Page 47 of Secrets & Curses of Fate

I realized he was smiling, and I finally snapped out of my gawking. He was going to walk straight into me, but it didn’t matter. He would not see or feel me. So, I stayed where I was because I wanted to admire him longer. The red-haired woman was talking his ear off when I glanced up into pretty, dark blue-grey eyes that reminded me of a violent storm in the sea.

Shit, he was perfect. He was just as he was all those years ago.

I admired everything about him, staring far more than what would be deemed appropriate if he could actually see me. His brows furrowed as he looked toward me. But I just kept staring. Amusement filled his eyes as he smiled slightly. I wondered what the woman was saying to him to make him look happy. Jealousy bloomed in my chest.

Was I too late? Was this his girlfriend? I swallowed hard as those memories of mine and Holden's bond hit me. Were the heavens this cruel that they would show him to me and not let me have him after I waited centuries for him? I would die. Even a god could not survive that type of damn torture. He stopped a foot in front of me, and that smell of a frosty winter morning slammed into me and made my grief swell.

“Excuse me,” he smiled down at me. His head tilted slightly to the side as his curious eyes stared at me. His voice shot straight through me and gripped me in a welcoming hug. He sounded the same.

My eyes widened when I realized he was looking me directly in the eyes. I turned to see who he was talking to, but I was the only one standing there. I pointed to my chest, and his smile widened. For the love of the stars, he could fucking see me, and I was staring. My cheeks heated. He was going to think I was crazy.

“Who are you talking to?” The redhead raised her brow curiously.

He turned to her and back to me.

“To her.” His pretty eyes drifted over my face slowly. Shit, did he like what he saw? Fuck, that would kill me if I waited all of this time for him to not want me. All these new fears were hitting me at once, making my chest tighten.

“Haden, there is no woman in front of you.”

My heart slammed into my ribs as I heard his name. Haden. She called him fucking Haden. He looked at the redhead as my mouth fell open with excitement and fear.?

“Kira, she’s right here.” He pointed at me. I could see her eyes searching for me, but she wouldn’t find me, not unless I wanted her to. But he could. My heart felt like it was going to explode into a million pieces. I could not believe it was him. I had dreamed of this for hundreds of years, but I did not ever think it would happen like this—so casually.

Haden.

Mine.

I grinned at him when his stormy eyes met mine.

“You don’t see her?” He asked as a smile tilted his lips.

“No, maybe your father hit you a little too hard in the head because there is no one in front of you, and others are starting to stare.”

He didn’t look away from me, like he couldn’t.

“Her eyes look like the stars,” he whispered to himself.

My breath caught when I felt the small feeling of being pulled toward him. Relief flooded me as a euphoric, warm sensation that began in my heart and raced to every part of me. The tugging in my chest became persistent before suddenly the golden string of our bond emerged from me and made its way to Haden. When it went into his heart, he showed a slight sign of discomfort as he rubbed his chest. I waited to see what would happen. After a moment, the bond snapped in place between us, its connection slamming into me like a breath of fresh air. Images of it doing the same thing the night Haden died before it failed to take root made me hold my breath.

It tugged and hummed strongly between us. I could feel the tears stinging the back of my eyes as I thanked the heavens for forgiving me, promising to protect him with everything I am. My gaze could not look away from the golden bond that swarmed between us. It was bright and glowed with flecks of gold and silver around it. It was very strong.

“Seriously, Haden, everyone is staring.”

He looked away from me and looked at the fae watching him talk to someone who wasn’t there, like he was a freak, and that pissed me off— a lot. He hesitated for a moment, like he didn't want to leave. He swallowed hard as he sidestepped around me and kept walking. I turned to watch him, feeling a deep sense of longing for him.

After a minute he turned to see if I was still there. His lips pulled into the most breathtaking smile when he saw I was still watching him. I waved at him awkwardly, thanking the heavens that they gave me Haden as a mate in this life. I could keep him forever, and I never had to lose him again. He turned and kept walking.

Desperately, I hurried to where he had disappeared and looked for him. There was no way I could leave. I made myself unseen even to him and scoured the streets to find him. After afew minutes, I located him at a street vendor trying to sell some sort of vegetables. The redheaded woman was still lurking close by. My gaze drifted over her. She was stunning with her copper-colored hair and bright blue eyes. Her clothes were far fancier than what Haden wore. They were definitely from different social classes.

Gods, what was his new family like? Obviously, they were poorer than before, but I bet they were kind. I couldn’t wait to meet them. I couldn’t wait to meet him and see how different and similar he was to the man I fell in love with. This was all so exciting and scary at the same time. What if he was exactly the same? I stared at the back of his head as he talked to the man who was looking at him with unkind eyes. He was talking poorly to Haden, and Haden wasn’t saying anything back to the man. I frowned. Why did he think that was alright?

I looked at the woman to see if she would say something. But she didn’t. She was staring at something behind me, and I glanced at a handsome nobleman smiling at her. I turned back to her, and she was looking at Haden again. My gaze didn’t leave the redhead.

She watched Haden closely. Was this a girlfriend? Instantly, jealousy overtook me. My mate bond did not like that my mate may already be with someone else. This is what I should have felt with Holden—this wrath of a thousand suns. Haden turned and looked over his shoulder, staring directly at where I stood. His pretty eyes flickered around as if he could sense me close by, but he couldn’t see me.

I froze in my spot and watched him looking around for me. Longing slammed into my chest again as I stared at him. I did not know I could long for someone so violently as they stood a few feet away. He rubbed his chest softly as his stormy eyes frantically looked for me. He glanced at the woman, and I didn’t see a flicker of anything in his eyes for her.

“Fine.” Haden frowned at the man with unkind eyes. I watched him slide a small pile of money to Haden, who immediately seemed disappointed by the amount. Haden and Kira began walking in the direction they had originally come from. I followed closely, hoping to learn anything about my mate that I could.

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