. What the hell would I say to this?
"There was a female I had once met. Before, when my memory of you was taken," he said, his voice matching the mellow of the morning light. "She was an amazing female. Just once glance, and I was on my knees."
At those words, rage piled in my blood. Just who was this female?
"Someone you don't need to worry about," he said with a smile. "She found her mate and happily settled with him. It happened about six hundred years ago."
I gritted my teeth. Still.
He laughed. "Exactly. Even she did not make me go mad. Did not make me do stupid things. Did not make me crave to wear her scent on my skin. In fact, I hated it when I even found a trace of her scent on me. And I thought I loved her. I thought that since the scent was a star's weakness I never revealed it to her. Neither did my soul reveal it to her. But you are a very different story altogether. My soul found yours to be perfectly compatible with mine and without my knowledge revealed who I was to you. It bared me. Soul naked."
"Did stupid things?" I asked him.
He raised his eyebrows. "I turned into a cat just so I can spend my time with you. Just so you would cuddle me to sleep."
I bit my chuckle. I did love Midnight.
"So..." he said. "I am pretty sure you made me do stupid things, Lyra. Like making me give you my room, just so I could inhale that scent of yours after you slept on my bed. Just so, you would have claimed everything in that room as yours with your scent because I secretly hoped that one day I might have your scent on my skin. I stole a bracelet of yours because I wanted something of yours to calm myself down. I... I even went as far as tracking your father by the memory you had of him to know how you like your coffee the best. I did many more stupid things. Things if Leo heard I did would die of laughing."
I sniffed and leant into him. We were marching for war and these little moments made my life worth living.
*******
"Zyon left?" Varian asked.
"Yes," Taurus replied. "What else does he have to do here?"
"Sounds stupid," Rhaze commented. "I mean, I am no star or pulsar or whatever higher race, but I sensed one hell of power from him."
We were closer to the West Pack than ever. Silas brought his men to the battle. As expected, due to some internal conflict, only half the force of North Tribe and Summer Tribe came. Only those who were loyal to Corvus came from Spring Tribe and Spring Pack. The numbers did not exceed nor reduce than what my Beta, my Delta, Varian and I had discussed.
By next morning we would infiltrate the West pack. And probably stop whatever experiment Harper was doing on Nira.
Kaina bit her lower lip. "It's not like we need Zyon to win."
"But it won't hurt to have someone as powerful as him on our side," Miguel muttered.
Taurus nodded. "As much as I hate to say this, he is pretty powerful. I don't know what his origin is, but he can pack one strong punch. Poor boy, even he does not know what his origin is. I can't pinpoint to what his origin is. It is neither a star nor a pulsar."
Aries' brows met. "Who grew him up?"
"Zyon says it is his sister who grew him up," Taurus sighed. "Wish I knew more about his sister. But he refuses to tell a word about her."
Just as we were planning to attack tomorrow, Rye ran to our table that was out in the open. Tents were put up for resting, but we planned the battle out.
Her hair was frazzled and her skin was painted by blood.
"West pack-" she gasped as she fell on the floor. "They found out about this and they are moving onto us. Epione and I left to spy and they found us. Harper got Epione in her clutches and Epione somehow managed to get me out alive. I came to tell you this."
Just as Rye was about to fall down on her knees, Sheila rushed towards her mate and caught her. Our camp became silent. The war that we chased after rerouted and came back at us. But we had been preparing an entire week for this, haven't we? What was there to fear?
"How much time will it take for Spring Pack and Tribe to reach here?" I asked Corvus.
He blinked at me before he cleared his throat. "About a day."
I glanced at Kaina. My Beta's mate nodded. "North Tribe is not far. They are just a couple of hours away."
Gritting my teeth, I raised my voice. Hopefully, this would be my first and the last battle I lead as an Alpha. "I am honoured! I am honoured to fight alongside with you all. We have been chasing after West Pack for a week and now, they have done a favour to strike at us. We are prepared for this war. We don't need to have fear in our hearts. Some might fight today because you know me," I glanced at Jarred, the Warlock who happened to be a good friend of Aspen. "Or because of an alliance," I saw Omicron Riley, Epsilon Sorrel and the allies Alpha Eric brought. "Or because you are my friend," I changed my sight to Corvus, Nadia, Jed, Eric and a few people who I had befriended. "Or because you consider me as kin," Aspen, Kaina, Zahra, Silas and Taurus smirked at that. "Or because you are in my pack," My pack members smiled at me, sending me their warmth through our pack bond. "Or because you are my mate," Aries held my hand. "But whatever reason made you come here, I hope it will make you fight this war too."
Apart from Rye's heavy breathing, I could not hear any other sounds. "Technically, Royals should have interceeded this battle, but because of the misfortune that fell on the Royals, we are left alone. Had the King and Queen been alive, I am sure they would have fought for me." If Antlia, their daughter believed that I was worth fighting for, would they not too? "For I was a rejected female. But Alpha Ethan Verir's cruelty does not end there. He went as far as banishing me and my sister from our pack lands for a mistake that was never ours. He killed my father and my best friend, Aurelia, who I came to know just met her mate. His mate, Harper she began an inhumane project that all the scientists forced Summer Coven to shut down."
At those words, many gave me my undivided attention. For what happened twenty years ago was not something anyone could easily forget. Females for that particular year lived in fear.
"Summer Coven did a project I hope you all know," I continued. "A project where they inseminated females with sperms of... different races to study the genetic effect." Telling them the truth was not wise now. "A project where many homes lost their daughters, sisters, wives, mothers. Harper is beginning that project and to stop her, this war may be the only language she might understand."
At that, Sheila gasped as she rose up, with her mate in her arms. "I lost my sister to that project. I won't hold back."
"My daughter," Gamma Alex said, the wolf from Alpha Cedric's pack. "She... was taken and we found her in shreds. My mate literally went insane because of that. If I have to die fighting this Harper, so be it."
While the cheers of running in the war roared across the clearing, insecurity ran through me. What if I was just leading them to their demise? Would I be able to handle another loss? I lost my father, my best friend, Nash. would I be ready to lose another?
Someone stood next to me and they offered me strength. When I turned to see who it was, I was surprised to see that it was not Aries.
"You know," he began, his voice gruff. "When Miguel was a lost cause, you gave him a damned title to save his sanity. When the last Royal was in danger, you gambled with your life to save her. When you said that none of your pack members would ever find revenge, I will admit, I was pissed at you. But I understood what made you take that decision. It took me so many days to come to terms with it. Had my son been alive, he would have wanted to save Antlia too."
I gulped. "What if-"
"As Miguel once said," Varian said. "The world has indeed forgotten what a Shifter is. If this battle will bring light to us again, why not?"
"You know," I said, looking around me as people were getting ready for the battle. Aries and Taurus were close by, but they appeared to be in a deep conversation. Miguel was running behind Aspen and Shiela was rooted in her place with Rye in her arms. "I wanted to give you a damned title."
Varian smirked weakly. "A title is not going to decide my worth. As long as I am a good mate and a good father-something which I have failed at being, I don't need titles. I just wanted a family after those long years of loneliness. You gave me that."
I inhaled sharply. "Thank you."
He shook his head. "No, thank you."
While the commotion was still going around us, I heard a faint buzz. Giving Varian a guilty look, I focused the sound to come from above me.
Just as I was about to call Aries, he and Taurus were looking up as well.
From the sky, like falling stars, Alioth, Saiph, and another female I did not know landed. While Alioth gave me a smirk, Saiph gave me a soft smile. The other female, on the other hand, she looked not just ready for battle, she looked like she was battle itself.
Like she had made a treaty with war to be a part of her soul.
Taurus gasped at that female while Aries gave her a smile. "Megrez. I am surprised Seren allowed you to leave your home."
Megrez snorted. "My mother does not have an absolute hold on me. Especially when Melantha has taken Dubhe. You know how protective my mother is of her."
Just like that, Miguel cut through the crowd. "Alioth!"
Alioth grinned at that Pheonix shifter. "Miguel."
While the two friends embraced each other, Saiph had a guarded expression while Aspen growled. "Who the hell is this female?"
Alioth released her friend and sized Aspen. "And who the hell are you?"
As much as Aspen was an Alpha and I had confidence in her that she would win over most wolves, I had very little hope that she would win over a star.
She snarled as she pulled Miguel to her side. "This idiot's mate."
Miguel slowly turned his head to Aspen as his jaw dropped. This might be the only thing that may prove to him how much Aspen actually wanted him. All those days when Kaina and I said, he never listened.
Alioth rose her eyebrows. "I am this idiot's best friend. We spent six hundred years together."
I did not know what Alioth was thinking, but she was clearly riling Aspen more.
"So?" Aspen pushed Miguel behind her.
Before Alioth could tell another word, Megrez intervened. "Can you have your spat later?"
Saiph smirked at something and turned his head to Aries and Taurus.
"We are so having this conversation after this battle," Aspen said, folding her arms across her chest.
Alioth glowered, but I could see a bit of amusement in her eyes. "I will look forward to it."
Taurus cleared his throat. "Why have you three come?"
"Is it for Dubhe?" Aries asked.
Megrez shared a look with her sister before that star said, "Dubhe may be a reason, but Melantha made a deal with a Pulsar and released him out of the prison."
"Who?" My Soul-Bound asked.
"Gaelan," Saiph answered. "I think you both know about him more than anyone here."
That name struck me somewhere in my memory. But where?
Taurus gritted his teeth. "Melantha released him? Why?"
"Who is this now?" Rhaze asked. "I am too tired of remembering everyone."
Aries had a grim expression. "Gaelan is someone who was born to a pulsar and a race that is older than Cosmos and Chaos. The universe is vast and ever-expanding. There are so many things that the universe had hidden from Cosmos and Chaos itself. One race is this. It is better if I don't say that name. Gaelan is someone who can walk in both the living and the dead world at the same time."
"That's dangerous, how?" Kaina asked.
"Death is something that even we stars and pulsars don't trample with." Taurus closed his eyes and opened it. "Time? Perhaps, yes. Death, no."
"So Melantha recruiting him-" I began.
"She said that if she won the war," Megrez cut me. "He can have his daughter. But if she lost, he would never see his daughter."
Aries frowned. "He has a daughter? Whom did he have that daughter with?"
Alioth shook her head. "We don't know. We just know that his daughter is on earth."
While the people who surrounded us looked at the stars in confusion and awe, something must have told them the power these stars were oozing out. Something that made them silent and listen to us without disturbing.
Saiph then looked at me and smiled. "A pulsar, huh? Perhaps, I should have listened to my gut feeling. And now, you are even Aries' Soul-Bound. I must say, Lyra. you did surprise me."
Alioth nodded. "I can't believe that I just helped Aries' Soul-Bound! I mean I can't believe that this male even got a Soul-Bound."
Megrez bit her lip like she was trying her best to control her chuckle.
"What is it?" Aries growled at her.
Megrez shook her head. "Not telling ya."
"Megrez!" Aries warned, his eyes flashing.
I expected that ugly shade of green to overpower me, but I was not jealous of the interaction. Not at all. I would have been jealous if I was not confident in what we both had. I would have been jealous if I questioned his love for me. But I knew better. Better than anyone else.
She still had that mischievous smile and shook her head.
"You can't read her mind?" Miguel asked, blinking slowly.
Aries scowled. "She is the daughter of Polaris and Seren. A star and a pulsar. She is the perfect half of each race. She is stronger than us. Not to mention, Seren is Moon's sister. Which makes this female a half Quasar. I can even read a first-generation star's mind, but this hybrid is stronger than either of her parents."
Taurus gulped.
Megrez laughed. "True, Aries. True. I was just wondering that if I can be this powerful, then how powerful the child you have with your Soul-Bound will be? I mean, ever since Lyra matured you both have become exceptionally strong. I thought you can actually break my mental barrier. Considering that you share a soul-bond with a pulsar, that is enough to... I don't know... overpower ever quasars?"
Alioth hummed. "That's right! The most important question."
Was I embarrassed? No. Conception was rare among werewolves, owing to their long lives. And it was even rare among stars. The longer the life span you have, the lesser the fertility of the race. It was a rule of survival.
So, if I was pregnant or if I would be in the future, it would be a blessing. Just for Megrez thinking I would have a chance in motherhood, I ought to give her sweets.
Aries gave her a blank look. "I don't think my child is any of your concern. How we will grow our child is something I will discuss with Lyra. Not you."
It was a different kind of heat that bloomed in me that instant. I knew of lust, of passion and those midnight promises, but this... this was something else. Something that held a promise. A promise that burned through time. Soul-Binding was forever, I knew that. But this... thought of family resonated more loudly than anything.
"Oh! Please," Megrez exasperated. "I am the only known hybrid. I will be the best aunt."
Was this conversation necessary now?
"I am not even with a child. Is this even important to talk about this now? I mean-" I started.
"You're right," Saiph said. "We did not come just because of that."
"Then what else?" Varian asked, giving the people who were caught up with their own discussion.
"Dubhe," Saiph said and had Megrez's attention just like that. "She had two fates."
Taurus's eyes widened. "Qamar actually told her fate?"
Alioth grimaced. "Not Qamar. But Surva. I know," she defended when the two Warriors gave her an incredulous look. "It does not make a difference. But my father said he knew Dubhe's fates and hence, Surva told us."
Taurus asked. "What was Dubhe's Fate?"
Megrez cleared her throat. "If Dubhe was not taken by Melantha, she would forge a Soul-Cleaving weapon and surrender it to Melantha."
Aries and Taurus both swore. I could feel Aries' rage through our bond. Never have I felt any emotion this intense from him.
But this Soul-Cleaving weapon, I knew it. Saw one of my best friend and her Soul-Bound die because of it. There was absolutely nothing that it could not destroy.
"Is... this a big issue?" Miguel asked.
Saiph nodded. "Very big. As soon as we learnt this, we searched all we can if we found any aether substance. That's why we are late."
Alioth bit her lips. "Souls are supposed to cycle over and over again. In a way, they are energy, just another form. This is the basis of life in the universe. No matter in which part you are in, this rule is to be followed."
Megrez then took over. "But Soul-Cleaving weapon? It can destroy souls and make their weilder take complete control over that energy. The one who has Soul-Cleaving weapon can control life itself. For the souls do not wish to be killed and the ones who are killed by this weapon, the weilder and mould that soul to be anything, do anything he or she wished. And this weapon can be made only by a substance known as aether."
No. That was what they knew. A second-generation soul would be destroyed, but a first-generation, it would be born again. It had been a shock even to Cosmos after she had used that weapon on Tucana and Canis and found that their souls were not destroyed. The Soul-Cleaving weapon was much more than this and not even Cosmos knew about it. This was one of the many things that we pulsars were researching about in Origins. Only if I got my memories back. I could do something.
"What the fuck?" Rhaze breathed. "Is that even possible?"
"Anything is possible in the universe," Alioth said. "And Dubhe being Ursa's daughter who has the power of space, she can literally track the whereabouts of aether and forge a weapon."
Slowly, using me as an anchor, Aries let his anger go. "Dubhe is kidnapped by Melantha. So, she won't forge such a weapon?"
Saiph braced himself. "That's the trick. In Nira's womb, four of Dubhe's children are growing. If Dubhe decides to grow even one child as hers, she will forge such a weapon and hand it over to Rionach."
"This is screwed up," Taurus muttered. "Very much."
Alioth nodded. "We know that."
"So we can just kill Nira and be done with it," Miguel suggested.
As much as logic agreed that it was a good decision, it was not fair for Nira. It was cruel to kill those children. Those children who did nothing wrong.
"Qamar said it was advisable to not interfere," Megrez said.
Taurus took in a deep breath and sighed loudly. "And here I thought that you not being the only half star and half pulsar was the most important thing."
Megrez frowned. "What do you mean?"
Taurus closed his eyes. "Zyon... a male I met. He is half-star and half-pulsar. I realised it after I met you."
Aries blinked. "That's right. Zyon does carry the same aura and scent."
Before they could dive into that conversation, Aspen looked up at Megrez. "What do you mean by Lyra matured?"
Those words brought another clash of silence. Even I had overlooked that.
Megrez looked confused. "She summoned the fire a week ago, right? Since she is a pulsar, her shifting has nothing to do with her maturing. Since she was able to call the flame, she is matured. She can actually shift even now if she wants to."
I gasped and called that burning flame to my skin. Just as I had done last week, the fire danced on my skin, without harming me. All this time I had thought that this cosmic flame belonged to Aries. Never did I imagine them to belong to me.
"Wow," Rhaze muttered.
Murmurers rose among the crowd. It was then I realised that all these people had never left. A few had left to prepare for war, but some who had not left by the time these three stars came, they never left at all. They had seen everything that had happened here.
"Wow indeed," Kaina said. "It is not every day that your pulsar friend is matured and you learn that the guy who looked harmless is actually powerful than everybody here. I did learn many new things today."
******
That was a very different tone I ended this chapter. (Actually this chapter was going longer and I decided to cut it short. So, if it feels like it has ended abruptly, that's the reason.)
And... who can guess what will happen next?
Any guess about the wolf who betrayed Lyra (Apart from Andrew)? Will be revealed in the next chapter.
Until then,
~Quill