Page 7 of Secrets & Curses of Fate

I stepped forward and hugged him to me. His arms wrapped around me, holding me tightly like I would float away if he loosened his grip. This felt right. I had not felt like this when Holden hugged me. I closed my eyes and buried my face into him, wanting to sear this moment into my memory forever. When I pulled back, Haden's eyes seemed impossibly dark.

“Is it because we don’t know each other, but this already feels so right?” he asked.

Without knowing what else to say, I simply whispered, “Yes.”

He smiled and kissed my forehead.

“No reason to be scared, Ardella. Maybe this is our destiny. Maybe our fate was to meet.”

His words crushed me. I leaned forward and kissed him softly before I stepped back. My eyes did not leave his as I summoned my star mist, and it twisted its way around me. The silvery glow lit up the street where Haden and I stood.

"Please, come back," he begged softly as I disappeared.

When my magic moved away from me, I was standing in my bedroom. My throat was tight with emotion. This was never supposed to happen. Immediately, I went to find my brother, Mikel. I walked through our home that now felt cold and sterile since being at Haden's welcoming house. Mikel was in the sitting room with one of the books he was always reading. He glanced up at me, his matching star-colored eyes widening with concern at the sight of me.

“Ardella, what is wrong?” He stood up. My brother towered over me. His black hair was perfectly styled, and his clothes were way too fancy for a man who never left this house. I walked to him and pulled him to me for a hug. He immediately wrapped his arms around me for comfort. I didn’t know what to say to him. It felt wrong to tell him that I didn’twantmy mate. Mikel wouldn't understand; he wouldn't know how to help me.

“I had a terrible dream.” I lied.

He frowned as we both sat down on the couch. Mikel looked more worried when he saw tears falling down my cheeks.

“Fuck, Ardella, was it that bad?” He wiped my tears from me.

“What if we get a mate and we do not want them?” I asked.

Mikel stared at me oddly, then he began laughing. My jaw clenched tightly at his reaction.

“You don’t need to worry about that. The heavens make sure we get someone best suited for us. Is that what your nightmare was?”

“Yes,” I whispered. “What happens if we find our mate and they are already in love with someone or have a family? Are we supposed to expect them to destroy their lives for us?”

Mikel’s eyes roamed over me. There was a flicker of suspicion in them.

“That is impossible. Our mates are made for us, and us for them. Why is this worrying you?”

I glanced at my hands in my lap. Holden should want me and only me. I should not want Haden. Something was wrong with us. This did not feel like fate. It felt like hell.

“I don’t know. We just wait so damn long that I worry something will go wrong. What if that did happen; could we choose someone else? Can the bond transfer? Do we not get a mate if they reject us? Can we reject them?”

Mikel’s hand squeezed mine until I looked up at him. Shit, there was definitely concern in his eyes.

“Did you meet your mate?”

“No,” I lied without thought, which was strange. I had never lied to my brother before. He was my best friend; he would help me. But part of me felt guilty for not wanting Holden. My brother had always talked about what he wanted in a mate. He always sounded so excited about it. I, on the other hand, hardly thought about it because I didn’t want to drive myself crazy wondering how long it would be until I met him.

Mikel always had his whole life figured out. He couldn’t wait to find his mate, get married, and have children. Mikel was made to be a husband and father. He said it was his purpose. How could I tell him that not only had I found my mate first but that I did not want him? What if he became worried that his mate would do the same thing that mine did? There was no way I could putthat stress on him. I didn't want to crush his dreams. So, I kept my secret to myself.

“The heavens will take care of us, Ardella. Our mates will be everything we want and more.”

I nodded as he hugged me. I only needed to spend a few hours with Haden to know that he was what I wanted, what I needed. I had followed Holden around for weeks and seen him with Sara, but it did not elicit anything significant within me. Haden made me feel things I did not know were possible in such a short time. The thought of Haden with another female, though, instantly pissed me off. I pulled away from Mikel and gave him a soft smile, doing my best to mask my emotions.

“You’re right. It was just a terrible nightmare," I said, hoping to drop this uncomfortable topic.

He stared at me for a long moment. “Do you want me to read to you?”

I nodded and settled on the couch as Mikel’s soft voice drifted into the silence of our home. I closed my eyes and tried to relax, but all I could think of was Haden kissing me. I shoved the thoughts of him away, determined to focus on my mate. Holden was obviously picked by the heavens for me for a reason. I would find a way for my bond with Holden to snap into place. For that to work, though, I needed to avoid Haden.

Chapter 3

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