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I smile, appreciating their concern. “I know. And I appreciate it. I think I’m in a good place right now, and I’m willing to see where this leads.”
“But would you be happy, Zethe?” Sage presses, her gaze fixed on him. “You love the water. Would you be content working on land?”
For a moment, Zethe’s gaze flickers to me, his tentacles tightening around my hand. “I would do anything to make Rey happy,” he says firmly. “And if that means finding a job on land, then I’ll do it.”
I feel a tight knot of worry start to form in my stomach as I think about the implications of what Sage is saying. I know Zethe loves his job as a lifeguard here at the resort, loves being able to help people.
Would he be happy working somewhere else, somewhere on land?
I take a deep breath, ready to voice my concerns, but Zethe beats me to it. “I’m aware that it would be a unique situation,” he says, his voice steady. “But I believe that Rey and I are capable of handling it. Besides, this resort is large enough that we could separate our professional and personal lives.”
“I… I hadn’t really thought about it,” I admit, my voice sounding small even to my own ears. “But you’re right. It’s something we should talk about.”
Zethe gives my hand another squeeze, his face serious. “We have time, Rey. We don’t need to make any decisions right now.”
“But it’s something to consider,” Sage says, nodding to himself as if confirming a thought. “If you’re going to be together, you’ll need to figure out how to make it work.”
“Let’s not rush into anything,” I say, squeezing Zethe’s hand. “We have time. Let’s explore all our options before making any final decisions.”
Zethe’s strong tentacle wraps around my hand, his grip secure, grounding. His words spill into the air between us, a bridge over uncharted territory. “Zoe and Sage… they decided to move in together the day they acknowledged their bond, and chose to stay together as a couple.”
Zoe’s surprised gaze finds mine across the table. She clears her throat, tucking a stray lock of hair behind her ear, her brown eyes unusually soft.
“That’s true, Rey,” she confesses, her voice just a whisper above the hum of the restaurant. “Sage and I are… well, we are fated mates.”
A gasp parts my lips. I blink at her, my brain struggling to catch up. Zoe and Sage… fated mates?
She nods, a faint smile curving her lips as she continues. “I first knew when I bumped into him on the way to a job interview. I’d slept through Eli’s knocks when he came to get me… and when I saw Sage, everything just… clicked.”
I watch her, enthralled by the story she spins, a tale of fate and coincidence intertwining. “Once I scored the job, I decided to dive in headfirst and accept my bond with Sage. We’ve been living together ever since, working in different departments in the resort. It allows us to maintain our independence and avoid any… inappropriate situations at work.”
My mind spins, the implications unfolding like a story I hadn’t known I was part of. Here I am, a part of their world, fated to the lifeguard who saved me, my destiny intertwined with his as theirs was.
I slowly put my pizza back on the plate and swallow hard, turning to look at Zethe. His blue eyes meet mine, and the tenderness in them nearly brings me to tears.
I’m struck dumb, staring at Zoe and Sage. They… they are mates? I can’t believe I missed the signs. The easy way they interact with each other, the subtle glances they share when they think no one’s looking.
I look over at Zethe, and I see a similar dynamic between us. He’s always there for me, always protective, always caring. The way he held my hand earlier, the way he reassured me when I was nervous.
I can’t help the smile that spreads across my face. Here I am, a human in a monster’s world, and I’ve found someone I truly care about. Someone who cares about me. It’s overwhelming and incredible and…
I look up to find both Zoe and Sage watching me, their expressions filled with understanding and warmth.
“But you both already live here, have jobs here,” I protest gently. “I’m an outsider. I don’t have a place here yet, and I can’t expect Zethe to change his whole life to accommodate me.”
“Isn’t that what love is, Rey?” Zoe asks softly. “Accommodating each other, making sacrifices, finding a way to make it work?”
She’s right, of course. I know that. But it’s different when you’re living it, when the decisions you make affect not just your life but someone else’s as well.
“You’re not alone, Rey,” Zoe says, her voice gentle. “We’re all in this together. Navigating our relationships, figuring out our places in this world. It’s not always easy, but it’s worth it.”
Her words echo in my heart, stirring up emotions I can’t quite name. But one thing is clear: I’m not alone. And with Zethe by my side, I feel like I can take on anything.
With a deep breath, I nod, meeting Zoe’s gaze. “Thank you,” I say, my voice steady. “For sharing your story. It’s proof that a human and a monster can be fated, and have everything work out for them.”
I glance at Zethe once again, his gaze steady on me, full of unspoken promises and love.
I am his fated mate. His other half.
