Page 14 of Eternal Mate

I couldn’t help but feel a surge of warmth as their innocent laughter filled the air. Moments like these reminded me of the joys that life could bring, even amidst the chaos surrounding us.

“Can I steal Atlan from you guys for a while? We need to have a meeting.”

Mia rolled her eyes, and I stifled laughter at her sass.

“I actually told Rebecca I would watch them for a while,” he said. At least he sounded apologetic about blowing Zuzanna and me off. “We were heading outside while there’s still some sunshine.”

I nodded understandingly. “That sounds like a good plan. We can always have the meeting later. Enjoy your time with them, Atlan.”

God knew he needed it.

Atlan flashed me a grateful smile before turning his attention back to Mia and Caiya. “Alright, you two, let’s go explore the outside world together.”

The twins cheered in excitement, their tiny hands tightening their grip around his legs.

As they walked away, I couldn’t help but chuckle at the effort required to even make it a few feet. Atlan was determined, though, heading for the stairwell.

Returning to the meeting room, Zuzanna looked up at me expectantly. “Did you find him?”

I shook my head, taking a seat once again. “Atlan is occupied with babysitting duties. We’ll have to catch him up later.”

She let out a long sigh, but nodded.

The conversation wasn’t very long after that. Zuzanna had explained that Atlan was in charge of hunting Azazel—she was more invested in keeping everyone fed and clothed here. Her job was easy, comparatively. This compound was lacking in the resources of the others since it was mostly abandoned. There were only small gardens, which had been sustaining the handful of Resistance who were only here to keep it from gathering dust; they definitely weren’t enough to feed everyone we’d dragged along. Her contacts were mainly in hiding after the crackdown.

Dread bubbled in my stomach. “Are we in danger of a shortage?”

“Not right now, but we could be looking at one soon if my people don’t come out of hiding.”

I sighed, swiping a hand down my face. “Let’s look into alternatives, then. If people start starving, we’re going to have more issues than hunger.”

Bad conditions made people more susceptible to manipulation from our enemies. They would think we were either letting them suffer or we couldn’t take care of them, and I didn’t need anyone trading up for a slice of bread.

“I have been,” Zuzanna reassured. “It’s just a matter of getting things set up safely.”

Our conversation dwindled off from there until we finally called it, parting ways at the stairwell near my apartment. Pushing inside, I grinned when I found Aria had taken up residence on the couch, an arm thrown over her face to block out the light.

I approached her slowly, taking in the sight of her peaceful slumber.

She looked stunning even in her disheveled state, and I couldn’t help but feel a surge of affection for her. Leaning in closer, I gently brushed a lock of hair away from her face, my fingertips lingering against her cheek.

“Rise and shine, beautiful,” I whispered, my voice filled with a playful tone. “The world can’t afford to miss out on your radiance today.”

Aria stirred, blinking her eyes open to reveal a mixture of confusion and amusement. “Sariel? What are you doing?”

Her voice was laced with a hint of sleepiness as she tried to make sense of the situation. I flashed her a mischievous grin, enjoying how her eyes focused on me with curiosity and mild annoyance.

“Well, I thought I’d try a unique method to wake you up,” I replied, feigning innocence. “Flirting seemed like a foolproof plan.”

Aria sat up slowly, rubbing her eyes to clear away any remnants of sleep. “Flirting? Is that your version of an alarm clock now?”

I chuckled, settling down beside her on the couch. “Well, you know, a little bit of charm never hurt anyone. Besides, it’s always fun to see the way you react when you’re caught off-guard.”

Her lips curved into a small smile, and she stretched her arms above her head, letting out a soft yawn. “I can’t argue with that. Your methods are certainly more... entertaining.”

As we sat there, a comfortable silence settled between us, and I couldn’t help but notice a pensive expression crossing Aria’s face. She seemed lost in her thoughts, and curiosity got the better of me.

“What’s on your mind, Aria?” I asked gently.

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