Mates at War: A Battle of Hearts

Between the Past and the Bond

Jade Nightshade.

Whoever said waiting for your fated mate was worth it instead of wasting time with someone else was absolutely right. Completely. Trying to love someone else, thinking they could be your forever, was like walking into the same heartbreak I had already lived through with Rowon. It wasn’t just the betrayal, though—that stung, yes—but the thought that I might have missed out on this, this bond, this overwhelming pull that was shaking me to my core.

My heart was in chaos.The moonlight flickered over the crowd, but all I could see was him.

Darius. My mate.

My heart raced, hammering against my chest like it wanted to escape. I didn’t want him to see me this way—shaken, unsure, speechless.

I stole a glance at him, the boy I had once known, now towering, exuding power and confidence. His face was sharper, more mature, but those eyes—they were still the same. The same ones that used to glint with mischief when he pulled my hair, teased me, and found new ways to make my life difficult. And yet now, in this moment, those same eyes were pulling me in like a magnet, sparking a strange tension I didn’t know how to handle.

I couldn’t believe it. Of all people, Darius had become the one I was destined to spend my life with. I wanted to scream at the irony.

"Darius... I… you... I—"

God, I was a stuttering mess. My throat was dry, my palms sweaty, and I couldn’t form a single coherent thought. This was embarrassing. He was definitely enjoying it—feeding off the fact that he had rendered me flustered and tongue-tied.

His eyes lit up, amusement dancing in them as he leaned forward slightly. "Seeing as you’re saying nothing," he drawled with that familiar smirk I hated and loved at the same time."I’ll take it as a confidence booster that I made the almighty, beautiful Jade speechless."

I clenched my jaw, trying to gather myself, but nothing came out. It was like the mate bond had scrambled my brain, and Darius—the same Darius who used to torment me—now stood before me with all the confidence in the world.

"So tell me, beautiful Jade, Are you speechless because of my handsomeness?" He teased, stepping closer, "or the fact that we’re mat—"

"Ah! I see you both have met already," my father’s booming voice interrupted from behind us, jolting me back to reality.

I barely managed to suppress the groan that threatened to escape. Of all times for him to pop in, it had to be now. I straightened up quickly, trying to regain some composure, but the heat of embarrassment was already creeping up my neck.

My father walked toward us, a wide grin on his face, completely oblivious to the tension brewing between me and Darius. "Why so quiet, Jade? One would think you’ve met your mate," he said with a laugh, clearly joking, but his words sent a wave of panic crashing through me.

I forced a laugh, though it sounded more like a choked gasp. If my father got the slightest hint that Darius was, in fact, my mate, I knew exactly what he’d do. He’d have us bound by the Moon Goddess tonight—no hesitation, no questions asked. I wasn’t ready for that.

Darius, of course, was watching me closely, amusement glinting in his eyes as he leaned against a nearby tree with casual ease, like he was enjoying every second of this. I shot him a pleading look, silently begging him not to say a word to my father. Please, not now.

Darius tilted his head slightly, a hint of understanding crossing his face. For a moment, I thought he might tease me further, but then, with a slow exhale, he looked at my father and said smoothly, "Yes, we’ve already met, Alpha. Jade was just... processing everything."

Processing. That’s one way to put it.

My father, unaware of the undercurrent of tension, slapped Darius on the back, laughing heartily. "Good, good. I’m glad you two got to reconnect. I knew you would hit it off. It’s been too long, hasn’t it, Jade?" He turned to me with a wide grin, proud and beaming. "You must be happy to have Darius back."

"Y-Yeah," I managed to choke out without peeing in my pants. "It’s… nice." Nice? That’s the best I could come up with?

My father chuckled. "Well, Darius is back for good now, stronger than ever. We’re lucky to have him—no one can match his strength. He’s earned the title of the strongest warrior of our kind, Jade. Imagine what a force he’ll be for our pack."

I nodded, barely listening to my father’s words, because all I could focus on was Darius’s eyes. They hadn’t left mine since this conversation began, and there was something different about them now. Not just the amusement. There was a depth there, something I couldn’t quite put my finger on.

"Seriously, why so quiet, Jade?" My father teased again, his tone light. "One would think Darius has left you speechless."

I forced a smile, but inside, my heart was racing. If my father pressed any further, if he even suspected what was going on between us, there would be no hiding it. I couldn’t let that happen, but my father was a smart man.

Darius, sensing my silent plea, turned to my father with a charming grin. "I think it’s just been a long night, Alpha. Jade’s probably tired from all the excitement."

My father laughed heartily again, patting Darius on the shoulder. "You’re probably right. Well, I’ll leave you two to it then. I have more guests to attend to." He gave me one last smile before walking off, leaving me alone with Darius once more.

As soon as my father was out of earshot, I let out a breath I hadn’t realised I was holding. Darius, of course, was still watching me, his smirk returning.

"You really are speechless, aren’t you?"

I glared at him, but the heat of embarrassment still hadn’t faded. "Shut up, Darius."

He chuckled softly, stepping closer. "I’ve missed this, you know," he said, his voice quieter now, almost serious. "Teasing you. Watching you try to figure me out."

I blinked, my heart skipping a beat. There was something in his voice, something that made my stomach flip. Was he feeling the mate bond too? Did he know how much this was messing with my head?

I opened my mouth to respond, but nothing came out. Because in that moment, I wasn’t sure what to say. Not to Darius. Not to the boy who had once been my biggest bully and now stood in front of me as my fated mate.

Soon an awkward silence settled between us. Darius, who had been so playful just a moment ago, seemed to shift slightly, his expression more thoughtful now. I fiddled with the edge of my dress, trying to focus on anything but the electric pull between us.

Darius cleared his throat, breaking the silence. "So, uh... Rowon."he said casually, his words catching me off guard.

My heart dropped into my stomach at the mention of his name. Of course, Darius didn’t know. He had been gone for five years, leaving just before Rowon asked me out. Darius didn’t know that Rowon and I had started something real—until Rowon had shattered everything I thought I knew about love, trust, and loyalty by cheating on me and getting his fated mate pregnant.

I forced a neutral expression, but inside, my mind was spinning. Should I tell him? Should I tell Darius the whole messy, ugly truth about how Rowon betrayed me? But then again, why should I? It wasn’t his business, and it certainly wasn’t something I wanted to relive, especially not now, not with him.

I hesitated, biting my lip, my gaze flickering to the ground. "Rowon... he’s not here."

Darius raised an eyebrow, clearly confused. "Not here? That’s weird. He’s usually glued to your side." He chuckled, though it was more awkward than genuine, like he wasn’t sure if the joke would land. "I was always jealous of that, you know? How he was always with you. I used to wish I could be the one standing next to you instead."

That caught me off guard. I looked up at him, blinking. Jealous? Of Rowon? It seemed so... absurd.

Darius shrugged, his smile turning a little softer, almost self-deprecating. "Maybe that’s why the Moon Goddess answered my prayers. Gave me the chance I always wanted."

A tiny nervous laugh escaped my lips, though my heart was racing. His words were light, almost teasing, but they struck close to home. Rowon had been by my side—until everything fell apart. And now, with Darius here, it felt like too much to handle all at once.

I wasn’t ready to dive into that mess.

"I... I don’t think it’s a good idea to talk about Rowon right now," I murmured, deciding against telling him the truth. "There’s... a lot you don’t know."

There was too much history and too much hurt wrapped up in that name. Darius didn’t need to know. At least not yet.

I could feel his gaze on me, and I wasn’t sure if he would push for more. I glanced up, noticing the slight frown tugging at his lips. Before I could say anything else, he reached out and grabbed my wrist, pulling me toward him with surprising ease.

My breath hitched. Darius was close—too close. I could feel the warmth radiating from him, the intoxicating scent that came with the mate bond swirling around us. His grip on my wrist was firm but not rough, and his eyes glinted with that mischievous spark I remembered so well.

"Let’s ditch this party," he said suddenly in a low voice that held a playful edge to it. "It’s almost over anyway. No one will notice if we disappear for a bit."

"What?" I blinked, startled by the sudden shift. "Ditch the party? We can’t just—"

"Why not?" He grinned, leaning in a little closer, his eyes locking onto mine. "We could go find Rowon. He deserves to be the first to know that we are mates, right? He’s our best friend, after all. We should tell him the news—about us."

I froze, his words cutting through the fog of confusion in my mind. Tell Rowon? About us?

The thought of seeing Rowon again, especially after our last intense conversation, made my stomach twist. How would he react when he finds out that Darius, our best friend and the boy who used to tease me endlessly, is now my mate? How could I look him in the eye and pretend that things were still the same?

"I... I don’t think that’s a good idea," I whispered, pulling my wrist from Darius’s grasp, stepping back slightly. "Rowon doesn’t need to know."

"Why not? I’m sure he’ll be happy," Darius insisted, tugging me along as he led me out of the garden.

And just like that, I found myself walking back to the house I had never wanted to step foot in again.