The First Chimera.

Chapter 5

Zane's POV

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An elbow jams into me and I jerk awake, Xander having jabbed me in the ribs to stop me from falling asleep and snoring during class.

"What's gotten into you?"He asks through mind-link and I cover my mouth, suppressing a yawn while the teachers back is turned.

"Ria had a nightmare last night," I grumble back the lie, and guilt washes through me at noticing him flinch. But I can't tell him the truth, he'd never understand, and if by some miracle he did, what would stop him from lusting after the power my sister can weild.

I reach out for my tether with Ria, needing to reassure myself that she's still here, only to suppress a sigh. Her mind like a live wire, a cacophony of sound and colour. Something that only happens when she's struggling to hide her true nature.

It's always been a curiosity for me, how my bond with my adopted sister seems stronger than my bond with my biological siblings. Don't get me wrong, I love my younger brother and sister, and I'd burn the world down if someone hurt them, hell, I'd happily take a bullet to protect them.

But my connection to Ria is on a whole different level. Since the morning after she was adopted we've had a unbreakable bond, to the point where, when she was learning to talk I became her voice and would tell our parents what she was trying to say.

I'm the only member of our family who can stay connected to her through mind-link and carry a conversation with her with all her beasts on the surface. It's not as painful for me as it is for our parents, or will be for our siblings. I can sense the different sides of her, know who's talking to me immediately, whereas our dad still needs to take a moment to figure it out. Mom just knows, calls it a "Mom super-power".

"Sorry, I didn't realise she still has them,"Xander says, and sighs rubbing a hand over his face, guilt eating at his insides.

"Rarely these days, but anything can trigger them,"which isn't a lie, anything can trigger Ria to have nightmares of the torture she endured.

My mind returns to last night, and how hollowed out I'd been feeling the longer Ria and I went without a "sneak away and play" night. While exhaustion has settled into my bones, I feel more alive, whole even, than I have for nearly a whole year. It isn't just Ria's beasts that need that bonding time with our family, it's me too. It's why my parents try to take us away during the summer holidays. We need that bonding time with her beasts, just as they in turn need that bonding time with us.

However, I've been the oddity there as well. Jayla and Tao can go a full year, longer even without feeling as though their being hollowed out, and without growing physically weaker. If I was to go longer than a year without spending some one-on-one play time with the different beasts that make up my little sister, I end up lossing weight, and muscle mass. The drive to protect and defend her only increases too, until I'm digging my claws into my palm to stop Kakoa from lashing out at others because they're saying hurtful words.

Class continues without anymore slip ups on my part, and a spark of energy zips through me at Ria reaching out for me. Her need for reasurrance would normally cause older brothers to become angry and annoyed, however I feel warm that she seeks me out, that just my presence calms her.

We head out for the cafetiere, pack members flagging us down exposing their throats to their future leaders. She-wolves flirt and giggle, even approaching us at our table.

Funnily enough, after I turned eighteen I lost interest in she-wolves. Before it'd been easy to feel lust for any of the girls here, to have a few one-night-stands. But now I have no desire for she-wolves.

"Not mate, want mate," Kakoa huffs and I sigh because he's not the only one who wants our mate. If this complete disinterest in she-wolves is anything to go by, my mate might not be a wolf. I'd end up lossing everything if I'm forced to reject my mate, because I'd rather go rogue then reject the one the goddessess made for me.

"Can you believe our father's are inviting the leaders of the other races here next month? They're insane, how do we know the vampires are going to leave our pack members alone? How are we going to protect the children from getting hurt?" Sam asks after we've gotten rid of the fan girls, his forehead scrunching in concern. Dakota shrugs but shifts, uncomfortable with the turn in conversation.

"Aren't you at all curious about the other paranormal races? The books in the library can only give us so much information. I have so many questions and I'd love to see how differently they train from us," I say, Sam rubs a hand over his face. I understand his concerns, he lost his uncle to these wars.

It's just another thing that separates me from my friends. Because I have a good strong bond with Ria's beasts, I'm curious about the different races. Ria and I have read every book on the different races that's in our pack's library, even in the restricted section only open to the current Alpha King and his Beta.

"Dad wouldn't invite them without making sure the pack members are safe. He’s been working towards peace for ten years but its not gotten us anywhere, we're still at war," Xander mutters. I glance at him only to notice Erebus prowling near the surface. Something is unsettling him. It could be Ria, all day I've felt that subtle edge of her Alpha aura, so Erebus would have sensed it too.

"Zane, is it true?" I twist at Ria's soft voice, her eyes wide. I can feel the energy buzzing on her skin. Sparks of blue sputtering across the back of her hands and I swallow because she's close, so close to outing herself. Her Alpha aura subtle, coaxing me to answer, to bare my throat to her. The pain of fighting against it like lightning shooting through my body.

"Is this what uncle wants to talk about tonight?" She mind-links me, her voice echoed by others. They're agitated, scared.

"I can't talk about that right now sweetheart," I say and slowly, so I don't spook her, I stand, and it's as though I'm moving through setting concrete, her aura focused on me.

"Calm down, your going to out yourself," I tell her, watching her eyes flash red from Theia. Kakoa pushes forwards, offering reassurance and comfort for our sister.

"It might be what uncle wishes to talk about, although I haven't heard from him yet. Do you want me to go with you when you see him?" I ask, pulling her in for a hug, clamping my arms tight around her in case she thrashes and fights back.

Shocks explode against my skin at touching her, her magic so close to the surface. Kakoa growls at the pain, absorbing as much as he can so I don't cry out. My hug jolts Ria out of her panic, her magic only shoking me for seconds, although those seconds felt like hours. The scent of Kasumi, soft cherry blossoms, fresh rain fall, with a whisp of smoke and lavender. A heady combination that settles my nerves and sooths Kakoa who purrs in response.

"I-I'm sorry," she stutter, and when she pulls back her eyes are wide, her glamma slipping.

"Go home, I'll go with you to see uncle, and I'll let our parents know," Ria blinks, tears rolling down her cheeks before she whirls and runs out. I sigh and slump down into my seat again.

"What the hell was that about?" Xander asks, his wolf on the surface, his eyes the gold and silver violet of Erebus. As Beta I should tell him, even if it's a lie, and I am loyal to my Alpha Prince and best friend, but if I'm forced to choose between Alexander and Ria... I'd betray my best friend in a heartbeat for her.

"Dad, I've sent Ria home, she's struggling to keep hidden," I wait for a reply, Espen's growls sending shivers down my spine. Curiosity gets the better of me and I feel out my teether to my dad, and the menacing growl makes sense.

"I'll let your mother know. I'll also inform the school she'll be taking the rest of the day off. Thank you Zane," Dad and Espen reply, and a smirk tugs at the corner of my mouth. Whoever the poor sod is who earned my father's wrath will probably be a pile of shredded skin, meat and bone by the end of the day. He deserves it whoever he was.