Chapter 67: 67: Facing Fate

BELLE

Evangeline didn’t so much as flinch, continuing to regard the seething alpha male in front of her with enough tranquility to calm any raging storm. Slowly, she stood.

“You will not lose your mate,” she told him, voice firm. “Belle will survive this. As the prophecy states, the two of you will take on the role of the immortal king and queen of the supernatural reincarnated.

“So, while I can not tell you how she will react to your mating, I can tell you she will not die.” Her gaze slid to me. She smiled. “Belle has far too much to do.”

I turned to Grayson, offering him a small grin. “See? I’m going to be fine.”

“~Not dead~ is a far stretch from fine.” With a huff, he pulled me closer to him, making me lean my shoulder against his chest.

As awkward as this continuous PDA was, I knew he needed the physical touch to help keep him calm. He pressed a hard kiss to the top of my head, his chest vibrating with his low growls.

“Unfortunately, my time with the two of you is coming to an end,” Evangeline said. She stood from her chair and smoothed out her dress with the palms of her hands. “I must be going now.”

Grayson stiffened behind me.

“Oh,” I said. It felt like she had only been here for a few minutes. I still had so many questions for her. “You have to go already?”

“I would love nothing more than to continue my visit with the two of you,” Evangeline replied, folding her hands in front of her.

Her eyes momentarily wandered to the doors of the terrace, which overlooked an incredible view of the entire kingdom of Zaweth.

She looked back at us with an expression that could only be described as nostalgic. “I enjoy being back in this palace. Despite its change in appearance, it still brings back many fond memories.”

Her lips turned up. “I also enjoy chatting with you both. You remind me a great deal of myself and my mate at the start of our journey.”

The faint halo of light surrounding her form was becoming brighter, illuminating the dark room around us.

“I truly wish I could have been more helpful. I wish I could have provided you with better answers to your questions.

“You may be Elijah and my reincarnated spirits, but much of this journey is your own. You must experience it for yourself.”

Grayson stood, pulling me up with him. “Is there any chance we can convince you to stay longer?” he asked her.

I nearly scoffed, thinking it a bit ironic that he was begging her to stay despite his incredibly rude behavior toward her, as if she would want to be around him any longer than absolutely necessary.

It was a miracle that ~I~ could stand him.

Evangeline shook her head. “Unfortunately, no. My powers have allowed me to visit, but they have their limits. I must be going.”

She was glowing brighter than the lamp next to her now. I nearly had to squint to continue looking at her.

“Where exactly are you going?” I asked, letting my curiosity get the best of me. It was still unclear as to whether or not she was even alive. Were we talking to her ghost?

And if she really was here, did that mean King Elijah was out there somewhere too? Had the Mortars not been successful in killing them when they took the throne all those years ago?

Evangeline laughed like a person would when sharing an inside joke with another. “That would take far too long to explain. Just know that this will be the last time you will be seeing me.”

Did that mean she ~couldn’t~ come back or ~wouldn’t~ come back? “But what if we have more questions?” I blurted. “Will you be able to come back if I text you again?”

“The phone worked only that one time,” she explained. “You can text that number, but I will not receive it. As I said before, this will be the last time you will see me. My powers will not allow me to return.”

I wanted to ask why but was distracted by the sudden burst of brightness around her. I gasped and covered my eyes as Grayson pulled me tighter into his protective embrace.

“I have to get back to my mate now. He worries when I’m away for too long. I’m sure the two of you can relate,” Evangeline said with a giggle.

I could barely even see her anymore; she was far too bright to look at directly.

The halo of light around her had spread onto her body, making her look like she was glowing beneath her skin, lighting up her clothes and hair.

“Fate chose you both for a reason; you will make an incredible king and queen,” she continued, her voice sounding distant. “Just trust that what the prophecy says is true, and everything will be okay.”

With that, the light burst into a million little sparks that filled the room like falling snow. Grayson forced my face into his chest and stepped in front of me protectively.

Complete silence followed. Grayson and I were still, listening, waiting to see if it was over.

After several moments passed, we finally lifted our heads and cautiously peered around the room. Evangeline was gone, as was the light. We were alone.

I was the first to speak. “Um…” I looked up at Grayson, his arms still wrapped tightly around me. I couldn’t help but laugh. “Did that really just happen?”

Grayson shook his head in shock. He was smiling with me, but his wide eyes were still searching the room. “Yep. That just happened,” he confirmed.

One more flabbergasted laugh escaped my mouth as I let my forehead fall onto his hard chest. “My life used to be normal, you know,” I said against his shirt.

Grayson chuckled. “Normal or boring?”

I suppose he had a point. I would much prefer this life even if it had been a little crazy and unexpected since I met him.

I sighed and tilted my head up to look at him. “So what now?” I asked.

I was acutely aware of the fact that we were alone once again. I was also aware of the fact that there seemed to be no good reason keeping us from mating now.

That knowledge heated my body and drove me to dip my hands under the bottom of his shirt, running over the bare skin of his back.

I traced his muscles and even trailed my fingers just slightly under his belt and the waistband of his pants, hoping Grayson would take the hint.

My efforts were rewarded when he began to softly purr, obviously enjoying my suggestive touch.

Moisture pooled between my legs at the sound, and a whimper escaped my mouth before I could stop it.

I knew Grayson could smell my need because his lips came crashing down onto mine a moment later.

Warmth ran through my midsection and erupted into a pool of butterflies that left me gasping. I moaned and leaned into the kiss.

The way his lips moved against mine, the way his tongue thrust into my mouth like he couldn’t wait to taste me, somehow made me feel lost and like I had finally found my home simultaneously.

He pulled away too soon. “Now…,” he began, his tone causing my stomach to flutter. My skin tingled as his eyes ran over my flushed face, shifting between red, black, and forest green.

“~Fuck~… now I remind you of the promise you made me just a little while ago.”

I pouted. “What promise?”

He lowered his head until his lips were just barely skimming over mine as he spoke. “The promise that you wouldn’t try to tempt me to ravish you.”

The groan I released closely resembled that of a whining child. “We’re still doing that? Even after everything Evangeline just told us?”

“Just give me some time to process,” Grayson said, trying to soothe me.

“I know the bond is making it nearly impossible, but please, just let me think this through.

“A few days, okay? Give me a few days, and then I will happily allow you to break my resolve with your wandering little hands and the smell of your mouthwatering arousal.”

My heart wormed its way up my throat. If I wasn’t mistaken, that sounded like Grayson finally confirming that we were actually going to mate—something I wasn’t so sure about up until that moment.

“A few days?” I repeated, swallowing thickly. I shifted my weight, seeking any sort of friction to relieve the throbbing happening between my legs.

I doubted my ability to last a few more ~seconds,~ let alone a few days—but I could try.

A muscle ticked in Grayson’s jaw. I wanted to lick that muscle. “A few days,” he confirmed.

I tried to wrap my head around his need to wait. I could feel the evidence of his arousal, his hard cock pushing against my stomach.

He obviously wanted me—and I was sure I had made my desire for him more than clear.

We knew all the information available to us about what the shifting process would be like when turning into a Fae, so what was the point in waiting to mate?

Grayson was too sweet. He was too worried about keeping me safe. His protective nature was going to be the death of both of us.

“Fine,” I whispered. “A few days.”