A/N: You might see a character you encountered in Aries. (If you are a new reader, don't worry. You will understand it.)
Sorrel showed us our rooms and where we could get our breakfast. She also told the vampires the number to call if they needed blood. It was not like Summer Coven where Dave had allowed the households to have a certain number of humans. The official house where most of the young coven members stayed had humans all over. If a human died, they just replaced them with a new batch of slaves.
So seeing humans volunteer to give blood was new to me and Rune. Apparently, this was how many covens worked, according to Niran.
Antlia was sitting in a parlour on the first floor. She fiddled with her phone and tapped on the floor in a rhythm. The windows held the view of two trees that were in full bloom with morning birds spinning around. But she was neither looking at the flaming flowers nor the singing birds.
I was given a room on the first floor and a room for my mother and Kenya. The room opposite my mother's was occupied by a guest who came along with Antlia. Rune and Niran took a room on the second floor and Mali was given a room in the guest house under Omicron Riley. Suspicious. Alpha Sam gave the entire fourth floor to Taurus. Unfair.
I thought the guest might be Fia or Jarred, but it turned out to be a blue-haired male whose roots were beginning to show.
"What the hell are you doing here?" I asked the werewolf.
Zeke shrugged and slumped on the chair next to Antlia. "Someone came to take Antlia away. You told me to protect her. I could not fight him - trust me, I tried, so I just tagged along."
"Could've called me," I said.
Zeke rolled his eyes. "You think I have not? See your caller history. Torre picked up and told me that you were out cold and that the guy who came to take Antlia was someone he sent. I should just trust him and if I did not, I could come along. So here I am."
I checked my phone to see that I had six missed calls. Four were from Zeke, one from Lawan and the other was from Apinya. My head throbbed when I tried to recall why I was out flat. I remember killing Somsak, with my bare hands that had morphed into something.
I had to ask Taurus what the hell was happening to me. I have never heard of any werewolf passing out after their first shift. The first shift was supposed to change you in a way. The werewolves I had asked told me how they had run all around, not wanting to shift back. And here I was. The worst part was I did not even know what I had shifted into.
"Where is Taurus, princess?" I asked.
She finally tore her gaze from the trees and looked at me. "He left with Atlas and Maia."
My frown must have told her my unasked question. She said, "Atlas is another star under Taurus, just like Maia."
"Did he tell you when he would be back?" I asked.
She shook her head. "But I bet it has something to do with Levedra."
"Are you supposed to know?"
She grinned. "Nope."
I shook my head. If I could not unravel my secrets, I could go where Aiko was admitted. My mother and Kenya were with her, but I also wanted to see her. After all, she was my best friend's daughter.
"I am going to the hospital. What are you going to do?"
Antlia jumped and gave me a cheery smile. "I'll come too. I was getting bored. Taurus is also not here."
Zeke pouted. "Guess I'll follow you guys, too."
I called Erica, and she picked up in the third ring. "What's up?"
"Where is the hospital Aiko is in?" I asked.
She hummed. "You are in my Alpha's guest house, right? I'll come and pick you up."
"Is it far?" I asked.
"Not close either," she said. "You can walk over, but since you are new, I'll bring you."
***********
Erica jogged over in pink sweatpants and a matching baby blue tank top. In one hand she had a coffee cup and in the other her phone. She smiled brightly at the princess. Over the week Antlia stayed in the Summer Pack, Erica had met the princes and Zeke. Though she did not know who Antlia was in the beginning.
Then, the three became close, which was weird because Zeke and Erica always ended up on each other's nerves.
Erica led us and Antlia shot towards her and they were talking about the movie Flavius Conti stared in. I saw science fiction and historical fiction movies. I was not into the action movie this guy acted in. He might be a great actor, but I once saw a movie where he starred as an assassin and I could no longer see the movie as a movie. I started to nitpick the details and Lawan chased me out.
"Your family knows you're here?" I asked, but my words fell on deaf ears.
Zeke was staring at the werewolf leading us. The two females laughed suddenly and then Antlia would whisper something–which I tried hard not to hear, and Erica would snicker.
I stared back at Zeke who blinked. "You asked me something, Draco?"
A smile tugged the corner of my lips. "I asked if your family knows you're here."
He ruffled his hair. "I mean... my sister and my brother-in-law know. But my mamma? She'll kick me out and my papa will be running after me with a gun."
"So, your parents don't know?"
He nodded.
"Neil and Peggy might sell you."
Zeke winced and hooked his thumbs in his pocket. "I have begged her not to tell my mother, but knowing the two females, they will meet every other day and gossip." Then he grinned. "Even if Peggy sells me, I will be far away for my mamma to hit me."
This guy had the life many would love. Loving parents, an amazing elder sister who was mated and expecting her own kid and even the town he lived in was so peaceful. The only chaos in his life was the one he invited himself. He could have passed this Sunday on his family couch, bickering with his parents and annoying his sister. Yet, here he was in unknown pack land and the only person he knew was me.
I never understood him sometimes. But friendship never worked that way, did it? We could come from completely different families, different communities, and even different professions, but when we sat at that dining table at the end of the week, I knew he would be there for me, supporting my drunk ass with his own. I could be my dumb self and not worry about his judgement.
I did not have to come from a peaceful family to be his friend, nor did he have to come from a torn one. We were perhaps sent to each other's lives to learn life from a completely different perspective.
Erica led us to the hospital. She did not take us via the out-patient block, but rather via the emergency department.
But before we could step in, a vampire stepped right in front of her. He was quite tall, about my height, and his irises were grey, almost silver. Not to mention, his silver hair. With his androgynous face, I had a feeling he would be an amazing cosplayer if he wanted to.
Erica beamed at him. "Silver! What brings you here?"
He smiled at her warmly. "Mina is quite stubborn. If I don't show my face before her now and then, she might forget that she has a mate and a home."
She sniggered. "You know how Mina is. Quite the workaholic."
Antlia's lips parted as she stared at the vampire. "Mina... is she Dr Mina Ruiz?"
Silver blinked at her. "You have heard of her?"
Antlia broke into a sad smile. "I have." She hugged herself. "Is she doing okay?"
Erica gasped. "Oh my! I heard from Sam just now. I am so sorry. I almost forgot-"
The young girl shook her head. "Don't. Hospital may be a place to get well, but some broken hearts are beyond medicine and magic and some losses, time can never heal."
Silver was quiet for a minute. "Were... were you from his pack?"
There was an edge to his voice when he stressed on his. Warmth left his eyes, but it was not replaced by coldness. He just became guarded. I could identify if it were jealousy or hatred. Or if it is neither of the emotions.
Antlia shook her head. "No. I belong to no pack, Theta Silver. I just knew him."
Zeke slightly shook his head, answering my unasked question. As much as I wanted to know who this 'him' was, I was not an idiot. I would ask them later or, from the way Erica and Zeke were, Erica would tell him later.
Silver gripped the lunch bag he had. "I... I had no idea that someone who knew him was coming over."
Antlia closed her eyes and then opened it. The shimmer in her eyes was now gone. "It's better though, if I don't meet her. For both of us." She eyed Silver's neck, the place where mates marked each other. And if Silver found that invasive, he did not comment nor did he hide. "I think for all three of us."
Erica bit her lips while her gaze flew between Silver and Antlia. Zeke nudged me a little, but who knew what happened with them?
But whatever was going on between the three, I was sure of one thing, they loved this Dr Mina Ruiz.
We walked in silence. The head nurse who was typing fast on the computer, snapped her head. The female was tired, but she managed to smile at Silver. "Theta! Dr Ruiz is in the scan room."
Silver smiled back. "She ate something?"
The hearse shook her head. "We tried, Theta. But she simply will not take any food. Not to mention, she... is the duty surgeon for today."
Silver groaned. "Is this hospital short on surgeons? Should I ask my Omicron to recruit some more? How come Mina alone gets two duties a week, when others get one per week?"
She grimaced. "I heard... Dr Ruiz wanted it? She asked for the extra duty?"
Silver ran his fingers through his hair. "I'll want for her."
With that, he walked away, as if he had done it frequently.
The nurse blinked at Erica. "Gamma? What are you doing here? Here for Dr Ruiz?"
Erica shook her head. "As much as I want to, no. I brought in a patient earlier this morning, I think before your shift. Her name is Aiko Reyes. Can I ask where is she?"
The nurse snapped her finger and then checked the monitor in front of her. "Steve told me. Vampire, thirty-five years, female." She looked up at us. "Malnourished? Lack of blood for six months?"
Erica grimaced. "Yeah. Her. How is she doing though?"
She shook her head. "Her lab values are messed up. As a vampire, she went without blood for six months! And she is severely malnourished. I... I really can't say anything. Dr Veha Chea is her doctor. You can ask him." She looked around as if she was worried someone might eavesdrop. "Was she saved from a prison or something, Gamma?"
Erica refused to say anything. "Where is she, now?"
The nurse shrugged. "If it consoles you, she is in the first private room. Just down the hall from the ER. You know?"
Nodding, Erica led the way. The ER was busy as usual. And somehow Erica knew her way around. Was it because her friend worked here or was it because she was admitted here often?
When Erica opened the door, my mother was standing next to Aiko who was lying on the bed.
Seeing her, I lost my breath. I could literally count her ribs through the thin white cloth she was draped in. Her cheeks had no flesh and there was a hollowness surrounding her eyes. Her hair was frail and her fingers were mere sticks. Her carotids were visibly pulsating and if I was not wrong, I could see the feeble pulsations in her jugulars. Her raspy breath filled the air.
My eyes were fixated on her. That pale skin that had not seen the sun for the past eight months. Her hair that I knew she had cut with a sharp rock. Dust and dirt caked her body, but her face and her hand were clean as if someone had wiped it with a clean cloth. As if to prove it to me, a nurse came with a bowl of lukewarm water and a washcloth and she was washing her legs.
Aiko was barely keeping her eyes open. Kenya clenched her fists as she stared at the doctor. Surprisingly, Nox was sitting on the side chairs.
The doctor was a couple of inches shorter than me and when he turned to look who had come in, he just nodded.
Aiko saw me and her eyes reddened.
"She is not yet out of the danger," he said, writing something on the tab he had in his hand. "I would like to keep her in this room for twenty-four hours. We can shift her to normal wards once she starts oral. But as of now, you need to find someone, preferably a vampire to give blood. I do need to transfuse a unit of blood, but she needs to suck with her fangs too." He gave the tablet to the nurse next to him. "Ms Reyes, can you open your mouth and show me your fangs?"
Aiko opened her mouth slowly, and after four tries, her gums bled, and her fangs emerged. Just this little action, something that was as easy as breathing for vampires and she was panting.
He put on a set of sterile gloves and examined her fangs. "You can retract your fangs, Ms Reyes." He discarded the gloves and used the sanitiser. "Bring a vampire and let's see if she can break the skin. If that is a laborious task for her, I can ask a specialist in vampire medicine to take a look. The sooner she starts feeding, the better."
Kenya bit her lips and then asked, "Can she feed from me, Dr Chea? I am a vampire too."
He frowned at her and then said, "Stick your tongue out."
When she did, he shook his head. "You have less blood. Did some vampire suck large quantities of blood from you on a daily basis? Even if it is your mate, this much blood, in the long run, would render you weak." He paused and then looked at us. "You can report that vampire, Madam."
Aiko coughed. "I can hold on."
He frowned. "You can. But that does not mean you should. Especially since you are no longer in danger. You are no longer in a stressful environment. Your body will crash in a few hours if you don't get blood. Your lab values are not stable. As a vampire, has no one taught you the importance of blood? It is our sustenance, just as it is for werewolves to shift."
Aiko nodded. "I get it."
The doctor nodded at Erica and then left, muttering to the nurse about the next patient.
"Draco," Aiko whispered, tears streaming down her face. "You got me out."
I rushed towards her. "I did not." I looked at the star blinking at me. "Nox did."
Nox gave me a long look. "I got her out only after Taurus told me. And that was after you asked Taurus. You did get her out in a way, dude."
I wanted to hug her, but all the wires and the tubes made it difficult. She had three IV lines, and the wires stuck to her chest.
Erica gave her a tight smile. "Woke up, Sleeping Beauty?"
Aiko laughed lightly. "Kenya just told me how you drove us out. Thank you, Gamma Erica."
She rubbed her nose and took a sip of the coffee she had. "You can call me just Erica."
Zeke smiled at her. "The famous Aiko. I can meet you finally."
Aiko frowned and then looked at me. "I am assuming you spoke about me? And this is... Zeke?"
Zeke gasped and clutched my arm. "You told her about me, Draco?"
I shook him off. "Nothing good."
"Told me how much of a great friend you are." And just like that, Aiko sold me.
I narrowed my eyes at her. "I'll remember this betrayal."
Zeke was grinning so brightly that I might fucking mistake him for the sun. "You love me, Draky."
I shuddered. What I feared came true.
Antlis sniggered. "Draky... why are you shy now?"
I glared at the princess. But I was clearly on the losing side, with everyone siding with that blue-haired idiot. Even my mother was smiling.
Aiko blinked. "You are...?"
Antlia smiled, but the corners of her lips turned down. She shook her head and mustered another smile. "I am Antlia. Draco's friend."
Aiko frowned. "How many friends do you have, Draco?"
I cleared my throat. "I try not to have many."
Antlia then hugged me. "I am not his friend. I am under the protection of someone who is Draco's friend. Draky here offered to look after me in his stead."
Dray was horrible enough. Now there was a Draky?
My mother's brows met and she just observed me. It was no secret that I was close with my mother and she would find any secret I tried to hide. So, I averted my eyes and looked at Aiko, who was looking at me the same way my mother was.
What was with these females?
Antlia laughed silently as if she achieved something. And the only thing she achieved here was to plant the seeds of doubt. Because there was no way that Draco, the feared assassin would willingly look after a teenager after he had lost his mate and his daughter even if she was entrusted by his friend. Not to mention, all knew that I was bisexual.
Just as I was about to bite back a response, Aiko's heart rate spiked. I sniffed and there was no trace of fear in the air. More like, curiosity and... happiness?
Antlia shut her eyes and squeezed it tightly. She shook her head. Before I could ask her what was wrong, the familiar scent of that Theta hit me. The doors opened, and the vampire entered with a doctor.
"Mina!" Erica yipped as she rushed towards her. But even the werewolf doctor was stiff like her mate.
Dr Mina Ruiz. Erica had told me how her best friend was an amazing surgeon. Seeing that pale, ghastly face and thin fingers, I could not believe that this female was capable of saving a life. Her scrubs hung loosely over her petite frame and her eyes had black circles around them. She held a tablet in one hand and then dropped the hand her mate was holding.
Was she like Harriet? Allowing her mate to hold her only when she wished? Only in private eyes. Not wanting others to know that they were mates? If so, why did she leave her Mark uncovered?
Aiko's gaze was stuck on the vampire who had just walked in. And he looked only at her.
What in the...
"Mate," Aiko whispered.
"Mate," he echoed back.
**********
Nox stood up suddenly. "I warned you! This is not-"
Dr Mina Ruiz smiled lightly. "You did, Nox. It is on us."
Nox shook his head. "No. Not on you."
"Why not?" she asked in a calm tone. "I accepted his Mark, and I Marked in return. If anyone is innocent, it is Ms Aiko Reyes."
"What happened?" I asked.
Antlia sighed heavily. "Nash... my friend from Lyra's pack, I had spoken about him, right? He was," she trailed off. "He was Mina's mate. He was killed by East Tribe. Mina tried to save him by Marking him, but he died. To save Mina from dying, Silver... ze Marked her. Lyra too warned them. I just... I just wanted them to be happy."
Aiko shook her head. "I... I can't. He bears your Mark."
"Ze," Erica corrected. "Silver's non-binary."
"That's more important?" Nox asked.
Aiko coughed again. "Okay. Ze is Marked. It makes no sense."
Dr Mina's intern who had been following her stopped right outside the room.
"But his blood is the one that can save you," she said. "Dr Cheo had written about your fang problems. Your fangs might come out and function if it is your mate's blood."
Aiko gritted her teeth. "I can... find another vampire to feed from. If I feed from him, you know the consequences."
Mina nodded. I turned to see any signs of distress, but her face was calm and composed like cool spring water as if she was expecting this. "I do. I cannot deny what you both have. Nor can I deny you your right. If Silver wants to have you as his mate, I'll leave. Simple."
"M-Mina!" Silver spluttered. "Mina!"
She waved her hand at zir. "Don't. Just give her your blood, Silver."
"But Mina-" ze began.
Even her eyes had that front of iron. But there was a tiny crack, that shake of her fingers that she cleverly hid in her pocket that revealed how much she was breaking apart inside.
We had reached an impasse.
She returned the tablet to the young intern who had just stepped in. He shivered and lowered his eyes.
"What do you want to do, Silver?" Mina asked. "Don't carry any regrets."
Ze closed zirs eyes. "Give her my blood."
Mina's lips curled. "Then do it."
Aiko tried to sit up. "No! That's not-"
Mina smiled at her. "Fair? That's how the world works. Ze is the best choice for your recovery. You can feed from zir."
"Ze... is your mate," Aiko said through her pursed lips.
Mina looked at them playfully. "Is ze?"
"You know what I mean."
Mina then checked Aiko's vitals. "I do. It's... blood. Drink it. See where your life goes. As I said before, if you choose each other, I'll leave. It's not a big deal."
Silver inched towards Aiko. she resolutely turned her head, but then everyone could see her fight with herself. It was never easy for a vampire to resist the allure of their mate's blood. It was way too tempting for them.
Aiko nearly pounced off the bed, reaching for Silver's outstretched wrist. The very fangs Dr Cheo had been worried about sunk in his wrist and the metallic tang of blood saturated the room.
"Dr Mina," the other doctor began. "Are you fine?"
"If I am not, will you stop treating her?" Mina asked as she took back her tablet. "As a doctor, don't let your emotions come in when you are treating someone. Especially someone who is dying and who needs your help. Even more so, when they have fought so long to keep themselves alive."
They had said what an iron-strong female this Mina had been. I had not believed them when I saw her this afternoon, but now, I would bow to her. She was the strongest female... creature I had ever seen in my life.
She had tried her best and had lost her mate. She had even marked him in hopes of at least dying with him. But she had lived through that nightmare. When she was offered a second chance, even that mate had found his true mate. And she was forced to save that female.
The first drop of blood fell in Aiko's mouth and when it touched her tongue, she immediately clutched zirs wrist as if it would save her life and she began to suck on zirs blood.
Mina slowly removed Aiko's hand that held the IV needle and she checked the pulse. Mina's eyes misted as she took in a deep breath. Her erratic heartbeat finally calmed down.
Then she nodded to the other doctor. "She will be fine. Give me hourly reports until the next morning and then I'll discuss her condition with Dr Veha Cheo."
I would forever be grateful to this female. "Thank you, Doctor."
"It's not a problem," Mina said as she walked towards another patient as if her marked mate was not giving zirs blood to zirs true mate.
How she swallowed the pain and smiled at the child on the other bed with radiance, I would never understand. While Aiko was still drinking Silver's blood, I could not take my eyes off Mina. She then politely explained what was wrong with their child and then she walked into a room.
"That," Nox whispered. "That was something else. I could never be like that. I could never be. Mina has my full respect."
Antlia closed her eyes. "What I had feared... had come true." She opened her eyes. "We can do nothing here. It is among them and whatever decision they take, we are to respect that." At this moment, she was not a teenager, but the Queen she was born to be. This was the weight she would carry. "It would be wise to leave."
With that, she was the first to walk out.
Nox vanished and Kenya slumped on the chair. "I'll keep an eye on Aiko. Kessa, you can come and exchange with me tonight, after you got your rest."
After hugging my mother., she left with Erica and Zeke who volunteered to take her to her room. I just wandered in the shared lands.
Why the best people were always hurt in the end? It was neither Silver's nor Mina's fault. That bond between Aiko and Silver should not have snapped. But from the way Antlia said, there was more than what met the eye in that bond.
A/N: Did anyone guess this to happen?
What do you think Silver, Aiko and Mina would do?
Until next update,
~Quill