Mated

Nine

Ahsha

"Where am I?" I asked looking into the darkness trying to make out anything. "Why am I here?" I asked out into the darkness. "Malik won't let me talk to you." Ares's deep voice spoke causing me to turn around only to see nothing. "Why?" I asked. He chuckled. "He doesn't think I'll be able to control myself... and the funny thing is he might be right." He said before I was pushed against what I could only assume was a wall. I gasped as my chest started beating fast. He brushed his nose against my jaw before trailing down to my neck inhaling deeply.

"W-w-what do you want to talk to me ab-bout?" I stammered. He stayed silent for a while as he held me in his arms. "I don't want anything to happen to you." He mumbled. "What's going to happen to me?" I asked meeting his eyes. "This heat that you're in...gives off a scent. A scent that... He will smell." He said as he tightened his grip around my waist making me shiver.  

"He? Who is he?" I asked. "No one." He said looking into my eyes. "Ares?" I said cupping his face making him look at me. We stared at each other. "Who..." "We've waited forever for you to come to us." He said walking away from me. "Malik will never admit how badly he wants you, but he does. After a while, he gave hope that he'd ever find you. He told himself that he didn't want a mate. We both did until we saw you. Ahsha he... we want you." He paused looking at me. "I know you didn't ask for any of this, but we aren't ba..." He paused and looked at me. "We would never do anything to intentionally hurt you." He kissed my lips before he took a step away "Give us a chance before you push us away." He said as his voice drifted off and he became hazy.  

I blinked trying to clear my vision only to find myself sitting in front of a fire pit. I looked around seeing I was in the middle of a forest all alone. "What now?" I mumbled rolling my eyes. "Beautiful." I heard a deep darker voice whisper. I shot up looking in all directions only for a huge dark figure to begin walking towards me. I turned to run only to run right into something hard. I looked up to see a pair of red eyes staring back at me. A low moan left my lips when the dark figure gripped my face making me hold his gaze. "Give yourself to Malik, my love." My eyes widened at how scary his voice was. "Who are you?" I croaked out. "You'll meet me soon." The man said. "Accept Malik and we can give you everything you've ever wanted." He said as he caressed my cheek.  

"Are you a..." He hummed and his eyes glowed brighter. "I am." Was all he said. "Am I dead because I won't be with Malik and now, you're here to take me to hell." My mind started racing. "You have a very vivid imagination. You're not dead I am just here as a friend of Malik's. My name is Wahasha. You, however, you can call me Dominic." I don't know why I did it, but I laughed. It was small and only for a moment, but it slipped out. "Dominic the demon. Interesting." I said as I looked back up at him to see a genuine smile on lips. "I'm sorry...I didn't mean to..." "No, it's fine I enjoyed hearing it." He said. "I'm scared." I finally said. "Why?" He asked caressing my cheek. "Because something deep in me wants to say yes," I said looking away. "Then say yes." "This is all so crazy. You're evil why in the world would I be mated to evil?" I questioned. "I'm not necessarily evil. I just enjoy indulging in aspects of life that are deemed taboo." He explained. I raised an eyebrow looking at him. 

 "Spend time with him. See who he is and if you don't want this life, we'll leave you be. We don't want to keep you from being who you are. We just want to be apart of that equation." Dominic said. "Now you have to wake up. You've been sleeping long enough."  I nodded my head. "Dominic?" I called. "Yes?" "Are you one of my mates too?" I asked. "I am. We'll be meeting very soon, little mate." He said caressing my cheek before leaned in and kissed my forehead.

--

I shot up covered in sweat looking around the darkroom unfamiliar room. I got up and looking around at all my things that sat around. I turned and looked at the door before I stepped out. I walked down the hall avoiding a few stray boxes that sat scattered around. I walked quietly down the stairs looking around at what I could only assume was officially my new home. I walked into the living room seeing more boxes and just how huge this house really was. I saw a light that was coming from around the corner. I walked around the corner to see my family and Malik's family sitting around the kitchen talking.  

"Ahsha." My mom said noticing me. Everyone turned to look at me before my eyes locked with Malik who was standing off to the side. "Ahsha you're still weak sit-down," My mom said.

"What happened to me?" I asked. "You passed out when we tried to leave the hotel," Tyla explained. "And you've been out all day," Veronica added. "Because you are unclaimed things are happening rapidly." Mr. Ahmad said.

"There has to be something we can do to help her." My mom said. Soon after everyone started throwing out ideas, but Mr. Ahmad turned them down at every turn. While they threw out ideas Malik and I looked at each other. I could feel my body heat up once again and I could see Malik's eyes darken slightly. Ares and Dominic's words echoed in my head as I looked at Malik's worried face.  

"Who is Dominic?" I asked looking at him. "How do you know about him?" He asked. "I just do. Who is he?" I asked. "He's apart of me," Malik said. "How?" I asked. "I think it's time for everyone to go." My mom said. "Mom-" "No, Ahsha." She said before turning to everyone. "If anything happens, we'll call." She said. Everyone slowly made their way to the doors. Malik walked up to me stopping in front of me. He brushed past me before heading to the door.

My mom went to lock the door before I took a seat at the island. "Ahsha I don't want him in this house." My mom said coming towards me. "Mia..." "No, Ali he's wahasha. The beast." My mom snapped. "That man-" She paused. "He's a monster." She said. "Mia!!" My dad snapped before he glanced at my brother and I. "No, tell me." I said. "I can't." He said. I looked at him confused. "We aren't allowed to discuss Wahasha. Only the royals can discuss them." My dad said. "There's a reason at the ball no one moved to help you. He's a very, very, dangerous man." My mom said. "Ahsha, he may seem kind now, but it's only a matter of time before his true nature comes out." My mom said. "His patience will run out and he will come for you with force." My mom said.  

Malik

I was sitting in my car outside of the Saleem home. "He visited her," I said to my brothers and Alexander. "Who?" Cairo asked. "Ares," I said. "When she passed out, he left me. I could feel him leave my body for an hour or so." I explained. "Do you know what he said?" Jericho asked. "No, all he said was to wait." "Which explains why we're sitting outside her house like stalkers," Jericho said making us all laugh.

"Well if he said wait you should do that," Cairo said. "She knows about Dominic," I said. "He should be making a pop-up soon," Jericho said. "I don't doubt it," I mumbled. "The last time you three were together a lot of people died," Cairo said. "I don't think he'd hurt her," I said. 'We both know he would never hurt her.' Ares said. Ares, Dominic, and I all knew who to worry about when it came to Ahsha. "Dominic isn't the one I'm worried about," I said looking at Ahsha's room seeing her light flick on.

She looked out her window before my phone started ringing. "Hello," I said. "Apparently your number was added to my phone." She said. "Tyla added it for me," I explained. "Are you sitting outside my house?" She asked. I chuckled. "Yes, just in case you need me," I said. "Can we finish our conversation?" She asked. "Yeah," I said. "My mom doesn't want you in the house so I can come do-" I cleared my throat making her turn around. She jumped clutching her chest. "Sorry," I mumbled. 

She sat down on the bed looking at me. "You said Dominic was apart of you. How?" She said. "We used to be one person many years ago." I began before I sat down next to her. "But having two powerful beings inside of me came with a lot of trouble, so Dominic was separated from my body," I explained. "He said he was my mate as well." She said. "He is." "He said he's not a demon. Is that true?" She asked. "Yes, he's my overindulgent side," I said. "He doesn't always abide by the rules of the land but he doesn't; intentionally go out of his way to cause harm," I said. "But Ares does?" She questioned. "He has in the past. It's in his nature, but he's been satiated over the years because my father uses Ares's bloodlust to dispose of those who have crossed the family." I said looking at her.

I could see fatigue in her eyes as she began to sweat. Her skin had a red tint to it and it was obvious her heat was affecting her again. "We can talk more tomorrow," I told her. "You should get some rest. You've had an intense couple of days." I said gently rubbing her cheek. She stood stumbling a bit. "Here let me help," I said steadying her. I helped her into the bed when she said, "I had a dream about Ares." She said looking up at me. I wasn't surprised at all that he visited her, but I stayed quiet.

"He told me to give you a chance." She said as she looked up at me as I sat on the side of her bed. "Dominic was there too." She said. "And he said the same thing." She added. "And?" I asked. "My gut is telling me to do it." "But?" I questioned. "I'm scared. I don't know you." She said. "Then let's change that. Whenever you want to hang out or even if it's just to get out of the house call me. I want nothing more than to get to know you." I said nodding my head as we stared at each other. "Goodnight Malik." I heard Ahsha mumble. I walked over to her and kissed her forehead. "Goodnight beautiful."

--

After leaving Ahsha's place I made my way home walking into my house. I sighed with annoyance. "Who let you in?" I asked. He chuckled. "Who let me into my own hotel, really?" He countered. "Why are you here?" I asked. "I want to meet our mate..." "She is not our mate. She is my mate." I snapped. He chuckled as he stood. "No matter how much you wish that were true, it isn't. She is our mate." He said. I stared at him annoyed before I turned to head to my room. "Like it or not Malik we share a mate." I paused mid-step. "And you and I both know that if she knew the truth about Ares she wouldn't give either of you the time of day." He yelled before I slammed my door shut. 'I won't let him take her from me. I won't.' Ares said in a tone I had never heard.