(Amaia)

Twins pass serious glances while Rigel appears pissed off.

"Why?" Rigel irritably questions her when I extend my hand and squeeze his arm.

"It’s fine. You guys go ahead."

"Are you sure? I know what this is about and I don’t trust her or anyone on this matter." Rigel’s enraged eyes snap towards me. There is a hidden vulnerability there, I still don’t understand.

"I am sure." I rub his arm and he relaxes slightly.

"We will wait for you at the lunch table." Alnitak gives me a small kiss on the top of my head while Mintaka picks up my books. They trust Jamina to know she won’t be saying something hateful to me.

Once the three of them leave I stand up from my place and face her.

Now that she stands so close, I can observe that she appears more haggard than before. Every feature of her face seems to be dipped in pain.

"Amaia! I don’t want to go around in circles and would like to get to the point."

"Alright." Her hands cross over her chest and hold her arms tightly. It’s then that I observe that even the ring she used to wear is missing from her finger.

Did she take it off?

Did they break the engagement?

"I know you are mated to Alnilam. I saw Snow with you in the forest and Alnilam confessed to me as well." Her voice borders on pain and agony.

He confessed to her that I am his mate.

I freeze, my pupils dilate at Jamina’s words.

"He did?" I ask, bewildered, shocked and she slowly nods. It feels like she is holding back tears, just like me.

"Yes...I just wanted to say how sorry I am for not knowing and bringing you pain. I swear I hadn’t the faintest clue until yesterday."

I believe her, not even my mates knew how she could have known.

"It’s not your fault. The bond between my mates and me acts differently from the regular bonds." I offer her a wounded smile. The two of us are in love with the same man and yet we don’t fester hatred for each other.

Jealousy, yes. Hatred, no.

She places her empty hand on her heart.

"I figured. That’s exactly why he and I didn’t know and continued to mate. But, that will not happen again, at least from my side. I promise."

The sincerity of her words makes my chest constrict with these unfiltered emotions.

"I will appreciate that."

"You are so strong and resilient. A heart so big. You met me daily, saw me with your mate and yet not even once did you try to call me a name or give me an ugly look. You really are a girl’s girl." Tears pool in her eyes as she continues to speak.

"As much as I like to think I am a decent person, I wouldn’t have been able to do what you did. If I were in your place, I would have hated the person, engaged to my mate."

A few of them slip down her cheeks and I sigh. This is more difficult than I had anticipated. How should I even console her when my own heart is shattered because of Alnilam’s indifference?

"Please, don’t cry. I am not a saint but hating you would be stupid. You didn’t know. Besides, Alnilam doesn’t even like me."

Jamina’s expression becomes more pained at my words.

"Alnilam’s life has been complicated. It’s not easy for him to express his feelings, unlike his brothers. He runs from them."

A wounded smile rests on her lips and I know there is a memory she is reliving.

"Give him time, don’t push him. He is stubborn and likes to get his way."

Is she really giving me advice related to Alnilam?

Are they done with each other?

"I don’t know where we stand. Where he stands with you. If he even wants to pursue a relationship with me. I mean both of you have known each other forever."

It aches, even saying these words but this is the truth of our lives.

"Amaia, I am not going to lie to you and say that I will forget him with a blink of an eye or he will. We have shared everything and he has been my best friend, my lover, my fiancé." Another tear stumbles out of her eyes and falls on her cheek.

"But I will never stand between two mates. That’s not who I am. My heart has been in shambles since I came to know, but I always had this feeling that Alnilam will someday find his mate, and I won’t."

A fractured smile covers her face and it gives me such a horrible feeling that my heart trembles.

I did come between two people who were meant to be.

"I am sorry..." I don’t even know what to say to her.

Deep down, she probably hates me.

"Please, don’t. I just wanted to clear the air between us and didn’t want any bad blood. I will never wish you harm." She takes a step closer.

"Regarding Alnilam, if you ever need help, let me know. I will provide it."

I don’t know what’s more tragic, Jamina offering me help, the very woman whose world I tilted or me thinking of accepting it.

It feels wrong, invasive. I never wished or meant to hurt her and yet this bond I have with Alnilam has brought nothing but pain for all three of us.

"I will keep that in mind. Thank you for not hating me." I unclench my hands and she gives me one small nod with a sniffle.

"Go, your mates must be waiting for you. They worry, you are very lucky Amaia."

Something about her sorrowful words is painful, and it pinches my heart. I can only imagine what it is like to be in her shoes.

To not have a mate and now the love of her life is gone because of me.

Offering her a faint, broken smile, I leave the lab with a very heavy heart. I just want to sit in a corner and cry.