IVORY: The age of Gloarian

Chapter 5

    ‘So you’re telling me that Alpha prick face Solonov, your mate, the man that rejected you was on the grounds of this very territory?’ said Armelia, swinging her fist in the air in the direction of her close friend. Eliana nodded before ducking, moving her own fist towards the skilled woman’s stomach. Unfortunately for Eliana, Armelia had been a community guard for way longer than Eliana had been training, and so she jumped back causing the leader to miss her target. ‘Not only that, he came with the woman he rejected you for? His proclaimed mate?’ She continued, elevating her leg for a kick that Eliana smartly evaded after she had nodded yet again at her friend’s question. 

    She managed to deliver a kick of her own, causing Armelia to stumble back, with a slight smile of pride. She had been training Eliana since the moment they had met. In fact, it was because of their training that her best friend Syllia Voltek had connected gazes with his one true mate, and found his blissful ever after. It was since that moment that the three had become inseparable. Syllia would work as a cook and finish at the same time as Armelia would finish her guard duties, and the three would get together, getting drunk in Eliana’s cottage before the couple would retire for the night, and Eliana would find herself in bed with one of the many nightly companions she had. It was a system that for years had been working, one that had kept the peace and satisfaction in the life of the secret lonely Eliana Genova. It was the one sector in her life that she refused to change, for she knew that there was no better alternative than that. 

    ‘So let me get this straight: jerk face Alpha shows up with his proclaimed mate and asks you to give her shelter? Did he even bother apologising or trying to explain himself or expressing how regretful he felt about his prior actions?’ she questioned, now putting a stop to the training session. She stood with her hands on her waist, her expression showing genuine concern for someone she had come to consider her sister throughout the years. 

    ‘Quite the opposite actually, he was getting intimate with her right in front of my eyes’ responded Eliana, appreciating the break to grab a drink of water. She grabbed the large shell that contained her water, and chugged it down as Armelia simply watched her in disbelief. 

    ‘I’m sorry, why exactly did you agree to this deal again? That too with the very man who rejected you?’ she exclaimed, getting angrier by the minute. It was an attitude that by now Eliana was more than used to. Over the years she had come to know Armelia as the type of girl that resembled her in every cell. She was brave, independent and took s**t from absolutely nobody. It mirrored Eliana’s personality and for that she adored her best friend. She remembered back to the day she had realised that her two best friends were mates, how happy she had been and how hardly she had celebrated. Part of her celebrated to avoid thinking of how lonely she was, but the other half appreciated having best friends that were perfect for each other as well as perfect for her. 

    ‘Because I’m the leader of this community, and holding grudges is not going to get us any alliances with outside packs or communities. Razaar gave me an offer I simply could not reject, despite being a terrible Alpha. Besides, he’s offered me his best men for the protection of our pack, and I will most certainly not be denying an offer that could get you and your guards a little bit of extra free time’ Eliana stated, taking a seat on the massive bark of a fallen tree, admiring the beauty around her. When it came  to this topic, the leader knew where she stood, and despite what anybody would tell her, she knew she would go through with the deal, not just due to the fact that she would now be allies with a strong pack in Gloarian, but also to prove to Razaar and mostly to herself, how strong she was. It was a point she was willing to go far enough to prove. 

    ‘I just wish you could do this another way. Surely you can just reach out to the other territories without any issues. You already know the leader of the Batrids’ argued Armelia, taking a seat on the floor of nature right in front of Eliana. 

    ‘I know the leader of the Batrids, that does not mean we get along. My parents had a system that reserved us from the rest of Gloarian for years, it’s hard to suddenly form alliances with the rest of Gloarian when they have been shoved away for so long by us. I’ve tried my very best to reach out to the other packs to form alliances, but no one took me seriously. I guess they weren’t fully convinced that I would be a good leader after my parents.’ She said with the utmost honesty. It wasn’t a secret that Eliana’s decisions and methods had been questioned by not only her community but outside leaders as well throughout the years, but it seemed to amaze most how her ways had to be proven unsuccessful. Regardless, she yearned to make alliances and push forward the recognition of her community, and despite how much she hated Razaar, it was a gift she appreciated and was looking forward to making full use of.  

    ‘I thought you ladies were coming to train out here’ A voice echoed from behind, interrupting the serious conversation the women had been having. Syllia chuckled as they shook in their spots, having not noticed his entry before. He slowly approached the two, before taking a seat next to his mate on the floor, grabbing her hand in his instantly. ‘So, what’s going on here?’ he questioned, the lingering smell of food stuck on his work clothes wafted through the area, causing a momentary distraction. 

    ‘Our dear friend here accepted her rejected mate’s invitation to shelter his proclaimed mate that he rejected her for. How absurd is that?’ she repeated, causing Eliana to roll her eyes, she had had enough of this conversation and was now starting to get agitated at the matter. 

    ‘Wait, Alpha Solonov is your mate? Razaar Solonov was the one to reject you?’ he questioned, looking back at his best friend.

    ‘Yes, he is. And yes, I did accept his offer, but I’m not going to go over why again, so you can explain it to your mate here. I’ve got to go meet my rejected mate’s proclaimed mate for a school visit around community grounds.’ She finished, having had enough talk about her mate that she so badly wished to forget.

    It was as if everywhere she went something or the other would bring her memories back to the peaceful brown eyes that belonged to the spiteful person that had rejected her seven years ago. Eliana had tossed and turned in her bed, trying so hard to undo herself of the scenes of the day, and every thought, every moment, every second, would take her back to the day of her rejection. She identified the waves of anxiety she had gone through at the initial stages, not being able to sleep or stifle her sobs despite shouting to herself that she was better than that. She had envisioned an entire film of progression, from the woman she was to the woman she had to become, because of her rejection and her parents passing. She had encased that overwhelming feeling for a brief second and would instantly feel pity over the person she had been. Seven years later however, if there was one thing she thanked the flame for it was for giving her the strength to build herself in a way she never imagined. Not only did she feel beautiful, she felt strong and powerful, and frankly, she felt ready to take on all Gloarian.  

    Throughout her shower, she found herself scrubbing harder than she normally did, finding the best of outfits to wear alongside a woman she knew for sure was going to be looking splendid. She had let her hair flow for once, outside of the constraints of the tight, professional bun she normally had, and ditched her glasses, for she would not be gulping down the hours of countless paperwork she normally dealt with on a daily basis. When she felt satisfied at the figure she saw in the mirror, she found herself grinning like never before, walking out to find the woman she was clearly competing with. 

    Eiva stood posh as ever, her posture straight and the usual smile plastered on her face. 

    ‘Eiva, thanks for coming, follow me.’ She began, leading the woman in the direction of the schools. ‘So tell me a bit about yourself. How long have you and the Alpha been together?’ she asked after hours of temptation. It was a question she hesitated to ask but was desperate to. It seemed, despite her careless attitude towards the entirety of the situation, she wished to know more about her mate’s life than she anticipated, and she certainly intended on getting the answers that she knew her mate would never step up to give her. Not that she would have ever asked him with the bag of pride and ego that she too, had within herself. The flame had managed to pair these two strong headed people together, and perhaps it was because of their natures that the two were giving the flame a hard time in the first place. But the flame was a power far greater than any of them, and the flame knew that one way or another, his plans for them would not fail. 

    ‘I’ve known Razaar since I was a little girl. I was his best friend for many years before I found my mate. Unfortunately he died 5 years ago and well, Razaar was there for me. He took me in and loved me like my poor mate never had the chance of doing so. I’m quite grateful to have him’ She finished, taking Eliana completely by surprise. Now that, she had not expected to hear, for she had thought that Razaar’s very reason for rejection had been Eiva. As she looked back at the woman, she couldn’t help but feel bad. To be rejected by your mate was one thing, but to have them taken away from you was an act that hurt more than anything on Zaleon. The loss of mates had driven people to the edge of insanity, and it was something that no one wished upon even their greatest of enemies on Zaleon, for the concept of mates was such a sacred one around the grand planet. 

    Eliana remained silent for a moment, not knowing the right words to say to Eiva. In the span of a minute her entire perception had changed over a woman she had seen in a completely different light, and suddenly pity radiated through Eliana’s entire system as she observed the woman beside her. 

    ‘I’m so sorry to hear. Must be nice to have someone to take care of you at your worst’ she said, recalling her own times of pain and loss. Eiva was certainly a woman that had been through enough, but she had Razaar to help her through it. 

    Eliana had been grateful to have had the support of her own best friends, for she knew without them she would not be the person she was at that moment, and despite the pang of jealousy she felt that Razaar had not been there for her in a time of need, she accepted the fact that someone else in need got the help they deserved. She knew what it was like to be in pain, and she could only have imagined what Eiva must have gone through at a time like that. 

    ‘Yes, Razaar has been amazing to me. I only wonder how I’ll ever be able to repay him.’ She finished, putting tape over the matter. Eliana didn’t dare pry further, for she believed she had done enough damage bringing up the topic. There was one question, however, that irked her mind, that she refused to ask given the recent revelations the woman had just provided. She wondered what Eiva would do if she ever found out that Razaar did, in fact, have a mate. Or that he rejected his mate, and chose her over the mate. Despite the protests in her head that wished to sympathise with the woman, a part of her wondered how guilty Eiva would feel once the truth would unveil. Because whether she liked it or not, Eliana knew that one day the truth would come out, it always does. 

    For the time being they continued trekking in silence, arriving at the gates of the largest school of the hybrid community. Instantly Eiva’s eyes widened as she visualied a group of students practicing shifting into their snake forms, for it was something poor Eiva was not used to seeing everyday. The members of Glorian had heard about this kind in Ivory, but very few ever came face to face with a hybrid, much less fought against one. The hybrid community certainly knew how to fight. Their two forms allowed them to switch from one to the other in a matter of seconds in situations that seemed appropriate for either of their beasts to come out. 

    Unlike the werewolves, the hybrid wolf form was not as large, as it was mostly illusional, which was the reason why hybrids didn’t rip their clothes in the processes of their transformations. Amazed at the newness of their culture, Eiva followed Eliana inside, where they began by going to a class of 4 year olds learning about their snake forms. The advanced atmosphere was a breath of fresh air for Eiva, for she was relieved to not have Razaar next to her for once. She realised in that moment that she had felt completely comfortable next to the hybrid leader, so much so that she had revealed her greatest life story to her with speed she had never done before. For once in her life, Eiva felt free, and more liberated than when she was around Razaar. She knew the barriers and facade she constantly had up with her proclaimed mate, and the mere intimidation he gave off made her uncomfortable to a point she didn’t even realise. But now, being in the presence of a whole different kind of creature in Gloarian, Eiva felt free performing the duties she had so rigidly performed back in her own pack. The reflection had struck her like a tonne of bricks as she effortlessly began interacting with the children, moving from one to another before attracting a whole group of them to herself. 

    She yearned to have kids of her own, desperate to hang on to the feeling of a kid sitting on her lap, their fragility a gift to her. She had been as innocent as the kids before she had come across them, but as she sat there in the middle of a bundle of them, she realised just how different Razaar and her were, and just how wrong her relationship with him feeled. In that moment, Eiva for once accepted the idea of Razaar having his own mate, and secretly wished for him to find her and leave Eiva to a bunch of kids. But the logical side of Eiva had won one too many times, and it wasn’t about to let everything go to waste with just a mere thought. That side of her shut her up instantly with the intimate moments of her and Razaar over the years, convincing her of how right that moment felt. Intimately, there was a connection that Eiva couldn’t deny, but little did Eiva know that the connection she felt was very one sided, and Razaar had faked that connection a time too many. 

    Eliana had observed the bliss on Eiva’s face as she sat surrounded by the hybrid kids, and knew in that very moment that there was no coming in between Razaar and Eiva. She had seen the grace with which the woman played with the kids, and knew that she was the emblem of a perfect mother. She knew that Razaar would never be able to have kids of his own, but perhaps that was enough consolation for her if Razaar ever adopted kids with Eiva. 

    She was pulled out of thought when a little girl tugged on her leg, and she looked down to see Iona, the little girl that was birthed by her only living cousin: Morco. She bent down, collecting the girl in her arms with a smile on her face. 

    ‘Iona darling, how have you been? Have you been behaving yourself in class?’ she questioned, ecstatic at seeing the bright smile on the little girl’s face. 

    ‘Yes aunty’ the little one responded, just in time for their lunch breaks, before waving her aunt goodbye and dashing off into the distance. 

    Eliana chuckled at the sight of the young ones running off into the distance with hunger, waiting shortly before Eiva returned to her side.

    ‘I would like to thank you for bringing me along with you Miss Genova, the experience has been simply remarkable’ Eiva said, a sincere smile taking over her face for once, contrasting the fake smile that she would normally have put forward. It was a small gesture that didn’t go unnoticed by Eliana. 

    ‘Please, call me Eliana. Feel free to visit the kids whenever, I see they enjoy your company’ the leader stated, leading the frail woman back to her office. 

    And so she did. For the next month, Eiva had made herself at home, and enjoyed the comfort of being herself in a place where no one would judge her, where she didn’t hold much of a title. 

    But the month passed by quicker than Eliana expected, for as she sat on her office chair a month later, the tiny assistant stepped in yet again as he had a month before, handing the leader a scroll from the werewolves. 

    As she held the letter in her hands this time, she had come to understand where the weird feeling had come from as she held the previous letter. It was a feeling that had consumed her a second time, holding the letter her mate had sent her. Her hands trembled as she unfolded the parchment in her hands, scanning the overall penmanship before skipping directly to the words written below.

Miss Eliana Genova,

I would like to come to your territory at daylight to pay my mate a visit and ensure her safety. My trip won’t last longer than a week and I might perhaps have my Omega retreat with me from your grounds at my departure. I once again hope that you will accept me graciously into your territory as I come in peace. 

I thank you once again for your help.

Alpha Solonov.

    Her heart picked up speed as she re-read the words to ensure she had read them correctly the first time. Why the needy Alpha wished to visit the territory was beyond her, but she knew for a fact that it was most certainly not to visit his proclaimed mate as he had stated. The woman clenched her fists and took a deep breath as she accepted the situation that she had put herself into by accepting the Alpha’s deal to begin with, and sighed before elevating herself from her seat and walking around to the tiny assistant who had delivered her the letter. 

    ‘Please inform Miss Eiva that her mate will be paying us a visit at daylight’ she stated, deciding to take the rest of the day off, for the last thing she needed right now was to be faced with the never ending stack of paperwork in her office. Instead, she craved the thrill of training, and walked straight to her training spot, in her work clothes. She delivered a punch at the bark of a tree with her bare knuckles, thinking of the many thing that at that moment were a bother to her:

1) Her mate was a powerful Alpha that could benefit her as a leader. Punch

2) Her mate rejected her and continued to reappear in her life despite her reluctance to drop eyes on him. Punch

3) Her mate had a gorgeous proclaimed mate, whom she couldn’t even hate because of how sincere she had been. Punch

    But it hadn’t been any of these reasons that were building the fire within her as she punched the bark of a tree. It was an issue much darker, much deeper, that lived at the very back of Eliana’s consciousness. 

4) She was undeniably and inevitably crazy excited at the return of her rejected mate. Punch.