Page 98 of Forgotten Fate

“Silver,” she told me when I asked what it was made of. Fucking hell. Silver. The one metal that could actually kill me.

Although Aura was the one who suffered at the hands of the bandits throughout the day, she insisted on tending to my wound. Even though she was nearly killed, she was worried about me. I couldn’t fathom it. She was the most selfless person I had ever met. I didn’t fucking deserve her.

My body tensed when she asked if I killed them. I couldn’t lie to her. “I’d kill a thousand men if it meant saving you,” I told her. And I meant every fucking word.

I stepped closer, unable to hide my feelings any longer. I couldn’t control myself, couldn’t stop myself from kissing the woman I loved. And that kiss…gods, that kiss.

Ecstasy coursed through every vein in my body with pleasure I had never felt before. I ran my hands over her body, relishing in the feel of her against me, my pants immediately tightening. I wanted more of her. All of her. I wanted todevourher.

But I couldn’t. It would set the bond she didn’t even know existed. It wouldn’t be fair to her.

So I pulled away before promising her I would never let anyone hurt her again, and I meant it. She was mine now. The bond still wasn’t set, but she was mine nonetheless. Nothing and no one could take her away from me.

Soon, we made our way to the Shadow Peak Mountains – our last obstacle before it was a straight shot to Zolmara. But it didn’t have to stop at Zolmara. I would go to the ends of the earth for this woman. If she wanted a future with me, she had me. But if I told her what I was and if…if she wanted to run… I would let her. But for now, I would soak in every second I had with her. Every touch. Every kiss.

As we climbed the mountain, I learned that Aura felt the same energy when we touched that I did. I was in complete shock. Only lycans can see and feel the mating bond, I thought. It wasn’t uncommon for them to mate with other immortals, or even humans, but I had no idea the non-lycan mate could also feel bits and pieces of the bond.

That night, we kissed again. If I spent every day of the rest of my life kissing this woman, I would be unstoppable. The joy and ecstasyit brought was unmatched. Her beautiful lips were supple and perfect, and she tasted as sweet as she smelled. It took everything in my being not to rip the clothes from her body, the wolf begging me to set the mating bond in place for good.

But I couldn’t do that to her. I couldn’t permanently set a bond that she didn’t even know existed, without her consent. So I told her no, despite her wanting to move further. I wanted it too, more than anything. But my need to protect her, and my respect for her, vastly outpowered my lust for her. She deserved better.

I was terrified to reveal my identity to her. Terrified that she would leave, which she would have every right to do after learning what I’d done. I should have told her sooner, but…I wanted to relish every second I had with her first, should she decide she no longer wanted me after learning the truth. I was selfish in this, I knew. But I couldn’t help it. I wasn’t sure I’d survive without her.

When we reached the bottom of the mountain, and Aura shot and killed her first deer with her bow, I felt a tinge of sadness and guilt in her. This made me uncomfortable, knowing I had killed a hundred people myself. To me, it only fortified the thought that she would leave after learning about my past. But this only reminded me that she truly deserved better.

Fuck, why was this so difficult? Stay with her. Let her leave. Stay with her. Let her leave. Equal parts selfish and selfless. I wanted both. It was driving me mad.

I fought with her, subtly trying to see how much convincing it would take to get her to change her mind about me. She saw me as someone good, someone pure. I was far from it. I had killed a hundred people and she felt guilty for killing a deer.

For the first time since I met her, I told her a truth I hadn’t been expecting to share. “I’m afraid that if you knew more about me…about the things I’ve done…that you won’t feel the same way aboutme as you do now.”

“I’m not going anywhere, Elias,” she responded. “Your past doesn’t scare me.”

It should. She might change her mind when I tell her the whole story.

So I decided. That very night, I would tell her. I just needed time to collect myself.

She sent me away to get some space, and I was grateful for her trust. My beautiful, strong, intelligent, extraordinary mate. It was finally time to put it all to the test – to see if the gods were right to bring us together.

I took her canteen and walked to a stream to fill it, collecting my thoughts and wondering where I should even fucking start. But when I looked down, I noticed a small pool had formed between a circle of rocks in the stream. I looked at it and saw Sarai’s reflection – a smug, wicked smile on her face.

Oh gods, no.Aura. I felt a sudden sharp sense of fear that wasn’t my own, but hers. I turned and darted back to her.

Sarai had found us. And Volund came to fetch me himself. He revealed everything to her. Who I was, what I was meant to do to her – and he even figured out that she was my mate. And then he proved it all by stabbing me with a steel blade, knowing I would instantly heal. Aura’s face turned white and I felt the fear that crept through her. There was no way she would forgive me.

When Volund threatened her life – threatened to torture her – I fucking lost it, and lunged for him. But as always, he brought a handful of skilled warriors to fetch me, armed with blades laced with wolfsbane.

I tried everything in my power to protect Aura. But when wolfsbane enters my bloodstream, like from a stab wound, it moves very quickly. I failed her. I promised her I wouldn’t let anyone hurt her, and I failedher.

Falling to the ground, immense pain overloaded my senses as the poison seeped in. It might have even been enough to kill me this time. I nearly blacked out when a flash of light forced my eyes open. Aura had used the stone given to her by Trybe, and the enemies around us froze like statues.

Thank the gods for Trybe. Aura now had a chance to flee – a chance to live. Volund would take me back if I didn’t die from the wolfsbane, and Aura could get home and live a normal life.

But…she didn’t flee. She came up to me, and I begged her to run.

“I’m not leaving you,” she shrieked, her beautiful, emerald eyes filled with fear. Fuck. She was so gods-damned selfless. For once, she needed to think of herself and get to safety.

I pleaded with her through blurred vision and searing pain, the poison creeping through my veins and burning like fire. “Aura, please. You can escape. You can live.”