My Mate. My Mission

Chapter 8

VAE

"So.... How was you little makeout in the woods?” Nyx asks, grinning.

I stared at her for a moment and headed for the desk near my bed in the corner, dropping into the chair. “Who? How did what?”

Her grin widens. She walks up to me,turning the screen of her phone towards me. “Don’t try to play dumb. Look.”

The video shows a Guy kissing a girl against a tree. Only their backs were visible, but the girl’s hair is unmistakable. The guy is obviously the crown prince; his jacket is the only one of its kind in the entire school. And the girl… I know her better than anyone.

I shove her hand away from my face looking anywhere but at her “So… what does that have to do with me?, How are you sure that's me?"

She starts laughing. “Seriously? The clues are right there.” She ticks them off on her fingers, making gestures.

“You came back right after the video dropped, your hair’s a mess… and it’s the exact same color as the girl in the video.”

She leans in, still laughing. “And come on. Why wouldn’t I recognize my own roommate?”

I stare at her. “How many times have you watched that?”

“Thousands.” She chuckles, crosses the room, and drops into the chair opposite me. The teasing grin never leaves her face. “Don’t avoid the question,” she sings, still grinning.

I tossed her a pillow and she shakes it off laughing. Then her phone starts ringing.

”Excuse me, I need to take this call.”

I nod. She starts toward the door, then stops and turns back.

“Don’t think this discussion is over,” she says with a fake glare and that playful, accusing look. “I’ll be back after my call, and you’re going to tell me the full story of how going to the restroom somehow led to kissing the crown prince under a tree.”

I let out a quiet chuckle.

She backs out of the room, eyes still on me, and the door clicks shut behind her—leaving everything quiet.

I sigh, glancing at the video again. His hands on my waist, lips moving on mine, backs against a tree... I take the phone, lock it, and toss it across the bed.

This is stupid. I'm supposed to be hunting him, tracking his movements, and actively working my way up to complete the mission. Not kissing him under a tree like some first-year i***t.

And the mate bond? There's no f*****g way I'm letting it control me.

I feel Lora groan inside me. “But he's our mate.”

I mentally shove her aside. She's back after a year and already causing chaos.

I sigh and laying back down on the bed. The memories are coming again. I try not to remember. But my mind remembers anyway.

Smoke. It burns my nose. Heavy boots slamming the floor, they were getting closer…… Growls of feral beasts, so close. Fire. Blood. Someone was screaming…

A familiar hand soon wrapped around mine. My Mother. Warm, safe.

Then... something shifts in her eyes.

“Run… Vaelora…” Her voice screams in my head.

My hands fly to my head.

Screams again. Chaos. Her hand is holding mine now, she's running through the chaos. I held onto her hand tight... then a feral wolf fell from nowhere on her…

I snap my eyes open, my breathing coming out in ragged breaths.

No...

Another flash comes anyway.

A sword thrust to my father's chest mid-shift... the way his hands reach for me but falls back. A war banner… Ironfang… The castle walls were breaking…

I curl into the corner of the bed, wrapping my arms around my knees. The sounds all come together, a mess of different voices.

I reach into my inner pocket to grab the. silvermoon crest on the sheet. Tears well in my eyes as guilt settles deep in my chest.

Their kingdom was stolen from them. They were killed in their own kingdom by the same kingdom they shared a moon treaty with. They were labeled traitors; their titles and honors stripped away. Left in the open, they weren't even given a proper burial…

And here I am. Their only survivor. The only Silvermoon Royal Ironfang hasn't killed yet…

I'm…

I failed them.. Ironfang killed them, yet I'm losing control around the heir to the enemy they died protecting me from... and I kissed him!

I curl my hand tighter around the crest, digging my palms into the metal until the edges cut into my skin and blood drips. It feels just like the blood dripping from the Silvermoon Knights that day.

The pervading smell of blood. Their agonizing screams. The growls…

Then… a loud noise cuts through in my ears.

I turn sharply towards it. It was coming from my phone across the bed. I reach out with my free hand and pulled it closer.

BLACK LOTUS GUILD

I answer immediately.

"Shadow Rank Vespera,” Mira's voice comes through, cold and formal.

"Report on the target.”

I straighten up, clearing my throat, though I still held the crest tight. "Crown Prince Ryker has arrived at the academy. I have made my first move and am making rapid progress. I am sure to complete it before the deadline.”

The line goes quiet for a moment. “Good. Keep your focus on the target. Report again when you have something useful.”

"I will.”

The line clicks. I stare at the phone, then drop it on the bed.

Mira is an information scout in the guild, and she is usually the one assigned to me during missions to handle reports. She would call back, she always does.

Three seconds later, the phone rings again. I pick it up. "What?”

"Wow, you didn't even say hello.”

I blink. "Well… hello…”

"That's better. Are you okay? You sounded too formal on the official line, it's so unlike you.”

I keep quiet, scrambling for a good lie. "I'm just tired. The target's schedule is hard to keep up with," I say, forcing my voice to sound as normal as possible.

The line quiets for a second, and then Mira's laughter rolls through the speaker. "Nice try, Vae. You used that exact same tone when you lied to Instructor Darius about the chicken back when we were ten.”

An involuntary smile forms on my lips. "Please, no.”

“You told Instructor Darius the chicken followed you,” she chuckles.

"Well, that was the only option at the time! You and kieran left me behind" I smile, covering my face.

“You stared that man directly in the eyes and accused poultry of stalking you.” She laughs.

"Yh? Both of you were nowhere to be seen. How did you expect me to handle the situation?” The smile is entirely visible on my face now.

"You could have just hid behind the cabinet, but instead you decided to make up a story about a bird.”

The next hour passes quickly with Mira teasing me about the ridiculous mistakes we made as kids, and how Kieran almost landed himself on the elimination list after missing a target during a trial.

Eventually, she sighs. "I have to get back to work, my shift is starting soon.”

"Okay. Make sure you don't end up on the guild’s elimination list yourself. Dont fail your tasks”

"Sure. And you… Make. Sure. You. Don't. DIE.” She puts heavy emphasis on the last word.

I laugh lightly. "Bye. See you soon.”

I murmur a quick agreement and end the call.

My gaze drops back down to the bloodied crest and the already healing cuts on my palm. I sigh, stepping off the bed and sliding the crest safely back into my pocket.

Lying back down on the mattress, I pulled up the target profile on my device. Crown Prince Ryker’s official file filled the screen; his royal guard rotations, his class schedule at the academy and his known combat habits.

An unwelcome heat stirs in my chest and my mouth still carries the lingering taste of his lips on mine.

Focus. I tell myself, closing my eyes to force Lora to the back of my mind. I don't need to completely rely on my powers for this mission. The mate bond is a far more dangerous key.., it gives me complete access to him.

​If he thought I was just a flustered, timid Omega who thinks I don't deserve him or his title.., I should let him believe it. I just need to stay close enough, long enough, to slip a silver blade between his ribs and finish what was supposed to be already done at the club.