Mated

Eight

Ahsha

"Ahsha?" I could hear my stepdad say. "So, you both knew what they were?" I asked. "It's not that simple." My mom said. I glanced over at Isa and Veronica. "I'm one of them." My stepdad said. "Your mother is my mate." He continued. "So Nunu is half-human–" I paused before I looked at my moms' stomach. I looked away in disgust. "Yes." He confirmed. "How could neither of you tell us?" Isa asked. "We always planned too but there never seemed to be a good time, but now with Ahsha being the next queen..." "No, I'm not. I don't want any part of this. You didn't think we deserved to know when you decided to move us across the world to apparently the demon capital of the world hmm?" I questioned. I didn't know if it was because I was angry or because of the dress but I was burning up.

I stood walking to the door. I marched over to the elevator hearing two sets of footsteps behind me. I walked onto the elevator and watched as Veronica and Isa maneuvered themselves to stand behind me. "Ahsha maybe you should–" I looked at Veronica and she immediately fell quiet. I turned back to the elevator doors and stared at the numbers as they went up. We finally reach our floor and I stepped off and looked down the hall and froze. A dark figure stood there looking at me. My chest starts racing as it started coming towards me. It got inches away from me and I couldn't help but close my eyes bracing myself for impact. "Ahsha?" I flinched before I slowly opened my eyes to see my brother and Veronica. "What's wrong? Are you okay?" He asked worriedly. I clutched my chest trying to calm down as I looked down the hall. I walked over to our door but stopped and looked at the two of them. "She's not staying here," I said. "Ahsh." He said. "No, Isaac it's okay. She's right tonight has been crazy for both of you." She said as I walked into the room and headed straight to my room.  

I immediately stripped out of my dress and felt a wave of relief come over me, but I was still burning up. I walked into the bathroom and took a cool shower. After finishing my shower, I walked out in my robe and over to my suitcase and sitting right on top was one of Malik's shirts. I looked at for a while before I grabbed it throwing it on inhaling Malik's scent. I climbed in bed and stared at the ceiling trying to clear my mind of Malik's haunting black eyes.  

Malik

"What happened?" My dad asked. "She doesn't want to be with me and I'm not going to force her to no matter how much Ares may want me to," I said. "She rejected us," I said. Ares had gone silent since Ahsha essentially rejected us. "She didn't reject you because if she had you would be in pain." My dad said. "I'm not worried about that. Ares has gotten a whiff of her. He's felt her in his grasp. It's only a matter of time until he tries to take over my body and tries to mark her." I said. "And I don't know how long I'll be able to restrain him," I said. 'I won't. She doesn't want us.' Ares said with such sorrow I was taken aback. "If you feel yourself losing control we know what to do," Cairo said. I nodded my head.

~

Several days had gone by and I was trying to find any way to keep cool. I was sitting in a tub of ice water trying to find some relief. 'It's not our body that's overheating.' Ares said. It dawned on that if we were feeling this intense heat Ahsha was burning up. I stood without thinking, changing into some dry clothes. I looked at my keys debating if I should drive or blink, but I figured popping up on her wouldn't help the situation. I grabbed my keys and headed downstairs as I rounded the corner I saw everyone talking. "Malik where are you going?" My mom asked. "You need to go sit in the ice water." She said. "Ahsha needs us," I said looking at my dad and brothers. Almost instantly the look of realization washed over their faces. "What?" My mom asked. "Ahsha is going through heat that won't go away until they mate." My dad explained.

"The heat that Malik is feeling doesn't even compare to what Ahsha is feeling, and it been going on for the past three, almost four days." My dad said as I walked out the door. I could hear a pair of footsteps behind me. I hopped in my car just before Alex joined me. I looked over at him and he nodded his head. We both knew that if this heat was affecting me Ahsha had to be on the verge of passing out. "She's going to be okay." He said. I couldn't even speak I just need to get to her.

I sped to the hotel and rushed inside noting my family trailing me as I headed to the elevator. I stared at the numbers as they rose steadily. The doors opened, and I rushed out over to her door banging on it. In a matter of minutes, the door opened to Veronica standing there. "Where is she?" I asked. "Her room." She said hesitantly. I rushed to her room to see Ahsha's family crowding around her door. "What happened?" I asked causing them to look at me. "Ahsha won't open the door," Nuri said with tears in her eyes. "Let me try," I said. I walked to the door holding my hand against it. I could feel her heartbeat and her shallow breathing. I grabbed the handle busting the door open. I pushed the door open and walked inside closing it behind me.  

Ahsha glanced over at me as she laid in bed covered in sweat. I walked over to her looking down at her before I touched her forehead. She sighed with relief. "W-what is h-happening to me?" She asked exhaustion clear in her voice. I didn't say anything before I scooped her up carrying her into the bathroom. I sat in the tub with Ahsha still in my arms as I turned on the freezing cold water. I let the bathtub fill up halfway before turning off the water. I could already feel her body cool down. "You did answer my question." She said with her head resting against my chest. "You're going through heat and it will continue until we either mate or–," I said. "Or?" She questioned. "You reject us," I said.

Ahsha

"You're going through heat and it will continue until we either mate or–," I said. "Or?" I questioned. "You reject us," Malik said. The idea of either of those made my stomach knot. "I can't," I whispered even though for the first time in days I felt amazing sitting in his arms. "I just–" I whispered trailing off. "I understand, habitata," Malik said. "We're going to have to find a way to manage this heat then." He said as I tilted my head to look at him.

We stared at each other for a moment. Without thinking I kissed him. He gripped my waist holding me in place. I moaned into the kiss until I felt him harden under me. I pulled away from him. "We shouldn't," I said struggling to stand. He grabbed me helping me up. I grabbed a towel before I dried off and changed into some fresh clothes.  

I was sitting in the living room across from a now dry and freshly changed Malik as everyone sat around watching us. "So how do we control this heat thing?" I asked. "The only way to fix it is for you two to have s*x or you have to formally reject each other." Mr. Ahmad said. I looked over at Malik to see him looking at me. I looked down for a moment before looking back at him."We–" He paused sighing. "Neither of those are an option," Malik said as his eyes darkened. "I see. I have no idea what you two can do other than stay in constant physical contact." Mr. Ahmad said. 

"The heat you two experienced these past few days is just the beginning. The longer you two go without mating the more intense your desire for each other will get. As time goes being near each other will be so unbearable that the need to mate will consume both of you." Mr. Ahmad said looking from me to his son who was still looking at me. Malik and I stared at each other and I watched as his eyes flickered between green and black. "However, given the situation–" "What situation?" I asked. "He doesn't think I will be able to control myself." I looked at Malik to see his eyes were a different shade of green. They growing darker and darker.  

"And what is that supposed to mean?" I asked with a raised eyebrow. He smiled. I could feel myself heating up again as a shiver ran down my spine. "Because Malik has royal blood and he comes from one of the first families. His demon is stronger and far more vicious than most. Not to mention the blood moon is at it's highest point this we–" Mr. Ahmad said watching as his son stood. I looked up at him curiously. Malik walked towards me. "Ahsha stand up slowly." My dad said. "Why?" I asked but I did what he asked, and I watched as all the boys began to surround him. "What's happening?" I asked backing up slowly. A deep hum left Malik's lips as I looked at him. "I've waited a lifetime for you." Ares's familiar deep dark voice echoed. "And now that you're here I can't have you. Or rather you won't let me have you." He growled lowly. "How are you talking right now?" I asked as my back hit the glass window.

"What do you mean?" He asked curiously tilting his head as Cairo and Jericho held him back. "Let me make you feel better, habitata," Ares said licking his lips as he struggled to get out of his brother's hold. "Ahsha we should go," Tyla said grabbing my arm leading me to the door with Isa, Veronica, and Nuri trailing us. The closer we got to the door farther it seemed. "I don't–" I mumbled as we got out the door into the hallway. "I–the–" I stumbled over my words as I dropped to my knees causing everyone to crowd around me. Everything began to blur and spin. "Ahsha are you okay." I heard a distorted voice say. "MALIK!!" I heard someone call. I turned to see a dark figure rushing towards me before a pair of green eyes appeared and everything went black.