Chapter 0234

“What?” he sputters, disbelieving.

“It’s true, but it’s not important – but she picked Jackson, she picked both of you for me –“

“That’s fucking impossible!” Luca yells, dropping his hands from my face and throwing them out to

the side. “You get one mate – one – I don’t know who told you that you could have two, but they

were lying, Ariel!”

“Actually,” Jesse snaps, pausing his angry conversation with Rafe to turn to us. Luca’s eyes move

instantly to him. “It’s not impossible. Their dad had two fated mates.” Jesse points between Rafe

and me. “So,” he shrugs. “Family precedent. And all that.”

“Wait, what?” Rafe sputters, grabbing Jesse’s arm and making him face him. The two begin to

speak again in hushed tones as Luca stares at them for a second before he shakes his head to

clear it, turning back to me.

“Listen, if it’s real – and he just hasn’t tricked you into believing he’s your mate or something,” Luca

shouts, “I don’t even care how it happened! But you have to end it, Ari! Just reject him!”

My eyes go wide, horrified at the suggestion.

Luca sees my reaction and his jaw drops. “You…you’re not going to reject him!?”

“Luca, no –“

He groans, turning away from me like he can’t bear to look at me anymore, his whole body starting

to tremble with the insane mix of emotions coursing through him right now.

“Luca, I can’t –“

“You can, Ariel!” he shouts, turning on me and clenching a fist between us – not violent, but

determined. “I don’t know what the fuck is going on here, but you and me!? We’re meant to be

together! I don’t care who the fuck that guy is, or what some Goddess said, you are my mate,” he

pounds his fist against his chest now with the words as his voice cracks, and tears start to slip down

my cheeks as I feel every inch of how much he means them.

I shake my head, not knowing what to say as I press my hands to my heart. “I am your mate, Luca

–“

“Don’t you get it?” Luca says, softer now, coming close again, staring down at me desperate and

devastated. “Don’t you get how shatteringly in love with you I am? Ariel…” he shakes his head,

wrapping a gentle hand around my neck and pulling me closer to him. “I am yours, and you are

mine, and that is the end of it. The end of everything – of the entire fucking universe -”

And then his hand tightens, pulling me closer so that he can kiss me. His lips move on mine like a

promise, like everything is complete.

And my heart breaks, because as much as half of me sings to hear him say it – that he loves me,

beyond just being mated to me –

The other half of my heart is storming towards the door now, devastated.

I pull my face from Luca’s, a little cry on my lips as I watch Jackson tear open the door, watch him

move swiftly through it. I move instantly towards him, needing to catch him, needing to explain –

But Luca grabs my arm. “Are you kidding me!?” he shouts, appalled. “Ariel! Do not go after him!”

“Luca!” I shout back, gesturing towards the door. “He’s my –“

“Your fucking mate,” Luca groans, dropping my arm and lifting his hands to knot them in his hair, at

the end of his patience, maybe even his sanity. I stare at him, wanting to go to him as well, to

explain further – because he needs so much information, and he deserves it, I know that now –

But…

My eyes move again to the door, wanting to follow Jacks too because he deserves the very same

thing. And as much as Luca is throwing a fit right now – not that I blame him, it’s a very well-

deserved fit - I know that Jackson is taking this harder.

To Jackson, I was the one good thing in this world.