Page 6 of Conflicted

We’d have to say goodbye now. For the first time in centuries, an angel was leaving the Seraphim. And for the first time ever, it wasn’t because their immortality had been stripped away.

No, it was because of love.

See? Love is behind all foolish decisions.

I stood back as the rest of the unit told Dimitri goodbye, silent as everything inside me unravelled. We’d been estranged for a while, but this parting would be final. Sure, we might see each other from time to time, but it would never be like it was before.

This time, everything was different.

I didn’t allow myself to approach Dimitri until the rest of the unit was in the sky. I could feel myself coming apart at the seams. I held my emotions so tightly controlled to try and avoid situations like this.

Situations where my emotions took over, and all reasoning flew out of the window.

There was no stopping it this time. Not with my heart bleeding out of my chest, knowing that this was the final goodbye.

Crossing my arms, I stared at Dimitri’s wings. At the proof of how he’d betrayed our unit. How he’d chosen love over us.

Over me.

I knew what I was about to do was wrong. I fuckingknewit, but I couldn’t stop myself. Couldn’t stop myselfstaring at his wings. Couldn’t think over the roaring in my ears. “Is this what you really want?”

Dimitri’s response was far gentler than I deserved. “It is.”

I inhaled deeply, trying to hold on to my slipping control before it was entirely out of reach. I could do this. I just needed to get through this, and then I could go far away to lick my wounds in peace.

But Dimitri wasn’t done. “I’m sorry, but you have to get over me. I love Dagon and Lucky.”

“Because they’re yourmates.” I exploded. I heard Dagon hiss, but I couldn’t stop myself. Dimitri’s words had unleashed something ugly inside me. I’d come undone, the truth I’d tried to hide spilling from me like venom. “Because fate decided you should be theirs when really you were supposed to bemine. It’s fucking bullshit.”

I knew before I’d finished that I’d gone too far. Steel flashed in Dimitri’s eyes. “No. I wasnevermeant to be yours. I would choose them every day, even if they weren’t my mates. I’m sorry, Micah, but you’re wrong.”

“Micah?” A smaller man stepped forwards, a frown on his face. He was my opposite in just about every way. I knew instinctively that this was Dimitri’s human mate. “I thought it had to be you, but I wanted to be sure.”

The human stalked over, squaring up to me. I stiffened but didn’t move a muscle. He might have been tiny, but he had fury packed into every single inch of him. “I get it. Dimitri’s super fucking hot. But what you did was shitty. You hurtboththe men I love, so fuck you for that.”

I could only blink as Lucky pulled back his fist and socked me in the face.

“Motherfucker,” he howled, shaking his hand out as his mates came forward to fuss over him. “Why did it hurt thatmuch? Punching Grant was a walk in the park compared to that.”

I had no idea who Grant was, or why Lucky had punched him, but I was too focused on myself to care. I gently touched the spot where his fist had landed. I hadn’t felt any pain, but nonetheless, it had hit me with the strength of a bomb. Guilt and remorse threatened to choke me as I processed my behaviour.

What the fuck had I been thinking? What kind of man, what kind ofangelcould I claim to be if I let my baser instincts take over the way they just had? I’d behaved like a fool. An utter fool.

Love made fools of us all.

Well, no more. I made a vow as I stood there, watching the various couples embrace. Never again would I let love guide me. Never again would I let my heart lead me so far from the path I was destined to walk. Never again would I be at the mercy of another.

Never again would I risk feeling this heartbreak.

All around me, demons were pulling their mates towards the portal. Lucky was sandwiched between his mates as they whispered what they were going to do to him when they got him somewhere more private.

I fought the urge to fly off without another word. I couldn’t though. I owed Dimitri better than that.

Clearing my throat, I tried not to make eye contact with any of them. That didn’t stop me seeing Dimitri give Lucky a tender kiss. Nudging him into Dagon’s arms and telling him he’d meet them at the portal.

Dimitri watched them leave before turning to face me with a sigh. “I hope you’re not expecting me to apologise for Lucky.”

“No.” I rubbed the spot where he’d punched me, stillmarvelling at the tiny human’s bravery. If nothing else, I had to be grateful that Dimitri had mates who would go to the mat for him. “I definitely deserved it. Probably deserved worse, if I’m being honest. Asking you in front of your mates if you definitely wanted them…I don’t know what I was thinking. I’m sorry.”

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