(Amaia)

When I wake up the next morning, Saiph is gone. He has cleaned me up and changed my shirt.

This has to be the strangest 24 hours of my life. Never in my wildest dreams had I imagined my pet bird to be Saiph.

I just lay in my bed alone, contemplating everything that has happened. Enjoying this blessed moment of solitude, all by myself.

A small knock on the door informs me it’s Kacir returning from spending the night with Rahria.

"Come in!" I call out and he enters with a sly grin.

"Good morning!"

"Good morning! To you as well." I sit up in bed and smile warmly at him. "Someone appears to be in a good mood."

Kacir nods, taking out his uniform from the cupboard.

"Yeah! We bonded over some stuff, and one thing led to another, and we spent the night together," he shyly tells me, keeping his face away.

I jump out of bed at the news. Rushing towards Kacir, I hug him from behind.

"So so happy for you, Kacir. You deserve all the love."

His body relaxes. "Thanks Amaia. So do you. I hope they treat you with love."

Both of us speak for a while before getting ready for the day and heading out.

Mintaka and Alnitak join me with their bright smiles. Seems like both of them had slept like logs the last night and didn’t feel my hook up with Saiph.

I am still trying to understand this mate bond and how it works. They can sense each other and my emotions but I don’t think they can sense when I am with my other mates. Or can they if they are not sleeping?

I guess with time I will figure this out.

"Did you scold brother dear?" Alnitak mischievously questions, wrapping his big arms around my shoulders.

"Sure did. And I will pull your ears too if you ever lie to me again," I threaten, my eyes wavering from one to the other.

"Sassy! I like that." Mintaka places a small kiss on the top of my head.

Like two protective pillars, they remain on either side of me. Before entering the library for Alnilam’s session I find Rigel waiting for me, leaning against the wall.

Hands in his pockets, eyes sharp and focused, he gives me a small nod, tilting his head towards the left.

"I will meet you guys inside," I tell the twins and this time, without any drama, they leave me with Rigel. Although challenging looks are passed which I will need to get used to.

The Blood Oath and whatever prophecy they have been given seem to be working. At least they are not fighting or threatening each other.

"Hey!" I say, stepping closer to him. Rigel’s arm goes around my waist, pulling me into his cold body.

"I missed you. I should have come for you last night but my bloodlust made me stay away."

Lifting my head, I give him a stare. "You also took the Blood Oath and didn’t tell me. Didn’t think it was necessary to take my consent for that?"

His smile turns taunting as he places his lips on the shell of my ear and muses. "Did you ask for permission before saving the lives of those four?"

I shake my head, knowing where this conversation was headed with Rigel the Wise.

"You did it because you care." His finger presses on my heart. "Similarly we did it to keep you safe. That will always be my first priority, Amaia and I wouldn’t be taking your permission for it." He stubbornly says. Today, he sounds like Alnilam

"I don’t want you to get hurt." I place my hand on his chest and feel his slowly beating heart.

"You are the priority. No one else." He takes a deep sniff of my hair and places a tiny kiss on it, right behind my ear.

"Come we don’t want to be late for Alnilam’s session. He might lose it." Rigel’s voice holds hints of amusement and I find myself smiling at him.

We enter the library and Rigel guides me towards Alnitak and Mintaka. Ensuring I am seated between them, he moves and occupies the seat opposite me.

Alnitak instantly places his hand on my thigh. Possessive, he acts extremely possessively, and that frightens me at times. What if he won’t accept Saiph?

I have to speak to them sometime about him.

Everyone is discussing the breach that happened and the three of us pass meaningful glances.

’Only if they knew how Amaia annihilated those damn Reavers,’ Min’s voice comes through the mindlink.

"Yeah! They don’t know how special our mate is," Alnitak adds.

"Team effort. I just hope no more innocents get caught in this madness," I chime in.

Alnilam walks in and my eyes slide towards him. The hug from last night resurfaces and I try not to blush.

The way he even lied to Jamina for me has me euphoric.

Having all four of them in such proximity has my mind swirling, and sometimes it becomes difficult to follow what Alnilam is saying to us.

After Alnilam’s session, we head over to Jamina’s.

"Cristo, why don’t we change partners? And I will give you a thousand gold coins," Alnitak says to my lab partner with a pleading look. He begins to narrate how he has just found me and wishes to spend more time with me.

I tap his huge shoulder. "Stop harassing Cristo. Go and take your seat."

His lips turn up, showing he is on the verge of crying while I push him away, knowing his tactics.

"Your mates are clingy," Cristo amusedly says and I smile at him. He doesn’t even know there are five of them.

Jamina appears slightly sour today. That sunshine smile she always carries seems forced.

I know they didn’t have sex. Did they have an argument perhaps?

I am still lost in understanding when the door to the lab opens and in walks Alnilam. I take him in, and he is holding Celestia’s map, but it’s the expression he holds which has my knees feeling weak.