Mated

Eleven

Ares

Several hours had passed now and Malik had retreated into our body letting me take over, so he could rest. Ahsha was tending to Dominic who was covered in sweat and shaking uncontrollably. I knew any minute he would pass out from exhaustion and I wouldn't be too far behind him. "Ares are you okay?" I looked up seeing Ahsha standing behind me. It took me a second to realize that I was standing in the bathroom leaning over the sink. "Dominic's going to blackout soon and once he does it's only a matter of time before I do as well," I said. "Then what happens?" She asked softly. "The process will happen, and you will need to leave," I said turning to look at her. She looked up at me hesitantly. "We will get our full power back so when we wake up I'll be in complete control, and I don't know if I'll be able to control myself," I said closing my eyes. "Come sit back down." She said letting me lean on her. I relished in the feeling of t being able to have her this close. We walked back into the bedroom to see Dominic's eyes closed. "Dominic?" Ahsha called as I sat down. She tried to wake him up, but he was out.

I laid down to get comfortable for what was going to happen next. "Ahsha go home." I snapped at her. "Ares..." "Go... home...now," I growled out. I almost instantly regretted it seeing her scared face. She grabbed her things and left without another word. "f**k," I grumbled. 'You didn't have to be so harsh.' Malik weakly. "Shut up," I mumbled before Dominic started coughing. I stood walking towards him. As I stood over him I noticed his fingers were starting to fade. I took a seat in the chair in the corner and watched as he slowly began to fade.

Ahsha

I was trying to get out of the Ahmad's home as quickly as possible. "Ahsha?" I turned to see Emilia, Malik's mom standing at the end of the hall. "Hello, Mrs. Ahmad," I said softly. "Please, call me Emilia we're practically family now." She said. I made a face I knew she saw based on the face she made. "I don't mean to be rude but I should go," I said. "Oh, I see, well If you want to talk about anything I'm one of the few people who will understand what you're going through." I looked at her intrigued. "You do?" I asked confused. "I'm human and my husband is... well he isn't." She said. It hadn't occurred to me that Emilia was human once I learned about the secret world that came with the Ahmads.

"I'd like that very much but I really should get-" "Please, follow me." She said leading the way down the hall into this bright day room. "Please sit anywhere." She said. I sat at a small couch near a window. "Can I get you something to drink?" I shook my head. "Mrs. Ahmad I really shouldn't be here," I stressed to her. "Malik is a very loving person when he cares about someone. Although he may have a hard time showing it." She paused. "Dominic can be a little dominant but he means well." She continued. "Ares- well he's-" We both froze as the to the room was slammed open. Standing there was Ares looking just like he had the night of the blood moon only slightly larger. His dark eyes zeroed in on me before he smoothly glided across the floor towards me. I quickly stood as he rapidly approached me. "A-Ares?" My words stumbled out. Before he could reach me his brothers along with Alex came rushing to standing between us. "Ares!" I looked behind him to see Mr. Ahmad rushing over standing in front of his sons. Ares never took his eyes off me as the four men stood in front of him.

"Mate." His voice oozed seduction as he spoke. My mouth ran dry and my knees buckled at his voice. He smirked. "Come to me, little mate." He cooed. I shivered at the pet name. I shook my head before a smile broke out across his face. His eyes finally shifted from me to his family. "Move." He barked. "We can't do that Ares," Jericho said. "You need to calm down. You're scaring Ahsha." Mr. Ahmad said. Ares looked at him for a moment his eyebrow-raising before he looked back at me. "Am I scaring you, little one?" He hummed. Truthfully I wasn't, compared to the first time I saw him I was relatively calm. "No," I said softly. He smiled before he licked his lips. "You don't want to hurt her, do you?" Mr. Ahmad asked him. "No." He ground out. "Then let her go home. You don't want her to fear you." Mr. Ahmad said. Ares kept his eyes on me. Ares gave a subtle nodded. "Alex get her out of here." Mr. Ahmad said. Alex grabbed my arm leading me out of the room. Ares never took his eyes off of me as I walked out. 

--

I was staring out the window as Alexander drove me home. "I know you didn't ask for any of this but please give them a little more time to their s**t together." He said. I stayed quiet. "This is all new for them. They've waited so long to find you that they all gave up hope. They're trying I promise." He continued. "What does it feel like to have a mate?" I asked. He glanced over at me. "Your chest tightens at first before a calmness washes over you. As the bond intensifies the need to be with them does also and over time you two become an anchor for one another. You become their home, their person, their love, and vice versa. For me, I'm able to be myself with him completely. I never" Alexander said. "Him?" I asked looking his way. He smiled. "Yes." I smiled. "So you feel complete as they say?" He shook his head. "No, because I wasn't incomplete before. I feel loved and at peace. And for my kind, we don't get that often. Which is why Malik, Ares, and Dominic are struggling. They've only ever known chaos and pain. They thrived in it relished in it." Alex explained.

"Just look at your parents are together." He added. "Or at Isaac. He's only known Veronica for a couple of weeks and I'm sure you see a difference in him." He said as he pulled into my driveway. I did see a difference in him but the rational side of me just couldn't understand how someone could fall in love so quickly and yet when I was around Malik I felt warm all over. "Thank you, Alex. For the ride and the new insight," I said. "Of course. I'm here if you want to talk." He said. I nodded my head before hopping out of the car.

Once I had gotten inside I was immediately bombarded with questions. "Ahsha are you okay? Do you know what time it is?!" My mom asked examining me. I guess while I was with Malik, Ares, and Dominic I lost track of time because it was now after 11 p.m. "I'm sorry I didn't call," I said before being interrupted. "Ahsha you can't just come and go when you want. You're only seventeen." My mom began going off. "Anything could happen to y—" "God will you just leave me alone. It was you and dad's fault for bringing us out here and now you're mad at the consequences. I'm just trying to get a full understanding of everything but everyone keeps hovering around me. I can't think!" I snapped in a huff but I immediately regretted it. "I know you—"  

"Ahsha we're just concerned." My dad interrupted looking at my mom before turning back to me. "We know you're trying to figure things out we just want to make sure you're safe and that you know we're here to help you. You left and disappeared for over 6 hours without a word. We were worried." Ali said hugging me. I looked at my parent's tired and worried faces and I felt terrible. "I'm sorry but I was with Malik and Dominic." I paused. "Malik and Dominic are re-conjoining or whatever it's called, and I was just helping," I explained. "They're re-conjoining." My dad stated rather than asked.

"Yes," I said looking up at him. "I need my phone." He said. I looked at my mom confused while my dad walked off. "Ahsha why don't you head upstairs." My mom said walking off. I shook my head before heading upstairs.

Omniscient 

"Ahsha?" She turned to see Nuri poking her head out of her room looking at her. Nuri grabbed Ahsha's hand pulling her into her room where Isa and Veronica sat. Ahsha plopped down on her sister's bed before Nuri came over and cuddled up to her.

"We heard mama and dad," Issac said looking at his twin. Issac looked at her worried as she grabbed her head groaning. "Ahsh, you okay?" He asked grabbing her shoulder making her cry out in pain. Veronica stood causing Issac to look at her. Veronica walked towards Ahsha. "Ahsha look at me." She asked. "I need to see your eyes." She added. "What's wrong with her?" Issac asked. "It's Malik-" She said. Ahsha opened her mouth to speak when a shock hit her body. It was like she could feel and hear everything that was happening to her body and yet she couldn't see or hear anything else. "Ahsha?" Isa said in a distorted voice. Everything was moving in slow motion, and Ahsha found herself drawn to the door. She struggled to get up. Isa, Veronica, and Nuri followed her down the hall watching to make sure she didn't hurt herself. "Shit." Veronica could be heard saying as they followed Ahsha down the stairs. Ahsha reached the bottom of the stairs to see her dad standing in front of the door looking at Ares. His head turned, and his eyes locked with Ahsha's except they were no longer black but red with a dark ring around them. She felt this strong pull urging her to go to him and the familiar feeling of her body burning up again.

"Come to me, my love." He hummed. She knew what the outcome would be if she went with him. "N-no." She groaned. "I can make you feel good. Take your heat away for good." He purred. "You're going to f**k me. Mate me so I'm yours forever." Ahsha said. "You're already mine." He growled. Ahsha sucked in a shallow breath causing Ares's body to tense at the sound. He watched as Mia rushed to her daughter's side trying to help her only for Ahsha to cry out at the contact. "Please," Ahsha begged trying to push her mother away. "I can help you. I just want to take the pain away." He pleaded sounding desperate. "Promise me," Ahsha whispered.

"I won't mate you yet, little one." He paused as she wheezed again. "I promise." He said truthfully. Ahsha looked at him for a while before she took a step towards him only for her mom to stop her. "No, you can't trust what he's saying right now." Mia pleaded which caused Ares to growl lowly. Ahsha looked at Ares who face held this dark look that would terrify others. However, she didn't feel anything but the pain coursing through her body. "Mama please," Ahsha begged. "No, I can't allow you to go running off with this..." "Say it." Ares taunted with a smug smile on his face. "This monster." Mia snapped. "Mia look at her. If she doesn't go with him tonight she'll only get worse." Ali tried to reason. Mia looks from her husband to her daughter and over to Ares. She sullenly stepped aside clinging to Ali's arm. "Bring her back safely," Ali said. Ares nodded his head before walking towards Ahsha. She struggled to look up at him as he cupped her face. A sigh escaped her lips at the contact. He scooped her up into his arms holding her close to his chest. Within the blink of an eye, they were gone.