Once My Mate, Always My Mate
Chapter 9- My Life's Work

Sabrina’s POV

"I have one thing to ask of you," Aiden says to me, walking into myoffice with a straight face.

"What is it?" I ask with a straight face.

Aiden walks up to my desk, his scent still so familiar to me but havingalmost no effect. I am not a blind girl, he was still so good-looking...Probably the most good-looking guy I have ever been with but myheart no longer beats for him.

"Are you sure you feel nothing for me?" He asks and I smile.

"And don't try to downplay it. I am just as affected as you are and I canfeel that faint spark.” He says to me.

Truth be told, I could feel some lingering feelings but who doesn't foran ex? This was the man I was going to spend the rest of my life with...The mate bond might have been removed but a part of me, void of anyinfluence of the mate bond began to love him. The part of me that isincorruptible and that loved freely like a teenager, listening to nobodyif I was ever warned about boys.

A part of me fell for him but as he said, it was faint... Almost avoidable.It was so faint that I could ignore my feelings even if they begged meto cry out for him.

"Aiden..." I try to say but he stops me. His finger to my mouth and Ilook at him, expecting him to not be so bold and to remove the bigfinger placed on my small lips.

"I know, you'll probably say something like, you are now with someoneelse and I should just accept it but I refuse to. Fate wanted us to betogether... Who knows if it is to better manage your affairs as the moongoddess and your place in this realm but I can't just ignore thesefeelings. They are there, creeping up on me in the night and I getflashbacks of our time together.” He says to me and I laugh, falling backon my chair.

"Aiden, you ruined us and you expect me to just listen to tiny dropletsof what you call feelings? I have dated before and even when I thoughtI could not move on, I did. This is no different.” I respond and he nodshis head, listening intently.

"I hear you but I have not had the chance to explore love with adifferent woman other than you. I admit, I acted poorly because I got alittle mad over my family's demise and I will spend the rest of my lifepaying for that but I know nothing else but to fight for you." Aiden saysto me, Xander walking in on the conversation.

"Am I interrupting?" Xander asks and I smile.

"Yes. You may be an earthling but your ears work just fine. You heardour conversation long before you turned the corner and you walked inanyway." Aiden says back to Xander, who feigns indifference to hiswords.

"You are the homewrecker here. Your place is not of this world and ifyou think this realm will open up its arms to you when you don'tbelong... I have news for the both of you.” Aiden says to Xander butlooking at me.

Aiden turns around to walk out but stops at the door, forcing Xander toturn around and face him.

"You may have the day but the night is young, it grows, and as quiet asit may seem, grounds are shifting to fix the imbalance you have causedthis realm. Xander is not of this place, his make is not of our world, he isgenerations too late to inhabit what was once his ancestor's place andhe will pay greatly for it. You will only have yourself to blame, Sabrina.”Aiden says, leaving us with questions.

Xander and I share a look before I am out the door, running to theelders. Xander follows steadily behind me until we reach a room wherethe elders were eating

"What will happen if Xander stays here?" I ask and the elders ponder onmy question, looking at each other before finally getting to their feetand looking straight into my eyes.

"He will die if he is not already. His place is not of this place andbecause he has been exposed to the land of the gods, it is only amatter of time, the longer he stays here.” The elder says to me and Ichuckle in surprise.

"And when were you going to tell me this?" I ask, baffled beyond belief."We are merely just advisors to the family that rules the realm.” Thestanding elder says to me.

"Bullshit!" I scream out loud, Xander touches my shoulder to calm medown but it doesn't work. I guess this is where the chosen mate conspop in.

"You have been trained on matters of this realm, your mother having atough upbringing as a halfling and you think a mere earthling willoutlast the realm? Even if you had given immortality, this was not histime to be here.” One elder jumps in and I step back in shock.

"Forgive my brother. What we are trying to say is, that this is the land ofthe gods. Even the moon goddess is unknown on earth. Earthlings areexactly what they are, earthlings. They belong in a world created forthem and you can see this with your sister as well. She may have somepowers o this realm from her blood, which allows her to come and goas she pleases but even she is limited. Limited in strength and basically,everything we are not. She is weaker than the untrained in this realm,her vampire abilities help her. What I am getting at is..." The last eldersays to me but Xander speaks before him.

"The more time spent on earth, the less we are gifted. Essentiallymaking me too weak to ever put myself among the gods. Generationafter generation, we become weaker..." Xander trails off and the eldersnod.

"The past moon goddesses said I could be with him..." I say softly but Iwas heard.

"Even they knew your love was fleeting. You are mated to Aiden and itwill remain so for this lifetime. Be with Xander, don't be with him, in theend, your life was destined to end with Aiden by your side.” The firstelder says to me.

Talk about a grenade going off in my hands.