The Rejected Alpha's Vengeance

[HAWI]

"Who did you kill?" Mbali asked when morning came and she heard Hawi humming a song from the old Sicario musicians. It was so odd to see Hawi in that state and what was even worse was the fact that she seemed relaxed, truly.

Mbali had been standing by the door for the past ten minutes and all she had seen was the little Sicario girl she had once seen in Sicario twenty years before they had come to the human lands.

That girl had always been happy, always had a smile on her face and even her laughter back then was infectious. She had eyes that could pull anyone in and a beautiful aura that got flowers blooming around her.

She was pretty, she was innocent and she was happiness personified. That little girl always loved to sing songs while watching her mother work or even while she played in the fields with the other kids.

She had been the best thing that happened to Sicario and three centuries later, even though the smile had faded, Mbali still believed that there was a part of that little girl that still lived in the cruel best friend fate had given her.

"Why… Do you have someone for me to kill?" Hawi asked enthusiastically as she turned briefly to look at Mbali who was still trying to s for herself if there was another loose screw in the head of the girl she had once seen.

Perhaps this was what their fate had become, and even then, Mbali hadn't been this surprised. That girl had a gentle heart and was loved by everyone in Sicario. She never had a burden on her shoulders even with her fate being a heavy one.

And right now, Mbali was sewing that little girl again.

Oh, how it was a pleasure for her to see her like that. Perhaps she had to hoe and wait for a switch again, but if Mbali had a choice between whatever fate was waiting for them and the sight before her, she would choose this.

The happy girl before her was worth all the wars that they had fought and would still fight.

"Maybe…" Mbali trailed off keenly.

"Well, we will have to postpone that last for a while seeing as the Russels are already here," Hawi said nonchalantly before adding, "You want some pancakes? I'm making a lot of them since there will be four of us."

If Mbali had been shocked by Hawi's first statement, she hadn't shown it, but when she heard the second bit, the part that scared the hell out of her was out there, and yet to Hawi, it seemed normal, which was unsettling.

The Russels were their enemies, or so Mbali had forced herself to believe, even after all that time had passed. She had maintained her stance because it was the only way for her to forget the fact that her heart would forever call out to Amina Russel.

It had always been easy for her because Amina wasn't exactly the most open person. Of course, over the years, Mbali hated the fact that Amina always listened to her. Perhaps if Amina had stayed stubborn, she wouldn't have needed Mbali when Mbali sent her away.

It wasn't supposed to be that easy, and yet when Mbali had pushed Amina and demanded space, the young Russel had given her just that. She had disappeared like Mbali had wanted her to, and now several years later, Mbali's heart still ached for Amina Russel.

"Wh… what do you mean by that?" Mbali asked, desperate to be told by Hawi that this was just a ploy and that Hawi was not serious about what she had just said. It is impossible that one of them was happy and excited while the other was a shell of what had once been.

It wasn't supposed to be like this. They were supposed to be happy together. They were supposed to be on the same page and right now, it seems a lot like Haw was happier and Mbali was the only one left to strive in depression.

"Come in, the door is open and doesn't have any magic to keep you out!" Hawi said, as she misled genuinely at Mbali who was staying with her jaw on the floor. There was just no way that this was real.

Whatever happened to Hawi and her constant spite for the Russels? Why the fuck was this the time for them to be this fucked over by a bunch from a family they had eliminated and yet one that had cost them their peace?

"Happiness, my sweet Mbali. Happiness is what I offer you this very morning. I may not know where my Ruru is, but that doesn't mean that I will keep you away from the love of your life," Hawi responded nonchalantly as They walked in first into their apartment.

It was a sight that got Mbali frozen and she could feel her heart sink into her stomach, and at the same time, her what was beating a little too loudly. It was not supposed to be like this, not when she was so unprepared and never ready.

She had struggled to make peace with the possibility that her mate's bond was just an illusion and now that Hawi was giving her a chance at happiness, shock was all Mbali could feel on her body.

"Impossible," Mbali whispered as the silhouette she had dreamed of daily walked right in after Trey. It was almost like a dream, the one thing that scared the hell out of her and at the same time, made her want to have hope.

This was not how she had imagined the meeting would be, but when she caught a whiff of the cinnamon scent she had missed over the years, Mbali froze completely. She just stood there like a statue, even as the scent invaded her nose.

It was such a delicious scent that it got her wanting to move towards the person, but each time, it was a little too powerful for her. So instead of making the steps towards what her heart desired, she just stood there, rooted to the spot, while silently praying for truths.

"You guys want pancakes too? This one's frozen," Hawi's awfully cheery voice invaded Mbali's ears, but this time, it did nothing to ease the tension that Mbai was feeling. The last time she had seen her, it had not gone so well for her.

The goodbyes had been messy as fuck and now she didn't know what to do. Perhaps he needed to make a run for it, right? But even if she ran, where the fuck would she even go this time? She had nothing keeping her rooted anywhere anyway.

'Oh, goddess,' Mbali thought to herself as memories of the last time she had been with Amina and the rest of her team flooded her mind. This wasn't the time to reminisce, but fate, as always, was being a bitch to her.

So defeatedly, Mbali let herself lean into the darkness that was calling her, as the memories overwhelmed her along with regret for what she had done. But then again, given the chance to turn back time, would she have made a different decision?

Perhaps she would find answers in her memories, no?

*********

[The Lonely Night… A MONTH BEFORE THE GREAT SICARIO WAR]

[MBALI]

"Who are you?" Ruru had questioned the woman who seemed to have a soft spot for Mbali.

It was unusual really, especially seeing how Jabali Lihle was so open to affection with this woman. The same woman who hated affection didn't seem to fight the affection this time it was heartwarming and so curious.

"Her mate," the woman spoke with conviction as she looked at Mbali, her eyes never leaving the Lycan warrior.

"What's your name?" Hawi asked.

"Amina. Amina Russel," Amina said.

For a moment there, there was silence.

Amina's words had gotten them into a kind of shock, one that even Mbali herself, despite going in and out of consciousness, was very aware of, and boy was it something that she wasn't ever going to accept.

Her mate was a warlock from the same family that had cost them all lives in every dimension. The same warlocks who had been the root of their pain and the same reason they had been unable to embrace their humanity in peace.

Those same warlocks had been proud in their desire to fuck up everything they worked for, and yet right now, they were standing face to face with one of them? If this wasn't the worst joke of the century, then what was it then?

How the fuck were they supposed to describe this?

"What?" Hawi asked barely above a whisper as she took in the sight before her.

"Russe?? No…" Mbali whined as she tried to get her hands off the Russel sister.

She wasn't about to let the woman share blood with her, and even if she had to die because she didn't get help, Mbali was more than willing to let that happen. The universe was not being fair to them and Mbali didn't have the energy to even stay here and deal with this shit.

"Fuck," Ruru whispered as she stared at the chaos.

"Stay away from my sister," Malika warned at the same time that Mbali spoke.

"Mark me, Malika. Put an end to all of this. Mark me so we can kill her alongside her brother. We need only one Russel to guide us to the west and where they are. We already have Nik for that.

"So, mark me, please," Mbali begged her sister who was staring at her pitifully.

"Lihle…" Malika said to her sister who had already arched her neck for Malika.

"Please, Malika," Mbali pleaded again.