Page 12 of Eternal Mate

I would never admit that Tyler Bastille had hurt me aloud. The man had been a disgusting, terrible person, and I shouldn’t have been bothered that he’d been so. I’d never known him outside of his hunt to ruin my life; it was completely unreasonable to be disappointed by someone who’d been a stranger to begin with. He’d never wanted to know me for anything other than my potential to heal the madness that infected fallen-bloods.

And yet, there was a part of me that was wounded by that.

I’d always wanted a family—my family. It wasn’t like I loved Rebecca or our parents any less, but a part of me couldn’t help but want to know where I came from. It was why I’d given in to the desire to meet Arianna and Terrell in Hell.

Grimacing, I shrugged a bit when my sister waited for me to open up about my feelings. There wasn’t really anything else I could say about it.

I was afraid that Gregory would disappoint me, just like everyone else so far had.

“That’s completely understandable, Aria. You’ve been through so much, and it’s natural to have reservations about letting someone new into your life, especially after what happened with Tyler. You don't have to make a decision right away," she said, squeezing my hand. "Take your time. Follow your instincts and do what feels right for you."

Her voice was soft and comforting, reminding me that I wasn’t alone in this.

I nodded, feeling a sense of relief wash over me. I didn't have to rush into anything. I could take the time I needed to process my emotions and make a decision when I was ready. I guessed I just needed someone else to say it to me for that to really sink in.

Having Rebecca with me was such a relief, even if she was worried about Harry most of the time lately.

“Oh! Where are the twins?” I remembered to ask.

She smirked as I sat up straighter, not calling me on my subject change. “They’re spending time with Atlan.”

My eyebrows climbed. She just shrugged. “They only got to do a few of his classes, but they seem to like him. We stumbled on him in the hallway, and they wheedled him into another one.”

To say I was shocked was an understatement. The man had been a walking dark cloud ever since his brother passed, swinging the complete opposite of Auren. Atlan had turned into a murdering machine, eager to get his teeth into anyone who’d had anything to do with Kiran’s demise.

“Sariel was looking for him and Zuzanna when he left earlier,” I mused, and Rebecca laughed.

“He may still find them. They just went down to his room.”

Maybe spending time with the twins could help lift his spirits.

We spent the rest of the afternoon discussing our plans for the day and sharing stories from our past. It was a rare moment of respite, a chance to forget about the oncoming danger and just enjoy each other's company. It was more for her than me, though; as we talked, I could see her anxiety beginning to creep into the edges of her eyes.

Her husband was still missing, and even though nobody had said it directly to her, we had to assume he was dead. While I’d held out hope that Johnny might have gotten some people out, from his story, there was no way that they could have. Not with the Upper Council coming down on them like that.

My heart hurt for her and everyone else. The whole situation was unfair; none of us deserved to lose our homes and loved ones just because of who we were.

When Rebecca left a bit later—after squeezing me into a much-needed hug and promising to come by again soon—I decided to skip updating my blog today.

A nap sounded like a way better use of my time.

5

A CLOSER LOOK

SARIEL

I stepped out of the room, leaving Aria behind, and made my way down the corridor.

I was unsurprised when I headed towards the meeting room and found Zuzanna already heading that way as well. She fell into step beside me, her eyes reflecting a mixture of exhaustion and determination.

We weren’t particularly close, her and I, but we had a shared purpose—to ensure the Resistance kept running smoothly while Auren grieved.

“So, how’s everything going, Zuzanna?” I asked, trying to be polite more than anything. I’d sent her out to commit murder the last time we’d been in a room together, and that just made things uncomfortable. Not that she seemed particularly bothered, even at the time.

She let out a tired sigh, rubbing her temples. “It’s been a rollercoaster, Sariel. Auren’s absence has been felt by everyone. But we’re managing, somehow.”

“That’s good to hear. I know he’s struggling right now, but we can’t let everything fall apart. We owe it to him after all the work he’s put in for us these last few months.”

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