Page 1 of Secrets & Curses of Fate

Chapter 1

Della; 293 years ago

Itilted my head, as if a different angle might change what I was seeing. My mate was kissing a pretty, blonde-haired woman—the same one he’d been with every day I came to see him. I took in everything about how his eyes softened when he looked at her and how his hands lingered when he touched her. I'd been coming to Kizar every day for two weeks, ever since I stumbled upon him by accident. His dark blonde hair was chaotic as she ran her hands through it. She deepened the kiss, and a small sliver of confusion passed through me.

I wanted to know what that was like. He pulled back and smiled, tucking her hair behind her ear. He was in love with this woman. The love for her was undeniable in his stormy blue eyes. My mate already belonged to another. I was too late.

This should hurt my feelings. I should want to kill this woman. But I was more confused about how little it upset me. He was supposed to be mine. I did not want to share him. So why wasn't I more upset seeing him kiss someone else?

“I love you,” he said softly.

The woman stilled at his confession. I knew that if she said it back, I wouldn't ruin his happiness. My heart pounded as I waited for her answer. She touched his cheek, her finger tracing over the curve of his jaw.

“I love you, too.”

My mating bond burned at her words. I waited my entire existence for him. My eyes stung as tears spilled out. My sudden grief had the sky ripping open, making rain pour down onto the two of them as they started to kiss. Lightning scattered across the sky as rage filled my chest. My mate and the woman began laughing at the sudden change of weather, unaware it was my heartbreak.

He stood, pulling her with him, and twirled as they began dancing. I was unable to turn away, as this sick display of love exploited my pain. I did not understand why the heavens made my mate love another. Was it because he hasn't seen me yet? Maybe that is why he thinks he loves her instead of me. Hope slowly crept into my chest as I watched them dance.

The sun began to set, and he would be heading home soon. I would find a way for our paths to cross so that he could see that I was his, not this woman. I smiled to myself as I vanished and reappeared closer to his home.His family home was quaint—not oversized, but not small either. I had seen his parents once. Both of them seemed so kind that I hoped my mate would be just as nice. I scanned the street, searching for the perfect excuse to cross his path.

Maybe I would pose as a seller or fall—so he would stop to help me. My mind raced with ideas as I muttered to myself. I began pacing back and forth, my heart pounding, my thoughts scattering. I had to do this perfectly so he would feel our connection immediately.

I wanted my mate, even if the connection was not snapping into place like it should. His stormy eyes and dark blonde hair filled my thoughts. He was handsome, and hope filled my chest that he would find me pretty. But first, I needed to kickstart this damn bond inside of me to wake its ass up and claim him from the woman he thought he loved.

I would show him what love actually was. I stopped pacing and began practicing falling so it looked natural—not desperate. I pretended to trip over my feet, but what if he thought I was clumsy? So, I practiced tripping over a rock I tossed on the ground. After a few attempts, I felt dumb, so I stopped.

“This is so damn stupid. Why is this so fucking difficult?” I asked no one in particular. I shook my arms, trying to loosen the tension in my body. I could do this. My mate would love me. I had not waited an eternity for him to belong to someone else. He belonged to me.

I would fight her if I needed to.

“Get a grip on yourself,” I said out loud. “You can do this. It’s simple. You’ve done harder things than talking to a man before.”

But none of them had to do with my mate. I should not have to convince him to pick me over another woman. He was only supposed to be attracted to me, unless everything we knew about mates was wrong.

“That’s ridiculous,” I scoffed. I turned to take my place—only to find him already there, smiling softly. His hand was resting on the gate to his family’s yard. Gods, I hadn’t even heard him come up. I stilled. He could see me.

“Are you alright?” he said with amusement. His stormy blue eyes met mine, and I swallowed hard. Fuck, how much did he see?

“Umm.” I glanced down at my dress, which was covered in dust from my fake falling. When I looked up, he had a full smile. Fuck, he was more handsome this close.

“Is there a reason you kept falling for no reason? Do you need a healer?” His deep voice wrapped around me like a hug.

“I… really don’t know how to answer that.” My cheeks heated. His eyes drifted over my face like he was admiring what he was seeing. My heart pounded, hoping he liked what he saw.

“You seem very familiar.” He tilted his head to the side. “What’s your name?”

His hand dropped from the gate as he took a step toward me. I smiled at the gesture; maybe his mating bond was telling him to come near me. I didn’t understand how he saw me right now when he hadn’t noticed me once in the past two weeks.

“Ardella," I said with a nervous smile.

I glanced over his tall frame; his dark blonde hair was shorter than I realized earlier and messy, like he'd been running his fingers through it.

“Are you lost?” he asked.

“I think I’m exactly where I should be.”

He stepped closer and glanced around, checking if anyone else was nearby. He stopped a few feet in front of me. He smelled good, like a frosty morning in winter. Gods, he was taller than he looked from a distance, too. I craned my neck back and looked up at him.

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