Page 54 of Eternal Mate

Time stood still. I lost myself in the intensity of the kiss. When he smiled against my lips, I knew that our love was a force to be reckoned with.

His thumb traced patterns on both of my cheeks as his forehead pressed against mine, and we just stood there together, breathing through the rush of emotion.

And then, without another word, he took my hand and pulled me towards a swirling portal of light that was open beside him.

I stumbled for a moment, my mind still reeling from the unexpected confession and the whirlwind of emotions that had followed. I barely had time to process the fact that I hadn't said the words back to him.

As we emerged on the other side of the portal, I found myself surrounded by our friends, who were all smiling grimly.

It was only then that I realized the oppression words left unsaid had. I had missed the best opportunity to express my love, my heart's deepest truth.

Still, I understood that the power of love wasn't solely confined to words. Perhaps actions spoke louder, and in that stolen kiss, I had conveyed my feelings more profoundly than any declaration could.

I hoped so, anyway. Sariel would eventually need to hear it, even if it was a bit delayed.

“Great timing. We’re just discussing our next move,” Auren said bluntly as everyone returned to their quiet discussions.

Silently vowing to find the right moment to express my devotion to him, I looked at Sariel as he dragged us over to our usual seats, dropping into them with a sigh. Nobody questioned the redness of his eyes as we settled, scanning everyone's expressions warily.

“Atlan is out hunting for a way to seal Lucifer so we can all finally relax,” Auren said, rolling his neck. “We’re nearly to the finish line with this mess.”

No kidding.

Our safe future was finally within touching distance. We would be able to just live without the threat of discovery hanging over our heads, or some other impossible challenge to threaten us.

Sariel's shoulders tensed at the mention of Lucifer's name. The weight of his responsibilities and the uncertainty of our success pressed down on him, threatening to suffocate the flicker of hope that had ignited within him.

As for me, I was still appalled by the revelation that Lucifer had been controlling Azazel this whole time, puppetting him into breeding a line of fallen angels who would become his Archdemons. Even the thought made me shudder, and he wasn’t even my sire.

I squeezed my mate’s hand gently when he glanced at me worriedly. We needed to find a way to seal Lucifer away, and quickly. That would bring an end to the chaos that had plagued our lives.

"How long do you think it will take Atlan to find a solution?" I asked, my voice filled with apprehension.

Auren shrugged, his expression thoughtful. "Hard to say. He’s resourceful, but this is a task that needs careful research and ancient knowledge. It might take some time."

I didn’t like the sound of that, personally. Lucifer surely knew we were closing in on him by now, right? We couldn’t guarantee he wouldn’t come after us sooner rather than later, especially since he already knew our location. I prayed he was too busy with whatever he was planning to pay attention to us for now, even with the death of his puppet.

Sariel leaned back in his seat, his eyes scanning the room. "We've come this far. We can't afford to let our guard down now. Lucifer is cunning, and we need to be one step ahead of him."

A quiet resolve settled over the group as we contemplated the challenges ahead of us. The stakes were higher than ever, and we knew we couldn't afford any missteps.

Just as the thought of the impending task threatened to overwhelm me, I felt Sariel's hand gently squeeze mine back.

I turned to him, finding comfort in the warmth of his touch. Our eyes met, and I could see a flicker of understanding and, God, love reflected in his gaze.

He loved me.

The thought made me giddy, and his gentle smile turned smug.

"We'll get through this together," he whispered, his voice filled with reassurance. "No matter what happens, we have each other."

A wave of gratitude washed over me, and I smiled, my heart swelling with love for this remarkable man. In that moment, I realized that the power of our affection went beyond words. It was a bond forged through shared experiences, trust, and unwavering support, grown far beyond being merely what the universe had assigned to us.

As the discussions continued around us, I found comfort in the presence of our friends. We were a team, united in our quest to protect the world we held dear. Each person brought their unique strengths and perspectives to the table, and together, we were unstoppable.

Because the threat to the masses had largely been removed now that Lucia was leading the Free Kingdom and had the remainder of the Upper Council wrapped up in her fist, we slowly started returning people to their real lives. Most of the packs were eager to go with only a handful even hesitating, but Tiana and her kids made a point to tell us goodbye. Likewise, a lot of the witches who had been hiding out with us trickled back into the world..

The hybrids opted to wait and see, for the most part. Until things were more settled, they were still technically illegal just for breathing, and years of living in fear for your life wouldn’t disappear just because someone claimed you were safe now.

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