He grinned. “Word for word?” I nodded. “You said,I’m giving my body to my mate,nothing happening with her—with you, will ever bring me shame.”
My arm fell on the cushion next to my thigh, the sheet of paper sliding to the floor.
I had a mate. And she was coming.
I leaned forward to pick up the detailed black and white drawing, allowing myself to examine her face.
She was the most beautiful thing I’d ever laid my eyes on. Her hair, seemingly light, was held in a disheveled braid and falling down hernaked back. Her eyes locked with mine, lips parted as she straddled my hips, palms on my chest like she needed the extra help to stay upright.
I was grateful Arc didn’t draw most of the body parts that should have been visible from that angle.
“She might be a Fallen too,” he explained, hesitating. “Her eyes were the lightest blue.”
She was my mate. And we were the same. Someone to share my heart and soul with. Someone who was facing the same challenges I did.
“You don’t deserve a mate. She’ll see it too. She’llrejectyou.”The voices laughed.
But one look toward Arc made it all go away. He looked happy. Hopeful. Supportive. He knew how long I'd been waiting for it. For mymate.
“Now, let’s go and celebrate before she gets here soon,” he said, holding his hand for me to take as he stood up.
And I grabbed it. Because no matter how much of an asshole I could be, Arc was always by my side. People might think I was the angel sitting on his shoulder, but really, most of the time he was the one keeping me on the right path. Calling me out when I fucked up. Picking me up when I faltered. Cheering me on when I needed it.
He had found my mate, and she was on her way.
Everything would be perfect now.
“Okay, now that we’re all here,” Arc started, getting up from his chair and lifting his drink up.
Everyone sitting around the table quieted, turning their attention to him. Kai and Ann sat the closest, their arms linked together, surrounded by Denisa, Christopher, and Sanjay, the other members of their binded group. Carrie picked at her nails distractedly while Marcus interrupted his joking with Jeremiah next to her.
“Tonight we’re not gathering just for the sake of it. No matter how fucked up things can become, or how sad and devastating we all get when we’re losing our people, sometimes good things come our way too.”
He looked at me, waiting for my permission to tell more. And I gave it to him. Because I’ve never been more excited in my life, and I was eager to share this hope with our friends, even though Iknewsome would make jokes about it.
“Someone new will be coming soon,” Arc continued. “And that someone is Carter’s mate.”
Silence fell and they all shifted their focus to me.
“Well, that was unexpected,” Carrie drawled, but her eyes still sparkled in surprise, a small smile tugging at her lips.
“Let’s not claim victory too fast.” Kai chuckled. “They might very well turn back as soon as they set their eyes on him.”
“Oh, shut up!” Ann scolded before turning to me and leaning over the table to place her hand on mine. “That’s amazing news! Do we know anything about them yet?”
I hesitated, biting on my lower lip. “Not really,” I said. “I think she’s blonde? And Arc says she has blue eyes.”
Marcus wiggled his eyebrow at me. “So, she’s ashe…”
“And a Divine,” Jeremiah remarked, grinning widely. “Good for you, pal. Should we sign up your future kids for school yet? Or are you planning to take a couple of centuries like them?” he taunted, tilting his head toward Ann and her binded group.
She gave him a cold stare. “We’ve been fully binded for barely over fifty years, stop exaggerating.”
“And what’s wrong about taking the time to enjoyusbefore bringing kids into the equation?” Kai added, getting nods of approval from the rest of their group. “We’ve got all the time in the world.”
What they didn’t say out loud but everyone knew, was that bringing kids right now was a terrifying thought. What if the abductions of our people picked up and they lost their children? What if the humans didn’t learn from their first failure to eradicate us and started a new war?
“Don’t listen to him,” Carrie said. “He obviously has some kind of baby fever and no mate to give him the army of little winged creatures he wants.”
