Lahat ng Kabanata ng Mated To Valentine : Kabanata 61 - Kabanata 70

The air smells like damp earth and pine as we step outside the mansion. The morning chill lingers, but the sun is already high, trying to burn away the cold. I tug my jacket tighter around myself, but it does nothing for the weight sitting heavy in my chest.Achilles, on the other hand, seems completely unbothered. He stretches his arms over his head, groaning dramatically. "You know, I could’ve used an extra hour of sleep," he grumbles.Mara snorts as she pulls a bundle of small banners from her satchel. “You? Sleep? Since when do you sleep, Achilles?”She had arrived last night at Achilles call, declining any offer of a ride from him. And now, we're set to putting our defences up.He places a hand over his chest, feigning offense. “Excuse me? I sleep all the time. Just ask North.” He winks at me. “I sleep like a baby, don’t I?”I just shake my head, offering him a weak chuckle. My mind is too clouded to engage.Mara smirks. “Sleeping and passing out from exhaustion are two differe

The first thing I register is warmth.North is curled against me, her head resting on my chest, her steady breaths brushing against my skin. I tighten my arms around her instinctively, unwilling to move. The soft scent of her—something rich and sweet, uniquely hers—wraps around me, lulling me into a rare sense of peace. The digital clock reads 1:45 am. I should be outside, but here is so much better.My body feels heavy, lazy, unwilling to face the reality waiting beyond these sheets.Then my mother’s voice slices through the quiet of my mind."Valentine. Get up."I groan, burying my face in North’s hair, hoping she’ll give up and leave me alone. No such luck."Valentine. I know you can hear me, and I know you're awake. Get up now."I squeeze my eyes shut, trying to ignore her. I don’t want to move. I don’t want to leave North. But the sharp edge in her tone tells me I don’t have a choice."Valentine, if you do not answer me this instant, I will come find you myself."That gets my

The pancakes are warm and fluffy, drowning in syrup and whipped cream. Achilles eats like he hasn’t seen food in a century, cutting into his stack with almost aggressive enthusiasm."You know," I say, after a few bites, "since you just told me about your life before Valentine, I think it’s only fair I tell you about mine."He glances up, chewing, his brows lifting. "Oh? Is this some kind of trauma exchange program?"I smirk. "Something like that."He leans back in his chair, swirling his fork in the air. "Alright, I’m all ears."But first, tell me—did you ever wonder what life was like for humans?"He archs a brow. "I’ve never really wondered what it’s like for humans. They don't have quality issues to deal with like covens or councils." He shrugs. "I mean, they’re weak. They don’t even make it to eighty most of the time."A dry chuckle slips past my lips, but it’s humorless, empty. His words sting in a way he doesn’t realize. "Yeah," I murmur, swirling my fork through the syrup on

The air in the room is thick with tension, but not the kind that simmers quietly in the background. No, this is the kind that coils around my throat, suffocating, squeezing, making every breath feel like a battle. The artificial light flickers, casting jagged shadows along the smooth walls, making Achilles’ sharp grin seem slimmer than usual.But I see it—the way his fingers drum just a little too fast against the table, the way his shoulders are a little too tense. Beneath all that lighthearted bravado, there’s something darker lurking.One thing I've come to know about Achilles is that his jokes are a coping mechanism for dealing with all this crazy.You know, he's those kind of people that don't let themselves reflect the storm going on inside them."There’s no headway with the council."Valentine’s voice slides into my mind like silk wrapped around steel, controlled, but carrying a lethal edge. I brace myself."They want Luther's son back," I repeat, more to myself than anyone

"I'm going insane."I drag my feet across the marble floors of the mansion, letting out an exaggerated groan. Three days. Three whole days since we ran into that shapeshifter, and I haven’t stepped foot outside. The wards don’t reach far enough into the forest, and apparently, I’m the hottest commodity on the market with a price tag of a hundred and fifty million dollars.So, stepping outside basically screams, Come and get me!Still, I feel like a caged animal.I throw myself onto the couch with a dramatic sigh, staring at the ceiling. "I swear, if I don’t get out of here soon, I’m going to—""Complain to me for the hundredth time?"I glare at Achilles, who is sprawled in a massage chair, flipping through a Vogue magazine like he’s the picture of relaxation."You don’t get it," I grumble. "You can leave whenever you want. You’re not being hunted like some prized deer."He glances up, amused. "Oh, please. I’m a very prized deer. The most exquisite of them all. I was wanted by a dem