Chapter 180: Confusion About The Mate Bond

(Alnitak)

That is extremely quick. Alnilam never agrees like that with anyone, especially someone younger than him. He has an older child syndrome, where he needs to be right and expects others to follow his lead.

So when he agrees with Amaia in the blink of an eye, I know he is planning something without keeping her in the loop.

Amaia’s forehead creases as she sees that Alnilam has agreed with her so easily. Bond trickles with her confusion at Alnilam’s action.

"I mean it. Don’t go behind my back doing something like that," she says again.

"We won’t," he answers with finality and all of us know that we have reached the end of this conversation. He won’t hear anymore about it.

"Min, why don’t you take Amaia back to her room. Staying hidden for too long will raise questions." Mintaka nods at him.

He gathers her in his arms and stands up before placing her on her feet. I stand to help them.

"Can you walk? Or I can carry you?" Taka asks her. His hand remains on the small of her back.

"I can walk," she assures him.

"Alnitak, stay back. I need to speak with you. Let Mintaka take Amaia."

Amaia’s suspicious eyes find me but I assuringly smile at her.

"Go, I will join you guys soon."

Mintaka takes Amaia away and Alnilam closes the partition behind them. It’s Saiph, Alnilam and me now. 𝒇𝙧𝙚𝓮𝔀𝓮𝒃𝙣𝓸𝒗𝒆𝒍.𝙘𝒐𝒎

My older brother picks up the glass and takes a small sip of the water before facing me.

"We are doing the Blood Oath tonight. Ensure, Amaia sleeps on time or is occupied otherwise so she won’t suspect anything."

I was right, he just wanted to ease her and not feel burdened by the oath we are going to take to protect her.

"You know her. She will come to know. We share a bond with her, we can’t lie to her." I fold my arms on my chest.

"You don’t have to lie, just avoid the topic and don’t tell her the truth. We owe her this much after she saved our necks." Once Alnilam puts his mind to something, like a stubborn mule he sticks to it, making it impossible to change his mind.

I know he is taking this precautionary measure mainly because of Saiph and Ezran.

"Alright, but if she finds out. I am gladly going to throw you under the bus," I warn Alnilam.

"Whatever!" He then turns his attention towards Saiph. "Tonight, meet me in the Forest. Near that old Oakwood tree on the Western side. Bring your scythe."

Saiph gets up and stands to his full height. "I will see you there."

He pauses, appearing slightly thoughtful.

"Just to clarify, I would never put Amaia in danger. I might be duty-bound to your mother but I think of you guys as my brothers. And your mother worries about all three of you. Look at the world we live in."

"Saiph, I know but this is just precautionary. We can’t be sure when it comes to Dread Army, one can always slip and Mama can be pretty persuasive too," Alnilam adds.

"I know. I will be there." With an understanding passing between them, Saiph leaves through the partition which Alnilam closes behind him.

His attention turns to me. "I will speak to Ezran."

I walk over and drop onto the sofa Saiph has just vacated. "You are afraid we will fight again?"

"Not afraid, I am sure."

Sadly, I smile at my brother.

"You don’t understand how I feel. I want Ezran to just disappear from Amaia’s life so she will only be mine and Taka’s."

Sharing your mate with someone else, especially someone you detest because of the way he treats her is something only I and Taka can understand.

"You are right, I might not comprehend the mate bond, but I can imagine how difficult this is for you and how complicated the situation is. I am assuming you didn’t tell Mama that Ezran is Amaia’s mate too?" Alnilam asks with all his older brother’s seriousness.

"Do you think they will let us keep Amaia as our mate if they know she is mated to a vampire and is not ready to reject him?"

I ask.

As liberal as my parents were, at the end of the day, they would consider our status of royalty and wouldn’t want our mate to be mated to someone else.

Alnilam stays quiet at my question, thinking but his silence reveals he knows it’s the truth.

"They are going to find the truth one way or the other. How long are you guys going to hide it?"

"We have just recognised her as our mate. The bond between us is still new and vulnerable. I want it to cement, to develop and flourish before reaching a decision. Maybe she won’t need that vampire and let him go." I shrug my shoulders.

Alnilam gives a small huff. "You realise that she feels the same pull and love for Ezran as she does for both of you? That’s how the mate bond works."

I shake my head. "That’s the thing. She doesn’t feel the mate bond with him but is convinced he is her mate because he said so. And she felt him in the nightmare Saiph induced."

"What?" Alnilam asks, surprised.

"Yes. First, we didn’t feel the mate bond with her, but she did, and now it’s the same story between her and Ezran. I don’t understand what’s going on with all that."

That throws Alnilam into deep thoughts, and he doesn’t speak for a while.

"I have been wondering about that. Neither of you felt the mate bond with her until now. Why? It’s always instantaneous. I wonder if it’s some Fae thing or some sorcery is at work."

I nod at my brother.

"Look into it, will you. Also, we believe she has another mate, but she can’t speak about him or doesn’t want us to know, so there is that too."

A shock descends on Alnilam’s face and I offer him a wounded smile. Some luck we brothers had. We finally found our mate, but it’s coming with all the drama and a few heartbreaks in its wake.