His Other Half

Thirteen

Malik

"Here." I said as I held her key up. She looked at me confused before shaking her head. "I'm not even going to ask." She said gaining laughter from me. I waited for her to get inside before I turned and headed to my car. I looked around at all the people that were trying to steal glances at me as if I couldn't see them. I noticed and older woman struggling with a bag of groceries, and something told me to go help her, so I rushed over to do so. "Here let me." I said scooping the bags out of her hands. She looked up at me surprised before she smiled. "Thank you, Mr. Ahmad. You're too kind" She said respectfully and very politely. I gave her a gentle nod before I followed her towards her home. "Thank you again Mr. Ahmad." The old lady said. "It's no problem." I said before turning to leave. "The family next door—" She said pausing making me halt all movement. I turned to look at her and I watched as a bright smile spread across her face. Her eyes shifted from their light brown color to an almost teal color. "Hafidi" (my grandson) She said. I looked at her before her appearance began to morph into the familiar face of my grandmother.

"Jida? (grandma)" I said in disbelief. I hadn't seen my grandmother since the morning she vanished. She smiled walking towards me. "Where have you been?" I asked as she cupped my face before I pulled her in for a tight hug. "I'm safe but I came to talk to you." She said. "Why couldn't any of us sense you?" I asked. "Malik." She snapped. "You need to listen. I'm not here for long." She paused. "Don't let Ares's controlling nature ruin what you will have with Ahsha." She said surprising me and waking Ares up. He growled lowly. "What did you see?" I asked. "I'm not allowed to tell you. I'm breaking a number of rules even being here but how you two handle having a mate will be your greatest lesson. Please learn from it." She said before she came over kissed my cheek. She hugged me tight before whispering. "Tell Cairo to trust his gut, tell Alexander he's already met his mate, so stop worrying, and tell Jericho he can stop hiding his mate everything will be okay. Tell your father we'll be speaking very soon." She said looking at me. "I love all of you so much please don't let me down hafidi." She said. I nodded my head. She gave me a gentle smile before stepping away and I watched as turned back into the original woman. 

--

"So how did it go?" Cairo asked we walked into the living room. "I- Where's dad?" I asked. "His office." Cairo said. "Go get Jericho and Alexander and meet me in his office." I told him before heading back. I walked into my dad's office to see him talking to someone. I watched as the chair in front of me turn around to see my grandfather. "Jid? (grandfather)" I said shocked. "Malik." My grandfather Sai said as he stood looking at me with a smirk. "You're here." I said surprised. "When news that my grandson has found his mate and she's the granddaughter of a long line powerful high priestess, I had to come see for myself." He said. I looked at him confused. "What?" I asked. 'What did he say?' Ares asked just as Jericho and Cairo joined us. "I have something I need to tell you all." I said looking at them.

"Jida came and visited me today." I said. My father and brothers looked at me surprised while my grandfather's face held no emotion. Except for his eyes they flickered between their ice blue color to crimson red. "What did she say?" Cairo asked. "She told me to tell you to trust your gut, Alex she said that you already met your mate so be patient and Jericho she said you can stop hiding your mate." I said before turning to my dad. "And she said that you two will be talking soon." I said. I watched as the three of them processed what I said before we all turned to look at my grandfather.

"Malik have a seat." My grandfather said. I sat down and waited for him to continue. "Before you came in your grandfather was telling me about Ahsha's family." My father said. "What about them?" I asked as my brothers came and stood next me. "Ahsha is a direct descendant of a long line of high priestesses." My grandfather said. "She hasn't mentioned it." "She doesn't know." He said. "So, what does that mean?" I asked which I almost immediately regretted once I saw his dark smile spread across his face.