Chapter 16 #2
“I’m your fated mate?” I whispered in awe.
“Fate brought you to me,” Az murmured, clarity and surety in his gaze. “I had no idea it would, but it did, and I’m so fucking thankful for it. If you’ll have me, I want to spend every single day making you the happiest woman in the realms.”
Tears filled my eyes as I nodded, bringing my hand up to his and squeezing it. “Yes, I would love that.”
The pure joy that filled his face made my heart beat double-time with excitement, elated that we’d made him so happy.
“I have a locket for you upstairs, if you’ll wear it,” he murmured after a long moment, pressing his forehead against my own as I breathed in his scent.
“Of course.”
Az pressed a soft kiss to my lips before he lifted me up, probably to take me to the house.
But before he started walking, he looked me over once again, his nose brushing against mine in an intimate gesture.
“When I first saw you, I didn’t even know it was possible for someone so perfect to exist. After all the darkness I’d witnessed, especially with Ry… ”
“How did you end up with Ry?” I asked, hoping it wouldn’t make him uncomfortable.
I hated not knowing if it was off-topic or not, but I felt the need to understand everything about this man, about my angel who had come off as so grumpy at first but was in fact super sweet.
I didn’t look at anything we passed, completely wrapped up his arms as he made his way to his bedroom.
His gaze went distant. “Thousands of years ago, the gods and angelic beings fought. Humans were worshiping us equally, and it caused tension and competition for their affection, so war broke out.
“Ry and I had been friends for years. There was a time I even considered him a brother to me,” Az said, his expression pained. “But the propaganda from the God realm turned rational thought and Ry into enemies. He no longer saw the truth—only hate.”
“I’m sorry you lost someone so important to you,” I whispered.
“The Ry I knew was different from the man we had to kill,” Az admitted. “It’s like he died all those years ago when I surrendered and he took me as a prisoner. I never saw him as the same person again. War does that, though. It turns everything into a hell, ruled completely by hatred and anger.”
“I hope I never have to witness a war in the realms,” I said. “I know what the stranger said about trouble coming, but I want to believe that’s not true. I want to believe that we can find and maintain some level of peace.”
Az’s gaze darkened as we moved up the stairs, my mates’ voices distant from the office below.
“There are many moving parts in this universe. I’ve felt something stirring for years now, and once those bands broke off me, I realized it was closer than I thought.
I don’t know what’s coming, Maya, but we need to make sure we’re ready. ”
It was clear he wasn’t saying it to freak me out or make me sad, but chills broke out on my skin as an eerie sense of premonition washed over me.
“And we will be,” I whispered. “I won’t risk my family, no matter what we have to do.”
As we entered the guest bedroom, Az gently set me down on the bed and went towards an antique chest he must have had at Ry’s compound.
Coming back to me and kneeling, his face filled with a serious expression, his thoughts now millions of miles away from our talk of war.
I didn’t wait for him to ask. As he looked up at me, I pulled the feather out of where I had it pressed against my heart, the delicate piece almost weightless between my fingers.
Somehow I knew it wouldn’t destroy easily—no, it was far more durable than it looked.
“I have had this for a very long time,” he said in reference to the object in his hands. “We’re given it when coming of age to eventually give to our mates—I never thought I would give it to anyone, but now I know it was always meant for you.”
When he opened his hands to reveal the locket, my heart squeezed. Holy crap, that was beautiful. The white gold frame and chain supported the diamond-like surface that covered the front and back of the pendant, which was almost see through.
“Az, this is absolutely gorgeous.”
He opened it up, and I gently placed the feather inside.
“Turn around,” Az commanded softly.
I did so without question, and when I felt him slide the thin chain over my neck, a sense of rightness filled me.
I still wanted to mark him, but the weight of the necklace served as a reminder of Az and everything he was coming to mean to me.
I turned back into his arms and offered my lips again, Az sealing them with a deep, rough kiss that had my toes curling.
When he finally pulled back, I was out of breath and staring at him with pure affection.
Before I could say anything, or even try to relay how intensely I felt about the moment, there was a knock on the door.
I felt slightly nervous as Marco looked at the two of us before his gaze darted down to the necklace, a rumble breaking from his throat. “So Atlas was right?”
Atlas had predicted this? I knew he had thought it was important, but he hadn’t mentioned that he knew it was about mating…or maybe that had been what he was insinuating. I was glad I’d found out from Az directly, though, even if it took a little time.
“The bond is a mating bond,” Az confirmed. Marco’s gaze darted down to me, softness coating his features. I knew he wasn’t mad, but I could also see the hesitancy there, as if he wasn’t completely positive on how to handle the situation.
“Come here,” he said, motioning for me. I gave Az’s hand a squeeze and then walked towards Marco, his arms wrapping around me. His mint eyes examined my face before he inhaled sharply and looked up at my angel mate.
“You better be fucking serious about this. If you hurt her, or fuck with her feelings?—”
“I won’t.” Az’s voice was serious and hard, the two of them holding each other’s gaze before Marco finally let out a rumble and nodded sharply.
“We’ll talk more later,” Marco said before looking down at me and smiling. “Don’t look at me like that, baby girl. You know it’s my job and honor to protect you.”
“I know. I promise this is what’s supposed to happen,” I assured him, unable to smile at the near pout in his tone.
“Well,” Marco drew out with a sigh. “Az, you’re about to really become part of this flight—we have a mission.”
“What mission?” he asked, appearing behind me.
“We’ve confirmed that Malcolm has captives—two young dragons—and I’m guessing my baby girl is going to want to leave tonight to end this.”
Panic exploded in my chest. “Yes. We’re leaving now.”