Page 15 of Aries Mated

But I had a feeling the Lego set would be a good chance for us to bond with Sol some more if that was what Maeve wanted. Who knew how much of a struggle he was going to have going forward and when he would need advice? I would be really happy to do that. Not just for Maeve, but for Sol as well. It was hard suffering through the initial uncontrollable bear shifts. Puberty was hard enough, but adding shifting to that, it became so much messier. This wasn’t just a one-time visit. I didn’t want to get distracted from my goal of second place, but if I could make a positive difference in someone else’s life, that would be good too.

“We should go eat that apple pie,” Matt declared, trying save everyone from anymore sadness. “It smells really delicious.”

We followed him back to the dining table and took our places once again. I took a big bite of pie, and Matt was right, it was delicious.

“So, we should talk about it, right?” I asked. “Answer any questions that you and Sol have?”

Maeve nodded. “I would like to know what’s best for both of us. What I can do.”

“Well, I would warn you about the games,” Atlas started. “A place with heightened emotions, and a lot of animosity, can really bring a bear to the surface.”

“Oh no,” Sol pouted. “Does that mean I can’t go to any of the activities?”

Atlas shook his head. “I think as long as you keep away from any trouble, watching the events should be fine. But things like the meet and greet…”

“Yeah, I think we both learned our lesson there,” Maeve said with a laugh. “Nothing like that. Okay.”

“You also need to have good communication,” I offered. “Sol, it’s much better for you to tell your mom exactly how you feel all the time. I know that isn’t easy because you don’t always want to share with your mom, but—”

“I will do my best,” he interjected eagerly. “I know I need some help with this. I don’t want to feel like that on my own again. It was horrible.”

“Good.” I smiled at him. “And we are all here for you as well. Whenever you want us, you can reach out to us.”

The other guys offered some advice as well, and I really felt like we got through to Sol a little. He at least seemed much more receptive to talking to his mom, which I understood more than anyone else. I was sullen at this time of my life and didn’t always want to be honest with how I was feeling, but that only landed me in trouble over and over again.

While they talked, I found my eyes drifting over to Maeve, like there was a magnet pulling me toward her. It was out of my control. She looked intensely happy every time I caught her gaze, which was awesome. We had all managed to help her feel a little bit better. I might have only met her today, but I was already entranced by her. I knew Maeve and Sol were going to be a part of my journey from here on out. I wanted to be there in their lives.

As a pilot, my life was pretty isolated, and honestly, that was how I preferred it. I kept people at arm’s length because it was much easier that way. But Maeve and Sol had gotten under my skin, just as Kai and the other guys had. I really liked them all, which was an unexpected side effect of the Astro Games.

Chapter 9 Maeve

“Are you okay?”I asked Sol for what felt like the hundredth time. “Are these seats going to be okay for you? I know that there are a lot of emotions here…”

“I’m fine, Mom.” He rolled his eyes. He was doing his best to communicate with me better in the four days since talking to the, but he was still a little surly with me from time to time. “Stop asking. I said I would tell you if I needed help. I am doing the breathing exercises that Matt taught me. I know what I’m doing now. I have it under control. You need to just believe in me, Mom.”

I wanted to trust him, I really did, but I was so scared for him. Just knowing that this was the sort of place where Sol could be triggered again was terrifying, so I got us seats away from everyone else. This was the first Astro Games event that I had attended in person, or that I had watched at all, and I probably wasn’t going to be able to see any of it because I’d be too caught up watching Sol. I even had Viola with me, so I wasn’t alone if anything happened.

“How do you think Atlas is going to do this time?” Sol asked me. “He started in sixteenth place, and is now in thirteenth. But everyone has said that the parkour event can really change things.”

“Yeah?” I was a little interested if it involved the four guys. “How do you know all this stuff?”

“Because I’ve been following the games, Mom,” he chuckled. “TJ started in seventh place and is now in fifth.”

“Wow, so he’s doing really well, then.” Why did that bring a big lump to my throat? Because of the almost kiss?

“Kai was thirteenth and is now tenth, and Matt was sixth and is now fourteenth.”

“Huh, he’s gone down. Why do you think that is?” I felt bad for Matt. Matt and his sweet smile. My heart ached for him. He was such a sweetheart who didn’t deserve any upset.

“I don’t think motorbike racing was his strong point. But parkour might be. He’s predicted to do really well.”

How had I suddenly become so interested in these games when I didn’t even know the names of any of the competitors not so long ago? Ever since we all had that dinner, I knew I was going to be watching the Astro Games like a hawk. But would I be cheering the guys on and wanting them to win, or would I want them to be eliminated so I could keep my friendships with all of them? That was going to be a massive struggle. I didn’t want any of them to lose, but I also didn’t want the princess to snatch one of them up. Especially if she was in love with one of the other guys. What a shit show this whole thing was. Behind the scenes, everything was clearly a mess. How was the Bear King dealing with all of this? I bet he was going crazy.

A hush fell over the crowd, which was surprising because only moments before everyone was singing and yelling top note. It was like being in the middle of one of the busiest nights at Pleasures. But a lot more insane. Seeing how big the crowd at the arena could get was impressive. The whole empire might as well have been here. But everyone fell quiet at the same time because of the sheer magnitude of power that the Bear King held.

“Is the Bear King going to make a speech?” I whispered to Sol.

He shrugged. He was just as fixated on the king as everyone else. Or maybe not the king, but the beautiful woman behind him. Princess Azariyah. She was mind-blowingly beautiful. I could see why all the guys were in this competition fighting for her. She was gorgeous and poised, with piercing eyes that swept across the arena. She had a confidence about her that must have been ingrained in her since birth. It was impressive.

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