(Alnitak)

Seeing Mintaka in such a state is deeply distressing for me. I know he is spiralling. He has already lost Kayla, and now he is going to hold himself responsible if anything happens to Amaia.

Broken and lost he appears as he holds onto her. His eyes don’t even waver from her. The bond between us is jammed with his grief.

Although I want to hold onto Amaia. A tide of grief seems to have overpowered me, almost annihilating me seeing her lie there so lifeless. But I let Mintaka hold her. The bond has newly settled for him and he is in an extremely vulnerable condition.

I cover Amaia with a soft blanket and send an urgent prayer.

From the table, I turn on the battery-operated lamp so we can have more light along with the candles.

Moving away I shuffle through Alnilam’s books. Anything which can guide me on how to cloak her appearance, in case Alnilam is unable to find her necklace.

I have already spoken to my mother about Amaia and informed her that she is my and Mintaka’s mate. I skipped the part of her also being Ezran’s mate, not wanting to create problems which I can’t solve.

But her being a Fae is going to change everything and I don’t even know how my parents would react. The truth we won’t be able to conceal for too long.

I am still lost in thoughts regarding her and what the future holds for us when the partition opens and in walks Alnilam followed by none other than that leech.

I bristle seeing him.

Has Alnilam lost his mind, bringing him here?

"Why in the hell is he here?" I demand, clasping the book loudly shut.

Alnilam appears calm, he raises his right hand to halt me.

"He is her mate. I can’t keep him from her. Besides, he found her necklace."

So Alnilam knows.

He found her necklace? Some of my anger is replaced by curiosity as Ezran moves forward and dangles the necklace from his fingers.

He doesn’t acknowledge any of us. His deep blood-shaded eyes are focused entirely on Amaia. That hardness and hatred he carries are nowhere to be seen when he stares so desperately at her.

An utter surprise passes over his face seeing her transformed self. He finds it difficult to form words.

He bends down and tries to touch her face, but Mintaka’s newly forged mate bond makes him detonate like a time bomb. His sanity, which is already hanging by a thread, snaps, making his powers shoot out after a long time.

Mintaka’s powers had been suppressed when he lost connection with his wolf. But I guess the connection with Amaia has healed that part.

The tips of his fingers let out frozen winds which turn into icy spikes, moving at such a blinding speed that even a vampire doesn’t see it coming fast enough.

Two of the sharp spikes pierce his approaching hand, making him hiss out in rage. "What the hell is wrong with you?"

Mintaka glares back at him, his eyes glowing red from the presence of his wolf.

"Stay away from my mate. I won’t let you touch her," he shouts in rage. Moving his hands at a blinding speed, Mintaka forms a protective shield around Amaia from his ice.

They lock eyes, ready to tear each other apart.

"I can snap your neck in the fraction of a second," the vampire threatens.

Growls and more threats follow when Alnilam and I have to step in before we turn this little space into a warzone. Even Saiph has to rush in and catch Ezran.

While I hold Mintaka, shackling his chest with my arms so he won’t lunge. Alnilam forms a barrier in front of the vampire.

"Hey! Hey! Both of you calm down if we need this to work." Alnilam stretches both his hands sideways. One towards Ezran and the other towards Mintaka.

"Do you think Amaia would want you to fight over her like this?" Alnilam sternly asks, his gaze shifting between the raging mates.

"I am going to return the necklace to her and no one should stop me from touching her," the vampire rages.

His shadows form grotesque creatures over his head while Saiph uses all his strength to keep him contained. The muscles in Saiph’s arms are stretched, showing how much effort he is putting in to keep him and his shadows away from Mintaka.

"The bond has newly settled for him. He is on the edge because of that. Werewolves are territorial and possessive of their mates," Alnilam turns his head and explains to Ezran.

"We need to put our differences aside for a few minutes and put the necklace around her. She should be our priority." I point out. That seems to gather everyone’s attention. Mintaka’s icy shield disappears, and so does Alnilam’s. Saiph, let’s go of Ezran, and I do the same for Taka.

Ezran straightens himself, his gaze shifting back to Amaia and all of us take a step back. I keep my hands on Mintaka’s shoulders, just in case his jealousy surges and he wolfs out or does something even worse.

"She is a Fae? Is that why you are hiding her here?" Ezran asks, quietly kneeling beside her peacefully resting figure.

"Yes, if anyone comes to know, her life will be in danger."

"Who else knows?" He gently slips his left hand under her head and lifts it. Mintaka lets out a muffled whimper of pain.

"It’s alright," I whisper to him, not wishing for my brother to experience this brutal ache when my heart seems to have a splinter lodged in it.

"Only the five people inside this room and it needs to stay that way." Alnilam authoritatively tells us. His posture doesn’t relax with all of us on the edge, I can’t even blame him.

Ezran slips the necklace around Amaia’s neck and holds her to himself. His hands affectionately rub her head.

Mesmerised we watch her transform as if the day is being replaced by the blackness of the night.

Her silvery hair turn black again, cloaking her appearance. Her pointy ears return to normal human ears.

"That won’t be a problem. She is my only friend and confidante." He says quietly, pressing his lips on the top of her head.

The stake of jealousy seems to be deeply embedded in my heart over his actions.

At the same time, we hold our breaths, hoping for her to wake up.