(Saiph)

Amaia chooses the Yeti and it brings a smile to my face. I know she has done that to tease me.

The boy with the funny hat, opens the glass case and extracts the yeti, extending it towards Amaia.

She greedily takes it. "Thank you."

Amaia hugs it to her chest. Closing her eyes, she rubs her cheek with the stuffed Yeti’s head.

"So soft. So cute." Her mischievous eyes open and find me. She softly rocks the Yeti in her arms.

"Unlike the haggard beast standing in front of you," I tease back.

Amaia merely shrugs her shoulders. "I never said that."

I laugh at her mischief.

"Come, let’s eat." I guide her back to the bench.

Approaching the stalls, I pick up the fried fish and dumplings along with two teas. She is cold, so the tea would warm her up.

Balancing all the food in my hands, I bring it back to my mate. Amaia takes the plates from me and places them on the table while I put down the teacups.

"Dig in." I offer, letting her go first. She picks up a piece of fried fish and begins to eat lavishly.

Amaia loves making a mess while eating. She doesn’t eat like a sophisticated lady but rather like someone is after her and she has to stuff her mouth. No matter, I love watching her eat.

Picking up the chopsticks I balance a minced dumpling between them and place it in my mouth.

"Yo...u like dump...lings?" Amaia questions with her mouthful.

I chew the food in my mouth and swallow before answering.

"Yes, they are my favourites."

Extending her hand, she plucks one from my plate and begins to devour it too. This makes me smile, seeing her enjoy food.

We eat and lavish in each other’s company until a hardness falls over her face and she suddenly says.

"We should go back."

"What’s wrong?" I finish the last of the tea and set the cup down.

"They are getting worried about me."

This was always a risk that the twins would find out she was missing. I wanted some alone time with her, and she needed to get out of that room, or she would have cried herself to sleep, just like yesterday.

"Come."

She hugs her yeti to her chest and gets up. I help her get on the bike and we ride out. Amaia has grown silent, and I don’t know what she is thinking; maybe she is worrying about them or Alnilam.

That bastard needs to step up and stop hurting Amaia or there is going to be a problem.

My motorbike rolls inside the Academy grounds and we head over to the parking area. To my slight surprise, both Alnitak and Mintaka are waiting for us there. Mintaka is leaning against a pillar with his arms folded, looking cross.

Alnitak is pacing, with ridges covering his forehead. They are still in their tracksuits and haven’t changed.

Seeing us both of them become alert and their eyes find me with annoyance and anger. I park the bike and Alnitak is already upon us, picking Amaia up from behind me and into his arms.

She takes off her helmet and places it on the back of the bike.

"Where were you? How dare you take her without our permission?" He barks at me while I quietly slide down from the bike and take off my helmet.

That’s classic Alnitak, he has always detested me, and once he knows Amaia is also mated to me, he is going to lose it.

Before I can say something, Amaia beats me to it. "That’s not a tone you should be using for him and I don’t need your permission to go anywhere."

She takes a step back from Alnitak and faces him, holding her toy to her chest. Both of them stare at her, like really stare at her. Intensely, but there is a hidden vulnerability in their eyes. They are afraid to lose her.

Alnitak dials down his tone. "You are our mate. We were worried sick about you because you weren’t anywhere."

"I needed a break from all the drama so I went for a bike ride with Saiph," she simply tells them.

"Why with him? We could have taken you. He is not your mate, we are," Alnitak agitatedly says.

Mintaka, who has been quiet until now, unpeels himself from the pillar and steps forward. He grimly asks, dropping the bombshell. "Did you sleep with him?" His jaw looks painfully tight and his resentful eyes waver towards me for a second before returning to her.

"Wet hair and we sensed your lust through the bond."

Anger rests on their faces. They are going to be mad, hearing the truth. I try to speak but Amaia raises her hand to silence me. She wants to take this one.

"Yes!" Threatening growls gurgle in their throats as their furious eyes find me, ready to pounce. Alnitak tries to swing his punch at me but Amaia steps between us, making him halt.

She stands like a determined, unwavering wall. That’s what I love about her. How fair she is when dealing with us.

"Amaia, don’t." I know what she is about to do, so I request not to tell them but she is not listening.

"He is my mate. Haven’t you guys understood by now? The prophecy chose the five of you. Why?" She lays it out for them because they are unable to understand.

Alnitak halts, almost freezing from the shock. Mintaka shakes his head in disappointment.

I knew they wouldn’t be very welcoming to me.

"So do you feel the mate bond, or is it just a hunch you had like with Rigel?" Alnitak questions, irritated. He is barely holding himself back, I can see it with how tightly his hands are fisted.

"He is my mate and that’s the end of the story. He has the right over me just like the rest of you." She puts an end to this discussion, but they are not done with me.

"So he took you out so he could fuck you? Where? To one of his brothels, he loves to frequent." Mintaka’s enraged gaze finds me. "Did you tell her about the countless women you have been with?" Mintaka says in distaste.

Amaia lowers her head and shakes it, irritated with the immaturity they show.

"Did you? You speak like you have been celibate. Irony is seriously lost on you."

"I drink potions to keep myself clean," Mintaka fumes.

"What makes you think I don’t?" I counter, crossing my arms and leaning against the bike.

"That’s enough." Amaia heavily breathes out, so fed up from our bickering.