Chapter 26

Mica’s POV

Aziz and Carter left for the Blue Moon Pack and I’m sure that he will be very happy since he will be able to see that bitch too. I walked back and forth in my and Hera’s room, as my heart was pounding with mixed feelings. My rage was centered on Aziz, the one who possessed both wolf and vampire blood. The very species that had shattered my family. But a yearning tugged at me deep below, under the rage. Despite my desire not to show it, I have to admit that not seeing him since this morning made me realize that I missed him. The minutes passed inexorably as I anticipated his return to the pack before nightfall. Uncertainty gnawed at me, but a spark of optimism kept me grounded, longing for tonight when I could finally see him.

I was still in deep thought when Hera entered our room as the afternoon sun fell below the horizon, sending a warm golden glow into it. Deep inside, I consider her a friend and the voice of reason, a smart and loving sister of Aziz. She was aware of the anguish in my heart because of her ability and sought to provide some solace for me.

"Mica," Hera said softly, but firmly. "We need to talk about your mate bond with Aziz."

My gaze sprang up, her eyes tightening in defiance and sorrow. "I don't want to discuss it, Hera; I can't bear thinking about what he is," I replied in a low voice. Here I was thinking about him and here she was trying to make me feel confused and anxious as well.

Hera walked closer slowly, each stride deliberate and tranquil. She sat on the edge of the bed, directly facing me. "I understand your hatred for our kind, Mica, but you must also recognize the bond that exists between you and Aziz; it is an unbreakable bond."

I tightened her hands and spoke in an angry tone. "I didn't ask for this bond, Hera; it's a constant reminder of the pain they've caused me, of the loss I've suffered."

Hera's eyes softened, and her voice became more sympathetic. "I know the pain is intense, Mica, but Aziz loves you, and you love him; I know that you can feel your bond and that sadness in your eyes is proof of that. It's a bond that transcends their species; you need him, just as he needs you."

My jaw clenched as I battled my own emotions. "I refuse to be vulnerable, Hera; knowing what he is, I won't let him in; I can't bear to expose myself to that kind of pain again."

She reached out and placed a soothing hand on my arm. "I understand your fear, Mica, but love necessitates vulnerability, requiring us to open our hearts even when it is frightening. The question is, can you let go of your hatred long enough to truly listen to your own heart?"

I drew back, with a voice a little defiant. "I can't, Hera. I refuse to be consumed by his kind, your kind. I've seen the devastation they've caused, the lives they've shattered, and I refuse to be a part of that world." she sighed, with a face etched with grief and resolve.

"Mica, you know I have a special ability. I can read minds, and I've seen the pain that lies within you. I've seen your memories, your darkest moments, but I've also seen the love you have for Aziz, buried beneath your anger. You deserve happiness, Mica, and Aziz wants to give it to you."

My eyes widened in astonishment as my defenses frayed for a minute. "How dare you intrude on my thoughts?" I asked as my attention was fixed on her.

"I invaded your thoughts because I care for you, Mica. I care for your well-being and happiness. I want you to consider what lies within your heart, beyond hatred. Aziz is not like the others. He has chosen a different path, a path that can lead to redemption. I know it because he is my brother and I am like him."

With my face hardened again, my words shaking with agony and defiance. "I can't, Hera; I'm not going to be vulnerable again, not with him."

Hera stepped out of bed, her eyes brimming with sympathy. "I can't make you, Mica, but I beg you to consider what I've said. Your heart deserves a chance at healing and happiness, and Aziz loves you unconditionally. The decision is ultimately yours."

I sat in silence, with thoughts mulling over Hera's words. Mixed feelings pressed down on me, threatening to break my resolve. I couldn't dispute the truth in Hera's words - the unmistakable relationship I felt with Aziz, which tugged at my emotions even when I was angry or hateful. It was a link I had attempted to avoid, yet it persisted, refusing to go away.

Then what about my parents, whose lives have been brutally cut short by the same creatures I detested? My search for justice had engulfed my being, turning it into my mission and my driving force. Accepting Aziz would imply letting go of my rage, the fire that had carried me ahead for so long. It seemed like a violation of their memories.

On the other hand, I knew deep down that love can heal, to restore the fractured parts of a shattered soul. And Aziz had not shown me such purity yet. The real affection that it had chipped away at the barriers I had created. It terrified me to think that if I accepted him, I would be ignoring my parents' cause.

My internal fight deepened as night fell, engulfing the room in darkness. I closed my eyes, attempting to find peace in the middle of pandemonium as my thoughts were filled with images of my parents, their happy faces and their love for me. I knew they'd want me to be happy, to find a way to go on.

With my eyes welled up with tears as I murmured into the solitude, my voice full of pain and desire. "I miss you, Mom and Dad. I'm not sure I can let go of my anger, but I also don't know if I can deny what my heart feels for Aziz. Please guide me. Help me find a way to honor your memory while also finding a way to heal."

I made a secret commitment to myself and my parents in the middle of the night. I'd go into the depths of my emotions, confronting my anxieties and concerns. I would seek to strike a balance between my pursuit of justice and personal happiness and was determined to confront Aziz, to have a talk that would expose my challenges, anxieties, and dreams, with my heart heavy but open to the possibilities. The road ahead was unknown, but I understood that addressing my inner problems would open the way for forgiveness, healing, and possibly love that transcended hatred and species borders. With that in mind, I sleep in peace for the first time ever since I found out that I was mated to an Alpha.

A surge of resolve ran through my veins as I completed my meal. Today was the day I would confront Aziz, hear his side, and decide on our relationship. I walked towards his office with a determined sigh, my footsteps echoing through the quiet halls.

Voices poured through the breach in his office door, catching my attention. Curiosity pushed me to lean in closer, and I caught Aziz discussing a hunt for a guy who had died during their fight with a vampire. His words touched a chord within me, and my heart skipped a beat.

"The man we were looking for, he was Mica's father?" Aziz asked softly.

My breath was trapped in my throat, and my rage was bubbling beneath the surface. The revelation washed over me like a flood. The death of the most significant guy in my life was caused by Aziz's pack, his soldiers. My family had been ripped apart by his absence, leaving my mother to remarry and die at the hands of a vampire, which caused me to be exposed to abuse at the hands of my stepfather.

A burst of rage surged through me, propelling my determination to face Aziz. How could he have been a part of such a tragedy? My emotions swirled like a maelstrom within my chest. The feelings that started to carry a ray of promise now seemed like a curse, tying me to the cause of my agony.

I pushed through the office door, my eyes flaming with a mix of rage and hurt. Aziz's eyes met with mine, his expression shifting from astonishment to worry as he noticed the anguish on my face.

"Mica!" he said, shocked as his voice tinged with concern.

I took a step forward, my voice shaking with rage and anguish. "How could you, Aziz? Your pack was responsible for my father's death? The man who loved me protected me, and I thought has died fighting against the creatures you are!"

The weight of my allegation weighed heavily on Aziz's face. He approached me, his words laced with regret. "I didn't know, Mica; I had no idea about the connection between your father and that fight, and I swear to you, I would have done everything in my power to prevent it if I was strong enough."

My eyes welled up with tears, a flood of contradictory feelings threatening to swallow me. The emotions prickled at my heart, a continual reminder of my feelings for Aziz. But it was now blended with the anguish of my father's death, a constant reminder of the grief inflicted by his pack.

"I don't know if I can believe you," I said quietly, my voice filled with grief and confusion. "I need time to process everything, to figure out how to reconcile the resolve I made to give this bond a chance with the anger that now consumes me."

Aziz's gaze reflected mine, his hands stretching out in vain to bridge the chasm between us. "Mica, please give me a chance to explain; I will go to any length to make you see that what happened was beyond me or my dad and the pack’s control."

As I turned to go, tears streaming down my cheeks, I gave Aziz one final look. The emotion and feelings whispered their existence in my ear, reminding me of the resolve that I made last night. But, for the time being, my wounded heart required time to mend and explore the depths of my rage and anguish.

I went away with a heavy heart, leaving Aziz to deal with the repercussions of his pack's actions and myself to face the harsh reality that the path to forgiveness and acceptance would not be easy.