1729

~Amolet

I watch, unflinching, as Stace falls to his knees, clutching his neck.

"Amolet, wait!" He begs with what little air he has. My resolve is wavering, but I hold strong regardless. I would that seeing him kneeling like this, after everything he has been doing to essentially ruin my life, would feel better, and yet my heart aches, riddled with doubt. Maybe it's because of Aven...She would be better off without Stace, but yet the thought of leaving her mateless is haunting.

"Quiet," I growl, hopping he can't hear the wavering in my tone.

"Kill me, and the damage from this will be far larger than you can even comprehend," he warns coldly, blinking as his eyes water from the lack of breath. Suffocating him won't kill him, but enough of this magical strength around his neck should be enough.

"What are you talking about?" I snap. I let my hold on him slip a little; just enough to give him a chance to speak some more, while also making it obvious that it will only take me a single thought for that mental hand to wrap back around his neck again.

"You need to hear me out, let me explain everything," he begs.

I loosen the grip some more, letting him get to his feet. I feel strong, ready to take him down at any moment, although I make sure there is some reasonable space between us so he can't grab me. Sinful and Cian should be watching anyway, somewhere within the tree line, ready and willing to help if Stace attacks me.

"There is nothing to explain. You want my mate dead." Stace is responsible for killing immortals and purebloods, meaning he won't stop being a threat until he is out of this realm forever, with no intention of returning.

Or if he's dead...

"No, I don't..." he shakes his head. "I wasn't killing the pure bloods...It's Aven's mother that wanted to."

I hesitate, glancing back toward the manor as if Aven might storm out and catch us in the middle of this conversation. Stace would say anything to get out of this, wouldn't he? But would he put the blame on Aven's mother, who I haven't even met before? Seems as though he would be the last person to dismantle his mates reputation in order to get himself out of death...

I try to look less confused, but I'm not sure it's working. "What?"

"Aven's mother, she lives in the other realm. She found out part of my powers was that I could go between realms freely, and take others. She used Aven to get me to go through the portal and bring her here. When she realised she could rule here easier than in my realm, she tried..." he breaks off, looking down at his hands. I can see the turmoil, the pain.

His mate's mother has been causing havoc on this world, and he has been allowing it, for Aven. But now I can tell that he knows Aven isn't going to forgive him when she learns of what has been going on.

ow is that possible?" I demand.

"Aven's mother has powers. Bad one's, and she's still alive," he tells me. He speaks as if we are all in dangerous because of it, as if just the sound of that should make me shiver. And it does. "And she's going to kill Aven."

I can't even tell if I'm breathing at this point, as if I'm using my powers on myself. I really have no idea about all the terrible things in Aven's life that she clearly doesn't know about. Is Stace the one trying to protect her? Or is she just lucky to be so far away from all the chaos?

"How...Why would you do what she said?" I question. He should have said no. He shouldn't have given in to her, regardless of who she is.

"Because if I didn't, she would turn her wrath against my mate, and kill her in front of me," he exclaim frantically. His eyes are wild, genuine. "Do you have any idea what I would do for my mate?"

I know that feeling...I found that feeling when I did everything I could to get out of Death's realm to get back to mine.

"I...I can't let you kill Cian."

"I don't want to kill Cian," he shakes his head. "I started working with Noah because I saw him as a threat. I couldn't kill him, or the pure bloods would have free reign to come kill me, or Aven. He wanted too much power, and even though my priorities are where I rule in the other realm, I must manage this one where others cannot."

"So all this time, it's been Aven's mother who has been trying to kill the pure bloods?" I ask, trying to wrap my head around all the information he is feeding me. It's all making me feel as though I could throw up onto the snow in front of me.

Stace takes slow, careful steps closer. "Yes. Aven is here, so I can protect her from her own mother, from those who want her dead because of her powers."

It's obvious what needs to be done, even if it feels wrong voicing it.

"You need to kill her mother," I shudder.

"I will, soon." He doesn't sound like he would regret doing it, either. "But that is for me to do, not you all."

He motions around, making it clear he knows Sinful and Cian are watching. Not that it matters, I trust him now. If I'm making a mistake, I'll soon find out, but I don't think Stace would stand here explaining this to me if he had the intention of killing me again. And there is no murderous look in his eyes. In fact, he looks lost, vulnerable. I would be sad, if it weren't for the circumstances.

"She won't forgive you," I remind him quietly.

Aven seems good and kind. Maybe she will be reasonable, but if Stace kills her mother, it won't be without consequences.

"Maybe not. She hasn't even met me yet, and I am bound in what I will be able to reveal to her when I do. She may hate me, but she is my mate. It's all for her." He sounds as though he is trying to convince me as a way to convince himself that he is doing the right thing, that Aven will give him a chance we they do finally meet.

I breathe out slowly, making my decision. "If you come back, come near any of us again, I'll kill you."

"Understandable," he nods, bowing his head gratefully. The Purebloods are going to hate me for this, but it feels like the right thing to do. "I apologise for killing you. I was trying to send a message in a way that wouldn't cause too much destruction."

I sigh. "You may have been doing me a favour."

He seems to know exactly what I'm referencing as a smile tilts his lips upward. "Ah yes, infinite years with your mate."

I hadn't allowed myself to worry about that before recently. Before, I was just a mortal mated to a man who could live infinitely. Now, we will have endless time together to make a life. As my anger melts away, I can see now why Stace did what he did, and how I can reap the benefit from it without harbouring too much resentment.

"When you do come into her life, you better be the best person..." I tell him seriously.

He nods in agreement. "I will. I can assure you."

I blow out a tired breath. As much as I couldn't imagine what Aven is going to go through being mated to Stace, I'm glad that I'm not contributing to a sad life without a mate for her. At least she will have a chance to do with her life what she wants to. And that feels right.

"Go. Hale has Aven, but he is going to erase her memory shortly," I inform him. Aven will wake tomorrow thinking she hit her head and fell asleep, nothing more.

Stace backs away through the snow, a variety of emotions consuming his eyes. We both know we aren't going to see each other again.

"Goodbye, Amolet."

I swallow past a lump in my throat. "Goodbye, Stace."

He holds my gaze for a moment longer, before he vanishes, leaving no trace of him. I'm only left standing in silence for a second, before both Sinful and Cian appear, almost exactly where Stace was standing.

"Are you okay?" Cian asks, advancing on me. I let him grab my arms, looking over me. Stace didn't lay a hand on me, but it's as if I can feel the lasting affect of him all over me. That conversation is going to stick with me, I get the feeling.

"Did you hear it all?" I ask, looking toward Sinful. He doesn't look angry like I suspected he would.

"I believe him. As someone with a mate, I believe him," Sinful says softly. I gape at him in disbelief. For the first time ever, is Sinful actually being reasonable? I expected him to march here and tell me I ruined the entire mission.

Cian squeezes my hand. "So do I."

"Hale and Ira may struggle, being mateless and all," I say uneasily. They are the one's I'm most anxious to tell, considering how unpredictable they are. Part of the reason I was able to emphasise with what Stace was telling me was because I've experienced it

"Hale will be fine, soon enough," Sinful says with a shrug. "I have a hunch for these things."

He does, considering he was the one to alert me to the fact that Cian is my mate, just based off examining our circumstances. Chances are he knows something is coming for Hale too.

"I'm just glad this is over," I admit, letting my shoulders slump with relief.

"Time to celebrate?" Cian asks, nudging me.

I smile, finally truly, undeniably happy. "I think so."

🤎••🤎

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Sophie_Midika

Midikacrane

~Midika 💜🐼