(Alnilam)

Mama and father seem to be in a discussion when I enter. Mama’s face instantly lit up, seeing me. She floats towards me, wrapping her warm arms around.

"What a surprise. So glad you decided to drop by."

I give both her cheeks, a kiss each.

"I have something to discuss."

My eyes slide towards my father and he offers an authoritative nod.

Mama takes my arm and guides me towards the opulent sofa helping me sit. She perches herself right beside me and we face my father.

"What brings you here?" His voice is irritated, and I can sense that something has happened.

My father appears, older and dour than usual. It feels like every time I see him, he has aged a few years when it has been a few days or weeks.

Taking a deep breath, I try to relax but there is no peace for me. "Actually quite a few things."

"We also have something to share but you go first," Mama gently says from my side, squeezing my arm.

My head turns towards her. "No, please."

Her eyes have these deep worries swimming in them as she glances towards my father.

"Go on, tell him," he rigidly says.

She bites her lower lip at his permission and focuses her gaze on me.

"We received a message from the Dread Army. The Reavers they had sent last time, never made it back. One of them could open portals so they should have returned four days ago."

My heart slightly sinks but I have been expecting this.

"Didn’t you tell them that our kingdom was attacked and they might have perished during that?"

It is my father’s turn to speak. "We did but they won’t believe that mere monsters can bring down their best Reavers. One of them was a Battalion Commander. That’s a formidable position in the Dread Army."

"Powerful doesn’t mean they are indestructible. How can we know what happened to them?" I shrug my shoulders but the tension in the study feels heavy.

"They are sending a whole Battalion to investigate," Mama grimly informs me.

A whole Battalion?

"Isn’t that a bit excessive?"

"They are the Dread Army, everything about them is excessive," father grumbles, seeming irritated and displeased at the outcome.

"Let them come. We have nothing to hide."

Inside me, chaos has erupted, and I am truly hoping they won’t find anything. We cleaned up well and there shouldn’t be any traces left of them being here in the palace grounds.

"All they will need is a reason that the Reavers disappeared in our Kingdom to wage a war. The fact that they are sending over a whole Battalion is ringing alarm bells." Father leans back and crosses his fingers. I can sense his agitation.

"Then we will be ready. We have the second strongest army. If they choose force we will retaliate."

Mama’s tender touch I sense on my back.

"We will try to negotiate first and resolve whatever this is on the table. Haven’t we fought enough wars? Look at the state of our world."

Completely, I agree with her but I am sure The Dread Army don’t.

"Yes."

"What was it that you wanted to share with us?" Father asks.

The agitation grows in my heart as I prepare myself for all the judgment and scolding that is going to come my way after they hear what I have to say.

Rubbing my hands on my face, I lean forward. My eyes focus on my father.

"I found my mate."

A curious smile grows on his lips while his eyes enlarge.

Mama’s hand disappears from my back as she places it on her mouth.

"What? You did? Who?" I know she is trying not scream in joy, but this is all going to be short-lived once they hear who it is.

"That’s the problem."

"What is? Is she someone lowborn?" Father questions with all seriousness. At Orion, it doesn’t matter which faction the mate belongs to, but for royals, it’s preferred that the family has some standing in society.

"Oh, God, it’s about Jamina. Isn’t it?" Mama exclaims in a sad tone. "I thought both of you were it but there was always a possibility for one of you to find your true mate."

Frustratedly I rub my face with my hands.

"It’s Amaia..." Her name always comes out of my mouth with tenderness. The very thought of hers sends chills running through me, through my wolf, it makes my magic go haywire.

"WHAT?" Mama abruptly stands up, horror etched on every inch of her face. My father lets out a dissatisfying grunt.

"Amaia as in your brothers’ mate?" he asks with a profound seriousness.

"Yes, I developed the mate bond with her three days ago. Snow recognised her as his mate too and the bond settled for both of us. I haven’t acknowledged it in front of her, though, but Jamina and the twins know," I blurt everything out in one go and my chest somehow feels less heavy.

From the moment I found out—the reality of revealing it in front of my parents has been heavily weighing me down.

Mama shakes her head, still in denial. Father has his thin lips set in a line of disapproval as if I am the moon goddess and this is somehow my decision.

"Twins sharing a mate makes sense, but Alnilam, you are their older brother and the heir to the throne. You will need a Luna by your side, who is dedicated just to you without any distractions. You can’t share a mate with your brothers," father tersely declares, making Snow aggressively growl in my head.

Usually, he never challenges my father’s decisions, lets him discipline me like he wants, but today, he doesn’t like the words coming out of his mouth. 𝙛𝓻𝒆𝒆𝒘𝙚𝓫𝙣𝙤𝒗𝙚𝓵.𝙘𝙤𝙢

"After all these years of waiting, you find her, but she brings such complications. My poor child, I don’t know what to say." Mama leans closer and hugs me, her eyes close and tears spill out of them.

"Jamina is a perfect fit for you. She understands values and traditions. We know the soul mate needs to be respected, but in such cases, you can always dissolve the mate bond with mutual understanding. You can have Jamina, and your brothers will have Amaia," my father gives his verdict, and it’s exactly what I had expected him to say.

Sadly, I agree with him, but at the same time, it hurts my heart that none of them asked what I truly wanted.

"I am going to take a few days and make a decision," I inform them.

"Take all the time you need." At least Mama is understanding.

"I have something else to share." Continuing, I tell them about Tarian and Huradis. While they don’t have any issues regarding Tarian, Huradis’ name causes tension. Even my mother appears horrified.

"You did what? I told you not to engage with him and leave the dealings to me," my father rages. Several creases form on his forehead.

"Why? What’s so special about him that we can’t even touch him? Did you not get the part where I said, he has been raping women?" At this point, I can hardly contain my rage.

"I did. But the Dread Army backs him and we have been told to entertain him," my father sternly tells me.

That’s enough. This dread of the Dread Army needs to go, we are done, especially me.

"Huradis needs to go and even if I have to fight the Dread Army alone to make him disappear. I will." With that said, I get up from the sofa and leave my bewildered parents sitting there.