By the time Faris was done speaking Aiko had disbelief cinched on her face.
"Princess Cassandra is a goddess reborn and I am in a prophecy who is supposed to help lift this curse from the pack and also her."
Faris playfully moved his head up and down and answered, still nipping the urge to touch her.
"Pretty much it."
"Call me intrigued. Are you sure the person is me, though," Aiko asked, just to be sure. Her fingers pressed together to contain the excitement bubbling inside her.
What could be better than to redeem herself by becoming part of the inner circle and going on what seemed to her an adventure?
"You are the only trickster fox spirit I know. There is no female in our pack who possesses a fox spirit. The other statements point towards you as well, walking in darkness but wishing to change. I can bet it’s you."
Faris smiled warmly, his face and eyes softening for her in those seconds.
The bond thrummed like a slow symphony, calling to both of them.
’So fucking handsome, why was he so charming. Never seen such a smile which could even liquefy my bones,’ Aiko’s fox spirit chimed into her brain while she openly stared at him.
’It wouldn’t be so bad if I touched his smooth hair, they seemed so soft, my fingers would definitely thank me for grazing them.’
She got embroiled in the irresistible mate bond.
Faris’s sweet smile changed to a lopsided one as he cocked his head at her when she didn’t answer him but just stared with those big sky-shaded eyes of hers. There was a twinkle there and his own fox whispered in his head.
’Our mate is mesmerised by us.’
’Well we are the very definition of charm so it’s understandable,’ Faris answered him before teasingly speaking out for Aiko.
"Did you hear what I said?"
Aiko crashed down from the heavenly realm she had climbed to.
Embarrassment engulfed her and chewed her out all red and ashamed.
"Oh! Ye–s, of course. Makes sense," she stammered while defensively answering, dipping her eyes and boring them into the sandy soil.
Faris knowingly nodded at her; the sun-kissed streaks of his hair obscured his left eye from her, and she had to self-impose restraint to not reach out and brush them away.
"I would like you to meet my brother and SIL as well. Speak to them in detail. She has a big heart and has already forgiven you but my brother is different. He doesn’t forgive people, especially those who hurt his mate or loved ones...." Faris paused, hoping Aiko was not scared of what he was saying.
The evening’s smooth gold light illuminated her features; they were sharp, giving her a sandy hue at that moment. He knew she would soon accumulate the tan which came with their lands. She needed it, living with vampires had turned her too pale.
Her eyes held this determination to win everyone over, and he didn’t find the slightest hesitation there. Nor was she afraid, her spirit was daunting. Having survived someone like Kanyon.
"I won’t disappoint you, and I meant to speak with them," she answered, bunching her lips up.
"Good, we are holding a welcome back banquet for our SIL. You can do it after it; I can accompany you if that’s your desire."
Aiko was touched by his suggestion. It was a small gesture, but the men in her life, except her father and brother, had been a huge disappointment.
Her mate was different, she could sense it. Even though she had wronged him, there was no hostility in his eyes and actions anymore.
"I would appreciate it," she answered as Faris gestured for her to turn so they could head back towards their dwelling.
The wind picked up, the trenches they were digging around their place were almost complete and were being filled with boulders.
Aiko was intrigued and asked.
"Trenches for the enemy?" The last time she was there, she had heard about a monster attack, but she had no clue about Sikalas as she had arrived after their attack.
Faris turned to cast a wary glance at them, he was reminded of the awful worms and the chaos they had brought and the chain of events that had followed.
That light that had returned to his eyes, dimmed again as he lowered his head and explained about the creatures and how they were taking measures just to be safe.
"You fought them?" She asked, slightly enthralled. "It must have been a sight."
Seeing her captivated, Faris slowly smiled and said with a tiny enthusiasm.
"Not to brag, but I am mighty with my axe. I will let you meet it someday."
"I would like that very much." She returned his smile.
"I thought you might have seen me with it, you were hiding in the shadows on our lands, right?" He tried to keep his tone casual but she picked up the hints of tightness.
She slowly gulped and gathered her courage as she dragged her eyes back to his non-smiling face now.
"Sorry, I spied on you last time I was here. But we came after the attack when Alpha Siroos had already fallen unconscious. We didn’t know what had caused his condition."
"I understand," Faris slowly said, remembering that was the time Ara was still alive and she must have seen him with her.
The bond slowly hummed between them as Faris’s thoughts drifted off. The mistakes he had made with Ara haunted him day and night like vultures snatching the meat of his bones.
She could feel the tension rippling through the bond now, it clenched at her heart too.
"You can speak about her, that’s the least I can do. I will listen."
Her words made him sharply turn to face her. Faris wasn’t sure if she was only trying to be sympathetic because she felt pity for him or she was someone who would genuinely care about him and his feelings involving another woman.
"I mean it," she assured him, her eyes didn’t waver from him, determined and bold.
"I know you must think why I didn’t wait for my mate, that I am a womaniser. If you ask anyone in the pack, they will most probably give you the same talk. And it’s true as well. Settling down and finding my mate was not something I took too seriously..." he paused and mirthlessly laughed at his own predicament.
"I thought responsibilities were only for my brother because he was older. I ran from them and just wanted to be carefree. Sleeping with anyone available, ignoring the ache in my heart that constantly reminded me I should look for my mate, to look for you. The curse our pack was under made us promiscuous, we didn’t care much for the mate because most of us never found them, we just settled. That’s what I was about to do. Settle with Ara, until you came along and now we are here."
He dryly laughed to lessen the stinging pain in his heart but all Aiko could sense the visceral vulnerability he carried inside his heart.
Without thinking she stepped closer and wrapped her arms around his back, hugging him and placing her face where his heart was.