Mated To My Mate's Worst Enemy (ARIA) novel Chapter 289

Chapter 289

Chapter 289

KAEL

“About all of it. Aria, Ivory, the investigation Nina’s going to run, the pack’s expectations, the fact that you’re in love with two women and bonded to one of them and can’t have both no matter what you choose.”

I looked at him sharply. “I didn’t say I was in love with both of them.”

“You didn’t have to,” Jason said. “I’ve spent months watching you navigate around it. Watching you be faithful to Aria while clearly carrying feelings for Ivory that didn’t disappear just because she couldn’t remember your shared history. I’m observant, Kael. It’s part of what makes me good at intelligence work.”

I wanted to deny it. Wanted to insist that whatever I’d felt for Ivory during the curse years was finished, that I was committed to Aria and that commitment meant the other feelings didn’t

matter.

But I’d spent enough time tonight being dishonest with myself that I couldn’t maintain the pretense anymore.

“I loved Ivory during the curse years,” I said carefully. “That’s true. And those feelings didn’t disappear when she lost her memories. They just-went dormant. Became something I couldn’t act on because she didn’t remember the foundation they’d been built on. And I chose Aria. Made that choice deliberately, consciously. Committed to building something real with her despite the complications.”

“But the feelings for Ivory are still there,” Jason said.

“Yes,” I admitted. “They’re still there. And I don’t know what to do with them now that she remembers everything. Now that the distance her memory loss created is gone and we’re back to-” I stopped, not sure how to finish.

“Back to what you were,” Jason finished for me. “Or what you could have been if the curse had broken differently.”

“That’s not possible anymore,” I said. “I’m bonded to Aria. The mate bond is real and permanent. Breaking it isn’t an option even if I wanted to, which I don’t.”

“Don’t you?” Jason challenged gently. “Be honest, Kael. At least with yourself. If you could snap your fingers and have it be Ivory you were bonded to instead of Aria, would you?”

1/3

I wanted to say no immediately. Wanted to insist that I’d made my choice and I was standing by it. But Jason deserved honesty, and more importantly, I deserved to face the truth instead of continuing to run from it.

“I don’t know,” I said finally. “If you’d asked me that question three months ago, I would have said no without hesitation. I was committed to making things work with Aria. Was determined to build something real despite the awkward start. But now-” I gestured vaguely, encompassing everything. “Now Ivory has her memories back. Now she knows what we were and what we could have been. Now Aria’s betrayed my trust in ways I’m not sure I can rebuild from. And I’m standing here trying to figure out what the right choice is when every option feels like it leads to someone getting hurt.”

“That’s because every option does lead to someone getting hurt,” Jason said. “You can’t navigate this without casualties. The only question is which casualties you can live with.”

“That’s a terrible thing to say.”

“It’s also true.” Jason moved back to the tactical map, studying it like it might contain answers to questions that had nothing to do with Hunt routes. “For what it’s worth, I don’t envy your position. You’re trying to do right by everyone while being pulled in multiple directions, and there’s no version of this where you don’t end up feeling like you

failed someone.”

“You’re really good at pep talks,” I said dryly.

“I’m good at honesty,” Jason corrected. “Pep talks are someone else’s department.” He turned to face me again. “But I will say this-whatever you decide, make sure it’s actually what you want, not just what you think you should want. Because if you choose Aria out of obligation or guilt or because it’s the ‘right’ thing to do for the pack, that’s going to poison the relationship just as surely as her betrayal did.”

“And if I can’t figure out what I actually want?”

“Then you keep working at it until you do,” Jason said. “Take the time you need. Be honest with yourself. And when you know-really know-make the choice and commit to it fully. Don’t live in the in-between. That’s not fair to anyone, especially not yourself.”

I nodded, appreciating the advice even though implementing it was going to be exponentially harder than receiving it.

“I should go,” I said. “Check on Aria. Make sure she’s not doing something self-destructive now that the adrenaline is wearing off.”

“Good idea,” Jason agreed. “And Kael? Try to remember that she’s suffering too. Whatever you’re feeling about her betrayal, she’s dealing with the public humiliation of having her worst moment exposed to the entire pack. That’s not nothing.”

2/3

“I know,” I said. And I did know, even though knowing it and feeling appropriately sympathetic about it were two different things.

I left Jason to his tactical documentation and made my way through pack grounds that were finally settling into quiet. The Hunt’s immediate aftermath was over. People had dispersed to their quarters, to the dining halls, to wherever they went to process extraordinary events. Tomorrow would bring renewed gossip and speculation, but tonight there was just exhaustion. and the particular stillness that came after everyone had spent their words.

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