"Chloe, mating between the mai is very simple. Around adulthood, when a mai is ready to find a mate, they become hyper-aware of the scents of other mai. Baset blessed us with the gift to be able to find our mates by the scent," Jasmine answered passively. Chloe hadn't even asked her a question remotely related to the given answer, but apparently Jasmine felt she needed that answer.

"That's great Jazz, but that's not really the question I asked," Chloe responded, trying not to laugh.

"It's almost like following a scent trail, and it's almost impossible to ignore it - wait what? What did you ask me?"

"Jazz, I asked if you wanted buttered or unbuttered popcorn, not a mai history lesson," Chloe said, bursting with giggles. The girls began laughing at the absurdity of the conversation they had just had.

Chloe woke with a start. It had been 5 years since that moment in Jasmine's kitchen, and 3 since the fall of the order. Chloe had severed ties with most of the mai after the order was abolished. The final battle was gruesome, and Brian's betrayal in the event wasn't something Chloe liked to think about. Many lives were lost, including Valentina's, even members of the Sao Paulo pride. Even Chloe lost lives that fateful night. After she witnessed the cruelties of the Rezza family, Chloe couldn't face the other members of the pride because of her former relationship with Brian. Even Alek. Especially Alek.

Alek.

Alek had been there for her every time she needed him. No hesitations, no questions asked, he was there. And at the time she had been to blind to see that he loved her, and, even worse, that she loved him. But she could never face him now. Not after how her actions had cost so many lives. Maybe if she had wizened up sooner, Valentina would still be alive and Jasmine wouldn't have had to head the pride so soon.

Jasmine checked up on Chloe periodically, and Chloe let her because she knew Jasmine would blame herself if anything happened to her. Chloe knew she was an excellent leader and the Pride was flourishing under her rule, but she couldn't be part of a pride now. They probably hated her, even if they wouldn't admit it. She may be their "uniter," but those days were over.

Alek, on the other hand, checked up frequently, and Chloe always tried to avoid him. There was never any direct contact, and for that, Chloe was grateful, but every time she sensed his presence she tensed up. She couldn't understand why he kept coming back to find her.

She loved him with every fiber of her being, but she wasn't right for him. He deserved someone who always knew how amazing he was and would appreciate his ability to protect and love wholeheartedly. But Chloe was not that girl, could never be that girl. She missed her chance, and now she would pay the consequences.

Something suddenly pulled her from her thoughts, A scent. Something . . . familiar. It smelt like . . . like . . . like him.

I would love reviews on the story. Pretty Pretty Please :)