Page 18 of Eternal Mate

We continued sharing our dreams and aspirations, finding comfort and encouragement in one another's words. It was a safe space where vulnerability thrived, and where we nurtured each other's hopes and ambitions.

Auren's steps grew lighter with each passing moment, his weariness slowly dissipating. His half-smile transformed into a genuine expression of hope.

I couldn't help but feel a surge of pride for Ashe's unwavering dedication to his mate's well-being. It was sweet to see them finally communicating with each other—in a normal way, that was, without all the shapeshifting and uncomfortable conversations about boundaries with my mate's brother.

At that moment, I realized the power of our chosen family. Each one of us had faced our own demons, overcome our own struggles, and yet, we stood here together, united in our determination to face whatever lay ahead.

7

A CHANGING LANDSCAPE

SARIEL

The Upper Council was losing.

That thought reverberated through every news channel and live stream we came across.

We sat gathered around a long table, the atmosphere heavy with tension and anxiety. Aria, sitting beside me, was actively engaged in keeping up with the updates, her fingers continuously swiping through various social media platforms.

Everything was grim, showing the destruction and devastation caused by the war that had been raging for months. Once-great cities now lay in ruins, and the casualties—both human and non-human—continued to mount.

"The tides are turning," Aria murmured, her voice filled with sadness. "But at what cost?"

I glanced at her, sharing her concerns. The path to liberation was paved with bloodshed, and innocent lives were caught in the crossfire. The war had exacted a toll on everyone, ripping families apart and shattering the fragile peace we once knew.

Not that Aria or I had ever gotten to experience the faux peace that my father and his cohorts had created in the first place.

“Atlan thinks that things will come to a head soon," she said, scowling at the thought, then shaking her head and scrolling through another news report.

The updates painted a bleak picture as the battles raged on and the losses continued to mount. However, amidst the devastation, stories of heroism and acts of kindness emerged. Ordinary people were rising up, risking their lives to save others, refusing to be crushed under the weight of tyranny.

It would have been inspiring if we weren’t counting down the minutes until the next tragedy.

The man in question nodded slowly. “The Free Kingdom will be demanding their surrender soon, no doubt. Hopefully, that’ll be the end of it.”

I doubted that, given how Tarragon and Blossom were both batshit crazy. Once they got the Upper Council under control, they would turn on us faster than we could blink. We had to be ready for anything.

“We’ve started bringing people in for protection," Zuzanna said, her eyes darting between the windows and the people gathered around the table.

The room itself was adorned with artwork depicting scenes of peaceful meadows and beautiful waterfalls, a stark contrast to the grim reality outside. She’d been adamant about offering a place to those who were fleeing the destruction, and my mate had agreed, despite the risks.

When the Free Kingdom had started leveling cities, the number of people getting displaced was staggering. Thankfully, we had different compounds that were able to take them in—the ones who thought like we did, at least. Bigots got turned around at the gates.

The only people who were managing to take advantage of the whole situation were the witches, it seemed. They had capitalized on the turmoil and uncertainty that engulfed everyone, managing to paint themselves as some kind of guiding light in the darkness while all the other seats on the Upper Council were vacated. They strategically maneuvered, slowly but surely consolidating their power and gearing up to push their own agenda.

No one was more pissed off about that development than Jack.

"They've been playing the long game," he remarked, his voice calm, but tinged with a touch of bitterness. His gaze swept across the dust-covered bookshelves lining the walls. “They know that in times of chaos, people are more willing to embrace change, even if it comes in the form of a new ruling class. They’ve exploited the fear and uncertainty to position themselves as the ones who can bring stability."

With the witches almost exclusively ruling the Upper Council, things were beginning to shift.

Elias, who had been listening silently, finally spoke up, his face etched with weariness and a deep sense of concern. "But it seems like their grip on power is slipping, even being the dominant party. The tide is turning against them the longer the war drags on, and they know it. They’ll do something drastic to keep their place at the top if we’re not careful."

Jack nodded, his eyes filled with determination. "That's why we need to act swiftly," he said. "We can't afford to wait for the Upper Council's downfall. We need to seek out allies within the community—people who share our vision of a just and equal society."

"But who can we trust?" Aria asked, waving her hand around the room. "So far, we’re the only people who aren’t trying to kill us.”

Fair point.

---