Chapter Six

Aziz

"What happened?" I barked, phasing from my hyena to human legs in a seamless exchange. Several high-ranking females and males were at the cusp of the clan borders, already waiting for me.

Eliza stepped forward. She was Bella's beta. One of the fiercest warriors I'd ever known. "Aziz, I tried, but I was not allowed to interfere in a formal challenge."

"Who challenged her?" I asked. "Why?"

Eliza hung her head, as did the others. "Regina. A gamma. Always arguing with Bella's decisions and becoming more and more insubordinate over time. She challenged her in a meeting of the tribes."

"Bella said nothing to me about it. You know what? I can get the details later. Take me to my mate."

I was led through the clan lands to the large house where Bella resided. Guilt and regret tore at my insides as I realized it had been over three months since I saw my lovely mate. She wasn't my true mate, and Fate hadn't chosen her for me, but she was mine nonetheless, and I did right by her as much as I could.

She truly didn't mind me being away.

Bella was independent and strong, fierce to the core.

"Where is Regina?" I asked, my hyena gunning to rip her throat out. Besides Bella being our mate by rights, she was our best friend. Her hyena and mine had been playmates long before we were told of the promises our parents had made.

"They killed each other during the challenge. Neither was left alive."

I nodded. Bella had fought to the death and taken her enemy down with her. My warrior mate.

I entered the house, and Bella's unique iris and jasmine smell infiltrated my nose. That scent calmed me and grounded me when everything else in our world was chaos.

"She's buried out back, Aziz. With the other alphas of this clan."

Our clan believed that generations of alphas' souls communed somewhere in another dimension. She would rest well with them and others of the higher calling to leadership.

There were flowers and trinkets laid at Bella's grave but only a simple headstone.

"Who is leading now?" I asked as the tears flowed down my face. I would miss Bella, but she would want things taken care of in her absence. That was what betas and gammas and the rest of the clan were for. There was order, even in the alpha's absence.

An alpha's legacy went far beyond their life and breath.

"We were going to call you tonight," Eliza said. She stood next to me with her spear ever in hand. "Since there was no victor, the title goes to the alpha's mate."

Her answer slammed into me. "I'm no alpha, and I have responsibilities elsewhere."

She scoffed. "There is no greater duty than to that of your clan, Aziz. You know that better than anyone."

"Bella knew I wasn't cut out for leading this clan, Eliza."

"Then, what are you going to do? You wouldn't leave us to fight ourselves, would you?"

I couldn't hold back the tears. Not because of the alpha dilemma but because of losing my Bella. No matter how our mating had been an act of loyalty and duty, I would miss the hell out of her. Our late-night talks. The bond of deep friendship we shared.

My mark would always remind me, and I hoped that in the afterlife, we could be together as friends, the way we were supposed to be.

If only our clans hadn't given up on the idea of fated mates.

My thoughts drifted to Jack in that moment. What was he doing? How was Bryant? I'd left him crying, being comforted by Pop-Tart instead of me.

"Aziz?" Eliza pressed.

"Let's discuss this inside."

I reluctantly left my mate's grave. We walked inside where everyone was gathered.

They each bared their necks, but I stopped them with my hand raised. "No. I'm not the alpha."

The confusion was apparent.

"Let me clarify. You all know what I do." At least the gist of it. Only Bella and my brothers knew the things I was involved in. She had fully supported me, and my heart ached knowing I wouldn't be able to call her and have our venting sessions. I got a few nods from the betas and gammas who had gathered. "I won't abandon that, and I'm not right for the job. Eliza?" I turned to face the fierce and yet compassionate warrior. She had been loyal to the clan and Bella for as long as I could remember. "I'm handing over the role of alpha to you. You do realize that others will challenge you, right? If you don't want it, I can name another, but I know of no one alive more committed to the good of this clan than you."

Eliza's eyes widened. "Me?"

"Yes. You. If I'm not mistaken, I need the approval of two more betas to hand over the alpha title to another." Four women moved forward and agreed with my decision. "There you go. Eliza, this clan is yours. If you don't mind, alpha, I'm going to go upstairs and grab the pictures Bella had of the two of us. Everything else is yours. She always told me that she kept detailed records of her time as the alpha in her journals. You might learn from those. I'll take the pictures and then my leave, if that's okay with you."

"Take whatever you like, Aziz. I know that your mating was arranged, but you did well as her mate. She never had an ill word to speak of you and was proud of your work to help omegas all over the world."

"Thank you."

I went upstairs to Bella's room and gathered the things that reminded me of her. Mostly pictures. Only a few hours later, I was back on the path to the omega safehouse with Jack on my mind.

I would let myself mourn Bella, but my hyena drove me to get back to the beautiful omega I could no longer deny.