Chapter 122: Truth Be Told

ARIEL

I’m about to rip off the Band-Aid.

I need to tell Alex the news that Fate chose another mate for me… And that it’s not him…

But suddenly I hear another voice and realize that Alex and I are not alone in his office.

“Ariel,” I hear Vivian calling out to me from the big chair opposite Alex’s desk. “How’s it going?”

“Viv!” I say a little too excitedly. “Working hard or hardly working?” I continue with an awkward laugh.

~Oh Goddess…~

~My nerves are getting the better of me.~

“Working hard,” Vivian says with a half smile. “We could actually use your help.”

“Okay,” I say, taking the seat next to her. “What’s the problem?”

“Ever since Fate was reborn, many werewolves have found new destined mates,” she says. “It’s creating chaos in the kingdom. There is a lot of anger and confusion.”

~Welcome to my world…~

“We’re trying to craft a statement to bring some peace,” Vivian continues. “We want to send the message that this is a golden opportunity. A chance to shun tradition—to follow love instead of Fate.”

“I think that’s great,” I respond, desperate to end the conversation so I can talk to Alex alone. “Inspiring,” I add.

Alex sighs and I look over to him. “What is it?” I ask.

“I’m just worried a little statement from the palace isn’t going to do anything,” Alex says. “If you suddenly got another mate, I’d have to exile the dude to Fate’s Web, where he’d never see the light of day again.”

“Well,” I say, my heart rate quickening. “That’s not really fair.”

“When it comes to you, I don’t play fair,” Alex says. “You saw what I did to Xavier. Anyone else that has a mating pull on you would be fed to that fucking spider.”

“Alex, you can’t exile him,” I suddenly blurt out. “It’s not his fault.”

~There goes the Band-Aid…~

Alex’s expression freezes. “Exile…who?” he asks me.

“I came here to tell you—it’s Fate…,” I mutter, my voice cracking. “She gave me a new destined mate.”

“How do you know?” Alex asks, rising from his chair.

“Because I just met him,” I say.

The room falls into deafening silence.

Suddenly, Vivian’s small voice cuts through the tension like a knife. “I’ll leave you two alone,” she says. “We can discuss the statement later.”

With that, she disappears from the room, leaving me and Alex in a staring contest with no winners.

“I’m so sorry, Alex,” I say. “This is the last thing I ever wanted to happen. But it’s true. I have a new destined mate.”

ALEX

My muscles tighten.

My fists clench.

My vision blurs.

It’s like my body is jumping into action before my mind has even had a chance to process what Ariel just said.

After everything we’ve been through…

All the obstacles we’ve had to face…

~Why the fuck is this happening?~

~Why is Fate throwing another wrench in our happy ending?~

~Why can’t we have just one goddess-damned moment of peace?~

Suddenly, I blurt out the only thing I can think of. “Are you in love with him?” I ask.

As soon as the words leave my mouth, I know that I’m being stupid and so fucking petty.

But I can’t help it.

Unbridled jealousy is getting the better of me.

Ariel approaches me, eyes wide. “Alex. What are you talking about? I love ~you~. ~You’re~ my mate, forever. You know I don’t care what Fate has to say about it.”

“Then let’s go,” I say, grabbing her suddenly by the arm. “I want to watch you reject him. Now.”

I try to pull her toward the door, but she remains firmly where she’s standing.

“The thing is…,” she says.

“What is the thing?!” I ask. “Why does there always have to be a thing?!”

“I can’t reject him,” she says. “Not yet.”

“Why not?”

She pulls her arm away and takes a step toward the door. It looks like tears are about to spill from her eyes.

~Shit.~

~I need to calm down.~

This isn’t Ariel’s fault, and she doesn’t need me making this situation any harder on her.

I take a deep breath, in and out, trying to settle my pounding heart.

“I’m sorry,” I say. “I’m really sorry. Let’s start this conversation over. Tell me what happened.”

Ariel nods and leads me over to the couch.

She interlaces her fingers in mine and begins.

“His name is Matt,” she says.

~Matt.~

That always seemed like a pretty standard name to me.

Now it sounds like it could be written on the devil’s birth certificate.

“He’s one of the new warrior recruits,” Ariel continues. “I knew he was my mate the instant I saw him, and I was prepared to reject him on the spot. But the Moon Goddess has other plans…”

“Of course she does…”

“She wants me to heal him before I hurt him,” she says. “I need to reunite him with the woman he loves, or else the pain of rejection will be too much for him. He’s broken, Alex. Like I was before I met you.”

“How are you going to help him? You don’t even know the guy.”

“I’m not sure yet,” Ariel says. “But we killed the Goddess Fate, remember? I think we can reunite a couple of star-crossed lovers.”

Ariel rests her other hand on my thigh and starts to rub it slowly.

“No matter how long it takes, you’re my one true mate,” she says. “And I’ll do absolutely anything to prove it to you.”

A glint lights up her sunflower eyes.

I know that look…

The look she gets when she has something dirty on her mind…

The look that drives me wild…

Her hand glides farther up my thigh.

“We should lock the door,” I say, but Ariel just shakes her head and pulls me in for a kiss, sucking my lower lip between her teeth.

“I want you now,” she says. “I want you to know that you’re the only one for me.”

She pushes me back so that I’m lying on the couch, and in a flash, she’s straddling me.

I press my hardening member into her open thighs.

She’s making me more and more excited by the second.

I feel her fumbling at my belt buckle, but it’s taking too long.

Suddenly I’m the eager one, desperate to remind her that our connection is far stronger than any destined mate bond.

I wrap my arms around Ariel tightly and she squeals as I roll her over. We nearly fall off the couch, but I don’t care. I would happily make love to her on the carpet.

My hands roam freely over her tight training clothes that define every perfect curve on her body.

I pull her top off and press my lips onto her soft breasts.

She moans as I slip one nipple into my mouth while I massage the other between my fingers.

“Oh Goddess…,” she whispers. “You know my body better than I do.”

I kiss my way down her soft stomach to her hips and peel off her spandex leggings and tight black underwear.

“You want me?” I ask her.

“You’re all I’ve ever wanted,” she says.

I take my stiff member into my hand and rest it gently at her soft, wet opening.

Ariel is my whole world, and I’m going to remind her why she chose me to be her mate, right here, right now.