THE SIGMA'S MATE

CHAPTER 6 - BELAVINA

Belavina wakes with the kind of excitement young children feel on their birthdays. It's hours too early to start getting ready but she can hardly lay here and continue to sleep when all she can think about is the approaching ceremony. There is only one thing that could possibly distract her from the importance of today and it's in the form of the golden prince pressed against her back in slumber. Belavina stretches like a cat, disturbing Lazarus from his dreams. A strong, daring arm snakes around her waist like a vine, capturing Belavina and holding her in place.

"I hope you aren't leaving." He says, sounding hoarse after just waking up.

"I am too excited to sleep any longer, Laz." She complains rolling in his arms and giving him a charming smile which he does not see.

She pouts unhappily, giving him a light slap to his firm chest. A single eye slides up to acknowledge her presence. Belavina shakes her dark head at his desire to remain wrapped up in his bed, catching his beauty sleep when there is so much to prepare for.

Her voice holds a pinch of annoyance as she throws the covers back, "Fine, I shall find something else to make the time pass faster."

In a blink of an eye, Lazarus has her smaller body pinned back down, while he hovers over her possessively like the sun. Light blonde locks fall over his heated eyes, blue as the clearest summer sky. His tongue traces across his bottom lip and she catches sight of his canines elongated, promising pleasures that only mates could ever experience. Belavina hums in her throat, satisfied that she has finally gained his full, undivided attention.

"Who would have thought that the Heiress of Barcalou was so needy?" He teases close to her slender neck.

She taps her lips playfully, while her other hand slides up his pectoral muscle and over his broad shoulder, "Did you not promise me a lifetime of atonement for all your atrocious actions?" She bats her thick eyelashes.

Lazarus gives her a cheeky smile, "I can show you some more atrocious actions if it meets your fancy." He says wickedly, rocking back on his heels and disappearing beneath the covers that he draws over his head.

Belavina's heart races as her body... forever sensitive to his touch, begins to heat. Oh! For a male that looks like an angel, he is so very sinful. Lazarus stays well past the time he usually remains in their chambers, worshipping her body until everything outside of their bedroom fades away. The morning continues as the lovers spend it entertwined in each other's embrace.

"There are some things I need to attend to before our ceremony. I'd hate for them to become a problem while we are having a good time." Lazarus explains after checking the time, getting dressed in a hurry.

Belavina hates that damn clock and cannot wait for the opportunity to get rid of it, "by accident". Although, he'll probably have it replaced the very same day!

"Okay, just make sure that you aren't late." Belavina warns with the promise of violence shining in her eyes if he does indeed arrive at an undesirable time.

He flashes her a full, pearly white smile, "Never." He promises, appearing boyish with the aura of happiness lighting his features.

Then he seems to grow more serious, darkness descending over his glorious features, "Something is going on with Lyra. I don't know if it's Callan's death or the k********g, or perhaps even both, is effecting her so devastatingly but this person is a shell of the bubbly, carefree girl that I used to know."

"There have been a lot of horrible things happening to her lately. Sometimes, when the true darkness of the world shows itself, it can break a person who only has seen the wonders until now."

"Then it is my fault. We have sheltered her too much." Lazarus says solemnly. But he can not bring himself to regret keeping her innocent and pure in a world tainted with evil. Evil that he, himself, has helped spread in the name of power.

Belavina smiles kindly, thinking about how much she wishes her life growing up had been different. She remembers the death littering her home when she ran with her siblings, desperate to survive the s*******r. She remembers Laura grasping her hand so hard that it hurt.

But Laura never let go.

Not when she stumbled, not when she pulled against the iron hold and certainly not when Belavina felt like she couldn't run anymore. She remembers the blood coating Alaric and Alec's clothes and the weapons they held onto like lifelines. They were only boys back then, and already, they had taken lives. She can pinpoint the exact moment her childhood ended and the savageness of the world imprinted itself on her mind.

She rises from her previous position to cup his smooth cheek, freshly shaven, "Do not be sorry that you were able to give Lyra the childhood she deserved. That every child deserves."

"You are so sensible." Lazarus praises. A grin breaks across his face and his crystal blue eyes sparkle with mischief, "Perhaps you could talk with her, find out exactly what it is plaguing her?"

"Oh no!"

"Come on, Bela sweetheart." He leans in pressing a seductive kiss to her throat. His tongue darts from his lips to taste her skin, "For me?" He asks in a husky tone.

"Fine," Belavina sighs loudly, rolling her eyes as he raises a blonde brow in her direction, "enough of your cruel torture, I shall speak with her."

He laughs, the sound rich and pleasant, "That's slightly dramatic, don't you think?"

"I do not."

Lazarus smiles beautifully, pressing a quick kiss to her cheek before leaving with the promise to see her for their special day soon. Their chambers drain of warmth, suddenly feeling lonely and depressing without him in it with her. The ceremony is still a few hours away, so Belavina decides that she might as well pay her sister-in-law a little visit now. The princess's chambers are on the other side of this wing of the palace. The West Wing is strictly reserved for the King and Queen of the country, and their immediate family and offspring. The royals however, do not have any family and so, all but two of the fifteen bedrooms are empty and void of activity, with Belavina's sisters only certainly acquiring another two with Lazarus's blessing. Lyra is not in her bedroom. Instead, Belavina finds the doors to the first-born's chambers open while guards patrol the area in silence. Belavina feels awkward with the thought of interrupting the princess in mourning and curses Lazarus for making her agree to speak with Lyra. Perhaps she should come back later or better yet, tomorrow. She pauses in indecision. Yes, tomorrow would certainly be better. That's when she hears the sobbing. Heart breaking sobs that speak of the kind of pain that only time could ever dull. Despite knowing better, Belavina takes steady steps forward, one at a time. She looks far more confident than she feels. Belavina's heart softens for the young woman cradling her brother's pillow to her chest, her face buried into it, as she sits cross-legged on the straightened out bed. The room has a layer of dust that tells of the princess's efforts to preserve the first-born's presence that would otherwise be lost from cleaning detergent and fresh sheets. Belavina reaches out a hesitant hand. When she is touching distance away from the shaking Lyra, opening her mouth to say something, the lights of the entire room dim strangely. They flicker, and then burn suddenly brighter, blazing back up with an intensity that is unusual. Then the room descends into the natural dim light of the morning. That is bizarre, Belavina finds herself wondering - just before she notices that the soft, broken sounds of crying have stopped. Lyra is watching her in careful silence, wondering why Belavina would intrude on such a moment as this.

"Hi." Belavina smiles sheepishly.

Lyra frowns in confusion, "Hi." Running a hand through her midnight hair.

Belavina desperately thinks of something to say or do to make the situation less awkward, "The power seems to have gone out." She says.

Lyra sighs heavily and Belavina looks at her questioningly. "There is something wrong with this side of the palace. Not that any one has been able to find the reason for the power surges that are constantly destroying the wires."

"That's strange indeed." Belavina replies, wondering about it only briefly.

Belavina contemplates Lyra closely, noting the rosy colour in her cheeks and the redness around her eyes that tells of her despair. Is it even possible that the princess has lost even more weight? She is looking deadly skinny. Belavina finds herself worrying, wondering if Lazarus isn't right and something needs to be done before the princess wastes away. Belavina decides that it will only push the princess further away if she were to start asking uncomfortable questions and branch the subject of feelings. It is clear that the young girl is taking her brother's death hard. So Belavina tries to start with something entirely different.

Belavina walks casually over to the bed and takes a seat, turning to face the princess. "It is a very special day for Lazarus and I, especially after everything we have been through to get here."

She chuckles, thinking of the long road to where they are now.

Finally partners.

Finally lovers.

She would never have thought in a million years… but the bond between souls is not something easily ignored. It's not perfect, not by a long shot but Belavina can finally say that she is happy again. She never thought that she would ever feel the kind of emotions and happiness that comes from love after losing Nate. He is still a bitter pill to swallow.

Belavina reaches her fingers towards Lyra, resting her hand on Lyra's bent knee. "I want to make sure that you know that I consider you my sister, truly, and would very much like us to spend more time getting to know each other."

Lyra smiles knowingly, "Even after I told everyone that you were mad?"

Belavina rolls her eyes, knowing full well that Lyra is trying to raffle her feathers, as the saying goes. "You could have certainly done it differently, but I also understand that the situation called for immediate action."

After some soul searching, Belavina could not say that she would have acted differently had it been the other way around. People could have gotten hurt or even killed.

"Is that all?" Lyra asks curiously, raising a dark brow at her brother's mate.

Belavina shrugs her shoulders casually, "I'm not a fan of your aunt either." She says with a mischievous grin.

Lyra laughs, but the sound holds no true joy, "Not many people are a fan of hers."

Certainly not Belavina and Lazarus. Not after that forgotten b***h royal tried to install the Eaglais into royal affairs and spread Belavina's most dangerous secret. She finds herself wondering how much of it Lyra is aware of. Silence stretches thin between them. The two awkwardly sit on the dead prince's bed, thinking of ways to abandon the other as the seconds drag on.

"You should have spoken to me. I should have been able to trust you." Belavina finally says.

"Trust is earned Lady Castor." Lyra replies with a confidence born in royalty.

"We'll just have to work on that trust for the future." Belavina rises from the neat bed while Lyra remains seated. "I look forward to officially becoming part of your family this afternoon."

"We are lucky to have you, especially Lazarus. I told you he wasn't so bad." Then her smile falters, and Belavina wonders when Lyra's opinion of her brother changed. "Will your brother be in attendance?" Lyra asks, surprising Belavina greatly.

Why would she care whether Alaric attended?

"I did tell him about it and he was at mine and Nate's one, so I don't see why not." Belavina cannot help her suspicious nature, "Why?" She questions.

Lyra shrugs, "Just wanted to thank him for saving my life."

But Belavina picks up on the strange overtone. The deeper interest that the princess attempts to hide. She remembers well the distraction Lyra caused while Alaric was being whipped, chained to a post by Lazarus's command. It feels like a lifetime ago but in reality it was only a few months into the past. Belavina remembers finding the doll of a princess's behavior strange and then, even Alaric seemed to be acting in a bizarre manner. That is the first time Belavina found herself interested in the princess. After that, she remembers how Alaric's hands trembled and the gentleness he used to remove Lyra from the Stadium on the day of the Challenge against Reagan. She might not have been in her right mind but she scrutinized over the events following Callan's death and Reagan's attack on her person. She remembers well the way they were looking at each other and the intense touching. Belavina's been so wrapped up in her own world with Lazarus that maybe she has been missing important signs. Signs that indicate that something is going on between Lyra and Alaric…

"Well, I'm sure you will get a chance later. I'll try to see what I can do." Belavina worries at her bottom lip, wondering if she should keep her nose out of where it doesn't belong. However, she fails miserably. "Just a word of caution. Don't give your heart to Alaric. Despite his noble actions as a warrior, he is quite the womanizer."

"I wouldn't dream of it." Lyra says a little too quickly, or maybe Belavina is just imagining it.

"Well then, I'll see you in a bit." Belavina grins beautifully over her shoulder as she's on her way out, "It's going to be quite the event!"

Lyra smiles, some of her old brightness showing, "I cannot wait."

*FROM AUTHOR:

Thank you very much for being patient with me while I've been writing exams. I hope you enjoy the latest update! Xx