"As you open yourself to
living at your edge,
your deepest purpose will slowly begin to make itself known."

***************

Tiara

I was exploring the cave while Kaiden took a bath, before we had to go back to the camp. This cave must be too ancient for it's own good. But a thought was nagging me. If Kaiden knows about this cave, that means, the others must be aware of this place too. Like the Rouges. What are odds that we get attacked here, while the others are unaware of our whereabouts? Suddenly an uneasy feeling hit me, like no other. Is it because I'm panicking or something happened to my other mates, while I'm having the time of my life?

"Tiara? Babe are you alright?" Asked Kaiden, rushing back to me. "I felt your anxiety. What is it?" He asked, taking my face in his hands. "Kaiden let's go back to camp. I'm having a bad feeling. I need to see if your brothers are OK." I say, sweating. "Alright alright. Come on let's go." He said, taking me out of the cave and within seconds I was on the back of Doryu, rushing back to the camp. I felt bile pushing out of my throat. Tiara? I'm sure they are OK. I just spoke to Brenton. They are all sitting together around the fire. Nothing is wrong. Are you feeling sick?" Asked, Kaiden through our bond. I could only nod my head in affirmation. We're almost there. Hold on. He said, landing on the same spot, we took off an hour ago.

As soon as he turned into his human form, I ran towards the camp, Kaiden hot on my heels. Ejder is sick. That means Drake. Nyx helped me follow his scent and I rushed there in panick. God please, let him be safe. I kept chanting in my heart, while I ran towards a tent, little further from where ours were set. "Drake!!" I screemed, and dashed into the tent only to stop dead on my tracks. "W..What?..is happening here?" This can't be true. Drake won't do this to me. It must be my imagination. "What the fuck!!?" Screamed Kaiden, who was right behind and as shocked as me. "Kaiden? Tiara, it's not what it looks like. I can explain what exactly happened." Drake tried to plead with us, while buttoning his shirt.

"Fuck you Drake! Keep your lame explanation to yourself. Do you have any common sense left in you, or she just sucked it out of your dick?" He said, making Drake to look down immediately and zip his pants in panick. "Don't shout at him Kaiden! He loves me. What is so wrong about we being intimate?" Countered Karen. I just stood there like a statue and let them argue back and forth. "I don't love you, Karen. Don't fill my mate's mind with doubts. It was a mistake feeling pity for you and asking for forgiveness. If I knew, you would take advantage of this situation, I would have never come in here to apologize." Drake screamed back at her.

By now all my other mates are gathered around too. "What the hell happened?" Asked Blaze, coming inside the tent and putting a hand on my shoulder. I closed my eyes to unsee, what I just saw. "Little one? Please, let me explain what actually happened. Let's go out. OK?" Asked Drake, walking towards me. I took a step back, avoiding his touch. "Tiara?" He called desperately. "Can somebody please fill me up with what the fuck happened?" Asked Kenneth, rubbing my hands, now that I'm closer to him. "What happened is...Drake suddenly was horny because your mate took off with Kaiden for a private party and he realized, I'm the only one who can help him get some release and keep his beast calm for a while." We all looked at Drake to confirm the accusations.

He shaked his head. "Don't lie to them Karen. It's already hard to make my mate believe that whatever she saw was not happening and you are twisting the entire scene to make it look like I was cheating on her!" Karen just smirked and looked my way. "Let's ask your mate then. Dear Tiara, did you feel suffocating all of a sudden, like your heart was racing, but you couldn't breathe?" By my shocked expression, she figured it out that, it's true. She smiled. "That happened because, your mate and me were sharing an aggressive and passionate kiss. Tell me if I'm lying Drake?" She asked my mate, who was looking at her with murder written on his face.

"You must have felt sick too. That's because we're touching each other, intimately, skin to skin." She said, making me dissolve in tears. "Tiara she's just twisting the words. "Yes it happened but, not the way she's describing." He said, walking towards me but, Kaiden and Brenton stopped him by placing two hands on his chest. "Keep you distance from my mate untill this misunderstanding is cleared, Brother." Said Kaiden, with so much venom in his voice, I was shocked. "She's my mate too. I have every right to be with her. Get out of my way Kaiden." He said, trying to push his way out of their grips. "No!" They said, pushing him further back.

"I don't know who's telling the truth but, if Karen was lying then, how do you explain the pain I went through Drake." I asked him, without meeting his eyes. "How do you explain, why I found her in your arms, both of you half naked and all over each other?" Now I looked up, accusing him with my eyes. "That's because, we're about to have sex, before you so rudely interrupted." Said Karen, not letting Drake speak. "She's fucking lying!" Drake screamed, his Beast almost coming forward. "Then explain to them, why you came inside my tent, with a hard on? Tell them why you let me touch you? Explain why you let me kiss you? Also explain, why you were incapable of protesting my advances? Tell them why...you hugged me as soon as you came in?" She spat. We're all speechless.

"I'll tell you why. Your brother took her with him and we all know, what they were doing in the woods. And you tried to ease the pain of rejection by coming to me. When you saw I was a willing parter and the right person to reduce your ache, you let me have my ways with you to take the edge of it. Also, you thought, I was never going to reveal our intimate moments with your mate and you get to have both of us, without upsetting the other. Isn't that why, you haven't completely mated with her? Because once mated, you can't have me. Right?" She said, making all of us turn to Drake to confirm what she was claming.

"Is it true?" I asked Drake, who was not meeting my eyes. "Answer her dammit!" Pushed Brenton, suddenly furious, just like the others. "Some of it." He said, looking at me. "That it! You know what? Keep her. Keep your whore to warm your nights because, from this moment, you're not touching our mate. Let's go!" Said Brenton, dragging me out of the tent and the others followed. "Tiara?!" Called Drake from behind me. "Please little one, just hear my side of story. Do you seriously believe, I would fall so low and hurt someone in the process, let alone my mate?" He said, running behind us and attempting to convince me to hear him out.

"You're all being unfair!" He spat, when he realized, we're not in a mood to listen to him. "Shut up Drake!!" I said, suddenly freeing myself from Brenton's grip and turning around to face him. "You know what isn't fair? It's not fair that, I was given 5 mates, which constantly makes me live a life full of insecurities." I said, making all of them look at me in disbelief. "I'll always be this Insecure because, no matter how much I try, I'll never be enough for you and someday, someone will snatch you away and I won't be able to do anything. That's absolutely is unfair." I said, putting some distance between all of them and me.

"It's Drake today. Then it will be someone else tomorrow. All of you had past. Some would try to kill me, out of envy and some would try to trick you into breaking us apart. How many of them am I going to keep fighting? Some day I'll just give up." I said, looking at the sky. Cursing the heavens. "It's not true Tiara. You're all that we need. Read my thoughts, search my heart. I'll never, ever want anything more than you." Said Kenneth. "He's right Tiara. And in time, you'll believe us. Being mates is no joke. Once mated, it's till death do us apart. We would never need anything more than you." Said Kaiden, smiling at me. "You complete us, my mate. These insecurities will go away, I promise." Said Brenton, walking towards me and pulling me into a hug.

I gently pushed him away because, I was not done yet. "I don't know what's worse Brenton. People who lie or people who think, I am stupid enough to believe their lies." I look towards where Drake was, leaning on a tree. "You said you weren't cheating on me yet, you didn't push her away when she kissed you." He closed his eyes regretting it. "You lead her on knowing she has feelings for you." He shaked his head, try denying it. "The idea of even trying something like that is more brutal than cheating Drake. You went inside the tent, with a clear idea of what her intentions were for you and without giving any regards to our feelings, if something goes wrong. Did you even think ones, how hurt me or your brothers would be, if we find you out the way we did?" He wanted to approach me but Kenneth didn't let him. "Yet, you approached her in privacy and let this all happen. In a way, you wanted all that to happen Drake." He constantly shaked his head to deny my accusations.

"I swear to heavens Tiara, I didn't touch her inappropriately. You found me when I was forcefully pushing her away. She wasn't ready to believe that I am happily mated. I never went inside her tent to be intimate with her. I went to apologize to her for not letting her know about Us sooner and give her a proper closer. She started crying and I panicked. I promise, I just let her cry on me and suddenly, she was all over me. I'm sure that was the time when Kaiden and you were being intimate and as a reaction...I was hard. She took it in a wrong way and started pulling on my clothes. I'll prove it to you. It must have taken you guys ten minutes right? And two extras to come here?" Kaiden and me exchanged looks. "I felt relief exactly when you guys were done. That's all you saw." He said, making me think. "Little one?" He begged.

"You're not a toddler for someone to force themselves on you Drake. You're a grown ass man who in his right mind, went to see his ex secretly, behind my back. That's called cheating. You didn't just break my heart Drake, you broke my trust too, by letting her close to you, the way you would let me." I said, pouring my heart out. "You knew what you were doing and you knew it would hurt me but somehow that still didn't stop you. So don't give me the bullshit of what went out there and how helpless you were in her hands and how unfair we are to you." I said, turning on my heels to get away from him. "I'm sorry, little one. Tiara? Please baby?" I can't take this bullshit anymore.

"Guys..please leave me alone for a while." I said, to Kaiden and Kenneth, who were following me. "Not happening mate. You can't get rid of me so easily." Said Kaiden, making me sigh.

"I just want to sleep this out" I mumered. "Then I'll cuddle you, my bear." Said Kenneth, making me roll my eyes. "Also who's hungry? I'm kind of starving after spending all my energy, claming my mate." Kaiden wiggled his brows, making me push at him playfully. "Get over yourself, asshole." Laughed Kenneth, followed by Kaiden. Although, the smile that made my lips curve, I couldn't stop it from spreading. "Fine let's eat while we wait for the others. Wait!" I stopped in my tracks. "Where's Sophia?" I asked, making them all halt in their tracks too. "She must be with her mate...oops! I was supposed to keep that a secret." Said Kaiden, chuckling.

"She told you?" I asked, surprised. "Yes. On the way here, while she was blabbering about how she feels bad for making you cry." He said, sighing. "So you both knew about her finding her mate and when we're you planning to tell us all about it?" Asked Kenneth, frawning. "Chill bro. She's a bad liar. You would have figured it sooner than later, youself." Chuckled Kaiden, making Kenneth letting it go for now. As we sat near the fire place and started eating, I saw a familiar face and my face lit up.

"Isaac!?" I called out and he turned around, smiling. "Hey stranger! Where were you? I was looking all over for you." He said, pulling me into a hug, making both my mates growl. "Keep you hands to youself, creeper!" They bared their teeth at him and he just put his hands up in a mock surrender. "Trust me, I would not touch her in that way, when I have my own mate...brother in laws." He smirked. "What?!" We all asked, surprised. "Sophia is your mate?" I asked, not believing. "So you're that looser?" Asked Kaiden, walking towards Isaac in a threatening way. "I would love to bond with you too, brother in law? Let's have a private chat, shall we?" Said Kenneth, leaving my side.

"No! Nobody is going anywhere. Sit you asses down. Isaac? Come sit down." My mates didn't look happy about it. "Oh give up both of you." I pulled at their hands and made them sit. "So. Where is my sister? I thought, she was with you." Asked Kaiden. Isaac's smile fell. "What do you mean, she is with me? I didn't even see her yet?" That made all of us go stiff. "Dude, I clearly remember her running towards the cavalry, when you guys came. You're saying, you didn't meet her yet?" That made Isaac stand up panicking. "No. I thought, she's with you Tiara. She told me, she was coming with you." We all exchanged look.

"Let's not panic yet. Go around. Ask if someone had seen her. Go!" Asked Kenneth and stood up. "Ok. Please let me know, if you find her." He said, running away. "I'll go tell the others. Kaiden, stay with her." Said, Kenneth, and ran towards where my other mates were. "What the hell?" Mummered, Kaiden to himself. Where are you Sophia? Food long forgotten, people started running around, searching tents and woods for Sophia. It was like she vanished in thin air. It's not possible that, no one has seen her. Someone is definitely behind her disappearance. A sudden fear took over my thoughts. Is she alright? Did someone hurt her?

Nyx? Can you locate her? I asked her. She's not in the camp keeper. Somebody's scent is mix with her. What do you mean? I asked. She was taken by someone or with someone. Two scents missing from the camp. That means she was abducted and whomever took her was part of this camp. Can you take me where you last sense her? I asked. She hesitated but then guided me there. I was not alone though. Kaiden followed and the others were there too. "Tiara? What are you doing here. I asked you to stay back. " Said Kaiden, walking toward me. "Nyx lead me here. Said, she could sense Sophia's presence here, before she was abducted." I said. "How could you be so sure that, she was abducted?" Asked Drake confused.

We still haven't solved our differences but it's not the time for that. "Nyx said, two scents are missing from the camp. One is Sophia's and the other...the abductor, it was all pre planned." I said, making them all exchange looks. "What?" I asked them. "Don't panic, ok?" Said Blaze, pulling something out of a tensed Isaac's hand. "What is it?" I asked, opening the folded paper that he just handed me over. I read it. Read again and again, like it would make some sense if I keep reading it.

-------------------------------------------------------

To the future Queen of Rouges,

My beloved Queen, Tiara. I apologize for sending you an informal and inappropriate invitation like this, on such a short notice. I heard a lot about you and my heart will not be in peace untill I finally see you in person. I promise to be a perfect gentleman and a host, during your stay in my humble abode. Please don't break my heart, by denying this request full of love. If you decide to be my guest, meet me at the cave at midnight. Which cave? Well the one where you just went this afternoon? Yes! That's the one.

I'll be waiting.

[P. S. My little cousin Sophia, will also be my guest unless you decide to come ALONE.]

Your future mate,
Leroy Eborsisk Ancalagon.
--------------------------------------------------------

"What is all this? Who is he?" I asked, no one in particular. "We had no idea our Rouge uncle had a son. I think he took his father's place, after you killed him." Said Kenneth, taking the letter from my hands. Smell it. Said Nyx. "Wait a second Kenneth. Can you give it back?" He looked confused but handed it over. I smelled it and it was familiar. Where did I smell it? "What are you doing?" Asked Drake. I inhaled deeply, closing my eyes and suddenly, it hit me. "The driver!" I said, making them all cringe. "Who?" Asked Brenton confused. "Smell it." I gave it to Kenneth. He repeated my action and his eyes went wide.

"Shit! He was with us all along. The meetings. The strategies. The drive." He growled. "Get me all the details you can for Matthew, although I highly doubt its his real name. He was the spy in our army, and collected every information and passed it to his master. Fuck! How did we miss it? He was here for last 1 year. Fucking Rouge!" He cursed. "What now?" Asked Isaac, worried for his mate. They were all in deep thought when I decided to break the ice.

"I'll go to him"

Stay tuned...