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Chapter 31 : Belonging
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2024-10-29 19:42:56Related chapters
The Broken Fate of a Fated Mate Chapter 32 : Questions
*Vanessa*“I can’t believe you actually took in the Helbane defectors,” I say, running my hand across Shawn’s forearm. Lying cocooned against his body, I feel so at peace. We slipped away from the party again, wanting to catch up on everything that happened over the last few days, but we were so exhausted that we ended up just falling asleep wrapped up in each other. The mutual confession we shared seems to have altered something between us. We’re closer than we were before, without hesitation on my end. And Shawn hasn’t made a secret of how grateful he is for the opportunity to love me out loud. “I was never going to exile or execute the entire pack.” He catches my hand in his and twines his fingers with mine playfully. “It wouldn’t be fair. I could tell that not everyone was following Trent willingly, or even necessarily agreed with his politics.”I pause, thinking back to the conversations I had with Trent and Ramona. I hadn’t really gone into much detail about
The Broken Fate of a Fated Mate Chapter 33 : Past Bonds
*Vanessa*It’s the first pack meeting I’m attending since I’ve been in Ashborne. Before this, I’d largely just attended the council meetings where all of the sector heads reported. But now, almost every member of Ashborne has congregated together in the square. Most of them are seated in front of the stone platform used as a rudimentary podium, others stand near the sidelines or beneath the shade of the buildings. On the platform itself is Shawn, his face somber and pensive. Several Elders have taken their position opposite him, and I assume that they’re the ones who had the most dissent about my position in the pack. I’m seated between Aaron and Amara, and there’s something comforting about having them on either side of me.Amara keeps my hand nestled in between both of hers and while Aaron says nothing, he shares a similar look of concentration as Shawn. I use these reminders to make sure I remember that I am not their enemy. Even if some members of Ashborne hav
The Broken Fate of a Fated Mate Chapter 34 : The Decision
*Vanessa*“No.” I look at Shawn, blinking in surprise at his sudden outburst. His mouth is pressed in a tight line, his eyes hard.“I understand your concern, young man, but this isn’t exactly a debatable topic,” Elder Luka says, neither offended by his brash response nor intimidated enough to refrain from calling him outside of his title. “Unless you’re not serious about making Vanessa your mate.”From anyone else, their words might sound belittling. But something tells me that Elder Luka is not on the same wavelength as the other Elders in the pack who would never dare talk to him like that. I’d always thought there was something almost mystical about them, something ancient. Even Shawn himself noticed when we spoke about them the last time. He joked about his father being scared of them too. He doesn’t look scared now though, having immediately dismissed their suggestion as swiftly as he did. And knowing what I do about quests to the temple, I can understand why
The Broken Fate of a Fated Mate Chapter 35 : One Day
*Vanessa*“You stole your father’s battle plans and used them as a treasure map?” I ask incredulously, and Shawn shrugs. “We needed props to make it believable,” he says, as though that explained everything.“I’m surprised your dad didn’t just kill you right away,” I laugh. The thought of little Shawn, Amara, Aaron, and Mylene destroying one of the most important battle strategies the pack had ever used because they needed “props” for their game of treasure hunting was enough to make me cry with laughter. Even more so, when I learn that the “treasure” in question was a couple of Amara’s sparkly pins.“All of that for hair accessories,” I remark, shaking my head.“Look, they sparkled. At seven, that pretty much looked like treasure to us,” Shawn replies, and the amount of genuine defensiveness in his voice only makes me laugh even harder.“It was plastic!”“Well, yes, we know that now.” He scratches the back of his neck. “You were ad
The Broken Fate of a Fated Mate Chapter 36 : The Journey
*Vanessa*It’s the dawn beginning to seep into the apartment that eventually wakes me. Shawn is still asleep, one arm slung protectively over me. I slip out from under the warmth of his body as carefully as I can, determined not to wake him. I’m not sure whether I’ll be able to maintain my resolve if he wakes up and tries one last time to convince me to stay. As I get dressed silently, I watch him. He’s beautiful, with his dark hair falling over his forehead in waves, his thick black lashes that brush his cheeks, and the tattooed contrast of the dark ink against his tanned skin. I watch his body rise and fall gently with his breaths as he sleeps in my sheets. I definitely would struggle to resist his pleas for me to stay if he had to get up now. But I don’t want him to wake up completely alone. I find a notepad and pen and scribble out a message for him, then tear out the page, fold it, and leave it on my pillow beside him. I look at him one last tim
The Broken Fate of a Fated Mate Chapter 37 : Isla's Grove
*Vanessa*Panic courses through me, and my breathing is erratic as I try to calm myself down. My sling bag has thankfully remained strapped to my torso, but I’m very careful not to move in any way that will allow it to fall off. The journey here so far has already depleted so much of my energy that the strain of my body weight immediately burns my muscles.I close my eyes against the pain in my arms, against the ache of my chest, and the desperate pounding of my heart. I need to focus, even though every fiber of my being wants to freak out at the thought of falling. There’s enough of my torso above the solid ground for me to drag myself up. I take a deep breath, then use my elbows to get a better grip. My toes go against the wall of rock, looking for any kind of indentation I can use as a foothold. I go steady, using the combination of elbows and feet to drag my body up against the jagged cliff-like drop. Sweat beads my brow but eventually, with scrape
The Broken Fate of a Fated Mate Chapter 38 : The Goddess
*Vanessa*I’m in utter disbelief even as my eyes take her in. She looks like the marble carving come to life. Her skin is warm and her hair is silver and floor-length, brushing against her ankles. Her eyes are silver too, without pupils, darkly lined and accented sidelong with markings I can’t recognize. She reminds me of Elder Luka in her youthful agelessness, features graceful and perfect. But she transcends even the Elder’s ethereal nature. The image of her flickers like a mirage transposed over the marble statue. The sight is both frightening and beyond our realm of beauty. But it’s the benevolent look on her face that causes a tear to roll down my cheek, the softness in her powerful voice that causes indescribable emotion to well up inside me. “Why do you weep, Vanessa?” she asks again, sounding both authoritative and comforting. I wipe at my cheek, scrambling until I’m on my knees so I can bow before her. “There’s no need for that, child,”
The Broken Fate of a Fated Mate Chapter 39 : Weightless
*Vanessa*It’s not Ashborne I see first when I pass the final border. It’s Shawn.He’s waiting for me as far away from the territory as he can while still being close enough to guard it. His eyes are searching the horizon, waiting for me. Like he’s always been waiting for me. Something in me strains toward him, drawing me forward despite my exhaustion and the mental strain of the last few days. I can tell when he sees me because I can literally see his body relax for a split second before he breaks out into a run. Despite the physical and mental exhaustion of the past few days, I find myself running to meet him. We find each other halfway, and I throw myself into his arms so hard that he has to take a step back to steady us. But then his arms are around me immediately, squeezing so tightly that it feels as if his embrace is the only reality of the world I know. His scent, the rapid beating of his heart, his hand wrapped in my hair and the half-pained l
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The Broken Fate of a Fated Mate Chapter 50 : The Start of Forever
*Vanessa*I don’t recognize the girl in the mirror. She has my dark hair, set loose in dark curls that reach the middle of my back and plaited in some parts with pretty little white flowers. Her skin is flush with nervousness, but this time, there’s an excitement that overpowers it. The biggest thing that makes her hard for me to recognize is the feeling of pure joy and contentment it shows on her face.My face.It’s an expression I’ve come to wear very often.“Dahlia, I swear to the Goddess, if you lost the veil…” Amara warns, sounding as distraught as if it were her mating ceremony. She’s been buzzing around me the entire day, insisting I do nothing but get myself ready. Dahlia looks contrite. “No, I put it in a very safe spot, okay? I just … happened to forget where said safe spot was and then there was no time to look. But don’t panic! I have a plan.”Amara looks very much as though she is panicking. There’s practically steam coming out of her ears. I chuckle, putti
The Broken Fate of a Fated Mate Chapter 49 : Falling Into Place
*Vanessa*It’s dusk by the time Aaron and Amara finish their date and make their way back to Ashborne. Having already started working on the crafting of the mating token, I decided to sit just outside and wait for them to get back. I don’t want to fling myself at them and bombard them with questions, knowing how important it is for them to spend as much time just enjoying each other as possible, but I can’t help the surge of curiosity and excitement I feel. I’m dying to know how everything went. One good sign though, is what happens when I first spot them. They’re walking together, close enough for their arms to brush as they walk, and from what I can see of their body language, they move with a sort of relaxed demeanor that can only happen when things have been going well. They’re far enough away for them not to see me when Aaron tugs on Amara’s hand to bring her to a gentle stop before drawing her in for a kiss. I’m glad they can’t hear the absolutely chi
The Broken Fate of a Fated Mate Chapter 48 : The Elders' Table
*Shawn*“I thought I’d take it upon myself to run this council meeting.” Elder Luka stands tall and imposing, their eyes roving over everyone else from the seat beside mine. I’m sitting in the head seat, the one reserved for the Alpha. Usually, it would seem like a place of authority. But now, it’s more of a hot seat. But knowing Elder Luka’s fondness for Vanessa does make me feel more positive about the whole thing. My eyes immediately go to Henley, who’s sulking at the far end of the table. I resist the urge to smirk. “These matters are not foreign to us. However, we do find ourselves in a rather unique predicament where the shifter who might become our Luna is a foreigner to us. Her circumstances are definitely the first of its sort that Ashborne has seen,” they continue. “That, I believe, does require some extra consideration.”I wait my turn to speak, which will come at the end of their line of questioning. I keep myself calm, trying not to let my uneas
The Broken Fate of a Fated Mate Chapter 47 : Making Amends
*Vanessa*I’ve never seen Amara nervous before. Usually, she’s the most calm and level-headed person in the room, but now she’s unrecognizable with a slight shake in her hands as she tries to fix her hair in an upstyle. I watch from my perch on her bed. “Okay, I’ll ask you once and only once. Is there some kind of blackmail ploy I’m unaware of? Or maybe some hidden gun somewhere pressed to your back?”Amara spins around quickly. “What do you mean?”“I mean, you’re acting like you’re going out to meet an executioner or something. Not the guy you’ve been looking forward to spending time with since he asked you out,” I explain.She sighs warily, turning back to scrutinize her reflection in the mirror. “I can’t help it, Vee. I just want things to go smoothly, you know? It’s so much easier to enjoy something when there aren’t any expectations that come with it. And adding a label to stuff tends to create those expectations.” I stand up and walk over to
The Broken Fate of a Fated Mate Chapter 46 : The Alpha's Choice
*Shawn*“I was waiting for you to finally come see me.” Amara glances at me over the paperwork she has splayed across her desk. “It’s about time you start putting together plans for a decent proposal.”“How could you possibly—” I begin, completely dumbfounded at how she knows what I came here to do. But she fixes me with a look. “Don’t insult me by thinking I don’t know you. Twenty years of friendship isn’t child’s play,” she says, her voice deadpan. She gestures at the open chair in front of her. “Have a seat.”I chuckle at the formalness and move to sit opposite her. “So, when did you decide to propose to Vanessa?” she asks, steepling her fingers beneath her chin and resting her elbows on the desk. I try to decipher whether she’s being serious or not with how strict she looks.I was expecting Amara to be her usual cheery self, to jump up and hug me in congratulations.I know that she’s become Vanessa’s best friend, but surely she doesn’t think I w
The Broken Fate of a Fated Mate Chapter 45 : Bridges
*Vanessa*“That was not even close to what I expected,” Aaron rasps out, lying flat on his back. I laugh, removing the knee I kept pinned to his neck. As I stand, I reach out my arm to help him up and he takes it reluctantly. “A warning would’ve been great. I had no idea you were training on your own.”“So what? Were you hoping to kick my ass thinking I was unprepared for it?” I ask. “Where’s the honor in that?”He rolls his eyes at me. “Who’s been training you other than me? I don’t remember teaching you that pin.”“Seth and Dahlia,” I reply airily, and Aaron grunts. “I think it’s important to diversify my training.”“Yeah, yeah,” he grumbles, still trying to regain his breath. “Damn, if your practice sessions over these last few weeks are anything to go by, you’ll be a killing machine before the end of the year. Any chance you’d consider joining the warrior sector?”“Ha. Now you’re just being sarcastic.”“Not in the slightest, for once.” He begins t
The Broken Fate of a Fated Mate Chapter 44 : Battle Plans
*Vanessa*As Shawn tells me about the council meeting with the Elders and specifically Elder Luka’s dressing down of Henley, I get so caught up in the story that I don’t even notice him absentmindedly playing with my hair. I laugh when I hear what Elder Luka said, and I laugh even harder when Shawn describes Henley’s reaction. I look up at him, watching the peaceful look on his face and I feel that contentment spread to me too. It’s so calming to see and hear him be happy. But as a comfortable lull settles into our conversation, I really think for the first time about something he mentioned earlier. “Wait. I’m sorry, did you say that you were planning on expanding our territory?” I ask him, suddenly shooting up.“Yeah,” he confirms, sounding confused. Excitement piques my voice. “I have an idea.”“Baby, please don’t tell me that you’re wanting to talk about strategy right now?” he pleads with a puppy look on his face. My stomach twists when
The Broken Fate of a Fated Mate Chapter 43 : Late First Date
*Shawn*“Well, you seem to have plenty of new things coming up on the horizon, Alpha Shawn.” Nothing about Henley’s statement sounds congratulatory at all. Instead, he says it with clear resentment. Which only makes me happier to agree. “Yes. There are quite a few adjustments Ashborne will be making for the future. One of which is a plan to start expanding our territory within the next two years. I’ll be calling more council meetings to discuss plans regarding just how we’ll achieve that.”Henley’s eyes widen. “Expand our territory? Are you planning on staying here? I thought we would move again, and that this arrangement was only temporary,” he says, stuttering over his words. “No,” I reply simply. “This is one of the best possible locations for our pack to lay roots down. Our proximity to resources, fertile hunting grounds, and other pack patrol paths is as good as we could hope for. I doubt we’ll find anything better unless you plan to drive another pack
The Broken Fate of a Fated Mate Chapter 42 : Second Impressions
*Vanessa*Waking up in Shawn’s arms feels like a luxury. This time, I don’t have to leave in the early hours. This time, I can allow myself to relax and enjoy the feeling of his warmth and weight against my body. Last night felt like a dream. Not only did I finally feel like I was able to fully embrace becoming part of Ashborne without any last remnants of my time with Helbane and Trent, but Shawn opened up to me and allowed me to see the more vulnerable parts of himself. It felt like on both counts, I was beginning to get more serious.And while I know that I should probably have some work to do today, I don’t want to leave the comfort of Shawn’s bed. “Up already?” His voice from behind me is groggy and deeper than normal due to sleepiness, but it sounds so attractive that my stomach twists into knots.“It’s my first official day as an officially-instituted strategist. I figured I should probably start getting ready to make a good first impression,” I
