Page 33 of Secrets & Curses of Fate

My vision pulsed black in my wrath. What the fuck was thenicepart of me thinking? We had no choice in this. Della was ours, bond or not; it did not fucking matter. I looked up at the ceiling and smiled, hoping the stars and heavens saw me.

“You stupid fucks. Do you really think a bond will keep us apart? When she is calling my name to the heavens as I am buried inside of her, then maybe you’ll understand she is mine. I will mark her in every way imaginable. I don’t need your permission to have her.”

I could feel the tugging of my other side of me trying to get out, but he wouldn’t. He would stay inside until he stopped being so damn noble and trying to give my woman to someone that she didn’t want.

I looked out of the window and instantly shoved the door open when I saw her lying on the ground.What the fuck is wrong with you?I asked myself. He didn’t answer me, and that was probably for the best. I was going to lose my fucking mind. When I got to her, she was curled into a ball. Anger simmered under my skin as I looked around. She should know better than to sleep out here. There are monsters.

“Oh, Storm,” I whispered and scooped her up in my arms. She seemed to be too tired to process that she was moving. Her scent filled my lungs, and I inhaled deeply. She smelled like heaven and flowers. She curled into me as I walked us up the stairs. The boards creaked under us as I moved her into the warm house. She was cold. I laid her down just as her eyes fluttered like she might be waking up.

“Why the hell are you sleeping outside?” I snapped softly. “You could’ve been killed by a monster.”

She opened her eyes and stared at me, her mind finally registering the fact that she was in our house.

“Gods can’t die,” was all she could say. That wasn’t true.

“Well, they can get hurt. I can only imagine being mauled by a monster would not be a great time, especially if you can’t die.”

“Careful, Haden, you sound like you care.” Her attitude was deserved.

My eyes narrowed on her. “I do fucking care.”

She sat up and looked at me. “Then please stop pushing me away. I feel so lost without you.”

“The heavens say I am not yours,” I started to say, but she cut me off in her rage. And I shut my mouth because Storm’s anger was one of my favorite things to admire. Her pretty face instantly became hard-pressed as she glared at me.

“Will you stop saying that?” She stood up, irritated, thinking that I was not understanding that she was mine even if the heavens told her she wasn't supposed to want me. I had no choice in this because I was in love with her.

“You know that is not true,” she hissed. “You are mine. I do not want Holden. If I wanted him, I would have taken him from Sara, but I didn’t. I do not care that my supposed mate loves another woman, Haden. But what I do care about is that you are shutting me out.I am terrified that you will disappear. I am terrified that you do not think I am worthy enough for you to love me back. You are my mate in every sense of the fucking word. So, what if we don’t have a bond? I don’t need some stupid bond to tell me you are everything I have waited my entire existence for.”

She couldn’t stop herself as more words poured from her mouth in a rage.

“I slept with you! Do you understand the importance of that? Gods are not supposed to feel any desire for anyone but our mate. We do not sleep with anyone unless they are our mate. I chose you, and isn’t that better than some stupid bond? I looked at you andknewyou were mine. No one will ever be you, Haden.

“If you tell me to leave, then I will. I will leave you alone so that you can enjoy your life without me. But don’t think that I will move on. I can’t. I would walk out those doors knowing that I will never have a mate after you. I would not get married. I would not have a family of my own. I would not love another male. But if you truly do not want me, then I love you enoughto let you be happy without me. I will give up everything about my happiness if it will makeyouhappy. I am so in love with you, Haden. And I am destroyed by the thought that you hate me for a mistake the heavens made. I have cursed them. I have demanded that they fix this. Because I know in my heart, my soul, that you are the one meant for me.”

I stared at her as she fell apart in front of me. Tears streamed down her face as she stared at me. Honestly, I was at a loss for words.

“Please say something,” she begged. “Tell me to leave, or tell me to stay.”

I took a deep breath, trying to form a thought about how I felt about her. She exhaled deeply, and her shoulders deflated. Devastation slammed into her eyes. She hurried around me. Just as her star mist was wrapping around her, I reached forward and grabbed her arm, turning her around. My mouth crushed into hers as I yanked her flush against me.

I pulled her to me with desperate hands. My arms circled around her in a death grip as she deepened the kiss. Slowly, the passion fizzled into tenderness. I pulled back and traced over her with my eyes.

“I’m sorry. I thought the right thing was to let fate have you,” I said quickly. “I’m so fucking sorry. Please don’t leave. Forgive me for trying to make you want Holden instead of me. Forgive me for trying to push you away. The heavens and hell both know I was lying when I said you weren’t mine. I love you, Storm. I do not know how to stop.”

“Then don’t,” she whispered. “Please do not ever leave me again. I will not survive it.”

“I’m all in if you’re all in.” I smiled softly.

She kissed me. “I’m all in.”

“I will never let you go. I’m serious; you are mine. I want this life with you. I want to marry you and build a life together.”

I stared at her intently.

“I was yours from the first moment I looked into your stormy eyes. You are stuck with me, Haden. I will never leave you.”

I sighed heavily and held her to me. This was it. This was the beginning of forever. Now I just needed to figure out how I could keep her safe from Elra and Mateo. I knew what my duty was, but I couldn't do that and have her. But it wasn't even a hard decision. Della would always be my first pick.

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