Page 106 of Villainous Fate

Guilt pulls at me, but I shove it away before trying to give her an answer. One she will accept.

“It was causing you stress, and I could fix it.” Truth.

“But it wasn’t your problem to fix,” she says matter-of-factly.

“It was a way I could make your life easier with no negative impact to my own. I had the money sitting there; you needed it, I didn’t. It is that simple for me.” Lie.

I wanted to take care of you.

“And your gift? This is too much to be a birthday gift from a friend,” she accuses, asking an underlying question without saying the words.

Do you see me as just your friend?

“You don’t like it,” I say, deflating at her tone. It was more than friendship, but I won’t put that guilt on her. That shame is my own to carry.

“I love it,” she replies, her voice small, eyes on the ground. “That’s not the point. It’s too much. It’s all too much.” The change in her voice breaks my resolve, and against my better judgment, I step closer to her, gently placing my hand on her cheek to pull her eyes back to me.

“You deserve to have everything you want in this life, Grace. Everything. Ask for it, and I will give it to you,” I pause, squeezing my eyes closed to build the strength I need to say the words I know will hurt the most. I open them, my voice filled with resolve.

“If you want to reject me, I will let you say the words. If you want me to leave, to never see you again so you can keep your wolf and Deacon,” I swallow. “I will walk away, never speak to you again so that you can be happy. I will fight the Fates, disappear from existence, and take myself out of the equation if it means you can live the life you want.” A single tear slides down my face as her eyes stare into mine.

In this moment, I wish I could read her thoughts and know what is churning behind those eyes.

“What if that’s not what I want?” she says the words so quietly that I’m not sure I hear them correctly.

“What if I want you to become an Alpha? To lead a pack with your heart intact. What if I want you to have a life filled with happiness? What then?”

My heart clenches as I hold onto the hope that what she says is true. There’s only one way that could happen, and it would destroy her to do that to Deacon.

“I’m willing to sacrifice my happiness for yours,” I say. Truth.

“I’m not. I couldn’t live with myself knowing I got to be happy at your expense. It’s not who I am. The Fates chose you for me. I trust their choice. I trust their plan. They must have a way to balance everything. If you’ll have me, I’d like to accept our fate.”

Her words hang in the air. My silence is pure confusion as I never expected her to say them.

“I choose you, Ace.”

My forehead falls to hers, and I pull her into my chest, wrapping her tightly in my embrace. Tears stream unbidden down my face and hers. I take my time holding her in my arms for the first time, knowing she's mine. My wolf settles beneath my skin, happy with the series of events.

Pulling back, my eyes find hers, and I want nothing more than to kiss her. Her eyes drop to my lips as panic flashes, causing me to hesitate before she speaks.

“We can’t. I won’t betray him. He is too important to me. I cannot be yours behind his back. When he returns, I will tell him. I will make him understand. Until then, we can’t. It’s not right,” she says, begging me with her eyes.

“He’s important to me too, Spitfire. We will make him understand. Together.” I wrap my arms around her in a tight hug, letting her know I will be here for all of the hard stuff just as everything falls apart.

“I don’t know what you think you two are doing, but you better explain really fucking fast.” My head snaps toward the voice, and we jump apart, looking guilty. Fury rolls off of Luca, and I tuck her behind me.

“It’s not what you think,” I say, trying to explain why I had my arms around Grace to Deacon's older brother.

Fuck.

Chapter 50

The Fates

Deciding the path for all is an astronomical feat.

Where one future may appear correct, a single ripple can change the clarity of all others.

---