Evolution’s chosen mate

Chapter 10

Lisa

stayed in the room long after Lacey had to leave, too afraid to try to move to my own room, not able to handle the eyes on me, to feel the judgment in the looks that lingered just a little too long, and most of all completely unprepared for the possibility that I would have to face him again so soon.

I knew he didn’t leave. The bond still sparked just underneath my skin. Every time I moved closer to the window, a magnetic force would pull my eyes to the outskirts of the garden where he still stayed. The party had long since ended, the mess cleaned, but the tables remained for the meeting that would start all too soon.

The sun was beginning to throw the first rays across the sky, the knot in my stomach growing as I tried to consider the possibility of me staying in here, pretending to be ill and skipping the meeting, but the elders would never allow it, insisting we needed to show a united front at all times. If the people saw us all together, the darkness lingering inside and all the power we held, they didn’t push back on what the elders decided.

A soft knock sounded on the door and my whole body tensed.

“Lisa.”

I breathed a sigh of relief hearing my mother’s voice.

“I talked to Lacey and Sydney, honey. Let me in,” she whispered through the door, and I opened it immediately, all three of them bursting inside.

Tears welled in my eyes immediately as my mother pulled me against her chest, wrapping her arms tightly around me. A soft sob welled in my throat as I tried to shove the emotions away, tried to squash the hope that built through the night after Lacey and my conversation.

My mother backed up. She rested her hands on each side of my face, looking into my eyes.

“I know it seems impossible right now, darling, but the goddess doesn’t make mistakes and clearly this was two goddesses working together. How could they both be wrong?” my mother said, her voice shaking slightly as she knew the trouble this would bring as well as any of us, but she was still telling me to go for it anyway.

“Mom, you know as well as I do it doesn’t matter if they are right or wrong.”

She huffed, her eyes getting a little harder in a way they so rarely did when she was looking at me.

“Listen to me, child. You are blessed with a fated mate in a time when they are so truly rare. The goddesses know that he is your other half. I am not saying it will be easy because it will be anything but, and you are going to have to fight for it, but he is your mate.”

She insisted, her voice firm. I just shook my head, unable to form any words and still trying to fight the hope growing inside of me saying this could work. He doesn’t even want it either. It won’t just throw my life off the rails, but his too.

Lacey cleared her throat, nudging me as she held out a bag.

“Okay, Lis, I know you don’t want to, but you have to get ready. The meeting will be starting soon and you have to make an appearance or the elders will lose their s**t!”

Hearing Lacey say the words I had already been saying to myself increased my heart rate immediately. I knew I had to face him.

I dug through the bag, finding my makeup and hair things, and my mother threw me a tiny wink.

“Second impressions can be just as important as firsts, maybe even better.”

I smiled lightly, only to comfort her, and quickly got to work. I slid into the tight black pants that were in the bag, pairing them with a white button-up shirt and white sneakers, light makeup, and tossing my hair into a clip. I looked into the mirror a second longer. It wasn’t perfect, but it was the best I was going to get after a night of zero sleep.

We made our way out of the palace, the garden already starting to fill up. My eyes rushed across faces searching for him. I wasn’t sure if it was to run to him or in the opposite direction.

We walked to the small gathering beside the stage where the elders had congregated. As people began taking their seats and we walked onto the stage, I saw Elder Amelia stand.

“I know everyone has been concerned about the young ones not finding their fated mates. I fear that the massive hit to our numbers from the war took away that chance for them. We have several ideas, one being mating parties where our coming-of-age youth will be able to pick a chosen mate.”

I heard applause break out, but just barely over the ringing in my ears. I wasn’t sure if this made my situation better or worse.

My eyes scanned the crowd again, but this time they landed on swirling electric green ones.

My heart stuttered, my breath catching in my throat as I tried to hold my composure.

I couldn’t focus on the words as the elders continued speaking, warning the people around about rumors of threats from the rebels and new plans, but I couldn’t focus as my eyes followed Rowan’s movements. Now that my eyes had connected with his, I couldn’t pull them away as he slowly made his way to the edge of the crowd.

More applause erupted as the elders called the meeting to an end. I rushed off the stage, racing toward the palace as quickly as I could.

I knew I was drawing stares, people wondering if I was about to lose it, running like my life depended on it from a seemingly calm gathering.

I made it to the side of the palace before Rowan was suddenly in front of me. The plants swayed toward him, a warning that his power was escaping, and I felt it too—heavy, dark, and intoxicating. I swayed on my feet as his presence pressed in.

The mate bond roared to life, wrapping around me and sending agonizing sparks straight to my core.I took a step back, my spine hitting the cold brick wall. There was nowhere left to run.Rowan stepped toward me, slow and steady. His dark eyes tracked my every breath until he closed the distance, trapping me.

He slammed his hands against the brick on either side of my head, pinning me between his body and the stone.