Ariella
After I shower and get changed into clean clothes, I feel a lot more human than I have in days. I can’t even describe the colour of my bath water, but let’s just say that I’m all squeaky clean now.
I go to speak with mom after dad has broken the news to her about Alaska. She’s in her ware form on the bed and after closing the door, I go to sit beside her. I can smell the pregnancy scent on her even more strongly while she’s in this form, and the little sunshine that floods through the window makes her blonde hair look like it’s glowing. Mom is stunning as a ware.
“You okay?” I ask her.
She nods but I know she ain't.
“It will be okay, mom. If anything bad happens, I'll ask Aura for my magic and then I'll fix it.”
“Have you seen her?” she whines.
Seriously, it’s crazy that before I changed, all these whimpers and growls meant absolutely nothing to me, and now they’re full blown sentences. Clear as crystal.
“Yeah. She came to see me at the lake today. We talked. I’ve decided that I'll get my magic back next week.”
“Alright. How do you feel about that?” she growls.
“Nervous and excited.”
She huffs. “I bet.” She shifts back into her human form, so I cover her with a blanket. “Sweetheart, there’s something your father and I wanted to ask you.”
This doesn’t sound good. “Go on…”
“Well, you told Davonyé about your magic, even though it wasn’t seriously… Why didn’t you tell us?”
I sigh. “I just didn’t wanna worry you. And to be honest? I wanted to kinda come to terms with it before I said anything to you. I knew you and dad would be concerned, and with the baby and—”
“Hey, we still would’ve been here for you,” she says sadly.
“I know, mom, but even though it was a big deal, it kinda wasn’t at the same time. I think I always knew I was gonna be different. I dunno. I just don’t want you and dad to be upset because I didn’t say anything sooner. I love you both. You are amazing parents, so please don’t be upset about it.”
She nods thoughtfully. “We’re not.”
“Good.” I need to change the subject. “So, I wanted to ask you about Davonyé. How was he when you saw him?”
“He was coping, sweetheart, but barely.”
“Ugh, same as me then.”
“Yeah. You should at least call him now that you’re home.”
Excitement from the thought of speaking to him rushes through me. “I will. I plan on going back to school on Monday, too. Aura says I'm good as a ware. Apparently, we learn our wares quicker because we're descendants of Ariya.”
That’s surprised her. “Oh, well, that makes sense. Are you sure you'll be okay around Davonyé at school?”
“Don’t worry, I won't have sex with him in an empty classroom again, if that's what you're getting at, mom.”
She holds her hands up and laughs. “Hey, I never said anything of the sort.”
“No, but you were thinking it.”
She smirks. “Maybe.”
“Besides, I know I’ve gotta be careful; keep my hands to myself and all that.” God, I hope he decides to change soon so he’s as strong as me. I’m terrified of hurting him.
“Just… don’t get too excited.”
“That’s much easier said than done.”
“I know it is.” She suddenly looks nervous. “So, have you got your things together for the trip?”
“Yeah. Dad says we won't be long. He's sent his men out there already and the seven will be here anytime now.”
She smiles at that. “I can't wait to see them.”
“I can tell. It’s written all over your face. But I’m glad they’re coming, too, cuz they'll look after you and the baby.”
“I know they will.”
***
I go to my house so I can collect my phone and bag. Dad had a helipad built in the middle of the woods by the house so him and mom could leave quickly if they were needed anywhere fast. Dad thinks of everything, but he is ancient. I smile to myself because dad hates when I call him that. He always says that age don’t mean shit now that him and mom are immortal.
I sit on my bed and turn on my phone. It starts chiming with multiple notifications. I check the messages from Davonyé and my heart climbs into my throat.
I came to see you but you weren't there. I need to talk to you about Carisse, but I don't wanna tell you over text. Call me when you get back from training.
He wants to talk to me about Carisse? Ugh, don’t get your hopes up… There’s only one message and I frown. I check the others and see some from an unknown number sent yesterday.
Hey, it’s Davonyé. I got a new number so delete the old one. I can't stop thinking about you, Ari. You're on my mind twenty-four seven. I got a new apartment and I just wish you were here with me so we could talk. I wanna know everything about you. I miss you so bad. I hope you get these messages soon cuz I’m goin’ crazy.
Hey. I hope you're good. I just want you to know that I’m still thinkin about you. I’m losing my mind from this silence between us. I know you gotta learn all this new shit, but don’t you miss me, too?
Oh, God, Davonyé. I do miss you! And as much as I feel good at reading these messages, they make me feel heartbroken, too. I wish I could go see him so bad, but we’re leaving soon…
I press backup and see a message from Harmony.
Davonyé broke up with Carisse. Said he don't love her no more. He stuck up for the other woman 2. Just thought you should know. P.S. I really need to see you!!! Message me when you get home.
I can't help but smile. So he has ended it with Carisse. I go back and hit call on his new number.
It rings once. “Ari?”
Oh, Shit… Hearing his voice is life, and for a moment I can’t even think. “Hey…”
I hear him sigh and it sounds like pure relief. “I’ve missed you.”
Those words, though… “I’ve missed you, too, Davonyé. So much,” I whisper.
“I wanna see you.”
“I wanna see you, too, but I’m leaving Montreal in about an hour. I don’t know when I’ll be back but as soon as I am, I’ll call you.”
“Leaving? Why? Where you goin’?”
“Just with my family to deal with some werewolf stuff. We shouldn’t be gone long.”
“Shit, Ariella. I don’t know if I can last any longer without seeing you.”
“I know, but I feel the same. Believe me when I tell you that you’re all I think about. I’m feeling exactly the same as you.”
“I do believe you,” he says quietly.
I bite my lip as I think about the question I’m gonna ask him. “I know you came here. What did you wanna tell me so bad?” He’s quiet, and I wonder if he heard me. “Dav—”
“I broke up with Carisse.”
“Oh.” I smile madly. That feels so much better hearing it from him. “When?”
“Sunday. When we got back from Ontario.”
“So does that mean you’re mine now?” I can’t stop smiling.
“What do you think?” I’m sure I can hear him smiling, too.
“I think you better be.”
“Then you think right. I’m yours, and your mine, and I want you to know that I’m down for whatever from now on.”
“Really?”
“Damn straight.”
“So does that mean you’re good with what I am?” I ask hopefully.
“Shawty, I’m more than good with it. Just hurry the fuck back so I can see you.”
Ugh, I wish I didn’t have to go. “I will. I promise.”
“Alright.” He goes quiet again. “Ari… I feel so much better now we’ve spoken.”
“Me, too.” I sigh because I can hear the helicopter approaching. I wanna ask him how he knew about the mates thing, but I ain’t got time. “I gotta go now… We’ll talk when I get back?”
“I ain’t tryna talk to you, Bae. I wanna see you.”
My heart goes crazy at that. He called me bae, again… “You will.”
“Aight. I’ll be waitin’.”
***
The flight to Alaska is almost seven hours of intense silence, but after talking to Davonyé, my mood is so high that nothing can dampen it. I can’t wait to get back so I can see him. The thought of that alone is making my stomach flutter madly with butterflies.
We touch down just after three am. It's dark, windy, and cold, but I don't feel it. It's the strangest feeling knowing that it's freezing but not actually feeling it. The wind blows the top layer of snow up into our faces as we stand beside the plane. I squint my eyes and then look around. There is nothin’ but fields of icy forests for miles, with just the occasional opening of a blanket of snow.
I watch dad as he directs his men; there’s gotta be at least two hundred of them here already. Jackson, his weapons specialist and Madna’s mate, is loading everyone up with grenades. We're hoping we won't have to use force, but just in case we do find something... I’ve also been tasked with carrying mom’s blood, just in case we get into any fights and someone is badly injured. Someone always carries a few vials when on ware business.
There was a time when her blood could not be carried in vials. It had to be given directly by her – it was a way of stopping our enemies farming her for it. But Aura made it possible for her to, but it must be Mom or Dad that draws it from her, otherwise, it is useless.
Dad is so respected by everyone and it makes me realise how important my parents actually are. I've never seen either of them in this capacity before, and it's eye-opening. Everyone calls him Sire or Sovereign, and they bow their heads, too, just like how they do at the werewolf holds.
“We’ll scout out Samson’s old hold, first,” Dad tells everyone. “Hopefully we find something.”
“Yes, Sire,” everyone replies before we begin to run.
The thick snow crunches underfoot as we follow him closely. I’m glad I’ve managed to control my senses better, cuz the scent of all these wares here is strong. I stay at the front with my dad and the rest of my family. Dad is keeping me close to him but he’s not babying me either, which I’m grateful for. If I’m honest, I’m kinda shocked that he even let me come. I wonder if my mom had something to do with that…
My thoughts continuously alternate between Mom and Davonyé. There’s a deep concern for mom, but the total opposite for my mate; an uncontrollable intense desire to be dominated by him in the worst way. It’s all consuming, too. I want him in me, on me, I want his scent on me, his hands on me, his mouth on my skin. I want it all. I need it. The next time we’re together, I hope he doesn’t hold back. I wonder if it will still hurt now that I’m a ware? His dick is big…
I snap out of my dirty thoughts when everyone begins to slow. We can see a break in the distance and Uncle Dee says that's where the hold is. I hold dad's hand as I feel a deep sense of sadness hit me. I don't wanna say it out loud, but I feel anxious being here because this is where my parents died twenty years ago. Elijah Odinia, my mother’s brother, ripped my mother's heart out here and my father died with her.
“I know baby,” dad says, taking a quick look down at me. “We're all feeling it, too.”
He must feel a way. I’m sure this is the first time he’s been back here.
We get closer to our destination and can smell other wares, but the scent is different somehow. My senses go crazy but the closer we get, the more the scent becomes almost rotten.
And that’s when it becomes apparent that the wares scattered across the snow near the hold, are dead.
“Who would kill all these people?” I ask in shock. It hurts to see these people… There are bodies everywhere, each with their heads or their hearts removed. There must be at least fifty wares. They’re all decomposing, too, that’s why it smells so bad.
“I don't know, princess,” he replies thoughtfully, shaking his head. “But there are people in this world that have only one goal in life, and that is to inflict as much pain on others as they can.”
Pain? This is mass murder. And it’s upsetting.
My dad and uncles search the hold but don't find anyone alive. This place has been inhabited recently, though, but we’re just a little too late. I begin to think about what could’ve happened here but come up empty, being left more confused, instead.
Dad suddenly turns his head, so I follow the direction and sniff deeply.
There is a live ware close.
We follow my dad and discover a female ware clawing at the ground as she pulls herself across the snow. She's clearly injured and has a trail of blood right up underneath her naked body.
My dad kneels beside her and then carefully turns her over onto her back. Her wounds to her chest and thighs look like they’ve slowly been healing, but she’s extremely thin so she’s likely too malnourished to heal properly.
“Please, please don't… hurt…” Her voice is hoarse and she sounds panicked. I notice a cut to her throat and it also looks like some of her short hair has been pulled out at the root. She looks dark-skinned but she’s very pale…
“We’re not here to hurt you,” dad says to reassure her. “What's your name?”
“Xara,” she answers him. “Xara Harris.”
“What happened here, Xara?”
“Max... Maximus got word that the enemy were coming and...” Her eyes begin to drop.
“She needs blood, Ariella,” dad says and looks up at me.
I quickly take a vial of my mother's blood out of my bag and give it to him.
“Drink this,” he says and holds it to her lips. “Take this and sleep. We’ll take care of you.”
The woman nods and then after drinking the blood, she passes out. She won’t wake up now until Sunday.
“This is bad,” Grandad Gamba says. “If he's killing wares like this, that means he has numbers to spare.”
“He could be anywhere by now, too,” grandma adds. “Some of these wares have been dead for hours.”
“I know,” Dad says as he gets to his feet. He looks upset and I know Mom must be devastated, too. He takes a look over to all his men hovering around the hold in the distance. “We’ll return home and wait for her to wake up. She’s gotta know something that can help us find this man.”
“We will need to figure things out with Abriya and the baby, too,” Uncle Quis says reluctantly. “I know she won’t wanna leave the baby so soon after giving birth, but we have to deal with this situation fast.”
“She knows,” Dad says, sounding annoyed. “Trust me, we are well aware of what needs to be done. And it will be done. Now come. I wanna search a ten-mile radius to see if we can find anything else before we leave.”
Dad walks back towards the hold while I look down at the woman who’s being picked up by one of my father’s men. She’s healing now and I’m relieved, but I don’t like all of this ‘not knowing’ shit…
Something tells me that I’ll be asking for my magic sooner than I thought.