Aries
Chapter 20.1

Author’s note: Please read this. Please.

This part contains blood, gory, and all that. This might be triggering at the last scene. Yes, it is dark and cold.

So, if you have a soft heart and can’t take this piece, this you can skip this.

One character is non-binary and the pronouns used are ze, zir, and zirs. If I have done something wrong anything related to this character, please pm me.

But if you are against LGBT+, then you can leave, for some characters belong to that community.

Anyway, Enjoy!

Aspen's POV

Pushing an unruly strand of hair out of her face, Alpha Henry Yarrow’s eldest child, Aspen Ruiz planted the mango sapling her mother handed her. Just as her mother had taught her fifteen years ago, she covered the young plant’s roots with soil and when she was sure the plant might have a chance to stand, she gently sprinkled the earth with a little water.

Brushing off the soil from her clothes, she grinned at her mother. “Is that last?”

Her mother, Alpha Maria Ruiz nodded. “That is all for today.”

Aspen straightened her back like she had seen her mother so many times. “Then I shall see the hepaticas.”

The dusk was gracefully falling like drizzle. Whispering secrets to the sky in various hues of orange and red, it filled the air with sweet scents of flowers her garden had. The buttercups that had bloomed earlier that morning looked a little tired, but they were smiling nonetheless with a golden tint that the fading sun gave.

Honey bees who were in haste to leave to their hive were collecting as much as nectar as they could, drowning the evening with their droning banter. Leaves rustled to the lullaby of the spring zephyr and a warm chillness made Aspen shiver.

This was her garden, a garden that never lost its colour in any part of the year. For her garden had flowers to appease the spring, trees that dressed in orange, yellow, red and brown in summer, some rebel plants that bloomed in autumn and some flora that somehow thrived in the harshest winter.

She took pride in maintaining it.

Maria nodded. “Yes. Go tend them. But I need you to help me in the kitchen tonight. Theta Silver is coming for dinner with zirs sister. You know much must Nadia likes those hepaticas.”

Aspen grinned at her mother and picked the watering can and made her way to the lawn that had various shades of hepaticas.

The soft receding footsteps announced her, that her mother had left.

A smile made its way to her face upon seeing the flowers. Caressing a flower, she slowly watered the plants. When she was sure she was done, she picked a basket and picked up various shades of the flowers.

The clock on the pole said that it was seven in the evening and the darkening sky out did not help it. Sighing, she placed the watering can near the pole and picked her basket and turned to make her way to her home.

When she did, she saw a squirrel that was bleeding. Her heart thrashed. When she saw up, a hawk was looking down ferociously at the wounded animal from the orange tree it was perched on.

Before she could reach it, the hawk swooped down and carried the squirrel away. A tear rolled down her face. What had that small animal done to deserve that fate?

What of the hawk? Would you let it starve?

A voice mocked in her. But she brushed it aside. Harming that animal was not needed. As she wiped her face, the earth was still stained in the colour of blood.

It was truly a curse. As the future Alpha people expected great things from her. They expected her to conceal her feelings and lead them with an iron fist. But what could she do? She was someone who wore her heart on her sleeve. And something in her screamed that she would pay the price for doing it so.

Humming, she entered the kitchen to find her mother baking honey cookies. As much as she wanted to eat one, she knew for whom her mother was preparing them for. Epsilon Agatha loved these cookies.

She placed the basket of flowers on a table and hugged her mother.

Maria playfully pushed her away. “Now now. You are quite dirty. Clean yourself and come downstairs. Theta Silver said ze is bringing a guest. You must be on your best.”

“Who is the guest?” Aspen asked, releasing her mother.

“A lone wolf,” her mother said, stirring the curry. “A wolf who wanted to join our pack.”

Aspen grinned. “That’s wonderful!”

Maria nodded. “It is. Now hurry up and dress in your best. And…”

Aspen knew what her mother was going to say. Mina was seventeen years and she made it her life goal to give her parents a hard time.

“Where is Eric?” she asked.

“Your brother is out with his friends and will not be back by tomorrow,” her mother replied. “So, don’t worry about him.”

Aspen nodded and left the kitchen. On her way to her room, blaring noise came from her sister’s. Sighing, she knocked on the door. Mina did not open.

Open the door! She commanded Mina via the pack link.

She heard a shuffling noise and the music stopped. Then the door opened slowly to reveal her sister who had died her hair in an outrageous colour of orange and electric blue. Her lip piercing stood out.

Not to mention, she was in her bra and boxer shorts. It was her room and she could be in any attire she wanted. Aspen sighed.

“Guests are coming tonight,” she said. “Get ready.”

Mina rolled her eyes. “Why should I? They are coming to meet dad. Not me.”

“Mina,” she reprimanded softly. “Theta Silver and zirs sister and a guest are coming. Better be ready.”

Mina yawned. “I will come.”

“Not like this!” Aspen said.

Mina shrugged. “I will come. Don’t say me what to wear.”

With that, her sister shut the door on her face.

Shaking her head, Aspen went to her room.

Her room, unlike her sister’s, was orderly and clean. As she stripped her clothes, an unexplainable feeling blossomed in her chest. It was a feeling of content. But why? Why was she feeling this?

Embracing the happiness, she took a bath and wore a cute green coloured summer dress that reached her knees. She paired it with black boots with fur and curled her black hair.

In spite of her sister buying so many makeup products for her, Aspen used her foundation, black eyeliner and light pink lipgloss. She was satisfied with her look, but in the last minute, her hands reached out to the blush and she lightly dabbed it on her cheeks.

Perfect.

She looked at her reflection in the mirror

Staring at her was a pair of pale green eyes that resembled a lot like the grass that swayed to the elegy of spring and lurking behind that soft gaze was the churning sea that threatened to cause carnage to protect the ones it loved.

She made her way down and helped her mother to set the table. Her father and the three guests were talking in Alpha’s study.

Seeing them work, the maids rushed in and took the work from them.

Nodding to her daughter, Maria went to the study to bring the four of them to eat.

Theta Silver’s appearance had something to do with the females who went missing. Each month, exactly two females went missing. One on a full moon and other on a new moon. No one knew what happened to them.

Out of the twenty girls who were missing, fifteen were humans and two were werewolves, two were vampires and one was a witch.

Her father was not only searching for the two missing she-wolves but also the humans, vampires and witch. When the council asked, he said, he had a daughter and he would never want this misfortune to befall on any parent.

When Aspen heard those words, she had been proud of her father.

Hence that Vampire was here to discuss things with she father

She heard the study door open and four new voices filled the air. Out of them, one voice caught her. One voice that drowned her soul. One voice that could be her salvation.

His deep baritone did things to her body that she never imagined a voice to do. A flame began and it was not dying.

“Do you smell that?” the deep voice of a male said. “The sweetest smell ever.”

“I scent only my daughter,” Alpha Henry said and he made his way to the dining room.

When he came, he kissed Aspen’s forehead and took his seat.

Behind him, Theta Silver, zirs sister, Nadia and a male with the blackest eyes she had seen entered, followed by her mother.

But Aspen could not tear her eyes away from the brooding male. His white hair and his black eyes were contrast. Not to mention, his tan skin that made her want to taste it.

She blushed at her thoughts. Taste his skin? What was wrong with her?

When their eyes met, Aspen knew who this male was to her. She blushed and looked down. Her mate was here!

But the male, instead of sitting on the chair a maid had pulled for him, he came close to her and knelt next to her. He lifted her head and smiled.

It was that smile she fell for. It was like an angel smiling. Even though his eyes were black, they had a warmth, that made her feel safe. She bit her lips. Her mate was touching her!

“What is your name, love?” he asked.

“What are you doing?” her father’s voice broke the spell around them. “Get away from my daughter!”

The male’s eyes widened. “You are Alpha’s daughter?”

Aspen nodded shyly. “Yes.”

“Aspen?” Maria called. When she looked at her mother, her mother frowned. “Explain?”

Aspen forced herself to see her parents. “He is my mate.”

At that, her parents broke into a smile. Alpha Henry said, “Then he is a part of the pack. He is going to be the future Alpha of this pack.”

Her mate squeezed her hands. “I don’t any pack. I just want my mate.”

Her mother laughed. “Isn’t that what every mate wants? Don’t worry, honey. We will train you.”

Theta Silver wore a smile and Nadia was beaming for her. It was no secret that Nadia was her best friend.

Her mate took the seat next to her, a seat that had been reserved for her sister, leaving the seat next to Theta Silver free.

“My name is Arnold,” her mate said. “I was born a lone wolf.”

“Not a lone wolf anymore,” Alpha Maria said. “You have a family now, Arnold. And a pack.”

Arnold blushed gracefully and nodded.

It was not until the food was being served when her sister came down. She wore ripped jeans and wore a sleeveless top. She had let her outrageous hair free and she plopped next to Theta Silver.

Her parents gave her a disapproving look.

“How do you do?” she asked zir.

Theta Silver swallowed. “I am fine, young lady.”

She snorted. “Young lady.”

Nadia grinned. “The hair’s amazing.”

Mina held back a rude retort. “Thank you.”

Then when her sister saw Arnold sitting next to her, she rose her eyebrow. “Who is this now?”

“My mate,” she happily chirped. “He is Arnold.”

Mina blinked. “And what? You want to complete the mating tonight itself?”

Aspen blushed and she knew she would be looking like a tomato. How could her sister speak like this in front of her mate? Her plate of pasta looked so interesting.

“Of course,” Alpha Henry said, helping himself with wine. “I expect nothing less. They are mates for a reason. I don’t question Luna’s will.”

Arnold took her hands. “I want to make her mine as soon as possible.”

Her mother gave them a playful glare. “Young love! Oh! I do understand.”

Mina gaped at them, forgetting her food. “You know next to nothing about this male! And you want to tie your life down as soon as you see him? You want him to mark you, mate with you when you know only his name?”

“He is my mate,” Aspen defended softly.

“So?” Mina asked. “Does that make him a God? I am pretty sure that you can’t even trust a deity these days.”

“Mina!” her mother admonished. “If you have come down to cause trouble, go back immediately. Can’t you be happy for your sister?”

Mina threw her hands up. “I give up!”

Pushing her plate away, Mina stood up and walked out of the house. Seeing her, Theta Silver shot up and gave her parents a slight nod. “I will see to it that she is safe.”

With that, ze left, with an awkward atmosphere and Arnold just held her hand tighter.

Later that night, the future alpha and the lone wolf finished their mating and Aspen was sure that no female could be as happy as she was. And she should have known. She should have.

She had been a fool.

A year after she had met Arnold, her father was brought in with bruises covering his body after a hunt he led to find those who were responsible for kidnapping the females. Still, no one was able to find who were the ones who kidnapped the females.

When three witches had been kidnapped, Reish Jarred of the tribe under Zayin Zach began to help them. Even with three races working together, they could not find who it was.

And when her father was brought in bruises to the hospital, Mina gave out a loud cry and cleared the table. Immediately she began to work on him. She had chased Aspen and everyone else out. Her mother paced out the operation theatre and her brother leant against the wall.

Aspen and Eric had been on a patrol run when they found their father in such a worse condition. As soon as she saw him, she had ordered Eric to go to the office and inform Omicron Riley and Zayin Zach.

Hence, Reish Jarred and Theta Silver were out with her.

Aspen sat on the chair and whimpered when a pair of arms held her. Inhaling the scent of her mate, she cried. Why should it be her father? What had he done wrong?

Arnold had truly been her rock, her support and she was truly one lucky female to have gotten such an amazing male. Each day, he was proving how wrong Mina had been. He showed her how loving he could be.

All he had ever wanted was just a family, a pack to belong to. One year had passed since they had met and they were going strong.

The doors opened and Mina stepped out. She removed her surgeon’s gloves and sighed. “Dad will live. But he won’t be able to shift or walk. Ever.”

Hearing that, Maria Ruiz gave a gasp of relief and rushed in.

Eric looked up and muttered something. It could have been a prayer to Amaris. Theta Silver and Reish Jarred turned to Aspen.

Theta Silver said, “This pack needs another Alpha, Aspen. Are you ready to take over?”

She was still shivering in her mate’s embrace. She was to be the next Alpha? “Me?”

Ze nodded slowly. “Yes. You.”

Before she could answer, Mina stepped forward. “We have to discuss with our family and council, Silver. As much as my parents consider you like family, you are not. You can’t make any decision here, understood? And if my sister does not want to be an Alpha, she won’t be. I won’t let her do anything she does not want.”

Aspen teared up. She knew Mina loved her and it was rare of her to show it out. But what Theta Silver said was true. She had to step up. She was the eldest child, after all.

Arnold hugged her and met Theta Silver’s eyes. “We will become Alpha.”

When her mate said those words, Mina shuddered and left. Mina hated Arnold and she made sure Arnold knew it. Anything Arnold did, Mina criticised.

Maria came out with a grim expression. “Aspen, your father wants to speak with you.”

She knew what he wanted to speak to her about. She rose to her feet and when she was about to go in, Arnold held her hand. “I will go with you.”

She gave him a grateful nod. “Thank you.”

Why do you thank me, love? He asked via their mating bond. I am your mate. It is my duty to support you and make you happy.

But her mother held her hand up. “He wants to meet only Aspen.”

Eric held Arnold’s shoulder. “Let her go, brother. Father wants to just talk.”

Nodding, her mate left her hand and went inside the room.

Since Mina had switched off the light, it was quite dark, but she could see her father lying on the bed, with IV connected to his veins. She held back her tears and inched closer to her father.

“Papa?” she called softly, in case he was resting. “I am here.”

He cracked his eyes open with tremendous effort. “My darling.”

She sniffed. “Whatever you have to say, can’t it wait? You need time to heal.”

“I need,” he rasped. “But each second we waste here, the girls die.”

She wiped her cheeks with the back of her hand. “What do you mean, papa?”

“I saw the girls,” he said in his throaty voice. “I saw two of them in the prison that Rogue told us. They were chained and heavy with a child. Both of them were. They had been raped until they got pregnant. When the child in them died of the trauma the females had gone through, they were left to die. I arrived too late.”

Aspen’s heart fell. Was this happening to the females who were being kidnapped for the past two years? Tears flowed down her eyes. She could not believe it. While she had been happy with her mate, those females were ripped from their families and were tortured.

For the first time in her life, Aspen Ruiz wanted blood. Wanted to kill those who had tortured those females. She clenched her fists.

“What must I do now?”

“Become the Alpha,” her father said. “Become the Alpha those females need now.”

Alpha Aspen Ruiz was typing the summary of the hunt she had led last night. It was five months since she had become the Alpha and all she got were dead ends.

She had nowhere to proceed. Groaning, she closed the tab and leant on her chair.

The clock chimed and she looked to see the clock pointed at one. It was one AM and she was yet to retire. But she was used to this. Past few weeks she was getting little to no sleep and she made coffee her best companion.

The doors opened and the scent that she had made her own wafted to her nose. He came in and massaged her shoulders.

“My love,” he said gruffly. “When will you come to our bed?”

She sighed and leant into his arms. “Not tonight. I have to send the report to Omicron Riley.”

Arnold kissed her neck. “Tonight itself?”

She moaned and nodded. “Yes. Tonight.”

She felt him pout against her exposed skin. The night ripped her desire and filled her with anxiety. Usually, whenever Arnold was with her, she lost to the pleasure and desire that coursed through her. But not tonight. For the full moon was smiling brightly at her and mocked her. Tonight would be a night where a family would lose their daughter, a husband might lose his wife and a child might lose its mother.

She could not simply sit and succumb to the pleasure. Whoever was behind these kidnappings were damn clever.

As her mate’s fingers caressed her breast under her shirt, someone knocked the doors to her office, shattering the spell Arnold was weaving on her.

“Come in!” she said, pushing Arnold away and fixed her shirt.

The doors opened with a force that Aspen felt sorry for the poor hinges.

Eric came in, panting, but covered in blood. Seeing her brother in such a state, Aspen gasped and rushed towards him.

She began to inspect him. “Mina might help you-”

“This blood is not mine,” Eric whispered as he hugged her. “Gary was killed. He was killed while he was trying to prevent those fuckers from taking the female.”

Her blood ran cold. A female had been kidnapped right under her nose and she did not know about it. A female from her pack. Her wolf thrashed in her. Her beast wanted blood and death and Aspen would gladly give in to the blood lust.

“Who is the female?” she asked, after a few minutes. If it was a female she knew, Aspen would never forgive herself. “Is she someone I know?”

Eric nodded miserably when a female’s scream fragmented the silence of the night. Her body froze when she realised the voice. It was her mother.

“They took Mina,” Eric sobbed. “They took Mina.”

Time stilled.

The earth froze.

The waves ceased.

It had been ten days since her baby sister was taken away from her. As much as Mina had been annoying, she loved her. After all, Mina was the only sister she had.

Mina was the pack doctor who had received her surgeon’s degree in North Pack. She was a doctor who everyone feared and loved all at the same time.

Aspen’s lips trembled when she entered her sister’s room. The room was clean for the first time and Mina had her anatomy book open, perhaps to revise something. Even the glass was still next to the book. Her red pen that was open, was lying lazily on the page. It was as if, Mina had taken a washroom break and she would come back sit here again and continue reading.

But Aspen knew better. Her sister was taken and she had done nothing.

She had a plan in her mind and she was going to use it. No one knew what she had planned. Not even her mate.

After studying all these kidnappings, she saw the pattern. The girls who were away from any civilisation, deep in the woods were the ones who were taken.

This made her frown. What had Mina been doing that night in the woods?

Aspen shook her head. A new moon was fast approaching and she would force those men to take her. They had fucked with the wrong person.

Sniffing, she made her mind. She won’t let Mina away just like that.

But saying this plan of hers to others, no one would agree to it, except one. Biting her lips, she made the call to the one person she knew she could trust.

“Are you sure?” ze asked, zirs voice matching the silence of the night.

“Yes,” Aspen said, removing her coat, allowing the cold winter winds to caress her skin.

She had taken one of her sister’s provocative dress and wore it. Since Mina was a size smaller than her, her dress was even more tightly to her. Her breasts threaten to spill and the neckline was so low that Aspen wondered why to even have a neckline. It revealed her cleavage and hugged her curvy body tightly, ending just below her butt.

She wore her hair up and applied the darkest shade of red she could find over her lips. She ditched her shoes in the car and was standing barefoot under a willow tree under which three kidnappings had taken place.

Theta Silver looked around and ze straightened zirself when a rustle was heard.

Aspen looked behind to see a female - a witch, completely drunk, stumbling here.

Seeing her, Aspen glanced at the sky. There was no sign of moon and it was then Aspen knew who was going to get kidnapped.

“Theta Silver,” she said. “Take this female to my pack.”

The witch put up a fight, but she was reduced to nothing under Theta Silver’s hypnosis. Ze threw the female on zirs back and made zirs way to the car.

When she was sure ze had placed the female in the safety of her car, a hand came from behind her and pressed a cloth on her nose. The last thing she remembered was Theta Silver rushing towards her.

Ice cold water woke her up. She snapped her eyes open to see three females in the prison. As she tried to move, she looked at her hands to see them bound to manacles and she had been stripped. Alpha Aspen Ruiz was naked as the day she was born.

And to think her sister might have been treated like this, she wanted to puke.

“Hello there,” a witch said. “Fancy seeing an Alpha here.”

Aspen shook her head. “You are?”

“I am a low ranked witch in tribe under Zayin Zach,” she said. “My daughter kicked my out of my house the night these bastards kidnapped me.”

“Why are you here?” a timid voice asked.

Aspen turned to see a human female who might have not even seen twenty summers. “My sister was taken. I am here to find her.”

The human’s eyes cleared. “Mina’s sister?”

Aspen’s heart soared. Her sister was here. She would raze down this building if it meant she would save her sister. “Yes.”

The witch shrugged. “They just took her one hour before they brought you.”

Coldness seeped into her. “How long am I here?”

“I dunno,” another female answered. “I guess about five hours?”

Aspen tugged her chains. Her sister was taken six hours ago? Her beast was awakening.

The vampire smiled. “Mina was right when she said they should not have kidnapped her. She said her sister would come and rain hell on them.”

Aspen smirked in the night. Mina was right. She had always been right.

“How is it that you all are here?” she asked, tugging the chains more.

“They have developed a special drug that would take your abilities away,” the witch said. “They thought they would give you that shot tomorrow. You aren’t supposed to wake today, you know? We woke up days after they brought us here.”

“Perks of being an Alpha,” she snarled and gave those chains a final tug and they yielded under her hands.

The other three females gasped at her.

Without another word, Aspen released them and pushed the iron bars until it gave a way for her to walk out. Those bastards better not have touched her sister.

Seeing her walk, so many males who were supposed to be guarding rushed towards her, with guns and knives at her.

Aspen Ruiz smirked at them. Her wolf wanted blood and she would give her beast the pleasure.

“Will you release the other females?” she asked the three females behind her.

“We will,” the vampire agreed and that was all Aspen needed.

She gave into her other skin and allowed her wolf to show these bastards how hell could be.

Aspen did not stop when they begged mercy. She did not stop when they fell on the ground. And she certainly did not stop until she was sure they were dead and her muzzle and fur was drenched with blood.

Tracing the scent she had known her entire life, she walked in her wolf form to a room where five male scents filled the room. And one among the five scents shocked her.

She immediately shifted to her human form and opened the door to confirm what her nose told her. It was not possible. Could not be possible.

She kicked the door open to find five males looking at her. Two out of five she knew.

Reed was a young wolf who followed her mate like a shadow. He had been a lone wolf and was accepted in her pack by Arnold.

“Aspen?” he called. “What- what are you doing here?”

She snapped her eyes up to glare at the so-called mate of hers. “What are you doing here?” Then she jerked her head towards her sister who was tied on the table. “With my sister like that?”

His eyes turned black. “Who brought this bitch in? Guards-”

She examined her blood covered nails. “You mean those twenty males who I just killed.”

Arnold’s eyes widened. “You could not. You are not a killer. You-”

She grinned and she was sure that the devil looked less terrifying than her that time. “You thought wrong. You thought you could escape after taking my sister?”

He snarled and lunged at her. At his touch, sparks did not develop like they usually did. It was like worms crawling all over her skin. “You never guessed it all these years.”

She snarled. “Now I know the love you showed me each day. That tea you give me. It has a portion to prevent the pain, does it not?”

Arnold smirked. “You found late, mate.”

“Mate?” she pushed him in one shove. “You? You lost the rights the second you touched these girls. I will admit, I was a fool. But not anymore.”

“You can’t kill me, love,” he said softly. “I am your mate. I am your Alpha.”

She laughed. “You are an Alpha because of me.”

Only one of them was going to walk out that room and she was sure as hell that she would take this bastard down.

Theta Silver found her hugged her sister. Ze rushed in with forces but the damage was done.

She knew what an image she was. A naked female, hugging her sister desperately with five bodies around her.

Maria came in, pushing others away. “Oh! My darlings!”

Eric came in next. “Sister!”

But Aspen did not have it in her heart to hug them back. Something had happened tonight and she was sure that the female who had been kidnapped was not the female who won. Something had changed.

“She was not touched,” Aspen said in a curt voice.

Maria nodded. “It’s okay-”

Aspen intervened. “Eric?”

Her brother looked at her, into her eyes. “Yes?”

“I want you to take the Alpha position,” Aspen said, her voice devoid of any emotion.

Eric’s eyebrows met. “Why?”

She snarled and glanced at the mutilated face of her mate. “I made the wrong choice. I made the male an Alpha. I can no longer be the Alpha of the pack.”

That was when all their eyes shifted to Arnold.

While her mother cursed, Eric and Theta Silver blinked at him.

“How did you manage to kill him?” Theta Silver asked softly.

“He raped so many females,” she said. “My wolf wanted out.”

Eric swallowed and neared her. “But-”

“No buts,” she said sternly. “You will be the next Alpha, Eric. I can no longer be trusted.”

With that, she walked out, not caring about her nudity as Theta Silver rushed in and gave zirs coat to cover Mina.

Aspen Ruiz, they would whisper as she walked past them. Widow Alpha. The female who killed her mate.

And yes, I love the character Agent May from Agents of Shield. I may or may not be inspired by her.

Next would be a bonus chapter from Mizar’s pov.

Hope this chapter says why Aspen is the way she is.

Until next update,

~Quill

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