A/N: I nearly bled while writing this. Let's say that this was one of the most difficult chapters I had ever written. Not because of the content, but because of the pronoun used.
As you might be aware that Silver is a gender-neutral character and the pronouns used are ze, zir, zirs and zirself instead of the usual he, him, his and himself.
If I have made any mistakes regarding the use of pronouns or if anyone feels the pronouns used are wrong, please tell me so that I could change it.
Enjoy!
***************
Ze rolled off the bed just to see the time to be half-past four. Ze glanced at zirs mate sleeping next to zir. As much as she claimed to be fine, ze saw her breaking apart each time she thought ze was not looking at her.
Ze knew that she had loved her mate, but ze had loved her even before Mina had met her mate. Nash. From what others said, Nash had been a lovely male. Someone, Silver knew ze could not hate. Silver would have ended up being Nash's friend or something. Ze just knew it.
Mina looked so peaceful. Ze hated waking her up, but zirs Omicron had called them. And ze had to answer that.
Ze swept zirs gaze around the room when zirs eyes caught the photo of zirs sister. Nadia was laughing in that with her arms wrapped around Mina. Nadia had been a good friend of Mina and Aspen.
Silver took the photo from the bed stand and caressed zir sister's photo. Ze missed her so much that ze had not known what to do following her death. While zirs coven had to deal with her death, Eric's pack had to deal with their Delta's death.
Sheila had been a wonderful female who had died in the war against the West Pack. She had been zirs friend and ze did see how lifeless Ryanne was becoming.
Zirs eyes were filled with tears when dainty hands touched zirs shoulder. "She died a warrior."
"She did not deserve it," ze whispered hating how weak ze was sounding.
"You deserve to let it out, Sil," Mina said. "You deserve that."
Ze glanced at her. And zirs gaze fell on zirs mark on her neck. While the mark was not rejected, it was still red. As if to say that her true mate had not died long ago.
What surprised zir was that she had marked zir too. As if she wanted this too.
"I should have been there, Mina," ze said. "I should have been."
Being the Theta, ze was asked to go back to their coven by their Omicron. And since ze had marked Mina recently, Riley had ordered zir to not take part in the battle. As much as ze loved Mina, ze had a regret that ze had not been there, protecting zirs sister in the battle.
"You are the Theta, Sil," Mina said in her soft voice. "You are made for peace."
Ze choked a sob when his Omicron gently nudged zir via their link. Silver immediately pulled zirself together and squeezed her hand.
"Omicron Riley is calling us," ze said. "Are you ready?"
She inhaled sharply. "Just give me a minute."
She then went to the bathroom and ze heard the water running. Perhaps, she was washing her face. Shaking zirs head, ze just pulled on a shirt over zirs body and combed zirs hair in place.
Mina came out and though her eyes were bloodshot, she nodded at zir with a strength ze had not seen in many. "Shall we?"
They left the room, holding hands.
**********
Her hands were sweating in zirs. Ze knew how nervous she was. The bond told zir. It asked zir to take her back to their room and give her the comfort she needed. It would be useless. Mina had to come back. That wonderful girl with a sunny personality had to come back.
"Heard about you," Ryan said to someone when they entered the dining place.
Mina's mother, Maria was there sitting next to a female ze did not recognise. In addition to zirs Omicron, Nox and Antlia- whom ze had met a day ago, there were two males he did not know.
The male vampire was sitting next to Ryan while the other male was sitting with a bowl of noodles before him. That male did smell like a human, but something said he was a werewolf.
"I am Theta Silver," ze said to him. The Theta in zir wanted a familiarity.
Then ze turned to zirs Omicron. There was a quesiton in Riley's eyes, but he did not ask it.
"I am here," Silver said.
"Did you talk with your mate?" Riley asked zir.
Silver nodded. "We did talk."
Who are they, Omicron? Silver asked in their bond.
The vampire is Niran, Riley replied. Don't get on his bad side. His mate is Rune Bidaya and he works for Torre. The other one is Draco Stykes. The infamous hitman. The one beside ma is Kessa, Draco's mother.
Niran? Ze asked. As in Niran Chankul?
Yes, Riley said. His mate is yet to wake up. But yes, Rune Bidaya is here.
Then- Silver began. What about his sister, Mali-
Not another word about them, Silver! Riley warned. Not another word about her.
Silver of all people knew how heartbroken Riley was when he came back after a trip to Summer Coven. Although Riley refused to tell them what was bothering him, they came to a conclusion what it might be. And if her name was mentioned, no matter how much he tried, the pain would be etched on his face. It would be idiotic of his coven to not know who she was to him.
Are you okay with it? Riley asked, changing the subject. I will send Carson if you-
I agreed to this, Omicron, ze said. I know what I am getting into.
Silver, Riley warned. As much as I am doing this for you, I have to think about Mina too. She is too fragile now.
There was no way ze could argue to Riley about it. Mina was fragile and anyone could see that.
"Mina?" zirs Omicron asked.
Zirs mate just blinked. "A stressful month."
Ze resisted the urge to blink at her in surprise. A stressful month? That was her reply? The Mina ze knew hated appearing weak in front of everyone and she still stuck with it. Not many could survive after marking their mate to just see them die. How Mina did, would always be a question to zir.
That just told zir what a strong female she was. She was pulling herself from the depression and isolation for zir. The bond did say that she did not love zir yet, but it did say that there was a huge possibility in the future. That was enough for zir for now. Ze would wait for that blasted day to come. Still feeling the pain from her, ze knew it was not in the near future.
Ze had been there when Aspen's ex-mate, Arnold had nearly raped her. That had broken a part of Mina's spirit, but she came back to herself again, though it was slow. This time, Silver could only hope.
"Understatement of the century," Ryan stated. "What you have gone through, Mina, I am pretty sure that many would have committed suicide."
Zeta's mate said what ze was thinking perfectly. That was the thing about Ryan. He spoke what needed when. As much as Carson was a fearful warrior, Ryan was the one who made sure that everyone came to training on time. He held a soft and firm command that none could refuse. Perhaps, it could be due to the fact that out of all the ranking members zirs coven had Ryan was the only one who was mated. Riley never uttered a word about is mate. Sorrel was with her boyfriend, not mate and there was zir. As much as Mina carried zirs mark, she was not zirs mate.
It was that time, Antlia gasped. "Mina!"
Did that female know zirs mate?
Mina's shock fluttered in their bond. "Ant?"
"By the Moon!" Ant swore softly. "You are..."
Silver looked around to see the two new males wearing a confused face while Ryan's eyes were glinting. Did he know something that even ze did not know?
You know her? Silver asked Mina.
She is... Mina gasped a little. She is the last Royal.
Say what? Silver breathed. Yesterday without knowing about her, they were playing volleyball with them. When she had come, they just thought she was Alpha Eric's guest. She is a Royal?
Yes, Mina said.
Mina bowed her head. "I never knew that you were a Royal when I first met you, princess. Forgive me."
Antlia went ahead and hugged her. "No need for formalities, Mina."
"How do you-" Niran began.
"You both are chosen mates," Nox said, cutting Niran.
Then the star glanced at his brother. "Had it been in the past, they would have the bond of true mates between them, but now, I don't think so. Both have a mate out there and this will complicate stuff. This is what you refused to tell me."
Silver felt the urge to wring that star's neck. What could Nox possibly know? Ze knew all the possibilities and ze still went ahead with the risk. Ze loved her way too much to think of a life without her in it. And now each one was questioning them. First was that Lyra and now this star. What did they think of themselves? The deliver of justice? The last time ze checked, they weren't Luna and ze was not going to listen to them. Mina was zirs mate. That was final.
"You don't even know the story, Nox," Riley snarled. "Stay out of this."
"Tell me," Nox challenged, his eyes flashing. "Try me then."
Riley closed his eyes and then sighed. Alright there, Mina?
Their marks had given them an advantage. While Mina had not changed her pack to coven, she still had access to zirs coven's link via the bond and ze had a connection to her pack as well.
I am fine, Omicron, she said. You can tell Nox. What happened was the truth.
Omicron Riley sighed. "Mina... found her mate. He was a male in Alpha Lyra's pack. Nash Rykar."
Her face did not show anything, but there was immense pain from the bond they shared. It then struck zir. As much as her mate was dead and ze had Marked her, she would always love Nash. A part of her heart would always belong to her true mate. She would never be able to love zir as much as she would have loved Nash.
If that was the case, could ze live with the pain? Could ze watch her love someone who is dead, ignoring zir? Only time would tell the answer.
Nox pressed his lips together. "What happened then?"
"Aspen thought it was time for Mina and Nash to meet again and she sent the address to Lyra," Riley said. "They came. Lyra, Nash, Nash's mother, Aislynn and Antlia. But Jed had befriended another male from Lyra's pack. His name was Brent. Brent had brought his friend, Andrew with him."
Mina was spiralling into her pain and ache again and ze could not do anything but stand here next to her. What could ze do? Every time ze wanted to help her, she became so closed off from zir. If ze had a key, there must be a door for zir to open. If ze had a hammer, there must be walls for zir to wear it down. But what she had around herself was glass. One little crack, she would be broken. Completely.
"Andrew had a deal with Alpha Ethan," Riley said. "If he was to bring Lyra to him after she gives him a child, Ethan would give Lyra to Andrew. Obsessed with her, Andrew tried to take Lyra back. But they were fighting against the Magycs of the East Tribe. In that, Nash was wounded pretty bad."
As much as ze tried ze could not stop the images Mina was seeing again. Her memories. Where she tried her best to save Nash. She had even gone as far as marking him to save him and if he died, she hoped she would die with him.
Silver could not see it. Could not bear the love she had for him. What possed zir to mark her, ze would never know.
"Mina tried to save him," Riley continued. "She even Marked him in hopes of saving him. But fate was not kind to either. Nash Rykar died and Mina was on the verge of dying."
"That does not justify anything," Nox said quietly.
"To save her," Riley said as if he did not hear what his brother said. "Silver marked her."
Tell me, Silver, Nox said suddenly in his mind. These stars, sometimes ze forgot their powers. Do you feel contended Marking her? Do you have no regrets? Do you think you can sleep peacefully knowing that your mate, your chosen mate had marked her true mate and loved him? Do you think you can accept her wholly, without mentioning about this ever? If a situation was to arise in the future if someone said that she loved her true mate, would you still stand for her? Would you be there for her, knowing that she might never love you the way she had loved Nash Rykar? Would you cast your mate away, denying them mateship for her?
Silver withheld a breath. Ze could not out-rightly tell a yes for ze had questioned about Marking Mina. Could ze live with the fact that Mina might never love zir as much as she had Nash? That was a question ze prayed ze would find an answer to.
Zirs silence was all Nox needed.
Draco asked the princess. "This Nash-"
She nodded. "My friend. Whom I lost."
Nox shook his head. "You should not have done that."
"Lyra said the same thing," Riley said. "She in fact... scolded Nadia for it."
"Nadia passed too?" Nox asked.
That was another wound ze wished they would not touch now. Ze was not sure how much zirs heart could bear.
There was a terrible silence before Ryan nodded. "She did."
"Lyra was right," Nox said. "We know about Mina. But what would happen if Silver meets zirs mate?"
That was the question right? About a mate, ze had never met. Why think about someone ze had never met? Mina was right here next to zir. Was that not enough?
Mina inhaled sharply. "I will leave."
What? She would leave? That was all she thought was between them? Ze could not believe it. Ze had confessed zirs heart out to her last night. She had just shed a tear to that and had gone to sleep. Was that all ever between them? Was clinging on to this Mark worth it?
"Leaving would kill you, Mina," Ryan said.
"My mate had died," Mina said, her voice hoarse and tired. "It is fair that I die too."
Her answer killed zir even further. It was not just the fact that she loved Nash. It was that she truly believed she had to die.
"What are you talking about?" Silver asked. "I will not leave you, Mina."
"You have not met your mate, Silver!" she protested. "What if... what if you meet your mate and-"
"We will talk about that when it comes," ze said with finality.
Ze would reject zirs mate for her and Mina knew it. Mina had said zir a thousand times that rejecting zirs mate would be the most stupid thing ze would have ever done.
Antlia licked her lips. "We can only see what the future holds for us."
"Why did you call them?" Niran asked.
Riley cleared his throat. "Silver will go in and save Aiko. Ze agreed to do it."
"Why zir?" Antlia asked. "I don't hold anything against you, Silver," she said. "I am concerned. Mina might-"
"I am not that delicate, princess," Mina said in that voice Silver rarely heard these days.
"Silver will do it," Mina said with a soft finality.
Nox closed his eyes and sighed. "I have no words, Riley."
"The don't say anything, Nox," the Omicron warned. "Just don't."
The star who questioned zir so much clenched his jaws and strode out of the room, leaving an awkward silence in his wake.
"Will he be alright?" Maria asked.
Riley nodded. "Don't worry, ma. He was brought up in the concept of Soul-Bounds. He respects that. He expects us to do the same with our mate bonds too."
Ryan frowned. "Soul-Bounds? What the hell is that?"
"Stars and other races in the universe," Riley said. "They have something called Soul-Bounds. While mate bonds can change, Soul-Binds cannot. To them, it is everything."
"You," Antlia began. "You are half a star. You don't have Soul-Bounds?"
"Soul-Bound and mate," Riley said. "It does not make a difference to me. Both are one and the same for me."
Riley then nodded at him. Sleep, feed and take rest, Silver. Nox agreed to take you to Summer Coven.
Nox? Ze asked, remembering the questions that star asked. He... does not hate me?
Why would he hate you, Silver? Riley asked, his voice alarmed. For he questioned your bond? He is having a difficult time adjusting to it. He will understand and come around.
With that, Mina softly pulled zir out of the room. Just being out, ze saw the difference. The tension that had nestled on her face disappeared. Ze took her hand in zirs and gave it a gentle squeeze.
It will be alright, Mina, ze said.
While she did not reply, she squeezed zirs hand in return and that alone had zirs heart soaring.
***********
As much as zirs body did not want it, ze forced zirself to sleep. Who knew what the night demanded from zir? Ze was going to save a vampire from Summer Coven because apparently there was a deal struck between Draco and Erica.
Zirs form was taut from laying on the same position. Zirs hands tucked between zirs knees as ze laid on zirs side. The bed dipped next to zir and Mina crept closer.
"Silver?" she called. Now ze understood what they meant when they said 'Siren's call'.
"Yes?" ze grunted.
"You are going tonight," she stated.
"Yes," ze said but there was something in her voice that made him think otherwise. "Or... do you not want me to go?"
He could feel her shaking her head. "No. You can go if you want."
"What is it, then?" ze asked.
She gulped. "You have not been resting well these days."
That was obvious. Zirs own feelings were killing zir. And the bond they shared demanded her to take care of zir.
"It does not matter," Silver said, getting up. "I will rescue that girl and come back. Nox is coming with me."
She gently touched zirs face and made sure ze was facing her. "Silver..."
"Yes?" ze asked. "What is it?"
"I...I," she paused again.
She had every bit of zirs attention now. What was wrong with her? Ze searched their bond to find that... she was feeling a bit shy. Silver blinked. Shy and Mina? Those two words never went together.
"I want you to feed from me," she said too fast, too quiet that ze was sure that if ze had not been a vampire, ze would not have heard it.
"What?" ze asked, unable to believe what he just heard.
"I said," she said now with more conviction. "I said, I want you to feed from me."
He blinked again. "Do... do you know what you are asking?"
At this point, zir was sure that strawberries were the last thing on zirs mind. But when a colour so similar to that fruit took a hold of her face, and her body emitting a scent so wonderfully delicious, he could not help but think of that pink fruit. The fruit that was both sweet and warm.
"Y-yes," she shuttered.
"I don't think you do," ze said. That was the first time ze ever heard Mina shutter. "You don't understand-"
"I do, Sil," she said, though her face was flaming. "If you do drink from me, it could trigger my heat or your haze this full moon. I am aware."
Ze could only stare at her. "And... and you are fine with it?"
She nodded. "I weighed all the pros and cons. You have not fed from your marked mate and before you do that, you can't physically feed on anyone else. And it's been two full weeks since you fed. It can't go on. I can't lose you."
Ze gave a dry laugh. "Not lose me? So, it's fine if you can die if your mate had died? And leave me alone? Is it fair?"
Only now did ze understand what Nox meant. Barely half-day had passed since Nox had asked zir that question and ze was bringing up her mate in their conversation. There could not be a bigger fool than zir.
"He was my mate, Silver!" she protested. "I... I thought you knew what I felt."
"I do." Ze wanted to scream in frustration. "But have you ever thought of me? Of what I would feel each time you casually say you want to die?"
Mina gulped. "I... I am sorry."
"You never did, did you?" Silver asked. "You never... could never love me the way you loved him. Your mate."
Tears slid down her eyes. Ze hated that ze was the reason for it, but there were somethings that had to be cleared.
"I," she sniffed. "I never saw you like that," she whispered the last two words. "I never saw... thought that one day we would be marked."
Ze stood up. "I don't want your pity, Mina."
"It's not pity, Sil!" she cried. "I... just need a bit more time. Can't you give me that? Can't you see that it is all too sudden and I am not given any air to breathe? Can't I just heal myself first and then... be the mate you deserve, provided you have not met your mate? Can't you see that it is tearing me apart to see you nurse your heart when I know that I am the one who caused it to bleed and know that I cannot do anything? Can't you just accept me for what I am now?"
Her words made sense to zir, but there was something else that was running in zirs heart. Zirs mind. "Not given any air to breathe?"
"Is that all you heard, Silver?" she screamed at zir now. "Is that all?"
The bond thrashed in zir when ze saw her like that. Ze was the reason behind her distraught. Ze was the one who made her cry. Mina deserved better.
In zirs silence, Mina whimpered. "You know, I wanted to give this bond a chance, Silver. That's why I even marked you even though I know that I would be the one to get hurt again. I am... I am trying my best, Sil. I truly am."
She want to give them a try? In spite of her broken heart, she was willing to give them a try. She was trying to brave through her life and what was ze doing? Ze had once sworn to zirself that if she ever thought about giving them a try, ze would try harder. She was trying. That was all ze needed.
Ze turned towards her. Then, ze sat in front of her and lifted her face up. "Time? What else do you need, Mina?"
More tears pooled in her eyes as she sobbed harder. "Your patience. Your presence. Your faith. That's all."
"That's all?" ze asked. "That's too little price for what I am getting at the end."
Her lips curled lightly even though she was crying. "That's a priceless price, Sil. You are paying with your heart."
Ze pressed zirs lips to her forehead. "Take rest, Mina. I will be back."
She held zir down. "You will die if you continue like this. You have to feed. Else, whatever I have tried so far would go waste for you would die."
"I can't," ze rasped out. "I... I might take more than what we are bargaining for."
"There is nothing too much and nothing too less between us," she said and then she tilted her neck. "Feed."
Ze could see that throbbing vessel. Ze could have fed from her hand and it would have sufficed. It would not be intimate enough for the bond to push zir to take another step forward. Now that she had offered her neck, there was no going back. It was up to zir to stop if things got heated up.
Zirs fangs elongated and ze closed his eyes, inhaling her scent. How heavenly!
In a blinding flash, his fangs pierced her skin and after a yelp of pain, there were only moans of pleasure.
***********
"You have fed," Nox commented when ze met with the star. "From Mina."
"What is that supposed to mean?" ze asked.
Nox sighed. "It is not my place to interfere. I will draw boundaries here. Just that, keep in mind that as much as Mina appears to be physically well, I can literally see the weight her mind carries and how emotionally tired she is."
Silver nodded. "I will do my best. Now, shall we?"
The star touched zirs hands and they left for the Summer Coven.
It was just black and then suddenly everything was bare. Zirs head still spun from the way Nox brought them here. While ze found it difficult to find zirs bearing again, the star was standing in front of zir, patiently waiting for zir.
"I will be back after you find Aiko," Nox said. "I will leave now."
"Why not stay?" Silver asked after ze found the words.
"Dave knows who I am. I caused enough damage for his coven," Nox smiled. "I can go in, but I don't know what I would do if someone was to catch me. Wreck the coven even more? Highly likely. Just go in and when you are going to come back, think about me."
The star left in a flash. Silver gritted zirs teeth. Ze was sure that if ze had not fed, ze would have been dead. As ze got up on zirs feet, zirs phone rang.
Ze fumbled and finally found that phone. When the app ze had installed for finding the new numbers blinked the name Draco, Silver accepted the call.
"Draco?" ze asked.
"Silver," Draco said in a low voice. "Where are you?"
"Outside the patrolling gates," Silver whispered back.
"Why there?" Where else was ze supposed to be?
Silver nearly growled. "Nox left me here and said he will be back after I saved Aiko."
"Fine," he said. "The camera when it is focusing on the right side, it will take a minimum of four seconds to cover the other end. That is the time you get to enter. Run as fast as you can and then cross the gates. The patrol will run in such a way that they cross the gates every five minutes. The patrol for a distance of 3 miles in diameter."
What? Could ze run that fast? Ze was meant to be the Theta of zirs coven. Zirs training included how to speak to others. Even when Carson had persuaded zir to train, Silver had refused it. Now ze regretted it.
"That's..." ze breathed.
"Don't worry," he said. How could ze not worry? "That's the hardest part. After you enter, from there either a female named Cintna will help you or a male named Sadka. Sadka happens to be the Epsilon there. If he comes, the journey would be even more smooth."
Ze grunted.
"One of them will guide you to the prison," he said in a smooth voice. "By the time you reach there, I would have disabled the security. You can just go in."
As if everything would be perfect. But for now, ze had to trust that assassin. If everything went the way they had planned, ze would demand a fortnight's worth holiday with Mina. They would escape to someplace where they did not need to see anyone they knew.
****************
Sadka was the perfect example of how an Epsilon of a Great Coven would be like. Not just his physique, but the way he carried himself. Authority was oozing out of him. There was a controlled wilderness in that male that made Silver gawk at him. His daughter, Mali, after all, carried the same essence with her.
When the patrolling guards had asked Sadka about zir, the Epsilon merely looked at them with a blank look until they let them go. He had gently reminded them who was the ranked one among them.
When they came to the prison, Sadka asked, "Mali-"
"She is safe, Epsilon," Silver answered, hoping it would put the father at ease.
He nodded. "This is all I can do."
"More than enough, Epsilon," Silver said.
Ze took zirs phone out to see that Draco was still on. Wearing an earpiece, Silver said in the call. "I met Sadka."
"Good," he said.
"He led me to the prison and he left," Silver said.
"Yes," the assassin said. "Wait a moment."
Sweat drenched zirs back so much that the shirt clung to zirs body. The scent of zirs fear alone would attract the guards here.
"I can see you," he said.
So soon? This guy was pretty fast.
"It's... it was easy," he murmured.
Did ze miss something? What was easy?
"What?" Silver asked.
"Nothing." Draco said, clearing his throat. "Go three levels down."
Ze looked ahead and behind just to make sure that no guards were there. This was the high-level security of Summer Coven?
Following the assassin's words, Silver made zirs way down three floors. It was when ze was on the last floor, a scent ze had never scented wafted to zirs nose. What was that scent that could make zirs heart flip? The last time ze checked, Mina was back in zirs coven, sleeping.
The bond ze had with Mina begged zir not to go further, but that one thing called heart egged zir to do so. When zirs mind wanted to follow zirs heart, ze lost the battle ze had with zirself. Ze had come here to rescue that girl, Aiko and leave. It was no use pondering over a scent.
Unconsciously, ze walked towards the scent that was tethering zir to earth. Compared to the one ze was inhaling everything else seemed to be insignificant. Even Mina. While zirs mind whispered the truth, ze did not want to confront it. Especially after Mina had said she would give them a chance. After she had allowed zir to take her blood.
But whoever was there, they were the only person here, on the entire floor. No one seemed to be there.
Shuffling in shirt steps, ze finally found the cell where she was. Though her bones were peeking beneath her skin, she smiled seeing zir. The door out had the name, 'Aiko'.
Ze did not want to open it and confirm what zirs mind was screaming at zir. But nothing in life ever happened the way you wanted.
The doors opened and she stumbled out.
Each second was torture. Was antagonising.
It was not that ze did not know what was going on. In fact, ze knew it all too well. Ze did not want to meet her. Her of all people. Now. Ever.
But when she was about to fall, ze could not help but catch her. After all, ze was made to protect her.
Despite the dark, despite the pain. Despite everything, she managed to give zir a smile that had zirs heart racing.
This was very different from what ze felt with Mina. While that bond had a touch of surreality, this one grounded zir.
Then she said a word zirs heart was screaming at her. "Mate."
A/N: What do you think of this chapter?
What do you think Silver will do further? Do you like this character so far?
What will you think Mina would do? What will happen of Aiko?
Let me know your thoughts!
Until next update,
~Quill