Page 25 of Her Eternal Mate

I just couldn’t help myself. We were out of Fiddler’s Green, and for me, that was occasion enough to be happy. Granted, we were headed towards something unknown and potentially terrible, but how bad could it really be? Compared to the weight of the horrible memories that I had in Fiddler’s Green, how bad could the future really be?

“It’s a nice night for a drive. We’re going to the greatest city on this side of the country. And, if I remember correctly, the whole court appearance thing isn’t until tomorrow. Do you know what that means?” I playfully placed my hand on Will’s thigh and ran it up to his pelvis.

“Someone’s in a fine mood,” Will said, still grinning, but his eyes fixed on the road. “You do realize that if they charge us with some crime that we haven’t committed, it could make things complicated for us and the pack. We may get banished, and in some cases, they can even pass the death sentence.”

“Please,” I said, scoffing and waving my hand. “They have zero precedence to do something like that. Think about it for a second. We haven’t taken any innocent lives. The things we have done are just to defend ourselves. Our existence is still a secret that we’ve guarded well. Not counting Maliha, of course. But I doubt that they’re going to bring that up in the court hearing tomorrow. My intuition is right about these things. They don’t have anything solid. No leg to stand on, as they say. We’re going to be fine.”

“I wish I had your confidence,” Will said. We were now passing through the Lincoln Tunnel and heading towards downtown Manhattan.

“Will, aren’t we supposed to be uptown? I booked rooms for us for the night in that Airbnb,” I asked. It had been a while since we’d entered New York and were now heading toward Broadway.

“See, I was thinking along the same lines as you,” Will said. This time, he pulled his car to the side, parked it by the curb, and looked at me as he revealed his big surprise. “I kinda wanted to surprise you. You’re right. The court session’s tomorrow. There’s no reason why we shouldn’t have a fine night.”

“Sweet!” I said cheerfully as we got out of the car. “So, are we painting the town red? What’s the agenda? It’s been so long since we were last in New York. I want to visit Central Park, see the Grand Central Station, and maybe even take a few pictures in Times Square. We can catch a show on Broadway. Aah! There’s so much to do.” I was letting my excitement get the better of me. In my defense, New York was like this bustling microcosm where all the good things seemed to happen. Everyone was either busy in their daily hustle or enjoying the wonders that this great cultural capital had to offer.

For me, it was the polar opposite of Fiddler’s Green, where nothing exciting ever happened, and everything was monotonous.

“Easy, easy,” Will said, taking my hand and guiding me to the inner sidewalk under the scaffolding. In New York, it seemed like there was always scaffolding around on the streets. “We’re going to this secret Michelin-starred restaurant called Captain Black.”

“Where’s this coming from?” I threw him an inquisitive look. I was pleasantly surprised by this. Everything that had happened in the recent days had been so tumultuous, bearing the air of finality, especially that last part with the emissary from the Clandestine Order. But this was nice. This brought to memory all the wonderful times that Will and I had shared throughout our relationship. Times that had been completely unburdened by the tenebrous things happening around us.

“I realized something earlier tonight when we were driving to New York,” Will said, taking my arm as he led me past the scaffolding and into a seemingly abandoned building. When my eyes adjusted to the darkness, I noticed that fairy light hung from the ceiling of the foyer. Compared to the rush of the traffic and the people outside, this place was in stark contrast with its dim lighting, quiet atmosphere, and the soft trailing smell of delicious food. When I stepped further in, I could hear faint music playing in the background.

“What did you realize?” I asked, taking his arm as he led me past the entrance hall and up the stairs.

“I felt that because of everything that was happening around us, we lost sight of what was truly important. Each other,” Will said. “We’re engaged to each other. There’s a very real possibility that we’re going to be married to each other in the next few months.”

“Why is that a real possibility?”

“Because I can’t wait more than a couple of months. I don’t want this engagement to hang over our heads forever. I want to be married to you as soon as possible. Together, we’ll start our new life. And that’s a promise,” Will said.

Now, a waiter appeared from behind a door and greeted us as we stepped onto the rooftop, where the whole sitting area was decorated with wooden paneling, gazebos, and palapas. The whole place had a tropical feel to it. Miraculously, even though we were out in the open, there was no noise coming from below. It was as if magic was at work here.

“Will, is this place sort of like enchanted?” I asked, feeling a bit worried that he might have led me to some magician’s den or a sorcerer’s lair.

“Relax. It’s just a little bit of acoustic engineering. Nothing else. The only thing magical about this place is their food,” he said, taking my arm and guiding me to the far side of the rooftop, where a table for two was reserved for us. Candles were lit atop that table in tiny glasses.

“Fancy!” I cheered as I sat, clapping my hands twice to show my appreciation for the interior décor and the table presentation.

“Would the monsieur and madam like to try our red wine?” the waiter asked, bowing in front of our table with a bottle in his hand. “It’s a Chateau de Frost, aged a hundred years. Straight from the French vineyards.”

“We would like it if you left us the bottle, my good man,” Will smiled at the waiter, who obliged and placed the bottle at the center of the table.

“Our menu tonight includes the chef’s special of roasted duck served with an exquisite oriental gravy. If you’re in the mood for something vegan, we have an excellent Greek salad topped with vegan cheese, nuts, and Italian seasoning,” the waiter said.

“Ooh, I kinda feel like eating an entire duck,” I said.

“What else do you have?” Will asked, perusing the menu.

“We have wagyu steak seared to medium rare perfection, served with some of the best organic vegetable sides that are available in New York. We recommend serving it with our Neapolitan cocktail that contains fifty-year-old Glen McKenna whiskey. The aroma of the whiskey brings out the cocktail’s finer tastes and goes perfectly with the steak.”

“Then I’ll have that because I’ve worked up quite the appetite tonight,” Will said, handing him over the menu.

I promptly handed the waiter the menu back and poured myself some wine. I wasn’t in the mood for whiskey. Whenever I’d drunk anything that contained whiskey, I felt immediately energized. Tonight was all about relaxing with my mate.

“I must thank you for treating me to this fine dinner,” I said, raising my glass to him.

“No thanks needed, my love. I am your mate, and such are my duties,” Will said, clinking his glass with mine.

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