(Mintaka)

Ali and I had discussed the possibility of sharing a mate, but we had always passed it off as a joke.

He is jealous and possessive and I didn’t want to interfere in a relationship he is developing with her.

Everything changed when he revealed she is my mate too.

Amaia tastes as exquisite as Alnitak had said. The warmth she exudes, the hidden charm she carries, the comfort she possesses, the compassion she exhibits.

She is my mate, although I still can’t feel the mate bond with her. What Alnitak has revealed makes it true. Only a mate can awaken a wolf as she has done to mine.

I wonder what’s wrong with her. How much pain she goes through daily, unable to connect with us.

There is so much I need to say to her, so much to apologise for.

But something unusual happens, Alnitak develops the mate bond with her in that very instant when I am kissing her.

I know the euphoric feeling, the changes a werewolf goes through upon finding and connecting with the soulmate.

I had already experienced this magical moment with Kayla, but this was a first for Alnitak, so I gave them space and left the room, closing the door behind me.

I needed to connect with Zelen since he surfaced when I touched Amaia.

The moment I leave her proximity, Zelen disappears, refusing to surface.

’Really? Zelen!’ I call him but there is no response.

Disappointed, I sit myself down on a bench, placing both my arms on the back of the bench and raising my head towards the heavens.

The Constellation of Orion is shining bright today. The Constellation we are named after, the one which is supposed to guide us when we are lost.

Will it?

I am surely lost with the shit I keep doing.

The night wind is cool today, carrying with it the sound of insects, filling the air with their ceaseless chatter.

I don’t even know how many hours I just sit there.

"Hey! handsome," Caria’s annoying voice has my head straightening to find her standing right in front, wearing a flimsy silken nightgown.

What in the world is she doing outside at this time?

Seriously, that lust demon inside me has no standard. He will fuck anything feminine with legs, and this time he has landed me, Caria of all people.

"Shouldn’t you be sleeping?" I ask, bored.

She saunters over, flipping her long bluish-black hair over her shoulder and settles right beside me.

"I can ask you the same question." She blinks twice at me. Extending her hand, she tries to touch my bare chest.

Abhorrence crawls over me at the thought of her touching me. Hate so deep, not for her but myself, surfaces. I want to punish myself for giving in to temptations and bringing Amaia pain.

I lean back, away from her touch.

"Don’t," I warn.

"Sweet heavens. Yesterday you were dick-deep into me, and tonight you won’t even let me touch you," she says, seeming offended.

"That wasn’t me and you know that." I want her gone. The abhorrence I feel for myself is hiking by the second. I want her gone.

"You are no fun, Mintaka. At least your other self knows how to treat a woman right," she haughtily says, letting out her pheromones on purpose.

Being a fox-shifter, she is shrewd and can attract males through her pheromones.

"He doesn’t know how to control his urges. He just follows lust. Without him, I would have never touched you." I spit out facts and her face distorts. She stands up and places her hands on her waist, facing me with her nose scrunched up.

"You know what, you are just pathetic and a loser. Always looking for pity because your mate died. If she can see you now, she would be so disappointed in what a man whore you turned out to be."

Her words prick that male ego of mine, but who am I kidding? She is not wrong. I am pathetic and a manwhore, sleeping around to fill that gaping hole in my heart. Anything to escape that feeling of loneliness that eats me every day.

"Good that she can’t see me then," I say with a wounded smile. "And what does that make you, since you decided to sleep with me?"

She stomps her feet and walks away.

"Don’t come crawling to me next time you feel sorry for yourself."

She disappears in the night just like she had come, leaving me more disgusted with myself.

I have a chance to redeem myself with Amaia but I can’t feel her the way I did Kayla. Besides, Amaia has other mates and I don’t even know how this is going to work.

We need to have a conversation. I haven’t even apologised to her.

Tiredly getting up, I head back inside and make my way to our room.

Pausing just outside, I collect my thoughts and listen for any noise. It’s quiet.

Slowly I push the door open and enter. My eyes drift towards Alnitak’s bed. He has Amaia tightly wrapped in his big arms, with his face buried in her dark hair. They are soundly sleeping.

I approach the bed quietly and watch her. She does remind me of Kayla, but at the same time, she possesses a different personality. She is a whole different person with so much to offer and I want to learn about her.

My hand reaches down and I touch her soft cheek.

"Amaia!"

Instantly she opens her sleepy eyes and focuses them on me.

"Min, is everything alright?" She asks, placing her hand on mine.

"Yes, I just wanted to speak with you. Sorry, I woke you up."

She shakes her head. "It’s alright. Tomorrow is off from our sessions."

Carefully, she tries to wriggle out of Alnitak’s hold, but he just tightens his grip on her, not wanting to let go of his newly found mate.

"Ali!" I open his death grip on her and lift his heavy arms so she can finally crawl out.

He is such a heavy sleeper, but today, his eyes shoot open, and he desperately calls out.

"Amaia!"