Chapter 126: Fate’s Not All Bad

ARIEL

The next day, I wander anxiously through the palace halls, replaying Mateo’s story in my mind.

I can’t believe the horrors that he endured before he found his way to our pack.

And to think…if Fate had never thrown us together, I would have never known about his painful past.

Just then, something pulls me away from my spiraling thoughts…the sound of Xavi’s voice echoing down the hall.

Natalia and Chuck must have just returned from their trip. I encouraged them to get away after our encounter with Fate. I could tell that Natalia was shaken and needed a proper break.

I quicken my pace and walk out into the foyer, where I see Natalia and Chuck hauling their suitcases through the front door.

Natalia looks tanned, healthy, and happier than I’ve ever seen her.

“Ariel!” she calls out to me.

“Natalia! Chuck!” I call back, running over and giving them each a squeeze.

I take Xavi into my arms and attack his little face with kisses. “Welcome home,” I say. “I missed you guys.”

I never thought I would say that about my sister, but it’s true.

Our family is still far from perfect. My mother gives me a perpetual headache and my father blindly caters to her every whim.

But my relationship with Natalia has never been better. We have been through hell and back together, and I can’t imagine my life without her anymore.

“I’m gonna bring the luggage up to our room,” Chuck says.

“I can help,” Natalia says.

“No need, Moonbeam,” he replies, taking all three bags into his strong arms without a problem and disappearing up the stairs.

“How’s everything here?” Natalia asks me. “All quiet on the Western Front?”

The last thing I want is to burden her with the full truth right now, but one look at my face and she can tell that something is wrong.

“Oh Goddess…,” she says. “What is it now?”

“Well,” I say, still bouncing Xavi on my hip, “turns out killing Fate wasn’t the end of our problems. The reincarnated Fate assigned me a new destined mate. And he’s here.”

Natalia’s eyes dart around the foyer. “Here?” she whispers.

“Not in this room,” I say, mustering a laugh. “But he’s staying in the pack.”

“Shit, shit, shit,” Natalia says, a look of horror creeping over her face. “Does this mean we have to go back to that fucking island and kill Fate ~again~?”

“No,” I say sharply. “I’m never going back to that goddess-forsaken place. We’re gonna try to solve this problem in the easiest way possible. I don’t want anyone getting hurt this time around.”

“Let me know if I can help in any way,” Natalia says.

“You’ve helped enough,” I say. “I just want you and Chuck to relax and start your lives together.”

A giddy smile washes over Natalia’s face. “While we were away, he popped the question.”

“What question?” I ask. “You’re already mated.”

“He asked if he can officially adopt Xavi,” she exclaims.

Before I can control it, I feel tears flooding to the corners of my eyes.

Xavier deserved to die, I know that. But when Alex killed him, a part of me was crushed knowing that Xavi wouldn’t grow up with a father.

Now he will.

And I know that no one will be a better dad to him than Chuck.

“Oh, Natalia,” I coo. “That’s amazing.”

“I don’t know what I did to deserve him,” Natalia says. “I must have done something good in a past life, because I was a total bitch in this one.”

“We need to celebrate,” I say. “Maybe we can have a little party tonight.”

“You think we can pull together an appropriately amazing party by tonight? No way,” Natalia says. “I already started planning. It’s going to be in one week and it’s going to be a night to remember.”

“Got it,” I say. “I’ll be there.”

I pull her in for another hug, and for a moment the euphoria of her news almost makes me forget all the problems that lie ahead.

But then I see Vivian emerging into the foyer, clipboard in hand.

“Are you ready, Ariel?” she asks me.

Vivian, Alex, and I are supposed to have a meeting to discuss the Mateo situation, and I’m running late.

I give Xavi a final kiss and hand him back to Natalia.

“Wish me luck,” I say.

“You have a crazy-ass life, you know that right?” Natalia says. “Some wolves never find their destined mates. You found two and you don’t want either of them.”

“What can I say?” I shrug. “I’m a born rebel. I just wish Fate would get the memo that I’ve had enough mates for this lifetime.”

I see Vivian’s gaze fall to the floor at my words, and I can’t help but feel a pang of guilt.

I know that Vivian really wants to find a mate. It can’t be easy for her to hear me make light of my situation.

I follow Vivian out of the foyer and down the hall toward Alex’s office, giving her a gentle pat on the back as we go.

When we arrive at Alex’s office, he’s already sitting behind his desk waiting for us.

“So,” I say, taking a seat accross from him and launching right in, “what the ~fuck~ do we do?”

“This isn’t just an issue of star-crossed lovers anymore,” Alex says. “It’s a diplomatic crisis.”

I can tell that Alex is extremely anxious about this whole thing.

He’s worked so hard to get the respect of our own kingdom. But this situation is totally out of his jurisdiction. The last thing he wants is to wage a war on another royal pack.

And I ~definitely~ don’t want that either.

“Well…,” Vivian says. “What if there’s a way to help Isabella escape and bring her here without Queen Esmeralda knowing that we’re behind it?”

“Do you think it’s possible?” Alex asks.

“It’s worth a try,” Vivian says. “Every other option that I can think of ends in violence.”

“There’s a member of the warriors who’s in charge of special ops,” I say. “We should bring her in here and get her feedback.”

I pull my phone out of my pocket and send a Royal Pack alert to Jo, our resident ninja.

Ariel

Jo, I need your eyes on something.

Ariel

Meet me in Alex’s office.

Jo

I’ll be right there.

I pocket my phone again and return my attention to Vivian and Alex.

“I think we’re onto something,” I say. “If we can get Isabella out of Spain and give her asylum with Mateo here, then we can wipe our hands clean of this whole problem.”

Just then, there’s a knock at the door.

~Damn, Jo is fast.~

~That’s why she’s so good at her job…~

“Come in,” I call out.

Jo opens the door and stands at attention. “What do you need, Captain?” she asks me.

But before I have a chance to answer her, her posture suddenly falters and her gaze breaks from mine.

She looks straight at Vivian.

Vivian stares back at her.

Both of them have a crazed glint in their eyes.

“What is it?” I ask. “What’s the matter?”

“Mate,” Vivian says quietly.

“Mate,” Jo repeats.

~Holy shit…~

~I guess this new Fate’s not entirely bad, after all.~