↣ Missing your Kisses

∾ 𝔼𝕡𝕚𝕤𝕠𝕕𝕖 𝟚𝟜: 𝕄𝕚𝕤𝕤𝕚𝕟𝕘 𝕪𝕠𝕦𝕣 𝕂𝕚𝕤𝕤𝕖𝕤 ∾

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𝐒𝐇𝐄 𝐖𝐀𝐈𝐓𝐄𝐃 𝐀𝐍𝐃 waited. Tears rolled from her eyes, her body shaking with fury and worry. No matter how much she tried to convince herself that she would see his carefree smile again, she failed. Miserably. The door was locked, the pack doctors and nurses busy tending to the wounds of the injured. She helped them too - transferring her energy to aid the wolves until she had none left in her. They stared at her but never questioned her actions.

Esmeray was fearful of what was to come, but she clung to hope desperately.

His blood still stained her hands, her clothes. Ben's mother, Lily, tried to make her leave the hospital so that she could go home, bath and change. But she needed to be reminded of what had happened to her friend because of her. If she didn't exist, if she had fought with the siren Queen a bit better - been even a better soldier, Ben wouldn't have been fighting for his life.

Martin told her that the arrow was covered with an unknown poison. Yet, one look at that black liquid, and Esmeray was sure that it was a siren's venom. She knew what that venom could do to a mermaid - but she had no idea what effect it has on a werewolf.

But poison is poison. And all she could do is to wait for Ben's wolf to fight it to get it out of his system.

She would never forgive herself if something happened to Ben - he had selflessly risked his life to save hers. Even when they had known each other for such a short time.

Besides her, Lily was seated with her husband. Nate and Nathan were busy rebuilding and protecting the pack. The attack had been disastrous and done more damage than anticipated.

It was swift and planned. The Ignis pack hadn't predicted it - they had been hit at their weakest.

"He is going to be fine, Esmeray," Lily says softly.

"How can you sit beside me knowing what I have done?" she says, almost snapping at the kind woman.

The hate in her heart was killing her. She couldn't look at herself in the mirror without remembering how much she had failed - her kingdom, her mate, her family, and now, her friend.

"You did nothing wrong. The person who shot that arrow is responsible. The rogue leader is responsible - he is no King, he is a monster," Lily said.

Her words comforted Esmeray - but she remembered the promise she had made to Ben as he closed his eyes.

She was going to kill that bastard King no matter what. The Rogue King was going to die.

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𝐋𝐈𝐋𝐘 𝐅𝐈𝐍𝐀𝐋𝐋𝐘 𝐌𝐀𝐍𝐀𝐆𝐄𝐃 to get Esmeray to leave the pack hospital. The pack doctors and nurses thought of her as a maleficis, and considering that some maleficis are kind to the werewolf community she wasn't considered as a threat. Moreover, she had helped improve the healing of many injured wolves.

The beautiful Ignis pack she once knew of, was no longer there. Replaced by ashes of some burnt houses, the blood of dead wolves, and the terror of the attack, it was a hollow reflection of what it once used to be. But the members didn't give up.

Some of the Aqua helped extinguish the fire. The Terra members removed the crimson grass - replacing it with its lush, green self.

Everyone was adjusting to the new normal.

Yet, the fear of another attack prevailed. The pack members patrolled every second of the day, guarding the borders against the evils that lurked beyond it. Silence was no longer a friend, it was a reminder of the storm that might come again. The rogues were ruthless and everyone believed that they would attack again - even though the pack was still healing itself.

She stared at the ceiling of the room. Although she had bathed, the feeling of the blood on her skin still remained. Ben's eyes would forever be engraved in her mind - she had seen him losing his life.

The room smelled of him, reminding her every second how much she had failed.

But now, she had something else to do. Someone else to remember.

Getting up from her bed, she ran through the herd of werewolves who met her outside. Valkyrie's word echoed in her mind - how had she forgotten about contacting her mate? That was reckless, considering he needed comfort like anyone else. Like she did.

Even though Triton had siblings, they didn't live in the castle as such. There were six merchildren of King Theodore and Queen Roseline. Triton was the oldest, of course, and the heir to the throne. He had to hence, live in the castle after his years of training were over.

The second oldest is named Niran. Esmeray had met him, considering that he is the future General of the Kingdom. Triton trusted him with his life. Niran was, although away on the borders when the sirens had attacked. The damage was done everywhere, so he had to look into it with others.

Kelaya, Asteria, Inina, and Sagira were quadruplets. Kelaya and Asteria lived with their mate - who they shared. It was unknown for two mermaids to have the same mate, but when it came to the matter concerning this particular gift of the Goddess Selene no questions were raised.

Although she had not met them in person, Triton spoke of Kelaya and Asteria's. They were trouble for sure, but Asteria was the more mature of both of them. She had given birth to a son a few months back - though Kelaya wanted to wait before she embraced motherhood. Esmeray remembered their mate's name - it was Malik.

Inina was a gypsy in her heart. Her spontaneous and unpredictable nature got her into trouble multiple times. No one knew where she was - what she did. Queen Roseline complained multiple times of her recklessness but loved her daughter nonetheless.

Sagira was the proper lady among the four. Mated to Lord of the Southern Seas, her beauty and grace was admired by all. Poets wrote about her, she owned the hearts of many. She was also the sister Esmeray was the most scared of - Esmeray might have some grace in her, but she was not sure if it would ever meet Sagira's standards.

Esmeray was sure that Niran would be with Triton, helping him administer the kingdom. Sagira might be there too, perhaps tending to Esmeray's duties - the Kingdom needed a mermaid to keep a check on the kingdom and its king.

His sibling's support was necessary.

The six of them together can only hold the kingdom together.

When the sea came near, she dived right into it - not caring about her clothes. Relief flooded her body when she commanded her legs to turn into their natural form - into her beautiful tail. Seeing the fins and the scales bought her joy. She was fine, but for how long, she was yet to know.

Like before, she summoned a portal through the water. She imagined her mate, called upon her mate bond. And like a tug, she felt the mate bond pulling Triton closer to her - it was like they were joined by a rope.

The water swirled, a portal formed in front of her.

And her mate stood next to it.

"Ty," she sighed in relief.

She might not cry in her mermaid form, but the joy she felt in her heart as she saw her mate's handsome face left her spellbound, speechless.

"My Ray..." Triton said.

They swam closer to each other, and through the mirror wall that separated them - they stared at each other.

"How are you?" Triton asked.

"Miserable without your kisses, your laugh, and your meaningless jokes," she said, trying to lighten up the mood. Triton chuckled but the sadness in his eyes was evident.

"How are you?" Esmeray asked him.

Triton sighed, a frown forming on his face.

"I...I have no idea how I wake up every day without you by my side. It is difficult, irritating. When you are here, I feel calm. And now, I have to think every single second about you and your safety. Not to forget, those damn sirens are adamant about ruining our beautiful kingdom," Triton replied.

Esmeray looked at him, her eyes going through every inch of his body. He looked physically healthy - his usual strong self. But the dullness in his mood and his face couldn't be ignored.

She sighed as she remembered why she wished to talk to him.

"There is a prophecy," she said, sighing.

Triton's eyes widened, a puzzled expression forming on his face.

"There are creatures beyond the sea - many kingdoms just like ours. A war is brewing that threatens our existence, and a prophecy was declared to stop it. I suggest you look through the shells, try to find out about Damon, a hybrid. He is after me, he wants my head. For some reason, they believe that I am a part of the prophecy and am a threat to Damon's life. My... my friend died trying to save me.... I do not know why death surrounds me everywhere I go..." she said.

"Ray....." he tried to comfort her.

But there was none.

"The sirens are acting under the commands of Damon. He is dangerous, more than anything. It took a God to put him to sleep since he is immortal. But someone blessed him with immeasurable darkness, Ty. If he wakes up, our ruin is near....." she said.

The sea was already in a war.

The terrain was on the verge of one.

Nothing was safe - not until Damon was gone, forever.

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