Page 20 of Eternal Mate

Aria and I shared a concerned look before she reached out and placed a comforting hand on Ashe's arm.

"We trust you, Ashe, but you know as well as anyone that you’d just spend your time worrying about Auren," my mate said gently.

His eyes flickered with a mix of gratitude and frustration. He knew she was right.

Ever since Auren's breakdown, Ashe had been grappling with his own internal struggles. His powers, once a source of strength, had become a liability now that he was trying to get his footing with my brother and their strange relationship.

"I understand why we’re all gungho about sending him out," Ashe finally sighed out, resignation evident in his voice, "I just don't want anything to happen to him out there."

He reached up like he’s going to push his hair from his face, only to remember it was braided back. The resulting scowl would have been funny any other time.

Aria nodded solemnly, giving him a reassuring smile. "We'll make sure Jack stays safe, Ashe. We're all in this together."

I glanced up in time to see that Jack and Elias had concluded their whispered conversation, their eyes shining with a shared determination. They gave Ashe worried looks before they smoothed their faces out when his attention shifted to them. Ashe stared at them for a long moment, then tipped his head in a nod, and they both relaxed marginally.

With Ashe's begrudging acceptance, the tension in the room eased.

We began discussing the logistics of Jack's mission, outlining potential contacts and safehouses. The risks were high, but we all knew the score by now. This was our last chance to get a foot up on the competition before everything went up in plumes of smoke. We couldn’t mess it up by being unprepared.

By the time we were done and everyone headed back to their own homes, I was completely burnt out on it all. Luckily, Aria was ready to set it aside too, and we were able to spend our evening in relative peace, going through the motions side by side.

It was reassuring to know that I was no longer alone in the world, honestly.

It’s supposed to be, my mate chimed in smugly as we curled into bed, and I couldn’t help but chuckle.

If nothing else, we would never have to lose alone again, and I guessed that would just have to be enough for the moment.

Aria caressed my cheek, agreeing with a soft, pleased thrum along our bond. Her kiss was sweet when she finally leaned in, lips nothing more than a feather-light brush against mine.

8

RESILIENCE AMIDST CHALLENGES

ARIA

Lunch was officially my least-liked meal of the day.

True to his word, my grandfather eventually circled back to getting together so we could get to know one another. It was awkward, the silences were uncomfortable, and I was pretty sure I was able to hear Sariel laughing at me down the bond.

Sitting across from him at the dining table, the atmosphere was tense despite my best efforts. The clinking of our forks against the ceramic plates amplified the uncomfortable silence between us. It was as if we were both trying to find the right words to say, but couldn't quite find them, leaving us in constant discomfort.

I glanced at my grandfather, his weathered face and wise eyes hinting at a lifetime of experiences I knew so little about.

"This is delicious, Aria," Gregory complimented—again.

It was just boxed noodles, but he hadn't stopped telling me what a good cook I was, and I was too worried about being polite to point out that he needed better material. I knew he was trying and didn't want to discourage his efforts, but the strained small talk was beginning to wear me down. I needed something more substantial, a topic that could break through the surface-level conversation and allow us to truly connect if we were really going to do this.

My smile was more of a wince. "Thank you. Tell me more about your life growing up. I'd love to hear your stories," I said, then immediately wished I had picked any other topic.

A flicker of surprise passed through my grandfather's eyes for a moment. It was as if he hadn't expected me to ask.

But then, his expression softened, and a faint smile appeared on his lips.

"Well, where do I begin?" He chuckled softly, a glimmer of nostalgia in his eyes. "I grew up in a small town nestled among the rolling hills. Life was simpler back then, but it had its own challenges. While we didn't have much, we had each other, and that made all the difference."

As he started recounting his childhood adventures, the struggles he faced, and the lessons he learned along the way, the tension in the room gradually dissipated. The uncomfortable silence was replaced with animated conversation punctuated by shared laughter and genuine interest. It was as if each story he shared painted a clearer picture of who he was, allowing me to understand him in a way I hadn't before.

Then, he started on the stories about my mother.

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