His Other Half

Seventy-four

Omniscient

As Ahsha sat waiting for her mates to be led in she scanned the room. Her mom and dad sat next to each other with Nuri as well.

On the opposite side of the room for the first time this week Imam was here. The pair's eyes met, and he set her his signature smirk before nodding his head.

Ahsha smiled back before looking at Marie. She didn't get to dwell on that for too long due to the doors opening. Malik, Pablo, and Ares stood locking eyes with their mate before heading to their seats.

"Good morning," They said in unison. "Where did we leave off yesterday?" Adrian asked. "Ahsha was pregnant when she found out that we kidnapped Pablo, and I took over Malik's body," Ares said. "How did she find out about Pablo?" Andy asked me.

"I threatened to kill myself if my guards didn't tell me what was going on," I said casually stunning the sea of on-lookers. "What?" Someone called out. Ahsha chuckled.

"My guards were two of Malik and Ares's closest and most trusted guards. They knew what was going on. They hinted at but I was tired of pussyfooting around the subject. I grabbed a kitchen knife held it to my throat and threatened to end it all before they told me Malik and Ares had locked Pablo away in the tombs." She explained. "How did you find out about what happened to Malik?" Jacob asked.

"Malik told me," Ahsha said.

Ares looked at me confused. "How?" He questioned. "With Oshun's help," Malik answered. "After that, it was basically like living in a war zone with Ares." She said shrugging.

"So, what exactly did you want to gain out of imprisoning Pablo and Malik? I assume you had good reason to go through all of that." Harrison said.

"I wanted Ahsha," Ares said pointedly. "You already had her," Isaac said causing Ares to shake his head.

"Do you know what it's like to always have to share, but not only share but to receive the smallest portion? Every single time. I had never been given the space to have something for myself." Ares spoke.

"I mean I can understand that but if we're being technical you don't have her to yourself now," Jacob said.

"That's true. But it's different now. Before I didn't think she saw me, not as a separate being from Malik. I felt like she only interacted with me when I forced her to. I couldn't see past my own issues to notice that she was paying attention. She had been trying to tell me that from the beginning. She saw me. She wanted me. I couldn't see that because my mind wouldn't let me believe that she could ever want me like I wanted her. All I saw was how much attention she gave Malik and later on Pablo. I wanted that. I couldn't see that when we were together she gave me just as much attention." He said looking up at Ahsha.

"What changed?" Dalia asked. "Towards the end before everything blew up. She showed me that she knew things about me that I never really said out loud. She just naturally picked up on by just being with me." He sighed feeling a familiar knot in his chest as he thought about how awful he was to her.

"After that all I felt was regret. So as an act of waving the white flag, I allowed her to visit with Malik for a time." He said.

"And Pablo?" Adrian asked. "No," he said. "I couldn't do it. I couldn't let him near her, not after what he tried to do." He added.

"The attempted banishment," Dalia said. "Yes, my reasoning was that he'd try and poison her feelings toward me. I was just starting to repair our relationship I couldn't let him come between that." Ares spoke.

"So, what ended the fighting for good?" Andy asked looking at me.

"He told me what Pablo tried to do. How Malik and Imam stopped him. That day I saw Ares for exactly who he was. A very hurt, angry, and neglected man. His parents treated him like a monster. His brothers treated him like a weapon. You all viewed him as a terror, so that's what he gave you." Ahsha spoke with an air of anger in her words.