Page 11 of Replaced Mate

When the youngest Ambrose brother turned back to his circle with a slow nod, tension leaked from the group.

Just like that, the silent conversation of Auren’s inner circle continued as if it had never been interrupted, and we all shared a look.

Out of all of us, Reese was the only one that seemed to have any favor with the Leader of the Resistance, having already been put to work in their labs and sworn to secrecy. The spell Zuzanna had used was more powerful than any legal paperwork, but I was sure if we approached Sariel’s brother and simply asked what he was working on, he would oblige. He’d already offered the layman’s version to me when we’d talked earlier, after all.

“Well, that was depressing,” Neo scoffed.

Sariel chuckles. “Everybody's got a sob story.”

I elbowed him, aghast—it wastrue, but you weren’t supposed to say that to peoples’ faces!—but the men just shared a little laugh, and what was left of the tension dissipated. It’s a relief to hear everyone having fun together again, for once.

Sariel finally smiling and relaxing with our friends, too? Perfect.

Thankfully, we didn’t have dish duty this evening, and everyone was able to go their separate ways after dumping what was left of our meals into the compost bins.

“We’ll get there,” Sariel said out of nowhere as we walked out, where I waved goodnight to Auren and his circle, speaking more to himself than me.

I looped my arm around his waist and gave him a reassuring squeeze. There was a lingering resentment that’d settled in his chest, but at least he was trying to move past it. Auren… well, Auren deserved the chance to reconcile with his big brother after everything they’d both been through.

The trick was getting Sariel to believe that notion, too.

“You will,” I responded. “Hopefully sooner rather than later, y’know, since we’re at war and everything.”

He gave me an unimpressed look, but I just smiled up at him.

Wearein the middle of a war,I pointed out.Now just doesn't strike me as the time to hold a grudge.

He faked his death, though.

Sariel was lifeless when he responded, and I decided to drop it for the night. He’d already shown significant progress by at least being in the same room as Auren; a win was a win, as far as I was concerned.

“Do you think my sister’s alright?” I asked, redirecting the conversation smoothly, if I did say so myself, even with the instant pain it put me in. I wished I had picked a different method to distract him.

“I’m sure she is. Harry wouldn’t let anything happen to her or her family, Aria.”

My heart ached at the thought of them. I’d been so adamant about removing my family from my mind that letting myself be reminded of them even now made me a little sick. The urge to find a phone and try dialing Rebecca’s number was so strong that my wolf pushed against my skin.

I took a deep breath and let it out slowly, and Sariel filled our bond with warmth.

It helped me more than I expected. I let him lead me back to our room with misty eyes.

“I hope not.” The croak nearly strangles me on the way out as Sariel pushes our bedroom door open, and I know his angel is prickly by the way his eyes are practically glowing in the dim room.

“He wouldn’t. Maybe we can reach out to them now that we’re… somewhat stable,” he suggested.

It’s a terrible idea, but the fact he even considered it earned him a soft kiss. He didn’t even try to deepen it or push me further when I locked my arms around his neck and pulled him closer, soothed by the way he held me.

Our bond was relentless, though, and the proximity had my skin tingling and tightening, the gentle warmth he’d managed to infuse me with suddenlyburning.

I stepped away from him before it could push us into anything more, the anxiety of being with him still present despite… everything. I wasn’t even sure why it flustered me so much, seeing as we’d spent the better part of our relationship on a slow burn. We were obviously going to end up completing our bond at some point.

“I bet Zuzanna would have an idea of how to contact them in a way that can’t be traced,” I said, swallowing, tucking a strand of hair behind my ear, and trying to seem collected as he tugged his shirt off and stretched out on the mattress.

“I bet she would, too.”

I bounced on my heels, buoyed by the idea, and Sariel grinned at me with half-lidded eyes. His rasp of agreement had a low, indulgent note that shouldn't be as appealing as it was. Sariel was propped up on his hands, long body stretching the length of the bed, and the look he gave me had me squirming, which just made him smugger.

I promptly decided that a shower was in order when he licked his lips.

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