Mate of Fate

Rivalry

Alice's POV

I woke to the sound of raised voices, sharp and urgent, cutting through the stillness of the night. Blinking away the remnants of sleep, I realized I was resting in Gabriel’s arms, his warmth comforting and protective. His grip tightened around me as the voices grew louder.

"She is my soulmate too, Gabriel!" a deep, vehement voice hissed. I craned my neck to see who was speaking, and my breath caught in my throat.

Standing a few feet away was another angel, every bit as striking as Gabriel. He had blonde hair that framed his strong jawline and piercing brown eyes that seemed to bore into my soul. His black wings contrasted sharply with Gabriel’s grey ones, and an aura of both danger and allure emanated from him.

"Zadkiel," Gabriel growled, his tone low and surprisingly menacing, when taking into consideration that he was supposed to be the epitome of calm, at least of the two of them. "Not like this, not here! She has only just awoken, and she had enough turmoil for a lifetime! And you and I are to blame! We destroyed everything she had with our eternal squabbling. We can't expect her to just accept us. So back the F... off and leave her with me for now."

Zadkiel’s eyes flicked at me, softening momentarily before hardening again as he looked back at Gabriel. "You can't keep her from me, brother. The bond is there, whether you like it or not."

Gabriel shifted, placing himself more fully between Zadkiel and me. "I will protect her from you, Zadkiel. You won't take her away."

Zadkiel’s gaze returned to me, lingering for what felt like hours this time. I felt a strange pull towards him, something I couldn’t explain. It was as if an invisible thread connected us, drawing me closer to him despite the tension. The air crackled with the intensity of their confrontation, and I could feel their emotions like a storm ready to burst.

His eyes softened again, filled with an emotion I couldn’t quite place. Then, without another word, he took a step closer, his eyes locked onto mine. "Alice," he said, his voice a low, seductive rumble. "You feel it too, don’t you? This bond between us?"

Gabriel’s wings flared slightly, his protectiveness intensifying. "Stay away from her, Zadkiel."

Zadkiel smirked, his eyes never leaving mine. "You can’t deny it, Alice. You’re drawn to me just as much as you are to him."

My heart raced, my mind spinning with confusion. "I don’t understand," I whispered, looking between the two of them. "What is happening?"

"It's the celestial bond," Gabriel explained, his voice softer as he looked down at me. "One that transcends the rules of both our worlds. But it means that our lives are intertwined with yours, and you are the one who has to make the choice."

Zadkiel stepped even closer, his presence magnetic. "Alice, we are both bound to you. Our fates are tied to your decision. But know this," he paused, his eyes darkening with intensity, "I will not give you up without a fight."

Gabriel’s grip on me tightened, his voice a dangerous whisper. "Then you’ll have to go through me, brother."

The tension between them was palpable, their rivalry simmering just below the surface. I could feel their conflicting emotions, the raw desire and fierce protectiveness they each had for me.

"I don’t know what to do," I admitted, my voice barely above a whisper.

Gabriel’s expression softened, his hand gently cupping my face. "Take your time, Alice. You don’t have to decide anything right now. Just rest, I will protect you."

Zadkiel’s gaze burned into me, his voice a low growl. "But don’t think I’ll wait forever, Gabriel. I need her. Alice, you have stirred feelings within us both that angels are not even supposed to feel. I know you feel it too, and I wish I could explain everything myself, but truthfully, I am as confused as you and Gabriel, the bond is rare and has never been heard of happening before. It had been nothing but a fairy tale of ancient times until now. I don't know everything yet, but I know for certain now that it's real. You made it real Alice."

Just like that, with a blink of an eye Zadkiel had once again vanished into the shadows.

As I rested my head back against Gabriel’s chest, my mind kept wandering back to Zadkiel. His intensity, his presence, it was all too much to ignore. I knew I needed to talk to him, alone as I had done earlier with Gabriel, to get a fair chance to understand this connection between us.

Solace

I reluctantly got up and out of Gabriel's embrace, excusing myself to the bathroom to soak in a warm bath. I opened the water tab on the tub and let it fill the tub nicely. I needed some time alone after all of this. Just thi very morning, I had made breakfast for the twins, and now they were completely gone. Apparently, I was now the last mortal creature left, and all because of two angels with a bad temper. This is both infuriating and horrifying all at once. They want me, and my very soul aches for them too, but they have wrecked havoc upon the mortal realm for that? It's inexcusable! How could I ever begin to accept, let alone forgive it? They took everything from me and expect me to swoon at their dangerously beautiful features, everything, over my dead body! I will not give in to those two this easily. That's why I wanted to take this long and soothing bath alone, so I could ponder everything this day brought with it.

Lost in thought, I shed my clothes, and sunk my curvy lean body into the bubbly bath. I leaned back and closed my eyes, savoring the quiet solace of my own company.