30. The Confrontation
Aleiraah
"What the hell, Aleiraah? You are my mate!" Archie's growl is the loudest, reinforced by snarling protests from others.
His blond hair looks unkempt, his perpetual stubble thicker, and his usually twinkling pale blue eyes appear fiery with anger. It makes me want to throw a brick at his face, but I study him impassively.
"Oh?" I aim a sarcastic smile at the devoted wolf. Only, his devotion is not for me. "Are you telling me you still don't pine after your true mate, the pure and epitome of grace––Belle?"
He bristles at once, barking, “Don’t talk about her like that!” A beat later, he looks shocked by his own outburst. Him rushing to defend his dead mate makes my heart grow colder.
"Did you know that you call out for her in your sleep? In my bed. Lying by my side." I bite out slowly, canting my head. His mouth parts on a puff of air, face stamped with guilt.
"As if that weren’t enough, you still howl at the moon calling out for her.” At his questioning glance I add, “Your pack made sure I knew.” My lips curl into a sneer at the memory of being blindsided.
“She must’ve been so perfect no one could ever live up to her shadow, hmm?” Still no response. But those light blue eyes are wary now.
"Why should I think I'm your mate? When you have reduced me to nothing but a second choice. A placeholder while you pine after your perfect true mate? What you refuse to accept is that she died and took your fucking heart with her!" I end up snarling and Archie flinches as if I’ve struck him.
“Th—that’s not true, Aleiraah.” Archie falters, visibly trying to collect himself.
He strides toward the dias where I stand near Osiris and Aset.
He barely makes it a few steps before Osiris flicks his wrist, an invisible force shoves him back.
Archie snarls at the god, but Azael clamps down on his shoulder, holding him back.
"Oh? So now I'm a slut and a liar?" I quirk an eyebrow and his golden skin turns several shades paler.
"No! I didn't mean to imply that. I didn't!" He implores desperately.
"Tell me Archer, why am I only good for rutting but not good enough for your trust? Your respect? Your consideration? I can bet my friendship with Anubis, that you never, ever treated your precious Belle the way you treated me on the night of the Veilmoon."
For a moment he looks crestfallen then bows his head in shame.
"What? Cat got your tongue, wolf?"
"I––I'm sorry Aleiraah. I wasn't...you're not...second choice." He fumbles, the air heavy with regret but I'm in no mood to hear his apologies. Any of their apologies. He just confirmed my assumption and it hurts like a stake through the heart.
"Oh, shut it, Archer!" I scoff in disgust and shock registers on his face since I’ve never spoken to him this way.
“All this time, you have been the one cheating on me. With your dead mate’s memory.
Deceiving me. Do yourself a favor and put that 'Heart of a Hollow Star' to good use. I’m tired of my husband howling another female’s name, pining after her like a lovesick puppy.
Go and bring your true mate back to life.
Since you obviously belong to her, dead or not.
I’m nobody’s second anything.” I pin him with a glare, letting my hatred show.
He shakes his head in denial, eyes glistening with a sheen of tears but I know better. “I'm sure dragon-boy over there would gladly part with his treasure to fulfill your heart's desire." I glance at Baz who looks wrecked.
Duat put them through a literal grinder I guess. Good. I wish they had felt the pain they put me through!
"He seeks the perfect dragoness to bear his perfect offspring after all. Allies helping each other. Such camaraderie." My voice turns flat while my insides feel hollowed out.
“Aleiraah, that’s not fair,” Baz protests, shifting uneasily. “You’re accusing us without knowing the whole truth. I haven't sought anyone. From the day I met you, I’ve only ever wanted you.”
“Fair?” I laugh harshly, looking at him like he’s dirt beneath my shoe. “You are talking about fair? Do you think I’m that oblivious, Bazrosh?” He blinks, clearly rattled by me using his full name.
“Tell me—has mother-dearest stopped whispering in your ear yet? How I’m unfit to hatch her grandbabies because I’m not the same species as you. How I’ll pollute the pristine Emberfang bloodline.”
Baz’s mouth opens and closes like a fish out of water, so I press on. “Did you shut that shit down? Or did you cave and start entertaining a string of dragonesses eager to jump on your twin dicks?”
"I..It's not––" He begins nervously but I cut him off with a snap of my fingers. "Hey, I know. Maybe you can do two at a time! Super efficient. Then you'll have an entirely new flight of dragons in no time."
Aset coughs delicately but I’m on a roll.
The hollow feeling is replaced with boiling rage. The vitriol brewing within me can no longer be suppressed.
"Aleiraah…Please, I'd never...it's only that my flight is dwindling. And I wouldn't have cheated on you. It’s just that I’ve a duty and I just thought I could be a donor since you can't..." Baz abruptly clamps his mouth shut, apparently running out of words. He swallows thickly.
"You done?" I cock my eyebrow. The rest of my so-called husbands have started to fidget with the looming threat of their dirty secrets spilling out in the open.
"Here's a tip! Why don't you lay some eggs yourself? I’m sure you can figure it out. Since I am not up to the job. Better still, go and fuck a cave full of dragonesses carefully curated by your mother. See if that satisfies your dear old mama, hmm?"
Baz has the gall to look offended so I tack on.
"You think I don't know about your matchmaking sessions? Where your potential ‘mates’ paw you like their own property.” His eyes go round but all I feel is bone-deep disgust. “I bet the tall slender one, who made googly eyes at you at the mermaid ballet is a contender. "
Baz shifts guiltily from one foot to another.
"You planned to have a child outside of our marriage just for the sake of continuing the Emberfang line." I sneer.
"And you expected me to just accept it! You had no regard for my feelings. Offspring with another female, for-fucking-ever! Was I supposed to play step-mother?" A hysterical laugh bubbles past my lips as Baz stares at me, full of concern.
Do I seem unhinged enough, husband?
"And you thought I deserved punishment for something which I had no control over?"
“Aleiraah, I was wrong. I—”
"At least I didn't deliberately set out to have a family outside of my marriage, keeping my spouse in the dark. I respected our vows compared to the likes of you! So don't insult me by calling me your 'beloved'. It's a fucking joke!"
Baz flinches, guilt flickering in his silver eyes. Sins finally laid bare for him to face.
"People who love each other don't do underhanded things. Like slipping a magical leash on their wife when she’s most vulnerable. Hurting. In pain. The sight of you makes me want to puke."
By now Baz has turned a sickly shade, unable to maintain eye contact. "I didn't know the extent of the Chain’s power, Aleiraah." He whispers, but I have my next target in sight.
“Spare me your lies,” I snarl. “Slither back to wherever you crawled out of, dragon.” His expression shatters. “You’re nothing but slime I need to scrape off the bottom of my shoe.”
Ignoring him, I tap my chin, a humorless smile curving my lips. “Thinking of punishments brings me to charming Rhazien.”
"I'm so sorry, Aleiraah." Zien whispers, digging his nails into his forearm where the skin's already peeled off.
"I'm sure you are! Come on, don't look so bogged down! Where is that infamous charm that draws blood-sluts to you like flies to a ball of troll-dung?"
I think he chokes on air, his alabaster skin turning even whiter. And he still hasn't figured out that I know much more than I let on.
"When was the last time you drank blood, Rhazien?"
"The night of the Veilmoon." He manages on a whisper again.
"Oh! Let me rephrase. When was the last time you drank blood, but not from me, vampire?"
The color leaches from his face, dread flooding his expression. He presses his lips into a thin line, refusing to answer.
"Let me tell you. It was a month before the Veilmoon. We were supposed to go on a date and I had a last minute visitor I couldn't cancel. You see, a brownie who was being tortured by her adoptive parents had come seeking my help. And you conveniently went for a vampire council meeting."
The air between us thickens, and a faint tremor passes through his body.
"With bright red eyes."
He knows what I'm about to point out next and raises his hands in a placating gesture.
"And came back with clear gray ones. How magical! Now I know for a fact that you need fresh blood from a live source to sustain yourself."
"Aleiraah…please!" He whimpers but I continue in a fake cheerful voice.
"The first couple of times it happened, I wondered if you drank from an animal which was ludicrous.
But there was always something uneasy about you after those so-called vampire council meetings.
That got me worried. So next time I had you spied on.
" I bare my pearly whites menacingly and he looks like a rabbit caught in a snare.
"And my, my! What did I find? My charming husband, gorging himself on blood from a bunch of cock-hungry blood-sluts."
"Aleiraah...my Love...please, it’s not what you think." He pleads brokenly but I snap right away. "Do you need me to tell you to shut it too?"
He gulps audibly, eyes turning suspiciously misty.
"You were careful though, never came home smelling of the blood-sluts. But you were hesitant with your touch, at least for a few days. It’s laughable really, when I think I was worried about a piece of shit like you. But at that time, after I found out, I was heartbroken. For you."
He stares at me as if I’m speaking in an alien tongue.