(Alnilam)

Our brother is alive. Embracing him heals a part of me I didn’t even know was broken. Rigel doesn’t hug me back, he is so vulnerable and angry at us.

We forgot him. Believed the lies told to us, never investigated. Never knew he was alive, suffering every damn day.

I have been so ungrateful, grieving and crying because I was stuck between two women and it hurt. While here he is sitting resilient and broken and yet so whole, so sure of what he needs to do.

He wants to protect Amaia at every cost, even if it means he has to drag himself away from her.

But, I won’t let that be permanent, I won’t let that last forever. I will figure it out, break the curse and bring him back home to where he belongs.

Then Alnitak begins his theories and suddenly we are on the topic of a combined intimate session. I know because of Rigel we all need to be there so he won’t end up hurting her again which is very likely a possibility. We will have to hold him.

But can I do it in the presence of my brothers and Saiph?

This is beyond every belief I hold and yet Amaia is all I have now. Jamina is gone and life is too short to always be this serious.

I have just gotten my brother back, the one I believed was dead. Maybe this is the sign.

"It won’t be that bad. Besides, I will need you by my side. I can’t face her alone after what I did and I totally don’t deserve to mate with her," Rigel says.

His insecurities are so visible because of what he was made to do.

"That wasn’t you. The real Rigel, the one I knew will never hurt a soul."

Rigel offers me a faint brotherly smile and my heart feels so full. I haven’t felt this warm since Jamina’s passing.

"So will you join us?"

"Don’t you dare refuse. I want to mate with her. Haven’t we waited long? And what if they want to watch? Let them see how an alpha male makes love to his mate," Snow purrs in my head.

Shameless, he is. But I am not.

"Maybe I will throw all of you out of the room and then. But first, we will check with Amaia, who lost blood and she might not be comfortable with this situation, just like me," I stiffly say and Alnitak pats my shoulder with a sheepish smile.

"Leave that to me. Trust your brother when he says this, she will want us all together. You are going to love her and she wants both of you. I can sense the unconditional love she holds for the two of you even when you hurt her." Alnitak’s gaze wavers between Rigel and me.

Alnitak is right. I have hurt her countless times and yet she stays and never complains.

"I concur with that," Saiph agrees, crossing his huge arms over his chest.

"Tonight then. We can’t delay it. I have to leave after it and only return when you guys break the curse." Rigel sighs.

There is a very strong possibility that Amaia will go through a subtle transformation if all five of us mate with her. She might unlock more of her powers and her wings will grow to their fullest.

Fae magic thrives because of its mates and all of us have felt stronger after being mated to Amaia.

"And promise, no one will tell Amaia, until I am gone," Rigel firmly says, shaking my thoughts.

"I can’t keep secrets from her. She always knows," Alnitak defeatedly sighs beside us.

"Try harder," Saiph grunts at him.

"Not everyone can turn their emotions to stone," Alnitak fires back and Rigel smiles seeing them bickering.

It’s a good feeling seeing my brother smile. I do feel like my own smile got lost when he was taken from us.

"I will bring you back. No matter the cost. That’s my promise."

Rigel’s intense gaze finds me. "I believe in you, Alnilam. You have always been the stubborn one."

"Yeah, inborn trait. Can’t help it." My words make Alnitak chuckle and Rigel’s smile broadens.

"We should move Rigel from here if we don’t want to get caught and hide him," Saiph urgently says. Stepping forward he captures the chains, holding Rigel and pulls them apart with his bare hands.

Since they are charmed chains to keep Vampires imprisoned, they can be broken by others. But Saiph is truly a beast when it comes to raw strength.

The chains clatter to the ground and we help him up.

"Where to?" Saiph asks me.

"To my secret space. Keep him there until I assess the situation."

"I will see you guys there. Going alone will be better, in case someone sees. With my camouflage and speed, no one will." Rigel has a point so we let him go. Saiph follows him while Alnitak and I decide to return to Amaia and Mintaka.

Our brother needs to know the truth. Quietly we leave the dungeon as if we had never arrived.

"I can’t believe Rigel is alive and he is Ezran," Alnitak whispers to me.

"Me neither but this news has made me happy after a very long time."

The way my heart has eased tells me I am on the right track and soon we will be able to break the curse from our brother just like we did with Amaia.

We return to the infirmary and Amaia’s drip has ended. Mintaka is making her eat porridge. Her eyes quickly find me with a thousand questions.

"Did you speak to him?" She hurriedly asks while Alnitak goes on and hugs Mintaka. I know he is overwhelmed by emotions.

My gaze returns to Amaia and I let my lips stretch into a small smile. It shows the endless love my heart occupies for my brother, the one I thought I had lost.

Amaia’s eyes turn twice their original size as she draws in a shocked breath. Her mouth forms a big ’O’ as she almost screams.

"Oh my God! Alnilam are you truly smiling?"