Unwanted Fates | Book Two ✔️

Ten | Brat

"So that's it," Sylvie sighed, taking a long drink of coffee from her speckled mug. Whoever furnished the house had great taste.

"I'll kill that fucking bear."

"No, Elias, I told you I want that choice to be mine. Some bad things happened to his wife because of Vampires-"

"That doesn't excuse it," Kian interrupted. "You, of all people, should know trauma doesn't excuse violence and abuse, Princess."

Guilt burrowed in her stomach at Elias's furrowed brow and pinched expression.

She nodded, taking another long sip. Caffeine was her best friend, especially if it stopped her from falling asleep and having any more weird prophetic dreams, as Kian called them.

The Fates hadn't 'dream-walked' since the division, so he said, and their little riddles set both her mates on edge.

They seemed assured the triad referred to them and Sylvie's connection, but she still wasn't so sure. The Fates, or whatever they were, seemed insistent on her finding him. The identity of the elusive him remained clouded, but Sylvie had a fair idea.

"What about Hex? Did he touch you?"

Sylvie's heart rate spiked, remembering the few times they touched, her hatred quickly dousing the heat rising to her cheeks. Elias' sudden narrowing eyes revealed he knew what she was thinking, or at least could guess.

"Tell us," he said lowly.

"He didn't hurt me. He left that task to Jace," she replied with a scowl.

Kian paced the floor before facing her with a frown. "I don't understand why he would take you in the first place. He didn't know we were mates when you referred to us as your guardians on that phone call. So why would he take you if he thought you were Elias' assistant."

Elias took a swig of his tall glass of crimson liquid and propped his elbows on the counter before steepling his fingers under his cleanly shaven chin. "You don't want to take a guess?" he grunted.

Did he know?

Kian swallowed and touched her hand lightly across the counter, still cradling her coffee. "Tell us the whole story, Princess."

Blinking back tears, she finished off the last dregs of coffee and gnawed on her lip.

"You both promise to love me still, right?"

Kian nodded, and Elias tilted his head in disbelief.

"Okay, sorry, stupid question," she amended. "Listen, I still think it's all bullshit, but he said- he said we were mates."

Elias growled and clenched the glass so tightly in his fist that Sylvie was sure it would shatter. Kian, on the other hand, spun and hid his expression from her.

"But he said he was gonna find a way to end the bond. With the artefact."

Her hopeful tone sounded fake to her own ears.

"The triad," Kian sighed. "That's what the Fates meant."

"No," Elias growled. "If he wanted to be her mate, he should never have let his followers hurt her."

She sighed. At least he understood.

Kian grunted. "You saw how Hex attacked the bear when he admitted to hurting her. He couldn't have known."

"Bullshit!" Sylvie and Elias yelled back together. Sylvie appreciated the solidarity but hated ganging up on Kian. His crestfallen look only spurred her guilt further.